“There is darkness around us.”
Astrid became mindful of the air passing into her lungs through parted lips, her jaw slack from disbelief.
“I’m needful of seeing it cast out.”
Facing Astrid, her mother’s eyes were like twin dark holes piercing into her, their depths unfathomable. “I’ve called for the priest.”
Her breath was trapped in her chest, squeezing her lungs, but Astrid forced the words out. “What are ye saying?”
Beibhinn tipped her head as if speaking to a child. “I cannot stayhereamong the healers… and the Seers… any longer. They must be punished for their evil works, and if I am the one who must stand by and watch? Then I will see them taken down.”
The birds chirped overhead, and the voices of the others in the yard carried to them while Astrid considered her mother’s words. It was an ultimatum, no question about that. The exact threat, however, was more vague. Not just Aednat then? But—
A painful gasp ripped from Astrid’s throat. “Why are ye so hateful?”
Her mother’s eyes narrowed and her lips flattened. “My concern is for the clan I am a part of and none other.”
“Who would stop ye from returning to the Meic Murchadha, mother? Who would tell ye no if ye wanted to return to them?”
Beibhinn tipped her nose up. “I left the clan with no standing to come back. My father told me as much.”
“Yer father is dead! Certainly ye would be welcomed back into—”
“They will not have me!” Beibhinn screeched the words.
Astrid stood, for the first time in her life afraid of her own mother. “What did ye do?”
The gray-haired woman shook her head. A final answer.
“It must have been bad indeed if they will not accept ye back,” Astrid said.
“I have a way back in… but ’tis not acceptable toye.” Her mother’s eyes swelled with tears, fat drops sliding down her cheeks. “I will not force my daughter to do what is reprehensible to her.”
“Do ye know what kind of man Pádraig is? He tried to force himself on me,mamaídh.Do ye not even care how he treated yer only daughter? Certainly ye cannot be saying I should marry him after that?”
“If ye are one of the lucky ones, ye will not see him often. Ye will not be forced to take him into yer bed but to get with child.”
Astrid’s jaw went slack, her mouth again hanging open, unable to believe what her mother was saying and unable to respond.
“I would not ask ye to do what I would not do myself.”
“What are ye saying?” Surely she must be misunderstanding the implication, but her mother’s stoic expression pushed her to be certain. “My father wouldneverhave forced himself on ye. Not ever!”
Beibhinn closed her eyes, as if guarding herself against an overpoweringly painful memory. “He was not who I wanted in my bed.”
Astrid covered her ears, shaking her head. This could not be true. Her father had been gentle and kind. Pelting hail on her head would have hurt less than this assault of words. Long ago, she had believed her parents had been truly in love, but all her innocence was gone now.
“Is aught amiss?” Diarmuid’s voice startled both women.
Astrid jumped, angling away from him to wipe the dampness from her face before turning back. Her mother, silently watching her, made no move to answer her son’s question. Astrid’s blood ran cold. The woman was leaving it to her to answer him.
Diarmuid turned to her as well. “Astrid?”
The world spun around her, and Astrid struggled with all she had just learned. Her mother didn’t care if Pádraig mistreated her daughter. She didn’t care if Diarmuid’s wife was burned as a witch like that woman in thefili’s story. Beibhinn didn’t care who she hurt as long as she got what she wanted.
But Astriddidcare. She cared about Diarmuid and Aednat’s happiness. Her love for Marcán could never allow her to do anything that would cause him harm. The fear she’d felt earlier came back to swamp her, and she realized she’d rather die herself than allow anyone to hurt him. If she had to give him up to know that he was safe, she would do so. She would give her mother what she wanted, rather than have MarcánandAednat subjected to such an outrage.
Astrid shoved her shoulders back and took a deep breath before responding.
