Celtic Rain (The Battle Raven Series) (13 page)

“If you would my Lady. May I see the dagger?” He said as he looked down at the sheath at her side.

Lara sat down cross legged on the ground and tugged at the laces of her knee length boots to make sure both of them were tied tight. Aodhan sat down next to her and glanced again at the dagger at her side.

“Eion told me that the dagger you just had to grab back at the house was something special. That he was glad that you risked our lives for it.”

Lara narrowed her eyes at him and pulled the dagger out of its sheath and handed it to him.

“He may not have quite put it that way.”

“We are still alive aren’t we?” Aodhan said as he looked over the dagger. Eion says the dagger belonged to Badb.” she said and pointed out the inscriptions on the blade leaning over him to look at it. “See how faint the inscription is. If I would have looked at the blade closer I would have noticed that they were not Egyptian.”

Aodhan leaned over closer to the blade to see the markings better. Neither one of them had noticed how closely both were examining the blade. If anyone else was around a loud crack would have been heard as Lara and Aodhan smacked their heads together as they looked back up.

“Ouch!”

Aodhan let out a laugh while rubbing his forehead. Lara shook her head and let out a small painful laugh.

“I should teach you some head butting skills. You have a hard head.” He turned his attention back to the blade. “You must have just been examining the hilt and not paying attention to the blade.”

“I never really took it out to examine it. It sat at my bedside and I would
never have thought that it was a Celtic War Goddesses dagger. I found it in Egypt for cripes sake not Ireland.”

Aodhan turned the hilt around and examined the blade closer. Lara watched as he ran his finger over the blade and felt a sudden gust of cool wind. The scent of wild flowers surrounded them and Lara took in a deep breath beginning to relax. Aodhan inhaled and almost made Lara jump as he took the metal sheath from her side and looked at it.

“You are used to doing what you want aren’t you? I bet you always get your way don’t you?” she said annoyed.

He didn’t give anything away and it seemed Aodhan was more interested in her sheath and dagger at the moment.

“This is made of Iron. That is interesting. I believe the bronze smiths here had just begun working with Iron when the sisters went through the portal. Badb must have had one of them working on a new set just before they were defeated. There should be two though.”

Lara reached over and moved one of Aodhan’s hands down under the hilt.

“Push here.” Lara said and pushed his fingers on the trigger and the daggers slid apart in his hands.

“Very clever. They are oddly long for a dagger. Long enough to properly block a sword.”

Aodhan stood back up and held out his hand. Lara took it and he helped her up. He set down the bag that he was carrying and led her to the middle of the clearing. To his amusement he watched as she tried to avoid the flowers as he led her along.

“We should start on some defensive positions.” Aodhan said as he unsheathed his sword.

“Where did you get that?”

“I found it outside of the cave. It is my fathers and I have had it this whole time.” He said.

“Guess my mind was elsewhere. On a more serious note… I’m sorry, I’m sure your father is ok.”

“It is my hope he is too. We will find out soon.” Aodhan watched as she carefully took the orchid from behind her ear and placed it in the sheath of her dagger. He was confused and touched by the gesture at the same time.

He waited until she had the two daggers in each hand. Without warning Aodhan slashed down at Lara and she crossed the daggers blocking the blow. She heard the loud reverberating sound of his sword and felt the jarring of the hit run from her wrists to her elbows. Lara shoved the sword away and shook out her arms.

“You still remember some of your training. Remember to support one dagger with the other so it will not jar you so bad.”

“You slashed that thing at me and didn’t know if I would block it!” Lara looked at him with disbelief on her face.

“It would have missed. You had to step forward to block it. Stick to your
instincts and pay attention to what I show you. If Eion is correct you will learn and remember quickly.”

“Let’s see how good
you
are.” Lara did an arching swing with one of her daggers and he jumped back.

“I think at least my weapons training is at least coming back. The main difference is that I was using sai instead of two daggers.” She grinned mischievously at him.

“Bring it tracker boy.”

“You’re on Lady Battle Raven.” he grinned back and sprung at her.

After an hour of sparring Aodhan stopped and walked over to the bag he had set down. He pulled out two water bottles and handed her one.

