Niamh
‘I’m thinking of going through,’ Matt says as I make my way down the central aisle of the old church and into the side chapel.
‘Even if it means they’ll kill you for what you did?’
‘Even if,’ he says. ‘But I didn’t do it. At least then she’ll be free.’
‘Matt—’ I take his hand, and he squeezes mine.
‘Are you going to follow him?’ he asks.
‘He’ll not be happy.’
He turns and looks at me. ‘So, that’s a yes.’
I inhale, then stop and sit down in the front pew and look at the decoration around the windows. Carvings done by stonemasons, long dead. Perhaps for a thousand years or more. I’m struck by a sudden thought.
‘Are the Kinfolk immortal? Do you age like humans?’
‘Those of us who appear or can appear human, yes. Pretty much,’ he replies. ‘Why? Worried you’re dating a much older man?’
I laugh. ‘Cillian is definitely old enough. But that’s good to know.’
‘What do you think you can do at the Court, Niamh?’
‘I’m not sure,’ I admit. ‘I mean, I have no idea how your legal system works.’
‘Legal system,’ he scoffs. ‘It’s not so much a system as something determined by the whim of an old man– and some rather unpredictable and ancient magic.’
‘When I was coming here’—I pause, not sure what to tell him—‘I think there was magic helping me to get here, keeping me safe, but also preventing Cillian from killing me.’
‘What sort of magic?’
‘No idea. Whatever it was, it all seemed to be working in my favour. There was an old washerwoman who gave me directions, a thick mist that shrouded me from Cillian’s hunt and a white stag that gave its life so that Cillian would have a heart to present to Vittoria. All of them led me here to St Marnox. And the only place we can go from St Marnox is back to the Court.’
‘Hmm.’ He regards me. ‘You seem different today.’
My cheeks heat at the thought of why that might be, then I lift my hand to my chest and pause, feeling the emptiness around my neck. I’m shocked I haven’t noticed it before, but I suppose I’ve been focused on other things.
‘My—’ I look around me, as though my necklace just dropped off me somewhere here.
‘Your necklace,’ Matt says, and I turn to him. ‘It wasn’t in the garden,’ he adds, ‘I think Vittoria took it.’
‘She stole my necklace?’ I grind my teeth. ‘My mother gave me that.’
I get up, determination gripping me.
‘We should go. I don’t want my fate to be left in the hands of those who wish to condemn me. I should at least present my version of the events.’
‘Aye.’ Matt nods. ‘And I want to see Rose. If I can’t be with her, then I want to let her move on. Properly.’
‘She loves you, Matt. It’s only ever been you.’ I wish I could fix this for him, and for Rose. And maybe with me to defend him, there’s a chance.
He smiles sadly. ‘Do you need to take anything with you?’ he asks.
I shake my head. ‘No. But… how do we knowwhenwe’ll arrive.’
‘We don’t. Let’s just hope that wild, unpredictable magic that got you here, is ready to take you back there at exactly the right time.
