Dark Isle (Celtic Legacy Book 2) (23 page)

Bres’ hands cupped my face. “She isn’t dead, Quinn.”

My mind spun, “What?”

“She isn’t dead,” Lir said
, repeating Bres’ words
.
“Though, perhaps that would have been better.”

I jerked out of his arms, reminded of the first time I’d met Luke. He’d said much the same thing
,
as Ashling had been dragged under the waves by the
Fomorii. That it was better that
way
, that she died then rather than face what was to come
.

“How can you say that? If she’s alive then we have a chance to help her
!
” Nothing made sense though. What did Bres mean by saying that he had failed her, that he hadn’t protected her
if she was still alive
?

With Bres on one side
,
and Lir on the other, Bres finally spoke
. T
hey were right, perhaps it would have been better if Ashling had been killed.

“Ta evil that Card and Balor brought forward needed a body to live. To use.
Balor thought that by setting
Chaos
free
, that
she
would reward him
,
and keep Ashling safe. They convinced me that was the case, that you would kill her no matter what happened because it was fate,
prophesy
. I believed them. It was easier than fighting them. I thought I could keep Ash safe
—
keep her away from you. But . . .” he swallowed hard
.
“
W
hen
Card found ta box, and Balor opened it,
Chaos
took Ashling’s body for
her
own. It don’t be Ashling inside any
more
.
Chaos
rule
s
her body and mind now.
”

His rambling stunned me
;
he’d always been so composed. I turned to take in Lir’s expression. “Is it true?”

Bres stiffened behind me, but I didn’t care. He’d turned on me, when I’d thought that at the least he’d been my friend, if not something more.
Now the tables had
flipped
,
and I no longer trusted him.

Lir’s expression didn’t change but I could see that he didn’t dispute what Bres had said. Oh, how I wanted him to. I wanted the denials to come flying out of his lips, to tell me that Bres was a liar, that Ashling would be fine
,
and this was just another game that Balor was playing. But it was not to be. Instead, Lir said what I already knew in my heart.

“Ashling is, in a sense, no more. Your sister is gone, this time for good.
”

Coming
in the fall of
2012!

The thrilling, heart pounding and shocking conclusion to the Celtic Legacy Series

To purchase or check out “Ingredients of a Cauldron”, click on
http://bit.ly/DI2IOAC

Acknowledgements

Sometimes writing a book just doesn’t work the way you think it will. Dark Isle would now have been possible without the honesty (yes, the truth does hurt sometimes) of my editor Jessica Klassen, copy editor Melissa Breau and support of not only my family and friends, but also my dedicated readers.

Much love and thanks go to my husband Terry, my writers group WIP, and all those who have cheered for me along the way.
Here’s to many more years of writing, cheering and perhaps even a few smacks up the backs
ide of my head to keep me in line
.

Dark Isle

Celtic Legacy Book I
I

Shannon Mayer

Copyright © 2011 Shannon Mayer

Electronic Edition

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it, and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. Please do not participate in or encourage the piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

To know more about Shannon Mayer, please visit her blog
or website
:

http://shannonmayer.blogspot.com

www.shannonmayer.com

Cover Art: Patricia Schmitt