me.”
“I am honored to be of service to you, Goddess,” he said simply, squeezing her hand before releasing it.
He did not pull away from her in fear or bow down before her in stunned reverence.
It’s like she was just an ordinary clan chieftain asking for his help . The thought was so unexpected that Elphame blinked in surprise, and turned quickly to her brother to hide her awkwardness.
“Cu, can you believe that I can Feel the spirit in the stones?”
“Of course I believe it.” He smiled at his sister, glad that she looked so happy and animated—almost glad enough to forget how disconcerting it had been to watch the magical glow of the stone engulf her. He had to remember that it was different for her. He was a warrior; he wanted no traffic with things he couldn’t best with the stroke of a blade, but Elphame had never felt his unease for magic and the spirit realm. Though she spoke little of it, even to him, Cu knew that his sister had always yearned for a spiritual connection to the Goddess who had so obviously fashioned her body. Elphame was the firstborn daughter of the Chosen of Epona. It was never a certainty, but often the Goddess called the eldest daughter of an aging Chosen to follow her mother as spiritual leader of Parthalon. Epona could be grooming Elphame for the day she would take her mother’s place. It was the way of the world, Cu reminded himself. He shook off his trepidation and approached Danann, clasping the old centaur’s hand in a warm greeting.
“I believe I am better at hearing spirits than I am at surprising a warrior guarding his sister,” Danann said wryly.
“Oh, I would say you did a good job of surprising me,” Cuchulainn said.
“Cu has been twitchy since last night. Just ignore him,” Elphame said as she butted her shoulder against her brother’s, grinning at him.
Cuchulainn ignored El’s teasing. “Did you come alone, Danann?”
The Stonemaster shook his head and gestured toward the weed-strewn entrance. “No, I joined the rest of your party as they left Loth Tor. They chose to wait outside the walls of the castle. They were not overeager to enter.” He shrugged his shoulders and smiled. “The young are often easily frightened by little more than bedtime stories and shadows.”
Elphame felt a rush of gratitude for the centaur’s commonsense attitude. “And isn’t it just like young men.” She gave her brother a look of sisterly annoyance, lumping him in the ne’er-do-well category. “Instead of getting busy they stand about waiting to be told what to do.”
With practiced flair Danann bowed to her, bending one silver-tipped foreleg, while extending the other. Offering his arm in an old courtly gesture, he said, “Then, Goddess, shall I escort you so that you might give the young some direction before they waste their lives in idleness?”
Elphame hesitated. Was she really going to touch someone outside her family twice in one day? She looked from the old centaur’s gallantly offered arm to her brother. Cuchulainn winked at her and nodded. She took a deep breath and rested her hand on the Stonemaster’s forearm. Her fingers trembled only a little.
Just like a normal person, she thought, unable to contain her smile.
With Cu following close behind, they retraced the path from the ruins of the courtyard back through the gap in the ancient walls to where their party waited.
As Danann had noted, they were a youthful group—most of them younger sons who had been willing to embark upon the adventure of restoring MacCallan Castle because they had the desire to carve their own way in the world. There would be land and opportunity if MacCallan Castle lived again—and that had spelled excitement to their hot blood.
And then there was the young goddess, Elphame. All of Partholon knew that she had been given to them by Epona as a special blessing, but no one quite understood why. Epona’s ways were often mysterious. She was a benevolent Goddess, but She
“I am honored to be of service to you, Goddess,” he said simply, squeezing her hand before releasing it.
He did not pull away from her in fear or bow down before her in stunned reverence.
It’s like she was just an ordinary clan chieftain asking for his help . The thought was so unexpected that Elphame blinked in surprise, and turned quickly to her brother to hide her awkwardness.
“Cu, can you believe that I can Feel the spirit in the stones?”
“Of course I believe it.” He smiled at his sister, glad that she looked so happy and animated—almost glad enough to forget how disconcerting it had been to watch the magical glow of the stone engulf her. He had to remember that it was different for her. He was a warrior; he wanted no traffic with things he couldn’t best with the stroke of a blade, but Elphame had never felt his unease for magic and the spirit realm. Though she spoke little of it, even to him, Cu knew that his sister had always yearned for a spiritual connection to the Goddess who had so obviously fashioned her body. Elphame was the firstborn daughter of the Chosen of Epona. It was never a certainty, but often the Goddess called the eldest daughter of an aging Chosen to follow her mother as spiritual leader of Parthalon. Epona could be grooming Elphame for the day she would take her mother’s place. It was the way of the world, Cu reminded himself. He shook off his trepidation and approached Danann, clasping the old centaur’s hand in a warm greeting.
“I believe I am better at hearing spirits than I am at surprising a warrior guarding his sister,” Danann said wryly.
“Oh, I would say you did a good job of surprising me,” Cuchulainn said.
“Cu has been twitchy since last night. Just ignore him,” Elphame said as she butted her shoulder against her brother’s, grinning at him.
Cuchulainn ignored El’s teasing. “Did you come alone, Danann?”
The Stonemaster shook his head and gestured toward the weed-strewn entrance. “No, I joined the rest of your party as they left Loth Tor. They chose to wait outside the walls of the castle. They were not overeager to enter.” He shrugged his shoulders and smiled. “The young are often easily frightened by little more than bedtime stories and shadows.”
Elphame felt a rush of gratitude for the centaur’s commonsense attitude. “And isn’t it just like young men.” She gave her brother a look of sisterly annoyance, lumping him in the ne’er-do-well category. “Instead of getting busy they stand about waiting to be told what to do.”
With practiced flair Danann bowed to her, bending one silver-tipped foreleg, while extending the other. Offering his arm in an old courtly gesture, he said, “Then, Goddess, shall I escort you so that you might give the young some direction before they waste their lives in idleness?”
Elphame hesitated. Was she really going to touch someone outside her family twice in one day? She looked from the old centaur’s gallantly offered arm to her brother. Cuchulainn winked at her and nodded. She took a deep breath and rested her hand on the Stonemaster’s forearm. Her fingers trembled only a little.
Just like a normal person, she thought, unable to contain her smile.
With Cu following close behind, they retraced the path from the ruins of the courtyard back through the gap in the ancient walls to where their party waited.
As Danann had noted, they were a youthful group—most of them younger sons who had been willing to embark upon the adventure of restoring MacCallan Castle because they had the desire to carve their own way in the world. There would be land and opportunity if MacCallan Castle lived again—and that had spelled excitement to their hot blood.
And then there was the young goddess, Elphame. All of Partholon knew that she had been given to them by Epona as a special blessing, but no one quite understood why. Epona’s ways were often mysterious. She was a benevolent Goddess, but She
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