Celtic Rain (The Battle Raven Series) (12 page)

A fawn jumped through the grass heading to the trees line where a doe patiently waited. As Lara watched the fawn she ran into Eion as he stood there waiting for them to catch up.

“Sorry.” She said and looked back at the tree line where the fawn and doe were nowhere to be seen.

“You can enjoy the scenery later. Keep up please.” Eion said.

Lara looked to Aodhan who was waiting by the tree line. The path he stood by looked to be large enough for her jeep.

“Where does this lead?” Kedryn asked as he stepped onto the rutted dirt road.

“To the Duir Plain. Up the road it forks off to Quenith. There are also some winding lanes that lead either to farms, estates or tiny villages. The area is sparsely settled until you reach the coast although we may run into a few hovels
on the Idad road.”

Eion looked from Lara to Kedryn. “If either of you need a break speak up. It is a long journey to the Duir Plain.”

“I’m good.” Kedryn said as he looked at his mother.

“Lead the way.” Lara said as she shrugged her pack into a more comfortable position.

Aodhan led them to a small overrun trail off to the side through dense underbrush and berry bushes. After walking most of the morning Kedryn began shrugging at his pack. Eion offered to take Kedryn’s pack and seeing that Aodhan held out his hand for Lara’s. She shrugged her pack off and gave it to him.

“Once again. You have shown me that
Chivalry
isn’t dead.” she said and watched as Aodhan grinned and put the pack.

“Why? Did it die in your realm? I am always prepared to help a damsel in distress. Do you need to rest for a bit? This is heavier than I thought.”

“I’m good. Would you like to give it back?” Lara asked.

He gave her an exasperated look. Lara’s eyes were drawn away from him when she glanced over as Kedryn struggled to pull his pant leg out of a thorn riddled bush.

“Why are we going this way again?” Kedryn asked as he carefully avoided another bush. He decided to walk directly behind Aodhan so he would avoid any further problems.

“This way is a little rougher going but we did not wish to risk it by taking the road. We would be too much in the open. Like I said before I do not want it known of Lara’s or your whereabouts.” Eion said.

“If Faolan did make it back through the portal he might send others after us. I will spot anyone who is following us.” Aodhan confidently said.

Lara raised her eyebrows at him. “One of the skills of a tracker?”

He gave her what he considered his
girl wooing
lopsided grin. “I am that good.”

Lara let out a short laugh and shook her head as she stopped next to Eion. He was examining the position of the sun.

“I believe it is about mid day. Do you want to scout ahead and find a place for us to stop? We should get in some training before the sun sets.”

Aodhan glanced at the sky. “Kedryn do you want to come with?” he handed the pack back to Lara.

“You bet.” Kedryn said as he handed his pack to Eion.

Aodhan ran ahead of him with Kedryn sprinting after him. Lara watched Kedryn and hoped he didn’t hit a tree root as he was running. She put her pack on and started walking next to Eion in the general direction Kedryn and Aodhan ran off.

“What’s the story about my cell phone? Why did it blow?” Lara asked as she adjusted her pack.

“It seems that if one tries to bring what you call electronic or explosive material through the portal it does not turn out so well.”

“I’m glad I forgot my laptop. How do you know what would have happened?” she said thinking about her phone and flashlight

“When Faolan’s grandfather Murphy who was also a Druid of the light had discovered how to get through the portal. I believe I mentioned him the other night about your question about the languages.”

“I remember.”

“He ran into a bit of trouble coming back through.” Eion said.

“Why wasn’t there anything here showing how to get through?”

“He did give me a copy of his work. Unfortunately it was not complete. Apparently after he stepped through the portal he became fascinated with your realm and tried to bring something explosive through. He didn’t get to finish writing down his work and what he discovered.”

Lara steeped up on and hopped over a large tree root. “I take it that wasn’t a good thing.”

“It was not. It exploded while he stepped through. His assistant who was waiting on the other side of the portal heard the explosion. He went through the portal and found him back on the other side. The damage to Murphy had already been done when he was pulled through.”

“I take it he didn’t live?”

“He was mortally wounded and told his assistant of what had happened. He tried to bring something called gum powder through.”

“Not to correct you but that would be gun powder and most likely the gun it was in.” Lara thought about her gun and was glad she left that behind. She reached into one of her pockets and pulled something out and she handed him a piece of gum.

“What is this?” Eion asked examining the wrapper giving her a skeptical look.

“This is gum. You take the wrapper off and chew. Don’t swallow.” she said showing him and unwrapped a piece for herself.

Eion stuck it in his mouth anyway and started to chew it. “Not bad.”

“Did he bring anything else through? Or should I say, survived the blast.” she asked

“The books I mentioned among others. A few books on medicine to study and something for the mouth he called a toothbrush.” Eion said as he smiled his almost pearly whites at her.

Lara smiled back showing hers off and nearly tripped over one of her boot laces and stopped. She bent down to re-lace her boot and adjust a buckle at the top. Lara looked over her scuffed boots and thought about everything her boots have been through and survived. Her sister Teagan always gave her such a hard time when it came to the boots. Lara could hear her clearly chide her by saying
You spent over three hundred for those DKNY Women's "Combat" Tall Leather Boots and you wear them on digs.

Lara smiled to herself and looked over her boots fondly. They were the most comfortable and expensive thing she had ever worn. Not to mention protected her from her feet to knees from the elements and the biting insects and
animals on digs. The boots had waterproofed leather and lining, laces up to the top, complete with an inside zipper and leather and rubber soles. She loved them so much that she had another pair sitting in her closet for when the ones she had on wore out.

