“Fine,” Eadan nodded. “And it looks as though I've arrived just in time. Anyone care to enlighten me on why you're talking about nuckelavee sex?”
“It's a long story,” Tiernan sighed, “and I think it calls for a drink.”
“I couldn't have said it better myself,” Teagan agreed.
He started to get up but Kate put a hand to his shoulder and pushed him back into his seat, “Let me get it, Dad. I think I need a break from this discussion anyway.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
It took an hour and several bottles of wine to fill Eadan and his team of hunters in on what had been happening in Tulsa. He'd already been briefed on the general situation but by the time we were done, his gray eyes were wide with shock.
“Eight clans?” He finally asked. “Eight? That must mean thousands of witches. How did they manage to hide from us for so long?”
“In plain sight,” I laughed. “We thought they were fairy tales. Myths.”
“Fairies duped by fairy tales,” Eadan chuckled. “There's some irony there.”
“This particular clan has been difficult but nothing a trained band of hunters can't manage,” Raza observed. “However, I believe there are other clans which may pose a greater threat.”
“Like Beckoning,” I nodded.
“Nonsense, the worst they can do to you is kill you and then bring you back to be their rotting slave,” Eadan said sarcastically. “No one's going to do that. Truly, who would want a stinky servant? Can you imagine a zombie trying to polish the silver while dripping gunk all over it? Rather counterproductive if you ask me.”
“Indeed,” Raza laughed.
“We think they may be descended from either bean-nighes, bean-sidhes, dullahans,” I cleared my throat, “or nuckelavees.”
“Ah, the nuckelavee sex. Well there's a sobering thought,” Eadan grimaced. “There are some very attractive bean-sidhes but the rest of that group is hideous at best.”
“Just as I said,” Conri smirked.
“Do you have the crystal ball with you?” I asked Eadan before he got into a conversation about bean-sidhes with Conri.
“Yes, of course,” Eadan motioned to one of the other hunters and she pulled a small crystal ball out of a satchel beside her chair. She handed it to Eadan and he handed it to me. “The Twilight Council awaits your call, Princess.”
“Thank you,” I held the ball on the table before me, casting a concerned glance at Councilman Teagan before I called out, “Councilman Catan of Twilight.”
The ball misted and cleared quite quickly, to reveal a fey face with buttery pale skin, surrounded by long, silky, light green hair. Catan smiled to me once he came into focus.
“Princess Seren, I hope you are well,” he inclined his head.
“I am, thank you Head Councilman,” I nodded back. “Thank you for accepting my input in this. I'd like to update you on our recent discoveries.”
“By all means,” he waved a hand, revealing his bright white fingertips.
I went over all the information we'd just given Eadan. When I was done, Catan looked thoughtful but not surprised. He had been informed of the witches already but he didn't know about all of the clans and I'd expected a little more of a reaction from him.
“You don't find this shocking?” I asked.
“Not at all,” he shrugged. “It makes perfect sense. You cannot breed with another species and think that no mutations will ever come of it. These witches are like us twilight fey; a blending of two races. And just as with us, you never know what will show up in the children... or when.”
“Well said,” Raza nodded.
“Who is that, Princess?” Catan tried to see around me.
“It's Lord Raza Tnyn of the Unseelie Court,” I said formally.
“Ah, yes,” Catan nodded. “I suppose he's there for his son.”
