For all his arrogance, Shay Mac Eoin knew Cormac to be insanely loyal, if insecure deep down.
He had never asked the Mer what his plan was, siding with Balor even briefly. Shay knew the Mer had a good reason. Just as Cormac had tried to force Maeve into a marriage back inTarsainn to unite their creeds. Cormac would always protect the Mer, but he would never betray a friend.
Shay’s fist clenched, and he turned back to the Undine. “Balor kept monsters under the lake. Charybis, and Scylla. Now, she is pulling something into our world. Something deeper. The Fomorians. What if these creatures aren’t under the lake at all? Maybe Balor has found a way to create a portal of sorts between worlds.”
“Like a Silver?” Liam Cruinn frowned.
“The Fomorians are in the Domhain. An entirely different world from ours.” Shay sank down into the nearest seat.
“My mother,” Liam cleared his throat. “She told me how she found Balor. About my father. The Tuatha Dé Danann require vessels to walk the Aos Sí. Elaine Cruinn was my mother, before Balor took her body.”
“The Fomorians need bodies,” Rainn stated slowly. “That would explain why those Mer...”
“Yes. It would explain it.” Shay readily agreed. “It would explain the Whispering Pass as well.”
If Liam knew what they were talking about, he showed no sign.
“Did your mother tell you anything?” Rainn turned a sharp eye toward Liam. “What does she plan to do next?”
“I don’t think she has a plan,” Liam admitted. “Beyond death.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Maeve Cruinn
The Twilight Lake reached out, wrapping around me like an old friend. Every muscle in my body relaxed, and my mind went blank. I had never felt so completely at peace before.
I was home.
My gills formed on my throat, my magic wrapping around my body and pulling my scales to the surface with the ease of stretching after a long sleep.
My hand wrapped around Cormac’s, as I blinked past the flurry of bubbles to study his body. The Tuatha Dé Danann had stolen his tail, and for a moment, I wondered if it was gone forever.
Meeting Cormac’s gaze told me he had wondered the same thing.
His legs fused together, the scales rolling over his body. Blood red and glistening in the water.
Before I could say a word, my own legs locked, and I could no longer move them. My toes, webbed, fused together. A scream locked in my throat as I felt the invisible bindings wrench my body. Opalescent scales, colored pink like salmon flesh, rolled over my legs, growing beyond my Undine scales.
Manannán mac Lir’s words echoed in my head.
“The Mer were cursed for less than that, Maeve Cruinn.”He’d said. “Do not speak back to me again.”
Had Manannán mac Lir cursed me? Like one of the Mer?
I let go of Cormac’s hand, reaching up to feel my cheeks for my adornments. My pearls were still there.
Through it all, Dagda’s staff rested in my hand. It was a miracle I hadn’t dropped the thing as I flailed, unable to stay upright as my body sank further down in the water.
“Maeve, Maeve,Maeve!” Cormac grabbed my arms, patting my face to draw my attention back from the precipice of panic. His emerald eyes were soft. My chest heaved, and I looked at his face, using it to ground me. A lifeline.
“I have a tail.”
“You have a tail.” He echoed with a smile.
“Yourtail is back.”
“It is.” Cormac agreed.