Lara brushed some dirt off of her pants and straightened back up. She was going to hold onto all the good memories of family and friends to keep from sinking.

“How is it that Faolan knew enough to have what you needed to open the portal?”

“Murphy’s assistant must have left the original or a copy in his library and gave a piece of the puzzle. A scroll with ruin inscriptions to help solve the rest of the puzzle was left with his high priest. That’s the only way I can think of that Faolan ended up being able to decipher the first part and know what was needed for the rest.”

Eion started walking again and she fell in step beside him “I did not think about you having anything. It is a good thing you did not carry anything more explosive. That would have been a huge mistake on my part if you did.”

“Neither did Aodhan. It is nothing to dwell on.”

“Thank you, my Lady.” Eion said as he gave her a grin and a slight bow.

Eion heard some crashing through the bushes a good distance ahead of them. He grabbed Lara’s arm and pulled her behind a tree.

“What is it?” she whispered as she heard thudding footsteps grow louder and closer to where they were.

He concentrated and shook his head. Eion saw Aodhan and Kedryn as he stepped out in their path with crossed arms. He looked back at Lara and motioned for her to come out from behind the tree.

“It is nothing. Just a couple of boy’s playing.” he yelled out. “You two are making quite a ruckus.”

She walked out from behind the tree and saw Kedryn and Aodhan running at top speed jumping over logs, stepping over stones and not paying any attention to anything around them.

“Oh boys. They are racing.”

Kedryn skidded to a stop in front of her, almost knocking her down as he stopped in his tracks. Kedryn looked at Aodhan as he stopped by their side.

“Tie!” Kedryn said and slapped him on the back.

“You got me there kid.” Aodhan said as he held his arm out for Lara’s pack and she gave it to him.

“Come on. We found a small clearing where we can set up camp with a stream not too far off. Kedryn and I looked around a little further and there also is a clearing near it for us to train.”

“Lead the way.” Eion said eager to get in a spot of fishing.

Kedryn and Aodhan turned and headed back the way they came finding a less difficult path as Lara and Eion followed them. It winded around and led them in the same direction through sticker and gooseberry bushes. They stopped on the edge of a small grassy area surrounded by tall bushes and a few willow
trees. Eion walked over to Kedryn and Aodhan.

“Which way is the stream?” Eion asked.

“Anxious to get in some leisure time?” Aodhan asked and pointed the way. He looked over at Lara studying the area.

She set her pack down by Kedryn’s on the ground by a flat slanted rock. Lara walked over to a small area near two of the bigger willows. She scanned the ground and noticed right away an area where the grass was burned away. As she moved some brush and leaves a small fire pit came into view. She started to clear out the rest of the debris and restack the surrounding stones that had fallen from the side of the fire pit.

“When you go fishing do you think you can bring some rocks back to replace some of these?” Lara asked Eion.

“We took care of that. If you need more let me know.” Kedryn pointed to some rocks off to the side.

“You two thought of just about everything.” Lara said throwing leaves to the side.

“No. Kedryn will have to take the credit when it comes to the rocks. You taught him well when you took him camping” Aodhan said.

Lara grinned at Kedryn and walked back over to where their packs were. Sitting down on the slanted rock she moved the gear pack close. Lara dug into the pack to get out some lunch. She pulled out some jerky, granola bars and fruit along with handing out bottles of water. Eion, Aodhan and Kedryn walked up to her as she passed out lunch to everyone.

“If you catch some fish we can have something other than the same old dried fruit and jerky for supper.”

“I will do my best.” Kedryn said as he gave his mom a mock bow and sat down in the grass beside her.

“You must be taking lessons on sarcasm from Aodhan. You two have definitely been spending too much time together.” she looked over at Aodhan as he was examining the willow trees next to the fire pit with Eion.

“A whole night and day.” Kedryn said with a mouthful of granola.

“If it’s rubbed off on you like this. I’d hate to imagine what else he will teach you.” she teased.

Lara looked back over to where Aodhan and Eion were. She watched as they stacked some thick branches next to the two willow trees by the fire pit. Eion looked up and wiped his dirt covered hands on his cloak and walked over to where they were sitting. Aodhan followed close behind and held out a hand for Lara. She took it and he helped her up.

“Ready to get your arse kicked?” he asked.

“My arse will not be kicked. Lead the way . . . tracker boy.” she said as she grinned mischievously at him.

“This way my lady.” he bowed and led Lara away from the camp.

Aodhan led her to a small stream not far away from their camp. He veered off to a line of thick trees with purple and orange leaves. The path Lara followed him on led to a clearing surrounded by all sorts of trees set out in a
triangle.

“This is almost too perfect. As if someone planted it purposely this way.” Lara said more to herself than to Aodhan.

“My thoughts exactly. I believe this must have been part of one of the ancient estates that were destroyed during the old wars. Kedryn and I found the remains of a sitting bench at the edge of the trees near here. I think this will do for training. It is far enough away from the road that the trees should muffle the sound.”

Lara looked around the clearing. Along with the colorful surrounding trees and bushes there were wild roses, lilies and orchids. Patches of clover were spread through the tall grass.

“It’s a shame we will spoil this beauty by tromping on all of it while training.” Lara said as she studied it as much as she could so that she would remember it later. She reached down and plucked up a ghost orchid. Lara looked around at the dozens in the field and examined the flower in her hand that was almost extinct in her realm. Lara handed the flower to Aodhan and he put it up to his nose. Aodhan reached up and placed the flower behind her ear.

“It smells like you.” He said and watched the color e
nter her cheeks as she blushed.