P. C. Cast - Partholon 02 by Brighid's Quest

Author:Brighid's Quest
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“Oh, yes!”

“It’s so green here!”

“Everything is growing!”

Elphame raised her hand and the barrage of youthful exuberance was stilled.

“First,” she said slowly, “I am not a Goddess. I am simply touched by one. You may call me Chieftain, or my Lady, or even Elphame. Understand?”

Lots of bright little heads nodded ardently.

“Good. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way.” Elphame’s face broke into a joyous smile. “Stand, New Fomorians and be welcomed to MacCallan Castle—your new home!”

Taking their cue from their Chieftain, Clan MacCallan surged forward, greeting the children and adults until soon the groups were so co-mingled Brighid could no longer tell where MacCallan plaid ended and the wings of the New Fomorians began.

“Is this someone special I should meet?” Elphame asked Brighid.

Before she could respond Liam chirped a quick, “Yes!”

Brighid slipped a hand onto the boy’s leg and squeezed. With obedience that the Huntress was beginning to find surprising, the boy instantly quieted.

“Elphame, I would like to formally introduce you to my new apprentice, Liam.”

To her credit a small twitch of her lips was all that betrayed the Chieftain’s surprise and—Brighid was sure—amusement.

“Well met, Liam. A clan can always use another good…” She hesitated, and at Brighid’s inconspicuous half-nod she finished, “Huntress.”

“Thank you, my Lady! MacCallan Castle will be needing an extra Huntress with all of us here now.”

Brighid thought he sounded very mature, and she would have been fooled into thinking he had suddenly aged several years, had she not felt him squirm with barely suppressed excitement.

“That’s a very wise thing for you to say, Liam,” Elphame said without a hint of the smile Brighid knew she had to be struggling to conceal—knew it because her friend was studiously avoiding meeting Brighid’s eyes. “I can see why Brighid chose you to be her apprentice.”

“Oh, she didn’t choose me,” Liam said gravely. “I chose her. From the first time I met her I told her that I was supposed to be a centaur Huntress, just like her.”

Elphame pressed a hand against her lips, as if gravely considering the boy’s words. She carefully cleared her throat before answering the boy. “You know, you remind me of my brother. He knew from a very early age just exactly who he was going to be.”

Brighid could feel Liam sucking in a mighty breath with which to sustain what she felt certain would be a long barrage of very young and very excited words, when she saw Nara approaching them.

“Elphame, please meet the New Fomorian Healer, Nara,” Brighid said quickly.

Nara curtsied respectfully to the Clan Chieftain. “We’re so pleased to be here, my Lady.”

Elphame smiled. “I’m pleased to add a Healer and another young Huntress to our ranks.”

Nara frowned up at her young charge. “This is one Huntress who has done enough riding for today.”

“I think we all have,” Brighid said under her breath as she helped Liam slide reluctantly from her back.

“You are absolutely right, Brighid,” Elphame said. She clapped her hands together, drawing the attention of the crowd. “Supper is laid.

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