Chapter 20
Aldritch of the Old Wood sat on a low retainer wall, troubled with his predicament. While low, moody clouds blew by overhead, he looked once again at the front of the modest two-story home of his male grandchild, Jack McCarthy. There were questions Aldritch had no answer for, and concerns that he was doing what was best to protect his human relatives. There were also issues of trust concerning certain fae, but he had no polite way of knowing true intents by his own means.
Those types of topics normally never disturbed him. A storm was coming, though, and not only was it a storm Aldritch had no control over, it most likely had aims for his kin. There was only one option available for his concerns.
Using a temporary shadowy gate, Aldritch traveled to a small, boggy patch of land just outside the village of Ballaghadaere. He took a few long strides through wild, pale grass and knelt next to a large puddle. After a moment's search, he found what he was looking for.
Aldritch captured the raft spider between his large cupped hands and held them to his lips. Between his thumbs, he whispered, "I request audience with Lady Enochia." He repeated his request three more times as dictated by the rules of affinity, released the arachnid, and waited.
An image not of Aldritch's making formed in his mind's eye. It was an outer door made of rotting wood held with rusty strap hinges, and a circular knocker painted blue, chipped and faded. With the image came a sentiment of allowance and welcome.
With that door in mind, Aldritch formed another shadowy portal and made his way to it. He stepped from his gate to just in front of the old door, which was attached to a small, old stone bungalow, apparently abandoned for years. The grounds were overgrown and deadened, surrounded by rolling derelict fields in all directions.
The weather was the same as his former location, so Enochia's haven was likely somewhere near the village. It was a fair guess that its location would soon be forgotten by exiting guests.
Just as Aldritch was about to use the knocker, the door was pulled open by a surly-looking harpy in crimson attire. The low-caste servant bowed to him and then spread a wing in invitation to step inside. At the archway to the left of the entry hall, the harpy formally announced Aldritch's presence and then stepped aside.
The tall dryad ducked under the cracked plaster archway and into Enochia's large parlor. Surrounded by shadows and dust, the reserved seer sat at a round table that was covered with black cloth. Candlelight flickered from a few nearby tables and book shelves, barely illuminating her dark robes and the old green shawl draped over her shoulders. Enochia nodded to Aldritch and gestured to the large chair that her harpy servant was placing at the table across from her.
After leaning his staff against a wall and taking his seat, Aldritch waved off the servant's offer for refreshment. While having her plastic cup filled with loreberry wine by the harpy, Enochia said to her guest, "It is good to see you well, elder Aldritch. I hope the elements are being kind."
He nodded. "And you as well, good seer; your acceptance of my request is appreciated."
Enochia gestured for her servant to leave. When he stepped out of the room, she took a sip of her wine and spoke in a tone that matched the somber ambiance of her parlor. "Your mind whirls with mysteries and worry. Let us see if I might calm that storm somewhat."
Aldritch sighed heavily. "And what do you wish in return, if I might be so direct?"
"There will be no debt owed, elder." When Enochia saw his surprised reaction, she explained, "The questions you wish answered may well affect other fae of the area, my own self included. There are many routes our futures may take, but the information I give - and what you do with it - will bring the routes from many to a few. In most of the possible outcomes, my fate is hinged on yours. In essence, then, I would be giving myself answers as I give them to you."
"And what do you see as most likely to happen come the cleansing?"
Enochia shook her head with a wry smile. "Aldritch, I may be a seer, but I cannot foretell everything. There are too many players in this game, too many variables to account for. I see many of the same outcomes for particular instances, yes, but those can be altered by a mere shift in the wind. To be plain, good elder, I did not take you for one to accept a broad fate by another's words - not even mine, not completely. You've come with specific questions, and I don't believe that was one of them. It is in the details where I might be of some assistance."
"Very well," Aldritch said in a low and grim timbre as he rested his elbows on the table and clasped his large hands together. "To begin, I am not sure what you already know and what you don't, so I may sound redundant in building my questions."
"Do not concern yourself with that triviality; please continue."
"My offspring has three children. Kate is gifted and is aware of the Enigma. Jane, the youngest, meets that same description and more. But as for the eldest child, Jack… Is he gifted as well?"
"Yes."
"Is he aware of the Enigma, and therefore in danger as well?"
