“The lad’s powerful,” Hearn said evenly, “regardless of how he uses it.”
“What if he slays him?”
Léirsinn felt her heart break a little at the pain in Marcachd’s voice, but she understood. If she had only known Acair by his foul reputation alone, she likely would have thought the same thing.
“Trust me,” Hearn said. “And give this lad here a chance. ’Tis difficult to change when no one wants you to.”
Léirsinn glanced at Acair to find him looking as if Hearn had just elbowed him in the nose. She squeezed his hand, but didn’t dare smile. There was still a task in front of him that might very well be beyond what either of them could accomplish. It wasn’t as if they’d been able to practice on anyone to perfect the art.
Trust.
She blew out her breath and waited for Acair to do his part, if doing could be done.
He took the piece of Tùr’s soul that Soilléir had done him the favor of gathering, then looked at her. She nodded and felt a little silly, but ’twas too late to turn back.
Or at least she felt ridiculous until she watched Acair press that piece of soul against Tùr’s throat and look at her. She repeated the six words she knew, backwards, then watched him as he reversed the rest of the spell from her own book of faery tales.
If he added a bit of the oldoomph, as his mother might have said, from that piece of essence-changing Soilléir had used on him, she wasn’t going to make any mention of it.
Tùr gasped, then opened his eyes. He blinked a time or two, then looked up at Acair.
“My lord Acair,” he said, looking slightly winded. “Giving souls instead of taking them, eh?”
“You’re confusing me with my highly skilled but morally destitute sire,” Acair said faintly, “but aye, that does seem to be the case.”
“A fine choice,” Tùr said with a smile.
He stood up, shook himself off as if he’d just come in from the rain, then walked over and put his arms around his mother. Hearn stepped forward and put his arms around them both.
Léirsinn stepped away to stand next to Acair, then looked at him to find him shaking his head slowly. He looked at her helplessly. She smiled, nudged him affectionately with her shoulder, then decided they might have things to discuss later on when they had a bit of peace.
Marcachd of Angesand released her son and spun around. Léirsinn hardly knew what to expect, though she wouldn’t have been surprised by either curses or a brisk invitation to find the front door. Shewassurprised to watch the woman throw her arms around Acair. She pounded him on the back exactly three times, leaned up and kissed him loudly on the cheek, then turned and flung her arms around her son again. If she wept, Léirsinn couldn’t hear her and Hearn’s enveloping hug hid her from sight.
Léirsinn looked to find Acair standing there looking as if he’d not only been elbowed in the nose, but kicked in the gut. He put his hand to his cheek as if he’d never touched his own skin before.
She wasn’t sure she would ever not enjoy the sight of Acair of Ceangail off balance. He looked like a colt who hadn’t quite found its legs yet, gangly and unsure.
It was one of the most endearing things she’d ever seen.
She supposed it didn’t change who he was. She had seen him at what was arguably his very worst. Perhaps he’d shown Slaidear mercy, or perhaps he’d simply been the one to mete out the proper justice no matter how that looked. She imagined he’d left her uncle looking at horrors he would never unsee simply because he’d been able to. That might have been a bit much, but she was neither his judge nor his sanctifier. He would have to live with what he’d done.
So would she, she knew. That she could still light a fire with five words was proof enough of that.
“I didn’t realize I’d come to visit, Mother,” Tùr said. “I feel like I’ve been dreaming, but they weren’t pleasant ones. Is there anything to eat?”
“We should go,” Acair murmured.
She nodded, then found Hearn holding out his hand. She shook it, then he extended it to Acair as well.
“Thank you,” he said simply.
“Thank you for the release from Uachdaran of Léige’s dungeon.”
“The price was worth it.”
“I would have done it just the same, my lord.”
Hearn slid him a look. “Careful, lad. Word will get around, you know. I do have that thank-you note you sent hammered into a barn wall. Someone might see it.”
