Fionn gasped for breath when he returned to consciousness. Enveloped in darkness, the only thing he could make out from his surroundings was the fact he was surrounded by others. Many others. His body lay in a crooked position, with his legs bent painfully backwards. All around, low groans came from amidst a mass of twisting limbs.
What happened? Fionn asked, but Sir Bearach did not respond. The mage shut his eyes and tried to recall what had transpired earlier.
Morrígan, and the army. We fought and—
Terror struck his body.
The earth. The earth opened and devoured us all.
Before panic could set in, however, some more memories came back to Fionn. A woman named Nessa held hands with a much younger King Diarmuid. Fionn strained to recall what else happened.
Just another dream, Fionn thought, turning his attention back to the problem at hand. But before he opened his eyes, a blue light blurred his vision. The same blue light he had seen back in Meadhbh’s temple.
Then everything went dark once more
***
“Well?” said the girl. “Do you know what it’ll be?”
Cillian the White sighed deeply. He removed his hand from the girl’s enlarged belly.
She really thinks it matters, he thought. They all think it does.
“It’ll be a boy,” said Cillian, straightening his healer’s robes.
“A prince?” cried the girl, her voice growing shrill with joy. “I’m going to have a little prince?”
“Yes,” said Cillian, trying hard not to roll his eyes. “You are due in another four moons.”
At this, she shrieked in joy again, as if she would even live half that long. “Oh, I can’t wait until Etain finds out I’ll be having the king’s son!”
“Of course,” muttered Cillian, turning away. He slowly strode across the clinic to his study. Taking a seat at the table, he picked up a quill and inked it. “Before you leave, remind me. What was your name again?”
“Nessa,” said the girl. “I never knew my parents, so I don’t have any other name than—”
“That’ll be all, Nessa,” cut in Cillian. “Please, close the door on your way out.”
The girl practically skipped from the clinic, humming a jolly tune as she went. Fool. She really had no idea. In any other circumstance, a healer would recommend medicines and schedule follow-up appointments to ensure a safe pregnancy.
“Shame,” muttered Cillian. He set the quill to the page and began scribbling.
Nessa, he wrote. Slender, with dark curly hair. Due in the first week of the Moon of Dana. Located in Madam Mac Cába’s establishment on Barrow’s Way.
He folded up the note without signing it. There was no need to elaborate more than that. The Wraiths never needed much information to get the job done.
***
Fionn’s eyes flashed open once more.
“What’s going on?” he muttered. It seemed much time had passed since he last woke. The writhing and moans around him had stopped, and the darkness that engulfed him had somehow grown even deeper.
He had seen the girl Nessa again, but this time, through the eyes of a healer named Cillian. Fionn strained to recall the details of the dream, or the vision, or whatever it was, when everything around him went dark once more.
A blue light shone.
***
Bronach Mac Cába burst into the girls’ chambers. Fortunately, Nessa herself was the only one sleeping there tonight.
“Wake up,” Bronach said, pulling the bedclothes off the girl. “You haven’t much time.”
Nessa looked up at Bronach with weary eyes.
“Madam Mac Cába, what’s going on?”
Gods above and below, thought Bronach, striding across the room to fetch an overcoat and boots for the poor girl. She really has no idea.
“You need to leave,” Bronach said. “There are men coming who want to hurt you. And hurt your baby.”
“No!” cried Nessa. “Not my prince! I won’t let them hurt him!”
“Good,” said Bronach, throwing the overcoat over Nessa.
I won’t let them take another one of my girls.
“Listen to me,” Bronach whispered. “There is a caravan leaving the city in an hour. I’ve spoken to the merchant, and he’ll take you far away. Once you leave the capital, you’ll be on your own. But safer than you are now.”
Nessa nodded and stood.
