Page 25 of Heart of the Wren (Haunted Hearts: Season of the Witch #2)

DARA

THOUGH ONLY late afternoon, darkness had set in by the time I got back to the farm.

I all but ran through the farmhouse, shouting for Lorcan.

I bundled into the living room. Shiny gold, chrome, scarlet, and emerald garlands hung from each corner of the ceiling and met at the light fitting in the centre.

On one wall, a foil, copper-coloured banner made up of individual strands hanging from a length of ribbon read in bright, red letters, “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.” On the chimney breast hung a fat string of tinsel and on top of the television stood a tinsel tree.

Barely two foot high and shiny silver, Lorcan was still hanging baubles on it.

“I wanted to get it all done before you came in.”

Blinking fairy lights hung over the mantelpiece and a sprig of fresh holly with lush red berries adorned the mirror on the chimney breast. I admired it all with bright eyes and a joyful smile.

A pagan and a witch I may well have been, but nothing made my heart sing like the trappings of Christmastime.

“Do you like it?”

“I love it. What made you change your mind?”

He sat in his chair and rubbed his legs. “I wanted to brighten the place up.”

“Here, look.” I sat on the wide arm of his chair.

“Look what I found.” I opened a book and flicked through the pages.

“I knew there was something about those birds. I knew I’d read something about them years ago and here it is.

Look.” I couldn’t stop myself from smiling.

“ A queen of the banshees, the goddess Clíona had in her company three birds. She is associated with the oldest families of Munster, such as the O’Donovans, the O’Collins, the MacCarthys.

” I paused and grinned at Lorcan. “ And the Fitzgeralds .”

Lorcan frowned and read the words as my finger traced along beneath them. “What are you telling me?” he asked. “A goddess is throwing birds at my window?”

I got up. “Yes! It feels right, doesn’t it?

Look, one of the translations of her name is Cleena!

As in Tullycleena — Tulla Clíodhna in Irish.

Clíona’s Hill. It’s all part of the same pattern.

There is no random chance in magic, only synchronicities.

What you might call meaningful coincidences.

It’s all light through a prism. Same source, multiple outcomes.

You dug up a brooch — her brooch, presumably — and annoyed her, especially considering your family connection. ”

“Well, at least it isn’t fairies, I suppose,” Lorcan said. “But I gave the brooch back. I put it right back where I found it. I even said ‘sorry’.”

My hands dropped to my sides. “Well, yes, you did, and it should have put an end to things…” I flopped onto the couch and flicked through the book again, searching for more answers.

After a minute or two, my ears began to burn.

I clamped the book shut. “I’m sorry for snapping at you.

After the match, I mean. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did.

Especially not in your own home after you were… after you were so kind to me.”

Lorcan picked at some fluff on his armchair. “I didn’t like it.”

“No, I know you didn’t. I didn’t like it either.

I’m not like that, not usually. Jaysus, I sound awful.

I’m not blaming you for how I reacted, I swear.

I’m entirely to blame for how I acted. I’m…

” I paused, trying to find the words. “I spend most of my time alone. Sometimes, I can go for weeks without talking to another person so I think… I think maybe my manners have gotten a bit broken. No, not my manners. My… ability to talk to people. To cope with the emotions it brings.” I spread my legs wide and clamped my hands on my knees, squeezing them tightly.

“You made me feel awfully small,” Lorcan said. “It brought me back to being shouted at by teachers in school. Made my stomach churn.”

I exhaled as if I’d been punched. “Ah, no. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel…” I wiped my face. “I like you, Lorcan. A lot. And I’m not us ed to feeling this way about anyone. I didn’t know how to handle it properly.”

Lorcan kept picking at the fluff. “I like you too.” He tapped his leg. “You make friends so easily. Why are you still living in your van? Why haven’t you ever settled anywhere?”

I wanted to leave. To run away from the conversation. “It's not what I’m meant to do. It’s not my path.”

Lorcan was having none of it. “Come on. You're telling me you don’t get any say in how you live your life? You’re entirely at the mercy of unseen magical forces?”

My smile faltered. “I can’t... I don’t...” I turned away while Lorcan sat and watched.

“Dara, please. Please. Tell me.”

My eyes started to sting. “I’m not strong enough to stay anywhere for too long, okay?

Dad throwing me out was the single worst thing to ever happen to me.

And I can’t go through it again. I can’t lose another home.

” I held my hands open. “I just can’t.” I put my hands over my eyes for a moment to block out the world.

“It’s my fault you were injured during the match.

I cast a spell — a tiny, little spell — to stop those fellas on the other team from attacking Eddie.

And it worked but remember what I told you about the rule?

What we put out in the world, we get back threefold? ”

“The cosmic dividend?”

“Right. Now, I had no malign intent but I think the forces attacking you perverted the dividend and used it to hurt you. What came back wasn’t the intent behind the spell but the spell itself.

And instead of just tripping you up, it laid you out flat.

I didn’t want you to know in case… in case you threw me out of your home.

Out of your life. So I snapped at you. I shouted when I should have talked. ”

“Is this what you do? Anytime someone gets too close, you start an argument so you can walk away?”

“It’s not as if I was planning to stay, in any case.” The lump in my throat wouldn’t budge. “I’m doing the best I can.”

“I know. I know.” He rubbed his eyes. “We all are. And I don’t blame you for the injury. There’s no permanent harm done, anyway.” He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. “I’m glad you like the decorations. I thought it might be nice to do the place up for my last Christmas in this house.”

“What?”

“I’m giving up the farm.”

It took a moment to sink in. “Hang on,” I said. “Why? Because of all this?” I held up the book. “We can fix this.”

“It’s not only this, though. I’ve been feeling this way since long before I dug up the feckin’ brooch.

This is just the last straw. Standing on the shoulders of giants.

That’s what I’ve been doing. My parents and grandparents did all the hard work, built this farm from nothing, and now I’m left with it all to look after.

I’ve lived my whole life here. I don’t want to die here too.

I don’t want to wake up every morning for the rest of life wondering what the next problem is going to be.

“You believe in signs, I’m guessing, yeah?

Messages from beyond or what have you? Well they’re coming in thick and fast, as far as I can tell, and they’re all saying the same thing.

The gas part is, if I could have sold the brooch, it would have solved a few problems but instead I have to leave it buried up in the feckin’ field.

” He tapped the arm of the chair. “I’m stuck in the same pattern and I can’t do it anymore. ”