Age of Druids: Druid's Brooch Series: #9 by Christy Nicholas

Author:Christy Nicholas [Nicholas, Christy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing
Published: 2020-10-13T18:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

Clíodhna stumbled out of her dream and back into the mortal realm.

She startled awake by the crackle of the fire. The glowing coals had burst into a raging hearth fire, the flames reaching for her body. She scrambled back from the hungry, flickering flames and tried to regain her balance, both physical and mental.

Donn came out, rubbing his eyes. “Ma? Are you still out here? It’s almost dawn.”

After dusting off her clothing, she stood to face him. “Sorry to wake you, dear. I slept out here but had a bad dream.” Clíodhna considered her eldest son. “Donn, if we left the village, would you be horribly upset?”

He blinked a few times, still not awake. “Leave? To where?”

“A friend said he had a safe place for us all. A cottage near a pond.”

“That Fae friend of yours?”

Asleep or awake, her son wasn’t stupid. “The same.”

He bit at his lip, watching the fire. “I don’t know. I enjoyed the classes at the abbey, and don’t want to leave those. But I haven’t been going anyhow, because of your fight with the Abbot.”

She felt as if Donn had punched her in the gut. “My fight? He tried to take you away from me! How is this my fault?”

He picked at his fingers. “I don’t blame you, Ma! But if you just acted more like the other mothers, maybe the Abbot wouldn’t be so angry with you all the time.”

Etromma stumbled out, her hair a tangled mess. “What’s all the shouting about?”

“Ma here wants us to move away with her lover.”

Clíodhna rolled her eyes. “That’s not what I meant, Donn, and you know it! I’m just trying to find a place that’s safe for all of us.”

Etromma stared at Donn and then at Clíodhna. “Move away? But Ma, that would mean I’d have to leave Tirechan! You can’t do this to me!”

After covering her face with her hands, Clíodhna rubbed her skin, trying to dispel the mounting fight before it escalated. “I’m just trying to keep you all safe.”

Etromma rubbed her arms. “I’ll be plenty safe as Tirechan’s wife.”

Donn glanced at his sister, nodding. “And I’d be safe in the abbey, as Brother Cronan’s apprentice. I should have a trade other than just fishing, anyhow, don’t you think?”

Clíodhna glared at her elder children, not wanting to admit they had grown into independent people, with their own thoughts and dreams. She’d have to let them go, and she didn’t want to admit that, even to herself.

Aileran wailed, his voice piercing the pre-dawn silence. Clíodhna closed her eyes, wishing for a way to start the conversation anew. When she opened her eyes again, a bird darted across the clearing, almost straight at her. She ducked and cursed, then stomped into the roundhouse to comfort her baby.

She must have dozed. As the sun rose, she rushed out to greet the dawn. She’d neglected such devotions and felt strong guilt for her omission. Almost as if in reaction, the dawn rose deep red, an angry, sullen color. A heavy blanket of dark gray clouds swallowed the sun mere moments after it rose.

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