Suddenly, a song more beatific than a thousand angels singing came from inside her, and Clare felt a dull rip. She pulled her hand from her chest to see a brilliant blue stone, humming with energy and light, clasped in the bloodied fingers of her hand.

  “The truth always lies in the heart,” the Goddess said and then winked out of sight.

  Clare felt detached for a moment, almost as if she were watching her body from above, and then she was falling.

  In an instant, her senses returned, and she opened her eyes to see herself back on the mountain in the middle of the battle, the lunar eclipse reversing itself and light beginning to shine once again.

  Clare had landed, wholly healed, at a vantage point above her friends who still battled for their lives.

  As she held the stone aloft, it began to sing – softly at first and then thundering down the mountain, a tidal wave of brilliant music, destroying every Domnua in its path. And as the music roared, the Danula cheered, the mountain shook and her friends froze, astonishment on their faces.

  In seconds, the Domnua were nothing but silvery dust, and the Danula, golden-violet warriors by the hundreds, all knelt, saluting Clare and her friends. Then they turned as one, zipping down the mountain at superhuman speed and disappearing back to the place from whence they had come.

  “Clare!” Bianca screamed, shattering the silence left in their wake.

  “I’m alive,” Clare screamed back. She tucked the stone safely into a leather pouch in her knapsack then began to run, half sliding, half falling her way down the mountain until she reached Bianca, almost bowling her over with her momentum.

  In seconds, they were all holding onto each other, gasping, crying, and laughing, amazed they were alive.

  “I thought you were dead. I saw you die,” Bianca cried into Clare’s neck.

  “I did die. I think. Or I went to somewhere in between.”

  “How did you find the stone?” Bianca demanded, pulling back to look at her.

  “Questions later,” Blake said, reaching in and pulling Clare from Bianca’s arms. Lifting her, he crushed his lips to hers – his kiss sharing all of the pent-up anguish and fear he’d felt when he’d seen her go over the ledge. Clare sobbed into his mouth, so desperately happy to be in his arms again.

  “Blake, I love you. I think I’ve loved you since I first saw you. I should have said it. I shouldn’t have been scared to tell you,” Clare said, gasping against his lips, never wanting him to let her go.

  “It doesn’t matter. Shh, it doesn’t matter now. I felt it. I knew,” Blake said, smoothing a hand over her hair.

  “No, but it does. That was the key, you see? Knowing my own truth. And owning it. I was the key all along,” Clare murmured, and then closed her eyes as a wave of exhaustion took her under, her vision dulling at the edges.

  “We need to get off this mountain,” Blake said, immediately cradling Clare in his arms. “Can you guys make it?”

  “Hell yeah, we can make it,” Bianca crowed, and together they limped their way down the mountain, Blake carrying Clare the whole way as she passed in and out of consciousness.

  The moon, shining brightly in the sky, having won its own battle against darkness, cheerfully lit their way.

  epilogue

  “We’re meant to go there,” Clare insisted early the next morning. They’d caught a few hours’ sleep back in the rooms that a joyous Cait had put them up in.

  “How do you know that?” Blake demanded, hovering over Clare. He’d not let himself be a foot away from her since they’d come off the mountain.

  “I just know,” Clare said.

  “Aye, the cove’s great magick. I’m not surprised you’re meant to go there,” Cait agreed from where she sat sipping a cup of tea at the bar.

  “See? Cait knows,” Clare said stubbornly.

  “Fine, we’ll go to this cove. Then I’m taking you to Esther’s so you can relax for at least a week,” Blake said.

  “I want to go! Can we go too? I want to learn a few of her recipes. It’ll be a great holiday,” Bianca gushed.

  “Of course you’re coming,” Blake said, shaking his head at Bianca as she cheered.

  After a fierce hug from Cait, and a detailed list of directions, they all piled back into the SUV and were soon cruising the curvy road that climbed the cliffs leading away from the small village of Grace’s Cove.

  “Lord, I can see why they live here. Though I think I’d miss the hustle and bustle of Dublin,” Bianca said.

