Báirseach- the Midding Gate Read online

  Releasing my hands, she turns to the others in our group, then sets her sights on Cathmor. “I understand this occurred earlier than planned, Cathmor, but you were moving here, anyway. We have sent a message to your father and explained the situation. Sage’s parents have stated that you and Padraig can stay at their home until other accommodations become available. We welcome you and your father to our coven.”

  Cathmor’s deep voice rings out from beside Murphy, “Father is almost ready for the move. I will travel back to help him bring our belongings here. He and I have experience building homes, I would like permission to build a small cottage on this side of the gate. I would prefer not to be separated from my dragon for any large amount of time.”

  Lowering my lashes, I peek at Cathmor with my peripheral vision. This is Padraig’s son? This obnoxious, frustrating man is who my da was considering for me? It will break my da’s heart when I tell him how unsuitable we are for each other.

  Sighing, the questions I have been holding back tumble from my lips, “What are Ciaran’s consequences? And what do my bindings mean? Will we be leaving for Firehaven tomorrow?”

  Elder Thyme’s focus on Ciaran causes all of us to look in his direction. He has climbed out of the water trough and is stomping towards the one lone empty house. Her voice is taut with frustration and censor. “He wants a dragon. He can earn one, and if the dragon accepts him, he can bond one. I’m sorry, Sage, but he will be required to go to Firehaven with you. He will be an intern and learn to do your job. His powers have been sealed until you return.”

  “Elder Thyme, I don’t mean to question your judgement, but this is his consequence? It feels more like I am being disciplined for Ciaran’s behavior.” Huffing, I hold back the anger and keep my voice steady. “In five months, if he performs as an intern to Master Riordan, he gains a dragon? If he makes the journey to Firehaven and the hot springs with us, you believe he’ll deserve one of these beautiful creatures? Without the trials?”

  “Sage, dear. The important word in all of this is ‘if.’ Ciaran will be doing a Mundane’s job without the use of his powers. You know him best. This will definitely be a trial for him. If at any point, he turns around or refuses to work, he will not have earned the right to a dragon.”

  She gives me a smirk, and I notice the twinkle in her eye. “I honestly don’t think he’ll succeed. But it will be a good lesson for him to realize he cannot just take or force things. He must work for them.”

  She doesn’t think he’ll be able to abide by his consequences. After seeing the fear he had of the alpha, Onyx, I agree.

  Groaning, I pinch the bridge of my nose. Ciaran will make this whole process so much harder. “So, four of us will be leaving tomorrow?”

  Laurel grabs my attention when she speaks, “We — Connell, Dermot, Ronan, and I — have agreed to teach Renny how to tend to our dragons. When you return, he will be proficient in dragon handling. We all felt that his and Murphy’s parents might be relieved if he stayed behind since Murphy will be traveling with you.”

  “Wait. Murphy?” Confused I look at the man in question and see a huge smile spreading across his face.

  “Your bondmates need to remain in your vicinity for the next three months, Sage. Similar to the champions and their dragons, to reap the full benefits of the bond, it must be strengthened with familiarity. We will not know what those benefits are until they present themselves.” Elder Thyme regards all of us, concern written all over her face. “If they present at all. I’ll need to do some research, but I don’t believe there’s ever been a Warlock-Mundane bond, much less a Mundane who has bonded with two Warlocks,” Elder Thyme shares.

  I send a shy smile to Egan, “This means you will be coming as well?”

  “Yes, Miss Sage. I am eager to see your work with the dragons. I hope you don’t mind.” Egan pulls on my ponytail with a wink and a smile.

  “Yes, yes. Can we disperse now? The Mundane has her orders and her magic protection detail . . . where will we be staying tonight? I for one, would prefer to stay close to Onyx and I’d like to at least find a shirt before making sure my dragon is tended to.” Cathmor’s impatience has him barging into the conversation.

  The nerve of this man!

  Master Riordan answers with a twinkle in his eye. “You and the other champions will be bedding down in the stalls until other accommodations are ready. I believe Sage’s parents have extended an invitation to you.” He quirks an eyebrow at Cathmor, “There is, of course, the option of staying with Ciaran, but I’m not sure how well-kept the cottage is. Your choice, Cathmor.”