Enochia shook her head once. "Yes and no; let me explain. Jack calls his gifts 'gut feelings'; he knows they are beyond the norm, but he does not want to be thought of as different. He keeps them a secret, or plays them off as good fortune or a parlor trick if someone were to notice his abilities. Now, as the female McCarthy's are fully aware of us, that fact may place Jack in danger as well. Cora is in breach, and her daughters are the embodiment of it. If her son displays gifts but claims ignorance, Saraid's war party may well consider him a target or threat anyway. Jack could be a viable target, just for the sake of the warriors being thorough."
Aldritch stared off absently and nodded his understanding. He looked back at the Drommen seer, noting her wild blue hair and contrasting calm demeanor. "Enochia, about our pact... I have made some attempts to reconvene a Circle, but the duties of watching over my human kin have taken precedence. That is not to say that I -"
Enochia held up a four-fingered hand to halt his explanations. "I realize that you have made efforts, and that they may have been in vain. Nonetheless, it was worth the try. Among others, I believe you contacted the elder who initially called for the breach to be seen to, yes? I was unable to decipher who that elder was."
"It was Egon Soulsinger, and I did meet with him. I failed to sway him."
"Ah, I see. Aldritch, in my view you have kept your end of the pact. I consider it complete; you may now look after the welfare of your humans without that plaguing your honor."
Aldritch sat straighter and said, "But if the war party does not arrive until autumn, as you said, then I might still be able to assemble elders for a Circle of Prudence to hear my appeal."
Enochia pursed her lips and collected her thoughts before replying a few moments later. "At a glimpse, I see two probabilities that would work against you. The first is that you simply would be unable to gather enough elders in time. The second is that preemptive strikes may be made against your kin without your protection before the war party arrives. I am no strategist, but that seems logical. Again, these are not facts, but they are probable."
"I appreciate your candor, good elder." Aldritch placed a hand to his face and rubbed his chin when he asked, "My redcap retainer, Lorcan... I suppose he should not be trusted to oversee either of the opposing tasks in my stead?"
Slightly cocking her head to one side, Enochia answered, "He should not be trusted to gather fruit, let alone any see to any matter of grave import."
"Would it be fair to at least ask if he will be a help or hindrance when the war party arrives?"
"That depends on you and your integrity, elder. All redcaps are the children of spite and malice, and you hold one by the tail. It might be best if you were to kill him, but I think your sense of justice would need blatant validation for that. Lorcan could also surprise you. Depending on whatever treatment you have shown him, he might somehow assist you… but for a price, of course. Your time together should give you your answer."
Aldritch clasp
ed his hands together again, resetting his thoughts along with his movements. "Kazimir of the Callous Ruin has been to the area of late. Has he committed himself to this confrontation? If so, then who has he sided with?"
"Kazimir has made no pledge to take part for either side; perhaps he could be swayed."
A long moment passed before Aldritch leaned forward and said with restrained emotion, "Enochia, both my human child and her son are at risk, both now and especially when the cleansing comes. I do not make a habit of commanding the mundane, let alone my own kin, so I will not direct their activities. They will be going about their own lives, uncommonly crossing paths or spending much time together. How am I to protect them both?"
Enochia took a sip of her wine, and then looked into Aldritch's mint-green eyes. "Perhaps you can't," she answered candidly. "Perhaps you're not meant to. To be brutally honest, one of them might have to be victimized while the other remains untouched. You might have to accept that someone of your blood may somehow become a casualty of our machinations."
The intensity of Aldritch's disquiet was evident by his creased brows and pursed lips. The unexpected rumble of thunder outside was another indicator. "Is that what you've seen as a likely outcome?"
". . . Yes."
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Author's note: The fictional village of Ballaghadaere (pronounced Bala-dare) is closely based on Ballaghaderreen (pronounced by many as Bala-hadreen), a quaint little town in northern County Roscommon, Ireland. Lough Gaell (pronounced Gail) is actually Lough Gara, a lake near Ballaghaderreen. Moylaira Castle is actually Moygara Castle, the ruin of which is near both Ballaghaderreen and Lough Gara. Names of locations have been changed for the hell of it; this is fiction, after all. Also, I didn't want to take the chance of stepping on any Irish toes, which I'm told is very bad luck.
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