  Clare silently agreed. The cliffs jutted so proudly into the sea, where gulls swooped and dived and many a poet probably dreamed. It was the place of fairytales, one that could easily claim your heart, Clare thought, as she absently rubbed a hand over her chest.

  “Does it still hurt?” Blake asked, glancing over.

  “Aye, it’ll take a bit to heal,” Clare admitted, though it mattered little to her. She’d felt the pain of mortal wounds, so this dull ache was nothing.

  “I still can’t believe the stone was inside you,” Bianca marveled from the backseat.

  “I’m not sure if it always was. But I think it needed a particular set of circumstances to manifest,” Clare shrugged.

  “It’s gorgeous. What kind of stone is it?”

  They’d all spent time examining the stone, though it had a tendency to sing in joy any time Clare held it, so they’d had to keep a wrap on it. But it was a perfectly formed sphere, glowing gently with an ethereal blue glow.

  “I’d say there was some aquamarine in there, which is why my stones were made of that, but it’s not all aquamarine,” Clare said, running her finger over the ring she still wore on her finger. The necklace had been destroyed, but Clare was happy to have a small piece of this journey to keep with her always.

  “This looks to be the place,” Blake said, pulling the car over at a low stone wall. Further up the hill sat a small stone cottage with a cheerful red door, the foothills rising in a ridgeline behind.

  “That must be Fiona’s house,” Bianca said as they got out of the car.

  “Could you imagine living here? I mean, this view…” Seamus said, turning to look out over where the hills rolled off and fell sharply into the sea.

  “Aye, I can see the appeal,” Clare agreed. She happily took Blake’s hand as they followed a worn path along the wall until it reached edge of the cliff. Seamus let out a low whistle as they all looked down.

  “That’s pretty steep,” Bianca said.

  Two almost perfectly-formed cliffs arched out to form a large C, their points almost kissing each other in the middle, where water rushed in and out in gentle waves. A perfect sandy beach lay at the bottom; a path zigzagged from the top down to the beach.

  “This would be perfect for a summer holiday,” Bianca mused as they began the trek down.

  “It’s magick. You can’t go here. Well, regular people can’t just come here. The cove doesn’t like it,” Clare said over her shoulder. Silence met her words and she looked over her shoulder to see shocked faces.

  “What? That’s going to be the thing that weirds you out? After everything we’ve been through?”

  “The lass has a point,” Seamus agreed.

  “Why is it charmed?” Bianca asked.

  “The great Grace O’Malley died here. And she used powerful blood magick to protect her resting place, so when her daughter gave birth that very night upon this beach, more layers of magick were put in place.”

  “That is powerful magick,” Bianca agreed.

  “We’ve got to do a ritual, Cait said, before we get onto the beach,” Clare said as they reached the bottom of the path, slightly out of breath.

  “What happens if we don’t?” Blake asked.

  “I can’t say I’m all that interested in finding out,” Clare said, then pulled the necklace Branna had given her from around her neck. Stepping forward, she bent and drew a large circle in the sand with her finger and then motioned for everyone to step inside.

  “We come in peace,” Clare said, “We mean the cove no harm.”

  Though the words weren’t fancy, Cait had told Clare that intent was all that mattered. And an offering. Clare hefted the necklace and threw it into the water, where it landed with a soft little plop.

  “That’s sad. Branna gave that to you,” Bianca murmured.

  “She’ll find something else to give me. It doesn’t matter what the gift is – just the thought behind it,” Clare said, staring out at the waves.

  “So, what now? Can we leave the circle?” Blake asked.

  “We should be good, but…” Clare cocked her head and walked a little closer to the water, trying to see if her eyes were playing tricks on her.

  “Is the water glowing?” Clare asked, as a soft blue light seemed to shimmer just under the surface.

  “Aye, it’s glowing.” A voice, like a thousand harps singing at once, flowed over them. They all threw their hands up to shield their eyes from the blinding light that came from a figure walking slowly toward them.