  The group disbands quickly after that. The champions walk to the village for clothes and other necessities, Egan and Murphy to make arrangements with their respective jobs, leaving me with my parents.

  “Sage, dear,” Mam tucks her arm through mine and strolls with me and my da back towards my cottage. “You’ve had a . . . momentous . . . twelve hours. How are you doing?”

  Considering I’ve tried not to think about any of the things that have happened, it’s not surprising that I don’t answer right away. It isn’t until Da has ushered us into my home that I look into Mam’s grey eyes, so similar to mine, and break. As soon as my parents witness the tears leaking down my cheeks, they hustle me to my couch and press me to sit.

  Mam enfolds me in her arms and gives orders to Da. “Eoin, tea, please. Perhaps with a dram of whiskey.”

  8

  I was four the first and last time my mam cried about my status as a Mundane.

  Until today.

  Today, as I sit in the protective circle of my mam’s arms, she cries with me. For being a Mundane, for having a sorry excuse for an ex-boyfriend who has exiled me from my friends and family, and for being bound twice without comprehending what was happening.

  Da sits on my coffee table and hands us each a mug of tea. Clasping his hands between his knees and leaning towards me, he says, “Sweetness, I’m too old to be throttling anyone. But have no doubt, if it were possible for me to take them on, I would be putting the hurt on both Ciaran and Cathmor. As it is, I will be having words with both boys. Especially Cathmor. Padraig and his mam did not raise that boy to be so disrespectful. The tone and words he used . . . no one speaks to my daughter that way.”

  The thought of Da taking on the ‘boys’ — as he calls them — warms my heart. In truth, those two were the least of my worries. Ciaran will be my burden to bear, and the ward is most disturbing, but that is completely out of my hands. Even if I had magic, it sounds like I wouldn’t be able to reverse it.

  “Thanks, Da. I’m not worried about Cathmor. That pile of dragon dung will be here while I'm at Firehaven. He’s not worth the effort. Ciaran, though . . . traveling with him will be tiresome. I doubt he’ll like the accommodations while we’re gone. Sleeping in a tent on the way will be uncomfortable, and I guarantee he’ll hate it.” Using the hand not holding a mug, I brush my tears away. “I am worried about the bonding. What if being Mundane hurts Egan’s and Murphy’s powers? What does it mean to be bound? Are we tied to each other for life? I don’t even know much about Egan. And Murphy . . .” I frown at Mam and Da. “I know that his own parents need his help at the mill, and he’ll be traveling with me for at least three months. How is that fair?”

  Mam brushes my bangs out of my eyes before placing a hand on my knee. “Tell me again how that happened. How did you even know how to work the spell? From what I understand, the bonding is a gift and never occurs the same way. There is no spell to learn. It just happens. The only thing we are certain of is that it requires a physical binding of some sort.”

  Handing my mug to Da, I pull up the sleeve of my tunic, revealing my flame tattoo. “Egan and I spent yesterday evening together at the Samhain festival. We performed the Spell of Light and Renewal together, then spent the rest of the evening talking, dancing, laughing. He, Rosemary, and Aidan walked me home. He’d taken a ribbon from my hair and made a cute bracelet of sorts with a decorative knot.”
Rubbing at the colorful flame, I continue. “It was such a lovely evening. I wanted to remember it and when Egan asked if I wanted him to reinforce the knot, I said yes. I didn’t want to forget.”

  Slowly, I pull my sleeve down and take each of my parents by the hand. “I don’t know what happened. It was the same with Murphy. The words were . . . they just fell from my lips. I couldn’t stop them from coming out if I tried. It was like something took over my speech.” Tears fell once again as I beseeched my parents to understand how I had no control over the bindings.

