“A happy life to them. I will not pledge again for a very long time. My mate, a strong warrior, was taken to the Deep in the battle of the South.”
“I’m sorry for your great loss.”
“She tells you this,” Alana put in, “because we see you wear the Mantle of Fate. You have pledged to give your life for Talamh, all lives above one, all light above one.”
“Yes, I have.”
Alana slipped a bracelet off her wrist. “We send these to you.”
To Breen’s surprise, the bracelet and Lyra’s comb floated over the water to her.
The comb she saw now had tiny jewels crusted over the mother-of-pearl. The bracelet had polished stones, the palest of pink, between perfect white pearls.
“These are so beautiful. I have nothing with me to trade.”
“You wear the pendant and took the pledge. These are thanks. We live our lives under the shadow of Odran. Our young live under that shadow. You have pledged to give your life if needed to lift that shadow. Daughter of the Fey you are, but your life lived on the other side. You have chosen, and we honor your choice.”
“I’ll treasure your gifts of thanks.”
As if he knew it was time, Bollocks came out to her. She dried them both, put on her boots. “Tell Ala she’s as welcome in my bay on the other side as she is here.”
“And the Daughter will find welcome and protection on and in the sea for all the time of her life.”
As she rode toward the farm, Breen thought, at least for a few minutes, the weight didn’t feel so heavy.
She found Keegan waiting.
“You’re late. Very late. Marco’s already gone over to—”
He broke off as she dismounted.
“I’m sorry. There were circumstances.”
He reached out, closed a hand over the stone around her neck. “Marg gives you this?”
“No. But she explained what it is when I took her to where I’d seen it before. First in dreams.”
“Take it off. Give it to me.”
She took a step back from the order and the angry tone. “You know better.”
“I am taoiseach. The pledge is already mine, and so should this be. You’ll give it to me, and all it asks.”
“Taoiseach, as you’ve told me, isn’t a king. I took it from the water, the river where Odran had once caged me in glass. I lifted it—by choice—just as you lifted the sword. I pledged, as you’ve pledged. How can you think so little of me to expect me to break that vow?”
He strode away from her, gripped his hands on the top rung of the paddock fence. “I knew better, from the start I knew. And yet. And yet.”
He turned back. “I would not have this for you. You were rash. You should have spoken to me first. You should have told me you saw it in the water.”
“I didn’t remember. It kept slipping away. I think I was afraid so maybe I blocked it out. I don’t know, but I did remember, and I chose. Not rashly, Keegan. I think… inevitably.”
“Bugger that. Nothing is.”
“Isn’t it? Here I am, Keegan.” She spread her arms. “When spring came to Talamh last year I was still miserable, afraid to reach for anything I really wanted. Only steps away from all that changing, but still. Now I’m here. You helped me awaken. Right here, on this damn stupid training field. You helped me become what I am. I made the choices along the way, and now I’ve made this one.
“It’s mine, Keegan. If I took it off and put it in your hands, it would still be mine, and so would the pledge.”
Emotions, all so hot, swirled in his eyes as he stared at her.