  “It’s the Goddess,” Clare breathed, gripping Blake’s arm. “The one who helped me.”

  “That’s the Goddess Danu,” Seamus said, dropping to his knees in the sand. Clare’s mouth dropped open when Blake followed suit. Bianca and Clare looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

  “Please, stand,” Danu said, smiling at them.

  “I believe I’m supposed to give you this?” Clare asked, reaching into her bag and holding out the stone. It immediately began to vibrate, an otherworldly song of beauty flowing from it – so emotional, so stunning, that tears streamed down Clare’s face instantly.

  “Yes, it’s to return home. All the treasures will be returned to us once they are found, and we will protect them with great care forevermore,” Danu said, gently taking the stone from Clare. As soon as it left Clare’s hands, the song stopped, though light still whirled beautifully in the globe.

  “You’ve honored your people this day,” Danu said, stepping forward and laying her hand on Clare’s chest where the wound still pained her. In seconds, a cool balm of healing washed over Clare’s body, easing her pain.

  “Thank you, your highness,” Clare said awkwardly, unsure of how to address a goddess.

  Danu threw back her head and laughed, the sound like a hundred bluebirds chirping.

  “You’ll be cared for, so long as you are on this plane. All of you,” Danu said, looking at the four of them. “My gift to you – our thanks – is that we will watch over you and your loved ones. You’ve but to call on us for help when in need and we’ll be there.”

  “That’s a mighty gift,” Blake breathed, bowing his head.

  “A deserving one,” Danu said. “Since you’ve finished your task early, which I’m quite proud of, you’ll have a little time before you need to find the next Seeker.”

  “I… what?” Clare said, her eyes widening. She’d thought she was in the clear now.

  “You’ll need to find the next Seeker and help her on her way. There is only so much help we are allowed to give without violating the conditions of the curse,” Danu said.

  “Is that why, when I lay dying, you couldn’t just tell me where the stone was?” Clare demanded.

  “Aye, ’twas not my place. Nor within my power. Even I must abide by some rules,” Danu said gently.

  “Thank you for sending the Danula to help on the mountain,” Bianca piped up and Danu smiled at her.

  “And for you, my bravest of warrior friends, I have a gift and a task, should you accept it,” Danu said, and Bianca’s mouth dropped open.

  “For me?” Bianca squeaked.

  “Aye, for you,” Danu said, holding out a golden necklace, an intricate pendant hanging from its strand. Bianca accepted it gratefully, her eyes huge as she looked up at Danu.

  “This will give you the powers you need to help the others.”

  “The others? You want me to help the others?” Bianca breathed, her cheeks tinged with pink.

  “You’re a brilliant addition to a battle. Between your knowledge and your fierce spirit, you’ll be nothing but an asset to the others. Should you choose to accept, of course,” Danu said with a smile.

  “Wait, but – you could get hurt,” Clare began, and Bianca shot her a look.

  “I’d be honored to help the others on their quest. Thank you for your trust in me,” Bianca bowed and slipped the necklace over her head.

  Clare bit her lip, worry for her friend rushing through her.

  “Worry not, brave one.” Danu smiled at Clare gently. “You’ll be able to help Bianca – at least to find the next Na Sirtheoir and tell her of your tale.”

  “We need to find the next one?” Clare asked.

  “Aye, you do. A name, then,” Danu said as she slowly began to fade from view. “Sasha Flanagan.”

  And with that, she winked from sight, taking the Stone of Destiny with her.

  Clare felt oddly bereft for a moment, as though a piece of herself was being lost forever – then she turned to look at the water, and gasped.

  “The cove! It is glowing!”

  Blake wrapped his arm around Clare and she leaned into him, while Seamus cuddled up to Bianca and pressed his lips to her neck. They watched the brilliant light show for a moment, appreciating the sheer beauty of the otherworldly light that shone from the water’s depths.

  “Cait told me that it glows in the presence of true love,” Seamus said cheerfully.

