With the hawk still on her arm, Morena spread her wings and flew toward the cottage.
Amused, Breen continued on. She’d missed this—only a few days, but she’d missed this walk down the road, past the farm and the sheep. Had missed seeing Harken out in the field with the horses as he was now. She’d missed the quiet low of cattle, the smell of green grass and peat smoke on a brisk fall breeze.
The way Bollocks trotted beside her, she knew he was as happy to be back as she.
“We’re not really castle types, are we?”
She veered to the side when a wagon rumbled up, and noted the trio of kids in the back.
“No school today?” she wondered aloud. “What day is it? I’ve lost track.”
She saw the group she thought of as the Gang of Six playing a game with a red ball and flat sticks in a near field, so called out.
“No school today?”
Mina, the de facto leader, waved. “Well, it’s Saturday, isn’t it? And welcome back to the valley.”
“It’s good to be back.”
One of the boys transformed into a young horse, snatched the ball in his mouth, and raced off with it.
“Foul!” Mina cried, and went elf speed in pursuit. “There’s a foul!”
Fantastic as it was, Breen thought as she continued on, it was blissfully simple. Children playing on a Saturday afternoon as children did everywhere.
Or should.
She made the turn toward Marg’s cottage, marveled at the flowers still blooming despite the chill. And saw the blue door open. Because she was expected. And she was welcome.
Inside, the fire snapped in the hearth and the air smelled of fresh bread and sweet things.
She heard Finola’s quick laugh.
They stood together at the counter, her grandmother and Marg’s closest friend. Faerie and witch, laughing together as Marg set a boule of crusty bread on a rack to cool.
“So I said to him, Seamus, if your arse wasn’t so warm, it wouldn’t invite my cold feet to rest on it. And what does he do but roll right over and … Ah, and look here, it’s Breen.”
Breen walked into the hug. “Don’t I get to hear what happened next?”
“What happened next is what you’d expect when a man rolls on top of you in the night.” She laughed again, blue eyes sparkling.
“And so it is Fi’s feeling chipper today,” Marg finished.
“Sure I am. And how are you, darling?” She brushed a hand over Breen’s hair. “It’s good to have you back in the valley, safe and well. Such a brave one you’ve been.”
“I don’t know about brave, but I’m glad to be back. Morena and Aisling are coming.”
“I expected they would, so Sedric brought me some fresh buttermilk from the farm for the soda bread. And there’s jam he made himself, and lemon biscuits. And,” Marg added, going into her jar, “we wouldn’t be forgetting such a good dog.”
“Where is Sedric?”
“He took himself off, leaving the kitchen to the women as a wise man would.”
“What he did last night? It was amazing. I can’t imagine what it took out of him.”
“He’s a lot in him, but I can tell you he slept like the dead, and there was no rolling over.”
Finola let out another laugh. “Well now, there’s always tonight. We’ll have wine, won’t we, Marg, for our girl talk?”
“We will indeed. I’ve a bottle of the sparkling sort I’ve been saving for such a day.”
“I wasn’t gone very long.”
Marg only smiled. “You traveled farther than you might think. Let’s have the fancy plates and such, Finola.”
“I’ll help with that. I met your son, Finola. Or I met him again, and his wife, their sons, their wives. I remembered them, Flynn and Sinead and Seamus and Phelin. As soon as I saw them again, I remembered.”
“Sinead sent a falcon to tell me. It meant that much to her. She loved you so.”
“I remember. I remember how Flynn would toss me in the air so it felt like flying, and how Sinead tied ribbons in my hair. I remember the night Odran took me, and you brought me back…”
Breen folded the colorful cloths into fans.
“What do you remember?” Marg asked.
“I remember my mother crying and shaking. It scared me. It’s not her fault, I don’t mean that, but it scared me. And you, Finola, you gathered her up, held her, rocked her, and Sinead took me and Morena into her lap.”
She paused as it came back, all so clear. “She must have been frightened. Her husband was fighting a war, but all I felt was her calm. The boys were there, too. They were just kids. And she told us a story about a young dragon and a young girl and a great treasure. I don’t remember exactly, but I remember her voice. So soothing. And Keegan—I’d forgotten. Keegan sitting nearby, watching me. Just watching. I fell asleep holding Morena’s hand, with Sinead holding me.”