had seen. These men looked cold-hearted and merciless, as if they wouldn't hesitate to use raw power on her if she disobeyed.
Tiamhaidh stepped between them and Marie. “Let's go. They're here just to escort us. They are not the elders and they will not harm you,” he said firmly, staring at the men.
“He's right. We mean no harm. We’re here to protect you and escort you to the healing cave,” said one of the men, bowing his head, though his eyes never left Marie, and that felt kind of creepy.
She moved carefully to the door. Why did she get the impression that the elders were the ones she should be afraid of? She knew Tiamhaidh couldn't tell her, but something in his voice told her that she should be afraid. She grabbed her jacket from the couch and went out. She could almost hear the men sighing with relief. What was going on? She glanced at Tiamhaidh, but he didn't look at her. Instead, he took her hand and held it tight in his.
“What’s a healing cave?” she asked the man next to her.
“It’s a big cave that we use when someone is sick. You would probably call it a hospital. But as it’s not a house but a peaceful place that nature offers, we call it the healing cave,” he responded mechanically without even looking at her.
She knew hospitals. So this one couldn't be worse than the others, right? And it had to be somewhere near, as they went higher up the mountain, not down to where the cars were. She was right.
After they had walked about ten minutes they came to a place where you could see the top of Mount Breitinden as well as the other mountain tops that surrounded the lake. The door to the cave was almost invisible and covered with bushes. They could've missed it if the men hadn't known exactly where it was. Marie stared at it in shock. The door looked like a rabbit hole. A big rabbit hole for sure, but still it was nothing more than a big hole.
Two of the men went inside and the others gestured to Marie and Tiamhaidh to follow them. Marie shrugged and went in. The cave was huge. It was way bigger than most of the flats she had seen back home and it was lit by hundreds of candles. It looked kind of ancient and she could almost imagine people with Neolithic clothes and simple spears being in there. She couldn't see any furniture, but the floor was covered with soft furs that seemed suitable for lazy lounging on the floor or even sleeping. Instinctively, she knew that she was the first human that had been there for a long time and that she should be honored that they had allowed her to go there. Several primitive, weird-looking fireplaces emitted their heat throughout the cave, and without the twelve stone-faced people sitting in the middle of it, it could've been quite cozy.
Marie focused on the people. There was something between them and when she looked closer she saw a bed. It felt odd. It wasn't a bed where you wanted to sleep, but more like a bed you saw in hospitals. White sheets and thin mattress and no blanket whatsoever. Oh, and cold metal rails you could lift up if needed. And on the ground was a pile of pots and vials, and everything looked frighteningly sterile. She didn't want to see more. She stepped back and swallowed. A hard hand touched her back and she didn't need to look to know it was one of her escorts. The whole scene looked like a ceremony they had planned for her. The hand pushed her closer and the people stood up.
“Madainn mhath, leanabh,” Faol said softly.
“Good morning,” Marie answered shakily.
“And how are you today?” Faol asked.
Marie looked confused but managed to smile a little. “Good. I guess.”
Faol smiled. “Good.”
Marie stared at the others. These were the same twelve people that she had seen yesterday in her mind. Did they know what she had tried to do? She glanced at Tiamhaidh and he shook his head secretly. What? What did that mean? He shook his head again. Everyone was looking at her. Erag stared at her coldly, but the others looked
Tiamhaidh stepped between them and Marie. “Let's go. They're here just to escort us. They are not the elders and they will not harm you,” he said firmly, staring at the men.
“He's right. We mean no harm. We’re here to protect you and escort you to the healing cave,” said one of the men, bowing his head, though his eyes never left Marie, and that felt kind of creepy.
She moved carefully to the door. Why did she get the impression that the elders were the ones she should be afraid of? She knew Tiamhaidh couldn't tell her, but something in his voice told her that she should be afraid. She grabbed her jacket from the couch and went out. She could almost hear the men sighing with relief. What was going on? She glanced at Tiamhaidh, but he didn't look at her. Instead, he took her hand and held it tight in his.
“What’s a healing cave?” she asked the man next to her.
“It’s a big cave that we use when someone is sick. You would probably call it a hospital. But as it’s not a house but a peaceful place that nature offers, we call it the healing cave,” he responded mechanically without even looking at her.
She knew hospitals. So this one couldn't be worse than the others, right? And it had to be somewhere near, as they went higher up the mountain, not down to where the cars were. She was right.
After they had walked about ten minutes they came to a place where you could see the top of Mount Breitinden as well as the other mountain tops that surrounded the lake. The door to the cave was almost invisible and covered with bushes. They could've missed it if the men hadn't known exactly where it was. Marie stared at it in shock. The door looked like a rabbit hole. A big rabbit hole for sure, but still it was nothing more than a big hole.
Two of the men went inside and the others gestured to Marie and Tiamhaidh to follow them. Marie shrugged and went in. The cave was huge. It was way bigger than most of the flats she had seen back home and it was lit by hundreds of candles. It looked kind of ancient and she could almost imagine people with Neolithic clothes and simple spears being in there. She couldn't see any furniture, but the floor was covered with soft furs that seemed suitable for lazy lounging on the floor or even sleeping. Instinctively, she knew that she was the first human that had been there for a long time and that she should be honored that they had allowed her to go there. Several primitive, weird-looking fireplaces emitted their heat throughout the cave, and without the twelve stone-faced people sitting in the middle of it, it could've been quite cozy.
Marie focused on the people. There was something between them and when she looked closer she saw a bed. It felt odd. It wasn't a bed where you wanted to sleep, but more like a bed you saw in hospitals. White sheets and thin mattress and no blanket whatsoever. Oh, and cold metal rails you could lift up if needed. And on the ground was a pile of pots and vials, and everything looked frighteningly sterile. She didn't want to see more. She stepped back and swallowed. A hard hand touched her back and she didn't need to look to know it was one of her escorts. The whole scene looked like a ceremony they had planned for her. The hand pushed her closer and the people stood up.
“Madainn mhath, leanabh,” Faol said softly.
“Good morning,” Marie answered shakily.
“And how are you today?” Faol asked.
Marie looked confused but managed to smile a little. “Good. I guess.”
Faol smiled. “Good.”
Marie stared at the others. These were the same twelve people that she had seen yesterday in her mind. Did they know what she had tried to do? She glanced at Tiamhaidh and he shook his head secretly. What? What did that mean? He shook his head again. Everyone was looking at her. Erag stared at her coldly, but the others looked
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