“It’s peaceful out here isn’t it,” she said.
Taken by surprise, Breck flinched.
“I’m probably the last person you want to see,” she said.
Breck shook his head. “You’ve no idea how much I’ve missed you.”
The sheer relief took Cordelia’s breath away.
“Are you staying?” asked Breck.
Cordelia sat beside him, her eyes wandering over every inch of him; his boots, his shirt, his soft, plump lips until her eyes finally met his.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“What for?”
“Everything.”
Breck put his arm around Cordelia and pulled her closer. “It wasn’t your fault,” he said, breathing in the sweet smell of her freshly washed hair. “I’ve really missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too,” she said.
“So what’s new?” asked Breck.
“Flynn’s home. I mean, he’s off the island.”
“That’s grand, you must be so relieved. Is he okay?”
“He’s doing fine,” said Cordelia, gasping for air. The relief she felt still took her breath away. “He’s resting at the lighthouse. What about you? How are things at the tavern?”
“Ah, well, things there aren’t so great.”
“D’you want to talk about it?”
“What’s to say? There’s no money coming in; I’m working all hours going and barely scraping by. Then I’ve the kids dumped on me at every opportunity ‘cos my aunt’s too depressed to look after them.”
“What about Keeva? Does she help out?”
“She was never the same after, you know. The doctors sent her to the asylum.”
“I’m so sorry to hear that,” said Cordelia, genuinely shocked.
“That’s where my aunt will end up if she’s not careful, all because of those bloody birds.”
Cordelia could hear the anger and sadness in his voice.
“Would it help if you had an extra pair of hands?”
“Are you offering?” he asked.
“No, not me.”
“We couldn’t afford to take anyone on.”
“What if they worked for free? In exchange for a roof over their head?”
“That could work. Do you have someone in mind?”
“Flynn?”
“He won’t want to be stuck behind a bar. He’ll want to get back out on the water, surely?”
“Without a boat? Besides, I think he’s had enough of the sea for a while.”
“D’you really think he’d be interested?”
“He needs a roof over his head. The lighthouse isn’t the right place for him.”
“And you’re sure the tavern is?”
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
The tone in Cordelia’s voice told Breck it was something serious and he wondered what else she could possibly tell him that he didn’t already know.
“Go on.”
“Flynn’s like you. He’s an energy carrier too.”
Breck removed his arm from Cordelia’s shoulder in a temper and rose to his feet. “Is this the only reason you came down here because you need my help with something? There was me thinking you actually cared.”
“I do care!” exclaimed Cordelia, standing also. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you.”
“You’ve got a funny way of showing it.”
“I didn’t know if you wanted to see me. I didn’t know if you blamed me for what happened. I’ve been worried sick about Flynn. You know, you could have come to see me but you didn’t. It works both ways.”
“The last I saw, you were in the arms of a merman.”
“He saved my life!”
“That’s what you say.”
“I love you! Not him.”
“What did you say?”
“I love you.”
Cordelia was the only person who had ever said those words to Breck. He walked towards Cordelia, held her delicate face in his hands and pressed his lips against hers. Blue waves of energy weaved around them, caressing every curve. Cordelia rested her hands on Breck’s hips, she pulled at his shirt, her heart pounding beneath her chest. She had longed for this moment. They both had.
“I love you too,” whispered Breck when their lips eventually unlocked. Then he hugged her, holding her close to his body.
“It will be alright,” said Cordelia, resting her cheek against his soft cotton shirt, “as long as we have each other.”
Breck kissed Cordelia on the forehead. “Always.”
Cordelia returned to the lighthouse and told Flynn her plan.
“I told you, I’m not interested,” said Flynn.
“Do you want somewhere to live or not? You don’t want to live on a boat, you don’t want to live here, so tell me, where do you want to live?”
Flynn shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know.”
“I know you prefer the quiet life but you’d really be making a difference. Breck could use someone like you right now.”
Flynn thought for a moment before responding. “Okay, if it makes you happy I’ll meet him, but I’m not promising anything.”
Cordelia smiled widely, “Great, let’s go.”
“Now?”
“Breck could really do with your help, the sooner the better,” said Cordelia, holding the door open.
Flynn sighed as he stood up and slowly walked to the door.
“What is it?” asked Cordelia. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“It’s nothing.”
Cordelia and Flynn walked side by side across the grassy cliff top to the peat bog, the balmy breeze blowing their hair. Flynn chuckled.
“What are you laughing at?” asked Cordelia.
“It all makes sense now.”
“What?”
“How you wound up in my fishing net.”
“Yes, I suppose it does.”
“Life is full of surprises huh?”
“It certainly is.”
As they walked beneath the clear blue sky, Cordelia wondered how she might one day tell Flynn about Meren. Right now there wasn’t really anything to tell and she didn’t want to worry him. He was the one who raised her, that’s what mattered.
Cordelia looped her arms around Flynn’s elbow and snuggled in to him. “I love you,” she said.
“I love you too,” replied Flynn.
“Oh good, he’s still here,” said Cordelia approaching the peat bog.
“What d’you mean?” asked Flynn, “I thought he worked at the tavern.”
“He does, but he digs the bog too. His parents left it to him when they died. The tavern is his aunt’s business.”
“His parents died?”
“During the hunger. Breck was the only member of his family to survive. Must have