“I hope you do not mind I snatched these from your pack. You have to breathe it seems you start to lose a little of your concentration and balance when holding your breath.”

“I can’t help it. For some reason I hold my breath when I concentrate. How about I tell you about something while we train. If I’m talking I won’t be able to hold my breath and forget to breathe.” Lara re-adjusted her hair.

“What are you going to talk the enemy to death?”

“If need be.” she said getting into a fighting stance.

He looked around to get his thoughts together. He had never seen any soldier at Carrick’s talking while fighting. It was worth a try.

“We will do it your way for now. Tell me about how you found the dagger.”

Lara lunged at him and began to go into detail about her big find. She explained what they do on an archeological dig and about the Egyptian people who helped on the digs and their culture. Lara paused for a second and
p
ondered what Kedryn and Eion were up to. She felt the breeze of his sword swish by her hip.

“Concentrate Lara. I almost slashed you.”

At the stream Kedryn pulled in yet another fish. Eion walked up to him and held out his empty leather pouch. Looking at Kedryn’s almost near full pouch. Its straps were tied to a stick in the mud supported by rocks.

“It has been said before and I will say it again. Your mother taught you well. I haven’t caught one fish.” Eion looked at the bag of fish floating in the stream. “That will not get away from you?” he asked looking at the stick holding Kedryn’s pouch.

“It’s stuck in good and it’s just the Luck O’ the Irish that I’ve caught so many.” Kedryn said as he gave him a huge grin.

Eion sat down on a rock next to him and stretched out his legs. He studied the bubbling stream that was cascading down the rocky hill. He was glad that he brought up fishing with Kedryn since it was a lot more relaxing than training. Also wanted to get to know him better and Eion locked away the location of the stream in his memory just in case he happened around this area again.

“Aodhan tells me you can see truths that is a very interesting power for you to have.” He watched as Kedryn cast the line out and almost immediately pulled in another fish.

“Why is that? Someone else could have had something. You think?”

“One of your ancestors may have had a certain power. It may have been insignificant enough not to notice. I am surprised that the power of truths was passed down through Badb’s line. How do you feel about it?”

“There is nothing I can do about it. It has been a convenient power to have and a bit annoying at times. I haven’t learned how to shut it off and on yet.”

Eion studied Kedryn as he skillfully took the hook out of a fish. Instead of placing it in his pouch he threw it in Eion’s.

“Just so they think you had some luck too.” he said.

Eion let out of short laugh “Thanks for that.”

“Not that I’m not grateful for the powers I have. It would help if I could control them all. Can you teach me how to control my truth meter to be able to turn it on and off like the aura one?” Kedryn asked

“I am almost positive I can teach you how.” Eion looked at Kedryn’s leather pouch of fish again and his laughter reduced down to a chuckle. “You are not using some sort of special bait on those hooks?”

“Not at all.” Kedryn and jerked his head around as he heard the rustling of leaves. There was a movement in the bushes across the stream from them. Stopping in the middle of a cast he stood still to see what would come out of the bushes.

Two wolves slinked out and started pacing back and forth looking right at them. He glanced at Eion who had tensed and slowly reached into his cloak. Eion was about to draw on his Lapisphere for the power to repel the wolves when Kedryn grabbed three fish out of his leather pouch tossing one to each wolf. They snatched the fish up, turned and scampered back into the bush. He
tossed the third one across the stream and looked at Eion giving a shrug.

“Just in case.” Kedryn said.

“Good thinking. If I heard you correctly you said powers and not power.”

“You heard correctly.”

“Let us first start with what your mom calls the truth meter. We will discuss later what you mean by powers.” Eion said as he relaxed his tense muscles.

Kedryn sat down next to the rock Eion was sitting on. He wiped his hands on his pants and thought of his mom and what she would say if she saw him do that. No fishing towels around here though.

“It’s not too bad. I can just sense a certain type of energy around a person when they are talking. The best I can explain it is that I feel good energy when someone is telling the truth. I feel evil come from someone who is telling a lie.”

“Any type of lie?” Eion asked.

