I ignored him and leaned toward Shay, arms extended as I hugged him close to me. Shay reacted instinctively, pulling my body into his. I closed my eyes for only a moment, leaning close to whisper into the shell of his ear. My back to Balor, as I said my goodbyes.
I broke away from our embrace, lighter, and turned to Tormalugh. “You need to get the Undine out of the city as you run. I need you to use your magic, to make them feel such terror that they need to flee.”
Tor nodded staunchly, the silver bridle pulled the edges of his lips, wearing the skin of his cheeks. I wanted to take it off, but before I could say another word, he reached for me, grabbing the back of my neck and pulling my lips to his. The silver clinked against my teeth, but our lips met, and my blood fizzled with his touch. “Be safe.” He told me, holding my gaze. “Don’t die.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Shay Mac Eoin
“I trust that Shay remembers the story.”
Nymphs loved stories. They loved myths, legends, gossip, and arguments when one of the elders forgot an important detail. He had grown up listening to the stories of the Tuatha Dé Danann, of the Shining Ones who built the Aos Sí from flesh and blood.
Shay was ashamed to admit it, but his mind had been on saving Maeve and escaping Cruinn—even if it meant Balor was allowed to live. TheOilliphéist was a creature spoken about in whispers. Fearsome, and without equal. Even a mention of its name made the Nymphs knit their fingers together in prayer—thanking the gods that such a creature as long extinct.
One of his favorite stories was 'The Swallowed Piper', a tale about a Fae who was swallowed by theOilliphéist—a dragon serpent so large that its body stretched the length of a river. End-to-end. When the piper was swallowed by the beast, he played and played until the dragon could no longer stand his music and spat him out.
His father had said that Shay was much like the Swallowed Piper. Persistent, though he didn’t have a musical bone in his body.
Balor did not follow them, as their cadre was led out of the dining hall without so much as a backward wave. It seemed the dark god had been determined to separate them from Maeve and was content to prolong their deaths if it meant one of her beasts would be fed.
He hadn’t expected the addition of Liam Cruinn, though. Balor had not blinked when Maeve had asked for Liam’s freedom as well. It seemed she did not care if her only son was fed to the Oilliphéist as well. At least the Undine male was familiar with the city's layout. He would know the best path to take to evade the beast.
Liam Cruinn lagged behind, fiddling with his clothes as he hesitated to join them.
Cormac Illfinn carried Nuada over his shoulder, unburdened by her limp weight. The Siren Queen would slow them down, but they had no intention of leaving her.
Shay Mac Eoin knew enough about Nuada Airgetlám—the first ruler of theTuatha Dé Danannto know that they would not be easily killed. If Nuada died, she would undoubtedly be waiting for them in the afterlife to enact all manner of revenge.
The courtyard outside the castle was littered with bright colored glass. Some sort of aesthetic design that made no sense to Shay. The abyss loomed in the distance, the finish line of a race to the city limits.
“Do we have a plan?” Rainn asked, stretching his arm in front of his chest.
“It’s a bit late to be asking, gobshite.” Cormac snapped, adjusting his weight to account for the unconscious siren on his shoulder. “Run fast and don’t look back, I suppose.”
“Run and leave Maeve to Balor, you mean.” Tormalugh frowned, clenching his fists. “I can’t transform with this damn bridle.”
“I trust Maeve,” Shay said, chin jutting as he met their gaze. “Do any of you remember the story of the Swallowed Piper?”
Liam Cruinn startled, pulling his hands from his pockets. His fingertips were stained black. “Huh?” He said. “Maeve thinks we should sing to the beast?”
“The Oilliphéist hates music.” Shay countered. “It will avoid it at any cost.”
“Shit timing.” Cormac’s lips mashed together. “We could have used Arden.”
They took a moment to mourn the siren, though it didn’t feel quite real.
Only Nuada’s actions had confirmed what they knew. Balor had turned Arden to foam with little more than a thought, and any of them could be next if they didn’t play along with her games.
The window above the courtyard opened, and Balor stepped onto the balcony without fanfare. She held a simple flute in her hand, with a bubble charm on the end. An instrument he had never seen before. She did not announce the beast, but instead, played a single note that made no sound until the bubble popped with delayed timing.
The castle was almost silent, as if the building had been gutted from the inside.
A moment passed and then another, before a roar echoed from behind the castle.
Cormac cursed and took off in a burst of red scales, swimming away as fast as he was able. At least he had the sense to stay low, hidden by the buildings. If he rose above the city, the beast would swallow him in one bite.
Shay Mac Eoin swallowed whatever witty retort he had considered making as the sea-dragon reared its head. Leaving him wondering how such a beast could earn the name dragonat all. Rainn’s mouth popped open, and they froze, studying the beast when they should have been running.
