Blood of the Lily: Clash of Goddesses, Book 1 by S.D. Huston

Author:S.D. Huston [Huston, S.D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Literary Dawn Press LLC
Published: 2021-11-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Since the sun had set and Lily needed real food, they waited several hours to make the journey toward the Ard-Draoi’s home. She planned to leave as soon as possible. While soaking up venison stew with a real piece of bread, Lily used the time to share everything that had happened with her mother and Ana.

The words poured out. More words than all the combined words she had spoken since Marigold’s death.

They also talked about Marigold. All the emotions that had been kept close to her heart burst from her lips like water from a broken dam. Try as she might to keep some of it back, it emptied until there was nothing left to say.

Ana and Ciara flanked her on either side and all through her outpouring of grief, shame, and hurt, they hugged her. This brought new tears to her eyes, which she quickly dashed away.

Cúig made his way in during the night, plopping down with a heavy thud and curling against her back, the scent of berries wafting over her. Then he began to snore. She chuckled and rubbed a hand down his fur, but it didn’t disturb him.

Abruptly, the bleak weight of her mission loomed inside, causing her chest to tighten. “What if I fail Rose?” she asked her mother. What if the leprechaun kills her?

Ciara shook her head. “You won’t.”

But she’d failed once already.

Ciara brought Lily’s head to her lap, her fingers brushing through her fine, white hair, and Lily snuggled into her mother’s warmth. She used to do this as a little girl, and it had always soothed her. She wished she could go back to being that little girl. A time when all her sisters had been alive and safe. A time when Ana had helped them learn how to use their special gifts. A time when the world was a magical place filled with a forest full of new animals she could talk to.

She was no longer that naïve girl.

What if her mother was wrong about her failing?

She spoke her fears aloud. Everything that could go wrong on her trip to Oileán Dairbhre, the meeting with the Ard-Draoi himself, the journey to find the missing hound, and then facing the leprechaun should she succeed in finding Failinis.

Ciara’s fingers halted on her hair, and Lily sat up. “The gods are on your side. Through perseverance, you will succeed.”

Ana took her hand from her other side and squeezed it. “But we’ll love you even if you can’t free Rose.”

“Yes.” Ciara’s voice was low, the sound of tears at the end of the word. “I will always love you, Lily. No matter what happens, because I know the love you have for your sister and your family. I know you will never give up. That love will save us all, even if our family is broken apart.”

Lily closed her eyes and sighed. Neither her mother nor Ana would stop loving her if she failed. She had probably known that…but would she stop loving herself?

As

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