“No matter how small the lie is or how a person can find a way to make anyone believe they are telling the truth. I’m always able to tell and always found it interesting how a person gets to a point that they almost believe the lie themselves. It would be ok if it was just a couple of people around me but it’s anyone who is near me that I can sense.”

Eion rubbed his chin “That’s interesting. Tell me about the other. Or is there more than one?”

Kedryn reached over for his rod putting more bait on the hook and casted out. “Are you going to try anymore?”

Eion shook his head and waved it off. He motioned for Kedryn to look across the stream. A wolf cub waddled over and pick up the fish he had thrown to the other side
just in case
. The cub looked at him with its reddish orange eyes and he swore it winked. It turned and waddled off.

“It looks like you made a new friend.” Eion said as he watched the wolf cub wander off.

“Why were the cubs eyes a different color?” Kedryn asked

“I did not notice a difference.” Eion said looking at him puzzled.

Kedryn shook it off as his imagination and decided to tell Eion about the aurar part.

“There is only one other power and it was a bit annoying really. I learned how to turn it off and on at will.”

“What would that be?” Eion asked

“I can see colors surrounding people aura’s is what mom calls it. When I was born that is all I saw and I didn’t realize I was seeing things differently. When I started talking mom said all I could talk about were colors.” He felt a tug on his line and reeled it back in and cast it out again.

“Can you imagine? I didn’t even know what my mom really looked like without color. I can’t even tell you how many eye exams I’ve had. Mom did a lot of research and figured it out. It seems that the colors I see are matches.” he let
out a laugh. “I’m a living cupid.”

“Just by their colors?”

“There is a feeling that comes along with it too. It’s hard to explain I just know.”

“Who helped you with the aurar power?” Eion asked

“On one of our many visits to Ireland mom was told about an Aurar by my great aunt. Mom and Aunt Janie took me to see her. Isleen the aurar helped me out. She taught me how to turn it off and on when I was about six.

“Isleen.” Eion said and didn’t say anything more.

“I’m really grateful to her. She didn’t know how to fix what my mom calls the truth meter.” Kedryn said as he reeled in yet another fish and placed it in the pouch.

“When I got older I thought that I could play matchmaker for people. I found out that even though I could see if a couple was right or wrong for each other they would not listen anyway.”

“You saw many people who did not belong with your mother.”

“I did. Would someone really listen to me if they thought they were really in love?” Kedryn said as he put his rod down after reeling in another empty hook and sat down next to Eion again.

“I used to always tell mom that the guy she was with wasn’t a match. She finally told me to leave it be and let her make the choice. I wonder how her training with Aodhan is going.”

Eion crossed his arms and got a mischievous look on his face. “Have you snuck a peek at Aodhan and your mother?”

He looked up at Eion turning a little red around the ears. “Umm yeah. I did and it was confusing.”

Eion’s eyebrows rose in curiosity “Why is that?

“Mom and Aodhan are of the same color with a difference. Aodhan’s is a light emerald green and mom’s is a dark emerald green. The feeling that a possible match is there. I’ve been thinking about it and might have a theory. I’d like to keep it to myself for now though.”

“That is very interesting. I suppose we will have to see what happens.”

Eion got up and walked over to the stream. He unwound Kedryn’s leather pouch full of fish from the stick and looked at his leather pouch with the one fish Kedryn put in it. He chuckled and shook his head.

“I would say luck of the Irish. Let us take these to the camp site for Lara and Aodhan to clean and we can start your training.” Eion said as he handed Kedryn’s pouch of fish to him and started to walk back towards where their camp was.

“Are we going to use sticks to train? I know that Aodhan has a dagger but that’s not much. How am I going to train without a sword?” Kedryn asked.

“Training will not be a problem. You did not notice?”

“Notice what?” Kedryn looked at him puzzled as he side stepped a tree root.

“The sword strapped to Aodhan’s side. He found his father’s sword
outside the cave when he was scouting without you. He is going to let you use it until we reach his cousins house.”

“Really? Talk about unobservant. What are you going to use?”

