Celtic Rain (The Battle Raven Series) (18 page)

“When in Rome.” Lara said to herself and slipped the dress over her head and it fit almost perfectly.

The bodice was a little tighter than she would have liked and it revealed a bit too much for her taste. Lara picked up the belt and tied it around her waist. When she reached down for her boots she decided to put on the soft brown leather boots. Lara put on a small amount of make up and walked over to the standing mirror in the corner of the room and examined the effect.

“To bad I didn’t have this last year for the Renaissance fair.” she said and walked over to the bed and picked up a couple of jade hairpins and wrapped up her hair in a complicated knot.

Outside the barracks Aodhan and Scanlon walked up to Carrick and his horse as he was about to mount and ride off. Carrick nodded at them and swung into the saddle.

“Where are you in such a rush too?” Aodhan asked

“I’m going to check on the troops. I hate to leave but I did promise Shanna that I’d be back for supper this time.” Carrick sent his horse into a run intending on keeping his promise to Shanna.

Aodhan and Scanlon walked over and sat down on one of the benches that surrounded the fire pit.

“What has happened to my father? Not even Carrick has received word how he is. I have been anxious for word about him since we arrived back in the realm.”

“His health is still failing.” Scanlon said as he let out a long breath.

“What happened?”

“After I heard that you and your father had left I decided to follow. The Firbolg reached Blaine after you went through.”

Aodhan let out a groan. “Apologies go on.”

Scanlon looked at him concerned and quickly glanced to the side to see Eion standing a few feet away looking over the estate but close enough to hear their conversation. Aodhan didn’t notice and looked at him impatiently.

“When I got there to help I found your father badly wounded. He told me that he tried fighting off the Firbolg himself then Liam’s trackers came at him too.” Scanlon picked up a rock and threw it at the fire pit.

“I thought that if I left without Devlyn that I would get to Blaine sooner. I did not even think about Liam’s trackers. It was a good thing that they were more interested in following the Firbolg and did not bother your father. I don’t think they realized that Blaine was the one that tried to stop them or he would have been taken to Liam.”

“Father is doing well? That is the thought I’m holding on to.” Aodhan asked as he ran his fingers through his hair.

“He made it back to camp a little haggard but otherwise in good shape. Your father did say that he managed to get the portal closed. Honestly, I did not know what it looked like when it was opened. I took him back to camp as quickly as possible. Ruark agreed to let Devlyn come back with me to wait a few days to see if you were able to complete your mission and make it back through.”

“If father got the portal closed. I wonder how they got through.” Aodhan asked with a confused look on his face.

“When Devlyn and I got back to the portal we saw a Firbolg and two trackers come through before you. Your father could have missed something. I wouldn’t blame him and was in pretty bad shape. Either that or paid close attention to you when you went through. We decided to follow them to make sure they weren’t up to anything.”

“I am surprised that I did not see your tracks when I was scouting the others. You must have covered Devlyn’s tracks well.” Aodhan said

“I did what I could. When Devlyn and I returned to the cave we noticed that a group had come back through and we followed you. We stayed back to make sure you weren’t being followed. You were covering the trail pretty good.”

“Not good enough for you.”

Eion decided to finally join them at the fire pit. He walked up to a bench and sat down. “You must have been the one I spotted the other night.”

“Not me. Devlyn. He tripped over a tree root and crashed into the underbrush. I don’t slip up.”

“Where is Devlyn?” Aodhan asked

“He headed back to camp to give Ruark an update that your group made it through the portal. Even though we were not sure who all made it through it was obvious that one was a woman. When are you heading out to Tralee? It’s been too long since I have seen Serina.” Scanlon asked.

“Tomorrow. You will see her then. Unless you want to head out before us tonight.” Aodhan said and he watched Kedryn walk up.

“Hey guys.” Kedryn said and shook his wet shaggy hair so that the drops of water sprayed all over.

“Hey!” they said all at once.

“I found a tub at the end of the hallway. Better get cleaned up for supper. I’m going to check on my mom.” Kedryn grinned as he felt water drip down the side of his face.

“She has a son?” Scanlon looked at Aodhan in shock.

“I get that a lot. Hi, I’m Kedryn.” laughing he reached his hand out to Scanlon.

Scanlon stood up and grabbed Kedryn’s forearm. “Scanlon.” he said a bit confused and turned to Aodhan.

Aodhan grinned at Scanlon’s confusion. “I’ll show you what room that is still empty. Eion you probably could use some of that bath water too.” Aodhan said as he watched Kedryn walk over to the cottage.

As Aodhan stood up, he made a show of plugging his nose as he walked past who thumped him on the back of the head. All three of them headed into the barracks to get cleaned up.

Lara was finishing up getting ready when she heard a knock at the door. She walked out of the bedroom and over to the door and opened it to find Kedryn standing on the other side.

“Hey mom.” he said as he stepped through and shut the door behind him. Kedryn noticed what she was wearing and walked over to a chair and sat down by the fireplace. “Nice dress. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in one. Ever.”

She pushed some hair behind her ear and walked over to where he was sitting. “That’s not true. I wore a dress to Susan’s wedding.”

“That’s because you were in the wedding!” he said and she playfully smacked him on the arm and sat down in the rocker next to him.

“Ouch hey.” Kedryn faked a hurt arm “It looks nice.”

“Thanks.” Lara said as she took something off from around her neck and said “Here” as she tossed it to him.

“Where was it?” he asked as he slipped the chain around his neck.

“I found it in my pack. I didn’t think you ever took it off.” she said as she leaned back and almost started as the chair rocked back and forth.

“Never again. No matter what anyone says. I think it’s cool.”

