Jewels from the Dark

Morrigan held her hand close to her body, the burn still present. Her rage almost matched it. Fachnan was with Manadh who was clearly distraught over losing their main quarry. Her brother looked over and frowned at her arm. Morrigan walked over, catching the tail end of the heated conversation.

“He has betrayed us!” Manadh bit out.

Fachnan shook his head and opened his mouth to speak, but Morrigan cut him off. “Manadh is correct. He has betrayed us and allied himself with Líadan.”

Fachnan’s face fell. His eyes rested again on his sister’s arm. “Show me,” he demanded. Morrigan winced as she stretched her burnt flesh forward. Fachnan’s disgust was apparent on his face.

“Your son continues to be a disappointment. You should have handled this – or let me do it.”

Cold anger burned brighter in Morrigan’s chest and she lashed a dark tendril out, catching Fachnan’s cheek. He flinched but otherwise did not react.

“Brother… no matter what my son may have done today, do not speak ill of him. I am not yet convinced he is in his right mind. He may be playing the long game.”

Manadh huffed. “He is playing a long game. It just isn’t for our side.” She glared at Morrigan, her contempt deeply obvious. The two women glared at each other.

“Enough!” Fachnan snapped. “Enough. We need to make a plan. What did you learn about the men who entered the Wood?”

“They are somehow connected to Líadan, we believe. They used a different name when discussing her, but it is Líadan.”

Morrigan groaned in disgust. “Will we never be rid of that woman?”

“Not if your son has his way,” Manadh started, yet her words were choked off, along with her airway as cold bands cinched around her throat.

“My son,” spat out Morrigan, “is not the issue here. And if he is found to be aiding Líadan, I will deal with him myself.” She kept the shadows wrapped tight around Manadh’s neck while turning a murderous look at her brother, warning him as well.

Fachnan sighed and flicked his hand, releasing Manadh. She began to cough and sputter, drawing in deep dregs of air. “Again…what is the plan? Did the scouts learn anything else? We are losing time standing here arguing.”

“I will speak with the Waste Wind. It may know more now of the man who fell. Perhaps it will help to know he is connected to Líadan. The Void may be willing to negotiate our debt,” Morrigan offered.

Fachnan nodded at his sister but his eyes held a silent warning to wait. He turned to the small band of scouts and called them over. “Manadh, lead the scouts and scour the Wood for any sign of where the outsiders went. They can’t just disappear. You know how we are trained in the use of shadow and shade – inspect the darkness. Find them.”

Manadh and the Nefas scouts immediately left, spreading out along the dark line of trees.

Fachnan watched them go, a slow burning rage beginning to bubble to the surface. “How long have you suspected?”

A long pause hung in the air. He looked again at Morrigan’s arm. Eventually his eyes returned to her face. A mix of grief, shame, and pure wrath filled her gaze.

“How long?” He pressed again, pushing each word hard into her chest. She took a shuddering breath.

“Since shortly after she escaped the Void.” She flinched, awaiting impact. But none come.

Fachnan let out a weary sigh. “Same. I did not want to believe it. Meirleach has only ever been loyal to the Nefas. But there were too many things that began to stack up. Too many times when the shadows moved like one of us at the last moment. What do you intend to do?”

“I intend to find out the truth. That is as far as I have gone with a plan. He is my son, Fachnan…”

“And he may be a traitorous Nefas scout leader. How many others might he have turned? How much damage might he have done till now? It has been thousands of yesterdays!” His anger was boiling over, no doubt about that now.

“I am aware!” Morrigan matched his anger. “You said nothing yourself, so don’t you dare come at me about what may have been destroyed or undermined at his hands. You are just as responsible for this mess as I am!”

Both took a moment, as their emotions had plunged them into a deep darkness, shadows clashing. As the oppressive dark lifted, they spoke again.

“If you find him… make sure you don’t let your maternal feelings for the boy cloud your judgement or loyalty to the Nefas. We are more than one… or two… traitors.” He had looked her over as he said the last statement, the warning of the cost of betrayal ringing through the air.

Her heat squeezed tight as she responded. “I know where my loyalties lie, brother, make no mistake.”

“Good. Now go. Find your boy, and kill him.”