Phelan made sure Galen wasn’t touching him and using his power to read people’s thoughts. This was one of the reasons Phelan didn’t like to come to the castle. Everyone was always in his business. The fact they were usually spot-on only irritated him further.
“What of it?” he asked as he looked at the Warrior.
“We’re all different. It’s what makes us individuals. You can no’ take the blame for what your family did for you. It’s what families do.”
Phelan rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable hearing Galen, but even more awkward because he wanted to talk about it. “I didna know what they sacrificed.”
“Children rarely do of their parents. They’re no’ supposed to. You were no’ supposed to. It’s the way of things.”
“Is it? How do I know? What family have I been around to learn these things?”
Galen stood and walked around the table. “This family. You’ve seen and experienced it without even knowing it. You’ve seen us sacrifice, but more importantly, you’ve sacrificed.”
Phelan was about to argue that point when Galen held up a hand.
“It’s true,” he went on. “How many times have you willingly helped one of us heal with your blood? How many times have we called for you to aid us in battle? How many times have you protected the Druids?”
Phelan swallowed, unable to answer.
“Exactly,” Galen said with a small smile. “You’ve been a part of us since the first time you fought by our side. We’re an unconventional family, but a family just the same.”
“I’ve been an arse.”
Galen chuckled, his blue eyes twinkling. “That’s true, but it makes you you. Better grab what food is left over before the others come down. If they ask, I wasna here. Reaghan says I’m eating the others’ share.” Galen snorted and backed away.
Phelan couldn’t believe he was smiling as he watched Galen hurry up the stairs. He walked into the kitchen to find Charon leaning against the counter drinking a tall glass of milk.
He met his friend’s gaze and nodded. “I suppose you heard all of that?”
Charon finished his milk and set the glass in the sink. “Aye. Galen was right about all of it. It took awhile for me to see my place here as well. There are times I still feel like an outsider, but that’s my doing and nothing to do with the others.”
“Things have changed,” Phelan said. “Wallace is more powerful than ever before.”
Charon frowned and pushed away from the counter. “How do you know?”
“I felt his magic, but … I was told.”
“By?”
Phelan hesitated. The Fae hadn’t told him he couldn’t tell others about her, but he wasn’t sure if he should. He walked farther into the kitchen until only a few steps separated him and Charon.
“Phelan?” Charon urged worriedly.
“When I was on Skye, I found the Fairy Pool.”
Charon shrugged. “Every tourist sees the Fairy Pools.”
“Nay.
“Are you telling me that you…” Charon trailed off and raked a hand through his hair. “Shite.”
Phelan crossed his arms over his chest. “I know. Aisley saw it, too. Corann wasna happy the Fae allowed us to find it. But there’s more.”
“More?” Charon asked in surprise.
“Aye. A Fae came to see me yesterday.”
Charon stared at him as if he’d just declared passionate love to a fruit basket. “A Fae? You mean … a real Fae?”
“I didna stutter,” Phelan answered testily. “She said Wallace came back with more magic than Deirdre ever had.”
Charon braced both hands on the large table that served as an island in the kitchen. “Fuck. This is bad.”
“I know. I doona want the others to know of the Fae. No’ yet at least. No’ until I know what they want with me.”
Charon turned his head to look at him. “You have my word. I’m glad you told me about Wallace. We’ll need to take precautions for the battle.”
“You know no’ all of us will survive the upcoming battle. Wallace will see to that.”
Charon’s lips compressed into a tight line. “Aye. You’ve the right of it.”
Phelan watched his friend leave the kitchen. He didn’t have a wife being put in danger. He didn’t have someone who counted on him.
If someone was to lose their life, he would be the one to do it. They were his family, after all. It would be up to him to look after all of them.
CHAPTER
FORTY-EIGHT
Malcolm glanced at his phone to see he’d missed four calls from Fallon. None from Larena. Which was strange. If those at the castle really wanted to get in touch with him, Larena was the one to call.
He then saw a text from Phelan telling him they were setting a trap for Wallace in Ferness. Malcolm looked out over the mountains.
Did he go and help the others again? Or did he stay away? Larena would never forgive him, but it was becoming harder and harder to be around her or the others.
If there were no more Druids there wouldn’t be a reason for Warriors. It wasn’t that he wanted his friends to die, just that he realized things would be better off without Druids or Warriors.
As cold and empty as his soul was, did he remove the last drop—and that’s all it was—of feeling from himself and not go to Ferness?
Malcolm took a deep breath and remained where he was.
* * *
It was hours later that Phelan stood on the roof of Charon’s building and stared over the deserted streets. Signs had been put up blocking the road in and out of Ferness saying there was a gas leak.
It wasn’t yet noon, but Phelan already felt as if the day had lasted an eternity. He and the other Warriors had their places throughout the town and surrounding area, waiting for Wallace to arrive.
If he arrived.
Phelan wasn’t sure the plan the Druids had come up with would work.
He wished that was their only worry. News had broken a half hour before about a grayish mist that floated upon the air. There were two witnesses to that mist killing an elderly woman in Elgin.
It was the selmyr. They all knew it, but nothing could be done about it. At least not now. Gwynn’s research had yielded several other surnames that branched off the one the Fae had given him.
They weren’t any closer to finding someone who could contain the selmyr than they had been before. It frustrated him, but more than that, it worried him.
With as much magic as Wallace was broadcasting, and the magic the Druids were answering with from Ferness, Phelan had little doubt the selmyr were going to pay them a visit.
Unlike last time, the dragons wouldn’t be there to help.
What unsettled him more than the upcoming battle or the selmyr was the thought of seeing Aisley again. He wasn’t sure how he was going to react when he spotted her standing with Wallace, because he knew that’s where she was.
A woman he shared his body with, a woman who had given more to him than anyone wouldn’t stand with Wallace. Why did she have to betray him? Why couldn’t what they had be real?
“How are you holding up?”
Phelan turned around, surprised to find Larena beside him. “I might ask you the same question.”
