that she was stil in the Oracle’s cave, sitting comfortably on the Seer’s divan where she’d lain no more than a quarter-hour before.
“What is it, lass?” asked the màistreàs, the prime Oracle, the Seer to whom Ana would soon make her Oracle’s vows. She had felt ready to make the commitment – to hold her virginity sacred, and keep a vigilant watch over her people, the magical Druzai – for weeks, but the màistreàs had said it was not yet time.
“The vision . . .” said Ana. “It was more vivid than any I’ve ever had.” The old Oracle nodded. “I’ve had inklings of it, myself. What did you see?”
“The people,” she looked up at the old woman, “Our Druids, a king . . .” She shook her head in confusion. She was drawn to this king, to this human whose rugged features were more compel ing than that of any Druzai she’d ever met. “They are under attack.” The old Oracle frowned. “By what? Could you see ?”
Ana swal owed. “Not enough.” But what she had seen was horrifying. Dark, malicious creatures
– little demon ol phéists – near Lough Gur, creating discord and aggression among the clans of southern Ireland. The màistreàs would never believe it, for the Druzai chieftain had banished those destructive beings from the Tuath lands ages ago. And yet there had clearly been ol phéists in Ana’s vision.
And they were being directed by some stronger power.
“I must go.” She started for the entrance of the Oracle’s cave, but the màistreàs reached for her arm, restraining her.
“’Tis too dangerous, my lady. There is much that a Druzai princess can do from the safety of our shores. Besides, you know very wel ’tis forbidden for Druzai to intrude upon the Tuath.”
“No. The vision . . . I am part of it.” She touched a hand to her head. She did not know what would be required of her, but she’d never felt so strongly about any of her visions. The King –
Rohrke Ó Scannláin – compel ed her in a way that was entirely unfamiliar. Her heart clenched in her chest at the thought of his peril. “I must go.”
The Oracle frowned fiercely. “’Tis against Druzai law. We removed ourselves from Tuath centuries ago, when—”
“Aye. I know our history. Druzai magic makes it far too tempting for one of us to try to enslave the Tuath, in spite of al the protections we’ve taught the Druids.”
“They are merely wise men, my lady.”
True, yet some were more than merely wise. Druzai had mingled with Tuath, giving some humans magical abilities.
Ana had to go to Ireland, to Bal ygur near the sacred Lough Gur. She had to do what she could to find and destroy the creature that guided the vicious ol phéists.
And yet she knew that her cousins, the Druzai high chieftain and his brother, would object to her intervening in earthly affairs – which made it imperative that she act quickly and quietly before Merrick and Brogan learned what she was up to. They would forbid her to leave their enchanted isle, perhaps thinking they could manage the disastrous happenings in Ireland themselves.
But Ana had seen the visions. She knew it was her destiny to go.
“But your vows, my lady,” said the Oracle.
Ana pul ed on her cloak and started for the entrance of the Oracle’s cave. “My commitment wil have to wait, Màistreàs. There is trouble in the earthly lands.” Two
Lough Gur, Ireland – 322 AD
Rohrke Ó Scannláin paced through the tal grass near Lough Gur where the standing stones would draw everyone in the kingdom on the morrow for the summer solstice festivities. It would be the perfect opportunity for Teague Ó Fionn’s men to execute their attack.
The situation was grave. Rohrke did not know if he could risk offending Áine, the sun goddess, by suspending her midsummer celebration. There was more than a fair chance that the Scannláin crops would fail, and the cattle would be barren in the coming season. And yet he could not al ow the festival to go forward,
“What is it, lass?” asked the màistreàs, the prime Oracle, the Seer to whom Ana would soon make her Oracle’s vows. She had felt ready to make the commitment – to hold her virginity sacred, and keep a vigilant watch over her people, the magical Druzai – for weeks, but the màistreàs had said it was not yet time.
“The vision . . .” said Ana. “It was more vivid than any I’ve ever had.” The old Oracle nodded. “I’ve had inklings of it, myself. What did you see?”
“The people,” she looked up at the old woman, “Our Druids, a king . . .” She shook her head in confusion. She was drawn to this king, to this human whose rugged features were more compel ing than that of any Druzai she’d ever met. “They are under attack.” The old Oracle frowned. “By what? Could you see ?”
Ana swal owed. “Not enough.” But what she had seen was horrifying. Dark, malicious creatures
– little demon ol phéists – near Lough Gur, creating discord and aggression among the clans of southern Ireland. The màistreàs would never believe it, for the Druzai chieftain had banished those destructive beings from the Tuath lands ages ago. And yet there had clearly been ol phéists in Ana’s vision.
And they were being directed by some stronger power.
“I must go.” She started for the entrance of the Oracle’s cave, but the màistreàs reached for her arm, restraining her.
“’Tis too dangerous, my lady. There is much that a Druzai princess can do from the safety of our shores. Besides, you know very wel ’tis forbidden for Druzai to intrude upon the Tuath.”
“No. The vision . . . I am part of it.” She touched a hand to her head. She did not know what would be required of her, but she’d never felt so strongly about any of her visions. The King –
Rohrke Ó Scannláin – compel ed her in a way that was entirely unfamiliar. Her heart clenched in her chest at the thought of his peril. “I must go.”
The Oracle frowned fiercely. “’Tis against Druzai law. We removed ourselves from Tuath centuries ago, when—”
“Aye. I know our history. Druzai magic makes it far too tempting for one of us to try to enslave the Tuath, in spite of al the protections we’ve taught the Druids.”
“They are merely wise men, my lady.”
True, yet some were more than merely wise. Druzai had mingled with Tuath, giving some humans magical abilities.
Ana had to go to Ireland, to Bal ygur near the sacred Lough Gur. She had to do what she could to find and destroy the creature that guided the vicious ol phéists.
And yet she knew that her cousins, the Druzai high chieftain and his brother, would object to her intervening in earthly affairs – which made it imperative that she act quickly and quietly before Merrick and Brogan learned what she was up to. They would forbid her to leave their enchanted isle, perhaps thinking they could manage the disastrous happenings in Ireland themselves.
But Ana had seen the visions. She knew it was her destiny to go.
“But your vows, my lady,” said the Oracle.
Ana pul ed on her cloak and started for the entrance of the Oracle’s cave. “My commitment wil have to wait, Màistreàs. There is trouble in the earthly lands.” Two
Lough Gur, Ireland – 322 AD
Rohrke Ó Scannláin paced through the tal grass near Lough Gur where the standing stones would draw everyone in the kingdom on the morrow for the summer solstice festivities. It would be the perfect opportunity for Teague Ó Fionn’s men to execute their attack.
The situation was grave. Rohrke did not know if he could risk offending Áine, the sun goddess, by suspending her midsummer celebration. There was more than a fair chance that the Scannláin crops would fail, and the cattle would be barren in the coming season. And yet he could not al ow the festival to go forward,
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