Holder of Lightning

Jenna shuddered, feeling the truth of the statement. "We can't get to that place you saw tonight," she said. "I think we should stay here and not go any deeper into the forest tonight."

"I think there may be a better place to stay." Seancoim plunged the end of his staff into the loamy earth. He took a long breath, and called out into the gathering dark as Jenna watched him curiously. There was move-ment in the shadows, and from under the trees, two Bunus Muintir emerged.

They were both male, one nearly as old as Seancoim; the other much younger. Like Seancoim, they were dressed in skins, their feet wrapped in leather. They had the wide, flattened faces of the Bunus, their skin the color of dried earth. The young one, with a matted and tangled beard, was armed with a bow and a bronze bladed sword; the older, his chin stubbled with patchy gray, had only a knife and an oaken staff. The expressions on their faces were suspicious and decidedly unfriendly. ^Ae old one held out his staff and spoke a few words in their guttural lan-guage. Jenna understood none of the words but the intent was clear: they were not welcome here.

Seancoim replied in the same language, and Jenna belatedly reached for Lamh Shabhala, so she could understand what was being said, gesture drew the attention of the younger man; he pointed to Jenna s a as he spoke to his companion, evidently noticing the scars there. He nocked an arrow and started to pull back the string of his bow. Jenna’s fingers closed around the cloch, ready to defend herself and Seancoim, but the older one grunted and gestured to his companion. The younger Bunus slowly released the tension on the bow, though he kept the arrow fitted to the string.

The old one spoke in the Daoine language, his voice even more heavily accented than Seancoim’s, his words slow and full of effort as he tried to find the words. "Go back,’* he said. "You should never have been brought here." He glared at Seancoim.

"She holds Lamh Shabhala, Protector Loman," Seancoim told him.

"I know what she holds, and I know who you are, too-Seancoim Crow-Eye. A Protector should stay with the forest he has been given to guard."

"My pledge-daughter Keira watches in my place," Seancoim answered. "I’m old, and Denmark is ancient for his kind. Soon I’ll be blind again. The Greatness has given me another task. Doire Coill is Keira’s, now."

Loman scoffed. "So Seancoim has abandoned his charge. ." He nod-ded to his companion. "You see, Toryn, this is what comes of being too close to the Daoine. You fail in your duty and give it over to someone who’s not yet ready, who is still learning the slow magics. Doire Coill will fail, like so many of the other old places." He lifted his grizzled chin. "But not Thall Coill."

"You underestimate Keira," Seancoim answered quietly. "You always did. She’s been away from me and doing the work of the Protector for over two hands of years now. I see you still don’t trust Toryn and keep him close so you can correct his mistakes."

Toryn visibly flushed at that, and the bow came up once more. Sean-coim lifted his staff even as Jenna started to open Lamh Shabhala. "Do you really want to match our skills, Toryn?" Seancoim asked. "It would be a shame. Loman’s getting too old to begin with a new pledge-child."

Toryn glared; Loman spat on the ground. "Put your bow away, boy," Loman said. "Don't let him goad you into foolishness. It's not Crow-Eye you have to worry about; it's the Holder. Slow magic can't stand against Lamh Shabhala, even when it's wielded by a girl-child." I m not a child," Jenna snapped back angrily.

Loman didn't answer directly, but his eyes showed his contempt. "You misunderstand if you think I'm being anything but kind to you, Holder. I’d love nothing better than to see you fail here-with none of your own People around you. It's been a thousand years and more since a Bunus uintir held Lamh Shabhala. I wonder. . what would a Bunus Holder be able to accomplish? Perhaps the Daoine could be made to regret why your ancestors did to us, eh?"

"What would happen to Lamh Shabhala after I'm gone isn't my concern, "Jenna answered. "If I fail, I fail."

"Then you have a death wish."

"I'm not afraid of death," Jenna answered. "I've seen too much of it"

Loman's eyes narrowed at that. "Maybe not such a child, now " he muttered. "But you've chosen a poor adviser if you're listening to Seancoim." His gaze went back to Seancoim. "You think she can survive Scrudu, Crow-Eye? You can look at this stripling and believe that?"

"Riata believes it," Seancoim answered.

Loman made a sound like a kettle too long on the fire. "Riata's long dead."

"His body, aye, but his spirit is still restless and he has spoken to Jenna. He seems. . impressed by her."