It was going to take a long time for them to sort that out, and Lugh had donated a large portion of his massive wealth to help the city. He would oversee it as much as possible and get his hands on the cauldron as soon as it wasfound.
For now though, I was needed back inLondon.
I shouldered my bag and trailed down the stairs, trying to find an excuse to slow my exit. The training room. Obviously, I needed to say goodbye to everyone there. When I reached the ground floor, I hung a left and entered the building just opposite thehalls.
Inside, the twins were training. They were a rush of speed and agility, almost exactly matched in skill. Boudica whirled and pinned Warin to the ground. Like I said.Almostexactly.
Warin glanced past her, pushed her away, and jumped to his feet. “Moira! That looks like a bag. Does that mean you really are leavingus?”
“I’m afraid so.” I edged into the training room and looked around, smiling at the various weapons that adorned the walls. It was too bad I’d never had a chance to train in this room. It would have been fun. “I’m needed back at Court. Werewolf problems. I’m sure you getit.”
It was only a little white lie. Clark was having werewolf problems, like always, but she’d told me to take my time. When I’d told her everything about Lugh—the nightmare wraiths, the mating bond—she’d been far more understanding than I’d expected. I thought she’d be upset that one of her closest confidantes had mated with the enemy, but her soft voice soothed all those fearsaway.
“If he’s your mate, he can’t be all that bad,” she had said on the phone. “You can stay there with him as long as you’d like, you know. Take your time. Do what you need to do, Moira. It’s your life. Notmine.”
“But the prophecy...” I’d tried tosay.
“Prophecies can be changed. They can be broken. Look at me and Balor. Caer tried to tell us that our love would destroy theworld.”
Clark had a point. Prophecies were only prophecies, not facts. They were things thatcouldhappen. Not things thatwould.
Still, I didn’t want to chanceit.
“Earth to Moira,” Boudica said with a laugh, snapping her fingers in front of my eyes. “Where’d you go,darling?”
“Sorry.” I shook my head. “It’s been a long-assweek.”
She chuckled. “Tell me about it. I love a good fight, but I could use a week in the sun to decompress from all thatstress.”
I grinned back. “You know you can visit London anytime. It’s no beach, but it’s warmer thanhere.”
“Maybe.” She slung her arm around my neck and gave me a quick hug. “As long as you can promise your Queen won’t try to make us join her Court. I know it’s unorthodox here, but it’shome.”
I gave a nod. Clark and I hadn’t really had that chat yet, but I knew I’d be able to make her understand. She and Lugh could form some sort of alliance. One that would allow him to continue as he was, as long as he did not challenge herthrone.
With one last hug, I backed out of the training room and headed to the healing ward. Inside, I found Saoirse awake and smiling. Beside her sat the hobgoblin. He’d barely left her side since the whole ordeal. The poor creature had been worried sick about her, and I no longer understood why I hadn’t been a big fan of Uisnech when I first methim.
He wasn’t like other hobgoblins. Not that I’d actually met verymany.
This time, though, he wasn’t too pleased to see me. He narrowed his green eyes at my bag and scowled. “No. You cannot.Noooooooope!”
“Uisnech,” I sighed, dropping by bag by Saoirse’s healing ward door. “Please stop. I don’t want to leave with you angry atme.”
“Then, you shouldn’t leave, now should you?” hesnapped.
“Uisnech,” I said again. “I can’tstay.”
“You know you will be leaving me with a very grumpy King. I do not appreciate having to deal with Lugh’s tantrums in your absence.” He looked away and sniffed verydramatically.
“Frankly, I don’t think he’s the one being grumpy in this situation.” Smiling, I dropped down on the chair next to him, and took his little hand in mine. “Hey. Please don’t hate me. I have to go, but I promise I’ll see youagain.”
He glanced back, eyes shining. “Youwill?”
“Of course. You and I have a bond now. We survived a battle together. That meanssomething.”
“Is that a noble warrior thing?” he asked, voice hitching at theend.
I grinned. “That’s right. The way you helped Saoirse, you’re a noble warrior now. Which means you need to understand why I must go. I know you’re not a fan of the Morrigan, but she’s my friend, and she’s my Queen. I need to go home,Uisnech.”
