[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Each of the rooms was formed by a stone partition extending irom the
outer wall toward the central fire, like spokes in a
i
164
THE RIDERS OF THE SIDHE
THE SILVER HAND
165
wheel. The inner opening was shut by a moveabte wall of wicker to make
a private chamber.
Once the visitors had settled, Findgoll put out the candles and stoked
the fire for the night before retiring himself. \ short time passed.
The fire settled to a steady glow. The sound of slow, rhythmic
breathing signaled that some in the liss had gone to sleep. Then it was
that the partition of Lugh's room was carefully moved open. The young
man crept out and padded silently to where Aine slept. He pulled her
wicker screen open and entered.
Moving to the covered form, he knelt by her and laid a hand lightly
upon her shoulder.
"Aine," he whispered.
She was sitting up instantly, and he felt the pressure of a point
against his chest. She held her dagger at his heart. But she dropped it
down on seeing him.
"Oh, it's you. Don't you know awakening me that way is dangerous?"
"I had to talk with you," he said urgently.
"Can't it wait until morning? I'm so sleepy. . ."
"Don't try that on me. I want to talk now!"
a
a
T
T
n
n
s
s
F
F
f
f
o
o
D
D
r
r
P
P
m
m
Y
Y
e
e
Y
Y
r
r
B
B
2
2
.
.
B
B
A
A
Click here to buy
Click here to buy
w
w
m
m
w
w
o
o
w
w
c
c
.
.
.
.
A
A
Y
Y
B
B
Y
Y
B
B
r r
She sighed. "All right. But be quiet. There's no need to be awakening
the others."
He dropped down onto the floor close beside her. She sat up, pulling
her covers up around her.
"What I want to know. .." he began. Then he paused, noticing the sheen
of her bare shoulders in the soft firelight. "Say, are you dressed?"
"Of course not. I was sleeping!" she said irritably. "Now, what is it?"
Her sharp question jerked his wandering attention back to his reason
for coming.
"All right. I want to know why you kept warning me away from speaking
about Bres or our visit to that tower."
"Because it might force us to reveal our mission here," she told him
patiently, as if explaining to a child, "and it would serve no
purpose."
"No purpose?" Lugh said in disbelief. "What about Bres? He's more than
a tyrant. He's one of the Fomor! He means to destroy them! They have to
be warned so they can be rid of him."
His voice had risen with his agitation. Aine hissed another
warning-
"Quiet down. Listen! It's not your task to tell them. You are on a
mission here for my brother, remember? You promised him you would
observe, not interfere."
"My mission for Manannan is over. Don't you see? Now that I know that
it was the Fomor who destroyed my home, I can't be fair-minded about
this any longer. I've chosen my side. My enemies are those of the de
Dananns, Bres is my enemy. I have to help them by seeing him destroyed
before he destroys them."
"Your mission to Manannan is not finished until you have fulfilled it
as you pledged. And remember, there are still questions only he can
answer for you. If you feel you're through in Eire, you must go back to
Manannan's Isle first!"
"No!" he said vehemently. "I can't just leave Eire and abandon them,
knowing what I do. Aine, please try to understand. It's more than our
having a common enemy. It's a feeling that somehow I'm connected to
these people, that I'm a part of what's happening. I can't leave Bres
in power and the de Dananns with no hope."
"And what good will it do for you to tell them about him?" she asked.
"You've nothing to prove what you say. They've no reason to believe
you you're a stranger here. And if they did believe you, what could
these poor, despairing refugees do, hunted and hidden away here?"
'Then I'll go to Tara and tell them there."
a
a
T
T
n
n
s
s
F
F
f
f
o
o
D
D
r
r
P
P
m
m
Y
Y
e
e
Y
Y
r
r
B
B
2
2
.
.
B
B
A
A
Click here to buy
Click here to buy
w
w
m
m
w
w
o
o
w
w
c
c
.
.
.
.
A
A
Y
Y
B
B
Y
Y
B
B
r r
"They've no more reason to believe. And Bres would certainly never let
you speak. Every de Danann loyal to him and every Fomor would be
against you. You'd only be killed."
"Aine, I have to do something!" he said, his voice tight with his
frustration. He dropped his head forward heavily.
She lifted a hand and laid it soothingly upon his shoulder. She could
feel his tension in his rigid neck muscles.
"You will, Lugh. All that you can. Return with me and fulfill your
mission. Then you can ask for Manannan's help."
He looked up at her again. She saw that the uncertainty was still
strong in him. His eyes reflected it.
"It is for the best," she said with strong conviction, desperate to
convince him. "You have to believe me. I only want to help you."
"Do you?" he asked, his gaze sharpening with interest.
i
166
THE RIDERS OF THE SIDHE
"Of course!" she told him, smiling softly, winningly. "\ know I've
seemed harsh with you, but I do like you. I've liked you since you
marched so boldly into Tara's hall."
"I've liked you too," he admitted. More hesitantly he added, "I might
have told you, but I felt I had no right. You're sister to a god, and
I..."
"Oh, I am so sick of being thought of as sister to a god!" she broke in
with impatience. "I am as much a human being as you. A woman!" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]