“What are you doing out here?” Clancy shook Nox awake, startling him from a lovely dream about Nelson.
“We were at the cabin and it was morning, like this,” he said, bleary as he scrubbed his burning eyes with his palms. He longed to be there now with Nelson.
Clancy sighed as he lowered onto the terrace steps next to Nox. “Why are you sleeping outside?”
“I couldn’t sleep. I was in the study and came out to see the sunrise and nodded off. Any news?” he asked hopefully but Clancy shook his head.
“Jeff brought doughnuts and bagels, but I don’t think that was what you were waiting for. I passed the twins on their way out for a run and asked them to fetch me a paper. I’d like to have one for my journal.”
That made Nox grin and as he tried to guess Bryn’s response. “Dad would get such a kick out of Bryn. He’d love all of this but I think Dad and Bryn would have been instant best friends if they could have met.”
“Probably.” Clancy laughed fondly. “He never thought being a MacIlwraith was all that special either and that it was wasted on the two of you. You’re both such pacifists.”
“Nah. I think that’s why it was supposed to be me.”
Clancy turned to Nox, visibly shaken. “You’ve finally accepted it?” he asked and Nox stuck out his tongue.
“I didn’t have a choice, did I? All I can do is find silver linings and make the best of it.”
“That’s not true at all,” Clancy said angrily. “You can tame this thing and turn it into whatever you want it to be or you can succumb and turn into the monster you fear.”
“How do you know?”
A loud laugh burst from Clancy. “When have you ever done what you were told?” he asked as he wiped his eyes. “For that matter, when have youeversuccumbed to anything? Whoever this is, seeking silver linings and settling for whatever he’s given, it’s not the young man I helped raise.”
“It’s getting harder to hear him these days, Clance.” Nox leaned against Clancy’s side, utterly depleted after hours of restless torment. “Especially at night. I get so angry and I feel so lost and the only thing that stops me from breaking and letting the god take over is Nelson. It would feel so good and all of this would be over if I gave in, but I know that’s not what he wants.”
“It’s not what you want either. NotourNox.” Clancy kissed his hair and hugged his shoulders.
“Your Nox wants a mostly normal life with Nelson but I guess that’s too much to ask.”
“I hate to be the one to tell you, but it is,” Clancy said gently. “We’ve all made sacrifices. Really terrible sacrifices. But we all knew it was worth it when we realized you were the one from the prophecy and you couldbreak it.”
Nox was deeply humbled but it would never be worth it to him. “I don’t know if I can live up to your expectations.”
“You already have.” Clancy gave him another squeeze. “I don’t care if Lucas can see you right now or if he sees you everynight in your dreams, I tell him every day how proud I am of you and that we raised youright.”
Nox covered his eyes when they started to sting and water. “Oh, no! You can’t make me cry after the night I’ve had. My eyeballs are going to shrivel up and turn into eyeball raisins and fall out.”
“That’s…too graphic for this early in the morning.”
“You started it,” Nox returned, making Clancy smile.
“And I regret it. Eyeball raisins… Merlin could probably do something about that,” he said and they turned when they heard a commotion in the foyer.
Clancy was the first through the door and held Nox back when the cats streaked past them and a high, yet gruff voice berated someone. “Get off me, ya fuckin’ hairy cunt!”
“Whoa!” Nox hurried around Clancy. “Language!There is an Everly in this house!” he said but had to bite down on a knuckle as Bryn struggled to hold onto a very,verysmall, very angry man.
He couldn’t have been more than three-feet-tall and had miniature, doll-like features, but a large, unlit cigar was clamped between its itty, bitty brown teeth. He was a grimy, swinging, spluttering terror. His once bright, wild orange hair was faded and filthy and his long, thin, pointed ears were coated in dirt and slime. The glowing blue eyes were a dead giveaway. Or, an undead giveaway.
Bryn had caught a cursed púca?1. “Aye? Jump up yer own arse, why don’t ya?” The irate little imp kicked his feet at Nox. “Unhand me, ya great, mangy mutt or I’ll cut yer bollocks off and shove ‘em in yer gob.”
Arawn was in the doorway and fighting for his life, his face was red and he looked like he was going to explode at any moment as he watched his brother wrestle the púca.
“Go ahead and laugh, doppelfänger. I’m gonna rip his doggie dong off and bash yer fuckin’ head in with it,” he shouted at Arawn, then let out a shrieking “Ah! Fuck yer mam, ya cheatin’ flea bag!” when Bryn twisted the púca’s arm behind his back.
“Why?” Nox asked them.