  “I believe you, dear. The Goddess does as the Goddess will. It is not for us to question.” Wiping the tears from her eyes, Mam straightens and states in a no-nonsense tone. “Well, you’ll have to make the best of it. You are a talented dragon tender, Sage. Ciaran may be difficult, but I have faith you can teach him or at least aid him in hatching a dragonling. Don’t forget your bondmates will be there to act as a buffer.” She runs a hand down my ponytail then adds, “Egan seems like a sweet young man, and very handsome. And Murphy has always been a good friend to you, protecting you in his way. Neither will let anything happen.”

  Mulling this over, I have to agree. “I’m just . . . overwhelmed. I had a late-night, woke up early . . . the nonsense with Ciaran and the bindings and the ward and to top it off . . .” I remember Cathmor and hesitantly address my da. “I know you were eager for me to meet Padraig’s son. . . . I think we can all agree it didn’t go well.”

  “Aye, it did not go well. Not at all. I am severely disappointed in that young man.” His lips pull down, and he rubs the back of his neck. “Padraig will need to be informed. This won’t be the last time the two of you will be thrown together. Not with them moving to the village.”

  Da’s next words get lost in the rapid bangs sounding from my front door.

  Hastily wiping my face, I straighten my tunic, pull my ponytail tight, and answer the door. I block the entrance when I find Ciaran darkening my doorstep.

  “Ciaran. What brings you here?” I bite the words out, steeling my spine.

  Holding up his still bound wrists, he tries to push past me. “I’m looking for Murphy, your bondmate. He needs to release my restraints. I also need someone to get clothes and supplies for me. The ward won’t let me through since Elder Thyme bound my powers.”

  My da places his hands on my shoulders and gently moves me away from the door, only to turn and confront my ex-boyfriend.

  “Sage cannot help you with any of that, boy. You’d best wait for Murphy to return from town. As for your things, Ivy and I will swing by and grab them for you.” Da takes a slow step over the threshold, silently forcing Ciaran away from the door. “It’s more than you deserve. What were you thinking, placing that spell? You claim to care for Sage, but all I see from you is manipulation and entitlement.”

  “She had no right to deny me a dragon! She’s a Mundane! Everyone knows that she is the one that has been judging the Fairs. It’s common knowledge that who she roots for is who is awarded a dragon.” Ciaran turns flinty eyes my way. “Everyone watches as she stands at the Midding Gate while the trials occur. She rooted for Laurel, Ronan, Dermot, and Connell. And each one won. That is not a coincidence.”

  Da stands stunned, but I storm out, demanding, “What do you mean ‘it’s common knowledge’?”

  “Don’t play dumb, Sage. Do you think everyone is so nice to you because they like you? You’re powerless. The only thing you have going for you is your control of the dragons.”

  The gasp behind me matches my own. While I stand speechless, I grasp tightly to Da’s arm. His whole body tenses up, and his face turns an alarming shade of red.

  Mam marches to Ciaran, takes him by the ear, and wrestles him out my garden gate. Her voice carries in the cold air, “That will be enough of that garbage, you vile man. That is my daughter you are speaking about so callously. She has been nothing but kind and gracious to you, and this is how you feel? Eoin may be willing to help you get your items, but I assure you, I am not. I’ll contact your uncle Lennon, and he can deal with this matter. You will not — do you hear me? — will not give Sage grief on this trip.”

  Mam shuts my gate and glares at Ciaran, who is flushed red from anger and embarrassment.

  “That won’t be necessary.” Coming up the path is a slim man with features similar to Ciaran. “My nephew will be on his best behavior. Miss Sage, Ivy, Eoin, I apologize for the grievous actions Ciaran has chosen. Come, Ciaran, show me your new abode. I have brought supplies for you. Let’s chat, shall we?”

  Mam and Da stand beside me as a now pale-faced Ciaran follows his uncle like a child caught misbehaving on the playground. Shoulders curled in, stomping across the yard, Ciaran turns and gives one last glare over his shoulder at me.

  “Watch your back, Sage. I’m glad you’ll have Murphy with you. This will not be the last of your problems with Ciaran.” Da’s voice is worried as he gently turns me back to my cottage.

  Ciaran’s spiteful words have wormed their way into my mind, and my self-esteem has taken a hit. I was made fun of as a child for not having powers, but no one has truly said unkind things to me about being Mundane in ages. Is that because they think I have control over who gets a dragon? Surely not?

