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“Harken’s singing like a magpie all the day and half the night. Andthere’s Morena, who’s never given two thoughts on such things, worrying about boots and hair bobs and so on. They fill my ears with it when I’m around long enough. There’ll be music, and Marco’s a part of that. The food, and he’s part of that as well.”
“He’s made himself part of the valley.”
“He’s a good man, Marco. And Morena’s family?”
“This wedding is a gift from the gods, I swear. They grieve, but this joining lifts the heart. It lifts mine to know the happy life my boy will make with the woman he loves, one I love as well. As you do.”
“She’s been a sister to me all her life, so this just makes it official. I’m grateful you came so quick, Ma. Now I ask are you sure you want to take all of this on at once? The spirits have walked and moaned in that cursed place all this time.”
“And may have walked among us, taking lives on Samhain if Breen hadn’t gone to her father’s grave that day, felt what she felt. We sealed it, aye, but that seal wasn’t meant to last much longer than this. I planned for the solstice, and now a wedding instead. So we do it, and be done with it. Unless you wish it otherwise, Taoiseach.”
“No. It’s best done. You’ve the right of it. I need to leave you.” He kissed both her cheeks, found it not quite enough, so gathered her in for a hug. “I’ll choose two more before I do what else needs doing.”
He called Cróga, as he planned to check on the Far West, and flew off. Tarryn walked on, then stopped, hands on hips, smile huge when she saw her oldest grandson at a trot on his birthday horse around the paddock.
A good seat, he had, she thought, a fine seat indeed. And there her girl watching, a hand on the child that waited, the other on the shoulder of the child beside her.
In the saddle, Finian spotted her and waved one hand wildly. “Nan, Nan, Nan! Watch me, Nan.”
Oh, I am, she thought.
Kavan let out a hoot, pulled away from Aisling. He started on a run, then lifted on his little wings.
So soon, she thought as she lifted a hand to cover her mouth. They grow so soon.
She held out her arms so he could fly into them.
Aisling stood, tears streaming. “It’s his first time flying, truly flying. Oh, Ma, his first time.”
“But not your last.” Tarryn rained kisses over his face as she carried him toward the paddock. “Not your last, no, nor your brother’s last happy trot. It’s only the beginning for you, my sweet boys. And I swear by all the gods, we’ll preserve the future for you.”
When Breen stepped into Talamh with Marco and Bollocks, she saw the arrival. The horses and dragons, the faeries and riders from the Capital. She thought of the first time she’d seen them come and her nerves at meeting Keegan’s mother and all the rest.
So different now, now that she recognized the faces.
She watched Tarryn hold the horse’s bridle as Minga dismounted, and Flynn lift his son’s widow and her infant from a dragon’s back.
“Hey, there’s Hugh.” Marco lifted a hand in salute. “Wonder how his wife’s doing up north.”
“Go ahead and ask.”
“I’ll just wait until some of those big-ass dragons move on.”
“Fraidy-cat.”
“Meow.”
Laughing, she left him to climb over the wall and greet Sinead.
“Welcome to the valley,” Breen said, and held her close.
“You’ve been missed, even in such a short time. And look at this one.” Sinead hugged Morena to her side. “Already glowing like the bride she’s about to be.”
“Ma.”
“Well now, you are, aren’t you? And here’s the lucky groom.” Sinead shot up both arms to take Harken in.
“As lucky a man as ever born,” he agreed. “And welcome to you, Mother. I’m thinking Noreen will be a bit tired after the journey. We’ve tea waiting, and all your rooms ready, if you’d want to take her and the babe inside, settle them up.”
