Page 16 of Shadow Spell

“She stayed the night,” he told the others. “Took Iona’s room as you stayed over at Boyle’s, cousin. Good morning to you, Meara.”

“Good morning be damned. What the bloody hell happened?”

“I’m after telling you all.” He slipped an arm around her waist. “But I need food.”

“Branna said you would, and she’s already seeing to it. She’s shaken, and pretending not to be. It was like a bleeding earthquake—but inside me. That’s the devil of a way to wake.”

“I’ll see to the horses.” Boyle slid off Alastar. “Go on in, stuff something in your belly.”

“Thanks for that.” Smiling again, Connor lifted his arms so Iona could drop into them from Alastar’s back. Then she wrapped around him.

“Scared me,” she murmured.

“You’re not alone in that.” He kissed the top of her head, his pretty cousin from America, the last of the three, and keeping her hand in his, went into the cottage.

The scent of bacon, of coffee, of warm bread hit his belly like a fist. In that moment he wanted to eat more than he wanted to live—and needed to eat if he wanted to live.

Kathel led the way back to the kitchen, and there Branna worked at the stove. She’d tied her dark hair back, still wore the flowered flannel pants and baggy shirt she’d slept in. That alone showed her love, he mused, as she’d have taken the time to change, to fuss with herself a little knowing there’d be company—and Finbar Burke most especially.

Saying nothing, she turned from the stove, handed him a plate holding a fried egg on toast.

“Bless you, darling.”

“It’ll fill the worst of the hole. There’s more coming. You’re cold,” she said quietly.

“I hadn’t noticed, but I am, yes. A bit cold.”

Before she could flick a hand toward the kitchen hearth, Fin did so, and the little fire flashed.

“You’re quivering some. Sit, for God’s sake, and eat like a human.” Voice brisk, Meara all but shoved him into a chair at the table.

“I’m not a one to brush away some fussing, and truth be told, I’d kill for coffee.”

“I’ll get it.” Iona hurried over to the pot.

“Ah, what man can complain with three beautiful women pampering him. Thanks,mo chroi,” he added when Iona gave him the coffee.

“You’ll not be pampered long, I can promise. Sit down, the lot of you,” Branna ordered. “I’ve nearly got this fried up. When his belly’s full enough to settle him, he’ll damn well explain why he didn’t call for me.”

“It was fast and done. I would’ve called for you, for all of you. It wasn’t me in harm’s way, I’m thinking. He didn’t come for me this morning.”

“And who then, when the rest of us were asleep in our beds?” When Branna would have lifted an enormous platter of food to bring to the table, Fin simply took it from her.

“Sit then, and listen. Sit,” he repeated before she could snap at him. “You’re as shaken as he is.”

The minute the tray hit the table, Connor began to scoop eggs, sausage, bacon, toasted bread, potatoes onto his plate and into a small mountain.

“I woke early, and with an edge on,” he began, and took them all through it between enthusiastic bites.

“Eamon?” Branna demanded. “The son of Sorcha? Here and now? You’re sure of it?”

“As sure as I know my sister. I only thought him a boy at first, and in Cabhan’s path, but when I took his hand... I’ve never felt the like, never. Not even with you, Branna, or you and Iona together. Even on the solstice when the power was a scream, it wasn’t so big, so bright, so full. I couldn’t hold it, couldn’t control it. It just blew through me like a comet. Through the boy as well, but he held on to me, on to it. He’s a rare one.”

“What about Cabhan?” Iona demanded.

“It ripped through him,” Fin said. “I felt it.” Absently, he lifted a hand to his shoulder, where the mark of his blood, of Cabhan’s blood scarred his flesh. His heart. “It stunned him, left him, I promise you, as shaken as you were.”

“So he slithered away?” Boyle dug into eggs. “Like the snake he is.”

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