Page 53 of Hollowed

“Youtruly did not know he was theDullahan?”Thewords left my mouth beforeIcould stop them.

Shesighed, patting my hand. “IknewAlexander’sfather.Iwas friends with his mother, and when she left,Ilooked in on them whenIcould.Alexanderwas a sheltered boy; his father never let him come into town.Forhis own safety, he had said.Isuppose it makes sense now.ButIwould visit him, bring him books, and read him stories while his father was away.Hegrew up, andIstopped visiting.Hecomes by now and then, always looking for something specific, and never staying in town long enough to be seen by anyone but me.Butno,Idid not know.”

“Doesknowing change your opinion of theCiallmhar?”

Shelet out a loud and brutal scoff. “Girl, surely that is not a serious question.”

Iflushed under her admonishment, attempting to pull my hand back to my lap, but she held firm.

Hereyes softened. “Iknow you were just as sheltered asAlexanderwas.Differently, sure, but sheltered, nonetheless.Noteveryone in this town believes theCiallmharis the ultimate authority.Andnot everyone in this town believes your mother should be in power.”

“Iwill agree there,”Imuttered. “But, if there are those who disagree with theCiallmhar, why has theRoghnaithecontinued for so long?”

Sheraised an eyebrow. “Youare more sheltered thanHenryled me to believe.”

Mycheeks burned, butIdid not try to pull away this time.Myignorance was embarrassing, but though she may chide me, there was no venom inPriscilla’swords, only observation.

“ThosenamedRoghnaithewere not randomly chosen,Katrina,” she said, as though she were wary of my reaction. “Theywere those who spoke out against your parents and against theCiallmhar.”

Allat once,Ifelt the overwhelming urge to vomit.Myhead spun, andIgraspedPriscilla’shands with allIhad.Hertouch was grounding, but her words echoed in my head.ThoughIknew theRoghnaithewere not dead, it did little to ease the blowPriscillahad just delivered.

“Youdid not know.”Hervoice was a whisper, andIhad to strain to hear her through the blood rushing in my ears.

Ishook my head. “No,Idid not.Iwould have—Ishouldhave done something.”

“Therewas nothing you could have done,Katrina.Isuspect your ignorance was intentional.Youare not to blame for the deeds of your parents and theCiallmhar.”Thepity in her eyes was softer than the chairs we were sitting on, but her voice was hard and brokered no arguments.

Takinga shuddering breath,Ifocused onPriscilla’sworried eyes.Ihad to tell her they were not dead, that theDullahandid not kill those who spoke out against my parents.Thewords stuck in my throat, butImanaged to get them out all the same. “Alexandersaid that he does not take theRoghnaithe.Hesends them somewhere safe.Theyare all still alive.”

Shesmiled, the expression bursting with pride.Once,Iwould have killed for someone to look at me like that. “Goodboy.”

Inodded, unable to find any other words to say.Therewas nothingIcould say.Nothingwould ease the pain of knowingIwas the product of people who sentenced their opposers to death at the hands of a mythical being.Nothingwould ease the pain of knowing they were intent on sending me to that same death.

“Thatis quite enough of that, now,”Priscillasaid, patting my hand and standing in one fluid motion. “WhatdidAlexanderwant us to research today?”

Itook a deep breath, thankful for the change in subject.Icould focus all my energy on this. “Hethinks someone is trying to summon the sluagh toSleepyHollow.Orsomething else from theOtherworld.”

“Someone?”Sheraised an eyebrow. “Doeshe know who?”

“Ithink it is my parents, but he is less sure.”Istood with her, eyes roving over the massive shelves lining the walls.Somany books, andIitched to go through them all to distract myself from the churning thoughts in my head.Blinking,Ibrought my focus back toPriscilla. “Hewants to find out if it is the sluagh, or if it is something else.”

“Andwhy has he involved you?”Shespoke her question cautiously, butIcould see the suspicion beneath her gaze.Shewanted to know whatIcould do, especially after the entire town had been led to believeIhad nothing to offer.

Isighed. “Alexanderis under the impression that my powers will be the only thing to saveSleepyHollow.AdelaidebelievesIam part of a prophecy that meansIwill destroySleepyHollow.”

Shehummed, pursing her lips. “Andwhat do you believe, child?”

Ihesitated for a moment.ThewordsIwanted to say were stuck beneath my breastbone.Clearingmy throat,Ifreed them from my chest. “Ibelieve that, for better or worse,SleepyHollowis whereIbelong.AndIwill protect those who live here.”

Shelooked at me with the proud expression she had earlier when speaking ofAlexander. “ThenIbelieve we have some research to do, yes?”

“Ibelieve we do.”

Sheheld out her hand to me, and together, we headed into the shelves.Andfor the first time in a long time,Ihad hope.HopethatIwould succeed atsomething.

Twenty-Four

PriscillaandIbegan on opposite sides of the longest bookshelf in her shop, working our way toward each other and pulling out book after book that might help us.Bookson magic, on the sluagh, on theOtherworld—anything that seemed even tangentially related to our search.Thestack on the small chair between us was growing.

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