He thought of Lisa and how she said it looked ugly, old and decrepit. She was just too
new age
for him he decided. Kedryn took the Celtic cross that was sitting around his neck and examined it. He remembered the falcon amulet
in his pocket and pulled it out and put it on the chain next to the cross.

“Thanks. It felt weird not having it.”

Lara was about to ask him about why he even took it off and what he had just put on his chain as someone knocked softly at the door interrupting her. Lara rocked forward to stand up and saw the door slightly open and Shanna stepped through.

“Apologies for interrupting. It is almost time for the evening meal.”

“I’m going to put a couple of things away and I’ll be there.” Lara stood up and walked over and caught Shanna as she was almost out of the door.

“Thank you for the dress and boots.”

“I am happy to see they fit. My sister had left some of her things here and I thought she was about your size. Anything of mine would have been too short on you.” Shanna said and they both walked back over to the fireplace.

As Shanna looked Lara over she thought that if her instincts were right Aodhan’s eyes are going to pop right out of his head. That man needed to have a serious talk with a certain person out of the nonsense he was forced into. She noticed how they looked at each other neither one even really realizing it.

Lara looked at Shanna as she was in her own thoughts. She was a petite strawberry blonde haired and blue eyed woman. And just about five foot tall. She had a dimpled chin, tiny nose and beautiful slanted eyes. Lara noticed she also had a light dusting of freckles across her nose. Annie was going to grow up looking just like her. Only with Carrick’s puppy dog eyes.

“You must have inherited the petite gene in your family. Is your mother short and your father tall?” Lara asked and smiled thinking about her sister Teagan. Short petite and seriously gorgeous. All of the guys just drooled over her. The men were always shocked to learn that she was also a brilliant pediatric surgeon. Amazingly she had a steady of hand while in it in the hospital and a complete klutz outside of it. Everyone adored her.

“How did you guess?”

“It is that way in my family. My sister Teagan inherited the petite gene and looks like my mother. I got my father’s tallness and likeness. I have always been jealous of that.”

Shanna crossed her arms in front of her and looked at Lara amused. “Why on earth would you be jealous?”

Lara laughed and changed the subject. “How about I tell you what we will have tonight to drink instead of keeping you suspense?”

Shanna stepped away from the door and clasped her hands together in excitement “Yes please.”

“Great. I’ve got some special hot chocolate, different flavors, you will love it.”

Shanna gave her the hugest grin. “I haven’t had hot chocolate in years! Annie is going to have a treat tonight.”

Another soft knock was heard at the door. “Come in.” they all said at the same time.

“Jinx, you owe me a coke.” Kedryn and Lara said at the same time and
started laughing.

Shanna looked at them questioning and started to laugh too. Emma walked through the door and gave them all a confused look. Which for some unknown reason made them laugh even harder. Kedryn was laughing so hard he hiccupped and that made tears start rolling down Shanna’s cheeks. Emma cracked a smile. She hadn’t seen Shanna laugh like that since the war had started.

“Apologies for interrupting. Annie is asking for you.” She looked at Kedryn, blushed and walked back out.

“Talkative. Isn’t she.” Kedryn said as he stood up out of the cushy chair by the fire. He walked over to the entryway where his mom and Shanna were standing.

Lara reached over and pinched his cheek “She’s just shy and probably thinks you’re cute leaving the girl speechless.”

“Awe mom!” He said as he ran his fingers through his shaggy hair embarrassed and grinned at her.

“I should see to Annie and make sure supper is ready to be put on the table. Kedryn, could you please go and make sure the men are getting ready?” Shanna asked as she stepped over to the door.

“I’ll head over there now. Later mom.” He walked out the door with Shanna and Lara shut it behind them.

Lara went back in the bedroom and started putting her things away. She picked up her leather covered journal and sketchbook that she recorded digs in. Rummaging through her pack she found a set of rubber banded prisma color pencils and pens that she used to draw sketches of the object placements. Lara put them to the side and placed everything else back in her pack. She picked up what she had set aside and brought them to the table in the kitchen.

As an afterthought she went back to the bedroom and grabbed the small leather pouch with the hot chocolate in it out of her pack and walked back to the kitchen and set it down on the counter. Lara walked over to the table and sat down pulling her hair pins out annoyed at her hair. She decided to start to write in her journal thinking if she ever saw her brother Shane again he just might be interested.

Lara paused from writing and decided to look and see how many pages were left in her sketch book. She leafed through her sketches from the last dig she had started and ended up at the page with the pressed Orchid in it feeling herself grow agitated.

She sighed and decided that she would have to start sketching the beautiful landscape and the people. Setting the sketch book down and picking up the notebook Lara started writing again. Thinking of her family and friends gave her a small pang in the pit of her stomach.

Another knock sounded at the door. She said quietly “Grand Central Station”.

Looking up from her notebook she said loud enough for the person knocking could hear her. “Come in.” and looked up to see Aodhan walk through
the door.

“Hi.” Lara said flatly as she looked up. “Just let me write a couple of things down.” she bent back over her journal intent on ignoring Aodhan and finishing up the paragraph she had just started.

He walked over to where she was sitting and picked up her leather sketchbook off of the table. Aodhan thumbed through it and stopped. There in front of him was an orchid pressed into the pages. He quickly put it back down and was touched and confused at the thought that she had kept the flower. Aodhan glanced at Lara as she was bent over a book writing not noticing what he had just done.

“What are you writing?” he asked and walked over behind her to look over her shoulder.

“I’ve decided to start keeping a journal of everything.” she said turned halfway in the chair to face him. “From just getting home from the dig to a crazy Irish man crashing into my house. My brother Shane is a well known author back home. If I ever see him again this might interest him.”