Page 66 of Father of the Wolf

“It’s all right.” Dàn said to his unexpected guardian. “Maura will not hurt me.”

Sgrios gave him a searching look before leaving the two of them alone and heading off toward the woods for another walk. Three steps from the porch, he shifted into the shape of a black wolf and loped off out of sight.

“Maura, I’m glad you’re here.” Dàn’s words felt weak compared to his emotions. He felt a connection to Maura along with his continued curiosity about her.

“I’m so very glad you’re well.” She studied his face and his many slowly healing scars. “Or are you? I saw your death. I saw it all.” Her eyes glistened with barely restrained tears.

“I still live, although I am not yet sure why that is.” They sat down on the bench, close but not quite touching.

“I went to the spirits to ask if there was any way to save you. One of them had a suggestion.” Maura looked at him, and Dàn felt her helplessness from when she thought he would die, and somehow, he knew the spirits had been her last hope.

“Was it the young woman? She called me and tried to tell me something during the ceremony.” He wondered what the woman had been trying to tell him. Perhaps he would be able to go back and find out.

“It was. How strange. She said to pray to Cernunnos, the Celtic god of rebirth. I did, and he answered me.”

“Cernunnos answered you?” It had been a long time since he had thought of Cernunnos.

“Yes. I felt him in my mind. He said he would care for you, as was right. Do you know what that means? Does that make sense to you?”

It didn’t make much sense. Cernunnos was a powerful Celtic god with many ties to other religions.

“At the time, I feared you would die, and I was only seeing to the care of your spirit. But Cernunnos said you would live.”

“He saved my life once before, but I don’t know why. Perhaps because I was born in Ireland.” In truth, he felt the connection was more than simply the tie to his birthplace. His only brief meeting with Cernunnos had been both wonderful and terrible.

“How did you survive the torture? I saw them kill you. I can see your fading scars even now.”

“I don’t think I did.” He hesitated to explain what he thought had happened. Which at least made more sense now, after she’d told him about her contact with Cernunnos. “I think someone, maybe Cernunnos, held me from death after I had fled life.”

“Then you are blessed, indeed. Blessed by the gods.”

She slid over on the bench and clasped his hand in her own. “I thought I had lost you even before I’d truly found you.” She continued silently. “How did he save you the first time?”

He should have pulled away before she could touch him, but her touch soothed him and did no damage to his balance. Tendrils of mist stirred over their linked fingers. He tightened his hand over hers, accepting her gentle emotions and the soft touch of her spirit. “Cernunnos sent me the dream that foretold the attack on our clan. It gave me time to get a few of the others to safety. But only a few.” Even as a child, he had sensed the pure goodness of Cernunnos. To him, the god was all that was good and light in appearance and being. The dream premonition had been a compassionate gift that should have saved many more than it had. His own failure to warn more of the clan would haunt him as a reminder of his own inadequacies.

“I’m sure you did all you could.” Her understanding and compassion brushed over his old guilt, softening and soothing his remembered pain.

“Not enough. My visions began to strengthen after that.” They had strengthened so much that he had been nearly catatonic while he fought for control of his mind.

“You are not like the others. You are made of something different. You’re stronger and meant for something more important.”

“I know not who I am, nor do I know my own destiny.” Between his visions and nightmares, Dàn knew the time was coming when he would have to learn the truth about his past and his heritage before searching for his destiny. Otherwise, his choices may be taken from him, and the future given to him may be disastrous for all others.

“Let me watch over you while you watch over others.”

“Is this your offer of friendship?” he asked, while almost afraid she would wish for more from him. More was not an option, at least not yet.

“For now.”

It was more than he could hope for. “For now.”

* * *

Steve and the others returned by early evening. He snagged Hope’s arm as she walked by. “I’m heading home. Call me if you need anything. Okay?”

“I will. I appreciate all you’ve done. Thank you.” Hope hugged Steve tight. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay for pizza? It should be here any time now.”

“No thanks. Dealing with their family was a bit much.” He hugged her back. He looked tired and worn thin, with all that he’d gone through today. “I just need to get some sleep in my own bed and pretend the world is a little bit normal.”

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