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Ella was waiting by the front door with the others. She was watching their interactions with a smile. Mananan’s heart thudded hard in his chest when he thought about bringing her into the family. Ella deserved all the love and affection that had been denied her.
The Tuatha Dé Danann would do that and more. They would give her a place of belonging. The mating rune on Mananan’s hip burned, like it had the previous night. He didn’t need it reminding him that he had to claim her.
“Took your time. Let’s go,” Taranis said, gesturing at Imogen to make a portal.
Mananan leaned down and kissed Ella on the cheek. “We’ll be back tonight.”
“Be as safe as you can, okay?” she said, her eyes worried.
“He’ll be fine,” Killian answered for him and pushed him through the dark door of magic.
* * *
Mananan landedon a cold beach in the north of Scotland. Taranis was already scanning the area with murderous eyes.
“I can feel the fucker’s magic. He’s been here recently,” he said, eyes shining with dragon power. “Your little mate’s vision is accurate. I’ll give you that.”
Mananan froze. “You knew?”
“You’ve been acting like a possessive bear since you pulled her from the sea. Of course I fucking knew,” Taranis replied, rolling his eyes. “Not only that, but you also heard her telepathically when she was attacked, Manan. Kynan and Rhiannon could do it. I once heard someone too. Just for a second after the curse in Tir Na Nog ended. Never heard it again though, so I think I just had a crazy moment. Let’s kill horde creatures, hmm?”
Before Mananan could reply to any of Taranis’s babble, his brother shifted into a massive red and black dragon.
Imogen tossed the half empty bag of bombs at Mananan. “Here’s your share. We’ll be air support,” she said.
Taranis picked her up with his claws and placed Imogen on his back. “Don’t tell Arawan I let you ride me, or he’ll get jealous.”
Imogen grinned. “Nah, he knows I’m his Khaleesi first.”
“At least hang on properly and don’t fall off. I don’t want to accidentally kill you, consort.”
“Ha! I don’t die that easily. Let’s goooo!” she crowed, and Taranis launched into the sky making her squeal with delight.
“We’ll make sure they don’t do anything too stupid,” Killian assured Mananan. He and Bron flapped their wings and headed along the beaches, scanning for kraken nests.
“They are all in a mood today. I’m glad it’s just us. I already have a headache,” Bayn muttered. He took the bag from Mananan. “You okay? You’re looking a bit peaky.”
“No, I’m fine. I feel odd.” Mananan rubbed at his chest. There was an ache that he didn’t recognize. Bayn did.
“It’s because you’re apart from her when she’s unclaimed,” Bayn told him. “Try and focus. The sooner these altars are taken care of today, the sooner you can go back to her.”
“Good point,” Mananan grunted. He called his ship, and they set out into the choppy waves. When they got to the right area, Bayn opened the bag and gave Mananan a silver cylinder engraved with sigils. His skin crawled, and he fought the urge to drop it.
“What the fuck have they built?” he asked.
Bayn shrugged. “Probably best not to ask. You need to put it in the earth near the altar and pull the pin.”
“Are they sure it won’t hurt any of the natural life?” Mananan questioned.
“Nope. Only creatures made from magic. It was the first thing I asked. I’d get ready for a skirmish too because they are untested. It might just piss off horde creatures without killing them.”
“Great.” Mananan made sure Fragarach was secure on his back before he kicked off his boots. “Wish me luck.”
“You don’t need it. Anything that breaches the surface I’ll freeze or those two will kill,” Bayn said and pointed up to the circling dragon overhead.
Mananan dove into the choppy sea and swam down to the sandy floor. The silence made his head decompress instantly. He closed his eyes and tried to take a moment of serenity. It didn’t work. The Fomorian altar was close enough that he could taste its putrid flavor in the water.
Keeping a watch out for any kraken, Mananan followed the foul magic. Within moments, he found another body tied to rocks and bones. It had been there longer than the first body. Chunks of flesh were already falling away from it.
