Kushiel's Justice - Jacqueline Carey [104]
At that, the Lady of the Dalriada stirred. "With what did she bind you?”
"Desire." I met her gaze squarely. "Seed spilled on taisgaidh soil. She had a mannekin molded of dirt and clay.”
She nodded. "I see.”
I related what Conor had told me; or began to. I hadn't gotten far before he interrupted.
"You said he was a bard!" he shouted at his mother, his voice cracking. "A wandering bard!”
"That he is." Grainne's tone was grave. "I did not lie.”
"Why didn't you tell me?”
"Ah, lad!" She smiled sadly. "I'm sorry. I thought you'd ask when the time came. Surely, you always knew you were different, just as Eamonn did. I didn't reckon on your father visiting you. I should have. They do like to play sly tricks, the Old Ones.”
"Last night was no mere trick," I said briefly.
"No. No, it wasn't." The Lady Grainne rose and paced the room. "It concerns me.”
"You!" I raised my brows.
"Do they mean to harm Prince Imriel?" Conor asked, sounding ill. "Can they?”
She didn't answer right away. "It is no secret that the Old Ones spoke against his marriage to Dorelei mab Breidaia. Still, it is done, and I do not think they will break their long truce with the Dalriada. But I do not like this business of the binding charm, either." Her grey-green gaze touched on me. "That was careless of you.”
"Name of Elua!" I spread my hands. "How was I to know? Fine. What now, my lady? I'm not minded to abandon Dorelei, turn tail, and flee to Terre d'Ange on a bear-witch's threat, but I'll not be at this Morwen's beck and call, either, wondering if I'm about to be lured into ambush. And I'm asking you, because you seem to be the only person in Alba with any experience in dealing with the Old Ones." I glanced at Conor. "Indeed, rather more than I reckoned.”
"Ah, well." Surprisingly, Grainne smiled. "Love and desire are curious things, are they not? Still, I am not the only one. And this magic lies beyond my purview.”
"Aodhan would know," Conor murmured.
"Have you spoken to him?" his mother asked.
He nodded without meeting her eyes. "I told him about the …the man who taught me the charmed songs. He said unless I wished to study the Path of the Grove, it would be dangerous to use them.”
"This Aodhan is an ollamh?" I asked.
"He is," Grainne said thoughtfully. "But he is of the Dalriada, and he has dealt with the Old Ones for many long years. Understand," she added, "in Eire, the Old Ones befriended us. And unlike the Cruithne, we never quarrelled with them, neither there nor here in Alba. They taught us many things about herb-lore and the sacred places, aye, and magic, too.”
"Shapeshifting?" I asked.
"The old tales say so." Conor shivered. "I asked Aodhan about it. He said it was true. He said it is wild magic, and we lost it when we began to tame places. Nothing is to be had for nothing.”
I frowned. "I see.”
"Well, no one ever tamed the Old Ones," Grainne said. "And old Aodhan is none too tame himself. If anyone will know the wisest course, he will. Will you take Imriel to see him?" she asked Conor.
He straightened his shoulders. "I will.
The Lady Grainne consented to make excuses to the others for us, and it was agreed that the matter would not be discussed until we had the ollamh's counsel. I reckoned there was no merit in it. At best, it would only sow concern; at worst, I feared Joscelin's reaction. When it came to my safety, he was unyielding. I wouldn't put it past him to organize our D'Angeline guards into a war party and ride forth to confront the Old Ones. And while there was a part of me that would like to do that very thing, the truth was, I was a Prince of Alba by right of marriage now, and I had to be mindful of Alban law, which unfortunately made no provision for being enchanted against one's will.
It was, however, clear that breaking a host's truce of long standing was a violation of the laws of hospitality. I had been ensorceled and embarrassed, but I was unharmed. I did not have cause to bring a blood-feud