  Clare’s heart did a funny little flip in her chest. She glanced at Bianca in time to see her friend’s usually animated face showing nothing but pure shock, before she was surprised and distracted by Blake lifting and twirling her in a circle.

  “Hear that, Doc? You were worth the wait.”

  Sword Song

  Book 2 in the Isle of Destiny Series

  Fall 2016

  ******

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  Check out an excerpt from One Tequila – a new series set in the Florida Keys:

  “But I'm quite certain Bitsy would wish to speak with me,” the woman across from me sniffed and clutched a folded silk handkerchief with a perfectly monogrammed E on the corner. The point of her chin rose as she looked down her nose at me.

  “Mrs. Evanston, I've already explained this – I'm a psychic – not a medium,” I sighed as Mrs. Evanston's eyes steeled up and her shoulders braced.

  “Well, I'd say that you're certainly misleading people with your little psychic shop if you can't even talk to Bitsy for me.” Mrs. Evanston narrowed her eyes at me. I could already read the threat in her mind: she would be contacting the Better Business Bureau and by lunch, she'd be tearing my reputation to threads with her Ladies Who Lunch club.

  Mentally rolling my eyes, I plastered a smile across my face.

  “The reason that I don't advertise being a medium is because it's so incredibly draining for me,” I began, lying through my teeth. “However, for you, I'll make an exception.”

  A muffled snort from a screen to my left almost had me cracking a smile but instead, I stayed focused on my client. Hope had dawned in Mrs. Evanston's eyes as she leaned forward, hands pressed into the purple velvet of my table.

  “You can? Oh, oh, just...can you tell me if she is safe?” Mrs. Evanston breathed, staring into my glass scrying ball on the table.

  I closed my eyes and counted to ten, doing my best to get an image of Bitsy from Mrs. Evanston's thoughts. A puffball of a white cat popped into my head, so I went with it.

  “Her coat is just as stunning as it was in life – I see her walking proudly,” I said, keeping my eyes closed and praying that I had hit the mark.

  “Ohhhh,” Mrs. Evanston breathed and I snuck a look to see her with a hand over her mouth, a sheen of tears making her eyes glint behind her glasses. Her hair, the perfectly blue-gray rinse favored by the elderly set on Tequila Key, bobbed as she nodded.

  “She was really proud of her coat. Bitsy was a show cat, you know,” Mrs. Evanston said.

  “I can see she carries herself as such. She is wonderfully happy and has told me that her only concern is for you to find peace with her passing,” I said gently, using my de rigueur explanation when clients insisted that I contact a loved one.

  No matter what, it seemed that when people heard psychic, they thought I could do anything.

  Magic even.

  I'd leave that to my best friend and business partner, Luna Lavelle, the one who had so gracefully snorted from the other room of our Luna Rose Potions & Tarot Shop tucked on a sleepy street in Tequila Key, Florida.

  “You know, Althea Rose, your mother may be the famous one, but I think you've inherited her gift,” Mrs. Evanston said, rising to shake my hand with a smile. I scanned her thoughts and all I got was pleasure, so as far as I was concerned, the reading had been a successful one.

  I checked my moral compass and decided as white lies go, it was a minor one. People only come to psychics for two reasons – to find out if they will be okay and to find out if someone they love will be okay. I turned my palm over to look at the $1 tip she had pressed into my hands. I had to laugh. Though the rich in this town liked to flaunt it with country club passes and fancy houses, in all reality they were stingy to the core.

  Pressing my hands to my eyes, I willed back a headache that threatened to dull my thoughts.

  “Drink this,” Luna said, interrupting my brief debate over closing shop for the day or not.

  I smiled at her as I took whatever potion she had mixed up for me and held it to my nose.

  Luna slipped into the chair across from me and waved an impatient hand at the drink

  “Althea, I know your tastes by now, you'll like it.”

  Vanilla mint soothed my throat as I sipped the cool liquid and my head cleared instantaneously. I tilted the now empty glass at her in a salute.

  “You should sell this.”

 

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