Eion stopped and picked up a big stick. He held it out in front of him and checked the weight. “I will use a stick. A very thick stick.”

As they walked up to the camp site Kedryn noticed his mom had the cleaning station already set up. She must have found his tiny tackle box in the gear pack because his cleaning knife sat on top of a plank of wood. She also had set a pan on the cooking rack that was placed over the fire pit. The pit was stacked with wood and ready to go.

Kedryn glanced over to Aodhan who was finishing setting up the shelters. He had found some thick branches that had fallen from the trees and made a frame for each of the shelters. The frames were tied together by thick vines and the top and sides of each shelter had woven branches with thick leaves.

There were two shelters one large and another smaller shelter that he assumed for his mother. There wasn’t anything to cover the front since the fire pit would be close. He glanced at the sky and it looked like they didn’t have to worry about bad weather. Aodhan noticed Kedryn studying his handiwork and finished up the final touches on Lara’s shelter. He walked over to Eion who had set down the pouches of fish next to where Lara sat.

“How did it go?” Aodhan said as he leaned down and looked into the two leather pouches. Aodhan raised an eyebrow at them both.

“Who won the battle with the fish?”

“My money is on Kedryn.” Lara said.

“Looks like you did well and look she is full of surprises.” Aodhan said as he pointed to the area that Lara had set up to clean and cook the fish.

He set the leather pouches back down by her.

“I do not think any woman I know would have a clue how to set up a camp or has ever cleaned a fish.”

Lara elbowed him and he grunted. “Before you anyway. My Lady.”

“The women you have been around must have led a pampered lifestyle.” she made a show of buffing her fingernails and looking at them. She said in her most snobbish voice that she could come up with.

“I wish not to dirty my nails. You should clean the fish. I must sit on my arse and gaze at the stars while eating bon bons.”

Aodhan chuckled. “Honestly my dear I am happy that those pouches are not any bigger or you would be cleaning fish all night. The women I know are privileged. I think if they had to make the choice to learn they would . . . maybe.”

Kedryn walked up to Lara and gave her a hug. “How did training go? Who trained who?”

Lara glanced at Aodhan “He is a good teacher and yes I may have taught him a lesson or two. You and Eion should head to the clearing and by the time you are back supper should be ready.”

Aodhan handed Kedryn his scabbard with the sword in it hilt first. Kedryn looked at him and gave him a slight bow of respect he always gave his
sensei.

“I will treat it as if it were my own.” Kedryn said and watched as Aodhan bowed back.

Kedryn turned and led Eion to the clearing. He again remembered picking something up while scouting with Aodhan and decided to look at it later. As they were walking away Kedryn stopped and turned to Lara.

“Hey guess what. Eion can teach me how to turn my truth meter on and off.”

Lara set a fish down on the plank and looked at Eion “Really? You can help him with that?”

“Yes I believe I can.” Eion smiled at the look of relief on her face.

She turned and started working on cleaning the fish that for some reason Aodhan abandoned. He was instead messing with the fire. Lara stood up and walked over to her pack. She rummaged through it and took out a small container.

“What’s that?” Aodhan asked.

“Seasoning that I bring along. On some digs sponsors provide the food and it can be pretty bland.”

He took the seasoning and looked at it. “That was what Kedryn was talking about when he said bland flavorless food.”

Lara shook her head yes as she grabbed the seasoning back and set it by the plank. Watching Aodhan walk back to the fire she started working on the fish. Aodhan picked up a pan Lara decided not to use and set it back down by the fire.

“You go prepared on your travels.”

“I bring everything along even if I don’t think we’d need it because you never know. I think this situation would be considered a
you never know
situation. You going to help?”

Aodhan let out a huge dramatic sigh, pulled his dagger out and helped her finish cleaning the fish. Lara moved the plank of fish close to the fire as she shook a bit more seasoning on them and placed the fish in the pan. She glanced over at where Aodhan was sitting and caught him staring at her. Lara turned a little pink and winked at him catching him off guard. He gave her a sly grin, winked back and sat down by her to watch her cook. He picked up a stick and started stirring up the fire some more. Lara flipped the fish in the pan and watched it sizzle.