  But then I think of Cathmor, and the disdain he has for Mundanes. He hasn’t even called me by my name. Not that I can remember.

  Fighting against the self doubt, I wander to my backyard and forage in my garden for salad ingredients. Armed with my bounty, I pull an apple from a tree at the back and wander back to my kitchen.

  The sounds of the dragons and their champions are a murmur on the wind, reminding me of my place in this coven. I’m a dragon tender. My parents love me, I have friends, and I have the dragons. My job is difficult, but I excel at what I do.

  As I sit at my kitchen table, I continue my pep talk. Who cares what Ciaran and Cathmor think? Even if more people don’t really like me, I don’t need everyone to like me. Yes, I wish more of the coven was honest, but that has no bearing on the good things I have in life.

  I can only be me. I’ll focus on the positive, do my job and continue on because even without powers, I am a worthy Witch.

  Now I just need to believe it.

  9

  An hour later, I pull a sweater over my tunic and grab my gloves. Carrying with me a little bit of fear and a lot of fake courage, I head for the stables to speak to Master Riordan. Laurel has her dragon and Renny situated by the water trough, one hand on the young intern's shoulder, the other pointing out something on her black’s tail.

  This bolsters my confidence, seeing a champion, who should be angry that her dragon is stuck on this side of the Midding Gate, taking Renny under her wing to teach him. I hope that Cathmor’s attitude doesn’t undermine her efforts. I’ll need to speak to him before leaving for Firehaven. I don’t want him hindering Renny’s education.

  As I approach the half wall, I peek over at the eggs. Master Riordan must have moved the eggs to warm by the wall. Running my hand over the rough stones, I remind myself to stoke the fire soon. The aisle of the stables is brightly lit, Egan floating a glass globe with a flame captured in it by his side. Sometimes I’m in awe of the way magic is wielded to make such wonderful things. My boots scuff along the worn boards and almost go unheard by the three men loading the supply wagon.

  Egan is tossing items up to Murphy who is organizing the supplies in the wood and metal wagon. Murphy is the first to spot me, and he jumps down to meet me.

  “Hey, Love. We’re just getting our things situated for the trip.” My old friend smiles down at me, and it’s contagious. I can’t help but lift my lips and smile back.

  “Murph, are you ever in a bad mood?” I tease the big man, tipping my head back to meet his eyes.

  “Aye, you’ll find that mornings and I are not friends.” Rubbing his bruised knuckles, he admits, “And you know I have a temper when someone tries to hurt you. But for the most part, I’m fairly easy-going.”


  Master Riordan steps to my side, Egan following behind. “Sage, with these new developments, I’ve had to reassess our plan for this year.”

  My brows pull down as I turn my attention to my boss. “Reassess? What do you . . .?” No! No, no, no, no, no! “Please tell me you’re not leaving me to train Ciaran alone. Master Riordan, you wouldn’t do that to me, would you? Would you?”

  When Egan places his hands on my shoulders, calm washes over me, and I become aware of the tight grip I have on the edges of Master Riordan’s cloak. So tight, he’s bending towards me because I have pulled him down to stare right in his brown eyes.

  Taking a deep breath, I acknowledge to myself that I’m shouting — at my boss! — and might be slightly hysterical.

  Leaning back into Egan, I slowly release my grip, one finger at a time, noting the way the material has creased from the manic hold I had on it. Gently, I pat his chest a couple of times, while I try my best to get ahold of my emotions. This has been the most stressful couple of days.

  “Sage, you’re ready. You know the way to Firehaven and the hot springs. You are strong and more than capable to deal with any danger, and you’ll have two Warlocks with you.” Master Riordan nods at the men behind me before saying, “Not just any Warlocks, either, your bondmates. They will back you up. There is also the fact that Renny needs me more than you do. For all intents and purposes, Sage, you are a Dragon Master in your own right.”

  My heart swells at the compliment. This is what I’ve been working towards for fifteen years. I’m aware of the responsibility thrust on me. I just need the confidence to do this.