78. Destressed

"You're sure?" I asked quietly as I had another sip of coffee. "I'm offering, because I don't want you two to feel obligated."

Kelly stated "Positive. We've both emailed our profs, we've explained that the 'family emergency' isn't over yet."

"We're sticking with you Tegan," Keira added. "We'd be with you regardless, but knowing our granddad's involved also makes this our business."

I nodded slowly, "Thanks you two. I appreciate it."

It was about forty-five minutes till sunrise, and we were sitting around the kitchen table enjoying our first and last coffee before the return trip to Otherworld.

We were all dressed in jeans, t-shirts and running shoes. None of us could bring ourselves to climb back into the dirty travel-wear we'd lived in for the past three days. That stuff was in a pile on the utility room floor. Next time we were home we'd wash it, or maybe burn it.

Colm and Feichin were still in the living-room for now. Both had turned down our offer of coffee, they were just quietly waiting for the three of us to be ready to head back out.

Except I asked Kelly and Keira if they'd rather just stay here. It was November eleventh today. If our original vacation plans hadn't gone out the window, the three of us would have been back home in another day or two. The twins were both expected back at university on Monday.

I knew if they came with me back to Otherworld it could be weeks before they got home again. We had business to take care of that might require more time-consuming treks back and forth across the Southern Marches. We needed to resolve our clann's differences with the Ceallaighs in County Donnghaile to the east. And we had a score to settle with Aengus ó Faoláin in County Conchobhair to the west.

Then there was the matter of Keenan ó Conghaile. He was bad news all around. After that night Keira told me about him, he'd gone from someone I was suspicious of to someone I actively disliked. With everything I learned and experienced yesterday, he was now an enemy. He was an enemy of Clann Brádaigh, but he was also a personal enemy of mine.

Neither of my girlfriends were safe around their granddad, and from what Keira told me that night I knew they couldn't trust their own mother either. At least they were safe from Kelsey now, they no longer had to fear their mother or her magic.

"How about you, babe?" Kelly asked. "You sounded pretty close to calling it quits last night when you brought us here. Are you sure you're ready to head back into it so soon?"

Keira suggested, "We could spend another full day here then head back tomorrow at dawn, and still be ahead of schedule."

I grimaced slightly, "When I brought us here? Yeah. I was pretty close to quitting. But last night you two helped me unwind. A lot. I know stuff's going to suck when we get back to Otherworld, but with the three of us all together, it won't be quite so bad I think."

Kelly and Keira both smiled at me.

"I'm glad we could help, babe."

"Yeah Tegan. I'm glad we could take care of at least one thing that was stressing you."

We still didn't have all the answers, but the three of us had worked out the basics and set some ground rules. We were now a pair of couples. Or a 'throuple' as Kelly called it. Me and Kelly were girlfriends. And me and Keira were girlfriends too.

The three of us ironed out one other detail before we finally fell asleep last night. Next time we came home we'd be ordering a new king-size bed. The queen-size wasn't quite big enough for three, and in my mind it would always be my-and-Kelly's bed. The replacement would be for all three of us.

For now, we were all in fairly good spirits. We finished our coffees and I quickly washed up the mugs and the machine, while Kelly let the guys know it was just about time.

Feichin kept an eye on the fire all night, and between his skill and his magic he expertly extinguished it then closed up the wood stove. Me and the twins pulled on jackets over our t-shirts, and the five of us were ready to go.

Kelly and Keira had their bows with them again, as did Colm and Feichin. With the house once again quiet and everything turned off, we filed out the back door then I locked it with another spell. We made our way across the backyard and down into the ravine, and soon enough we were in the little glade.

Ten minutes after that we were back in Otherworld, near the garrison in the southern forest. Like last night I wasn't affected by the crossing the way my companions were, and this time I immediately brought my shield up between us and the row of archers who were ready to greet any unexpected guests. Not that I didn't trust my mother's men, but I didn't want to risk anyone getting hurt by accident.

As before, Gaelen was there to order the archers to stand down, and horses were readied for us.

"M'lady, with your permission I'll take my leave now," the huntsman said to me. "I reckon you four can tell Lady Maeve all she needs to know, you don't need me along for that."

I smiled and nodded, "Of course. Thank you Feichin for all your help. I will speak highly of you to my mother."

He tipped his hat to me and the twins, then walked off away from us and the garrison, heading north-west into the woods.

"What an odd fellow," Colm commented as we watched him go.

Gaelen accompanied us back to the castle, and of course one of the soldiers carried our pennant high so folks would know I was returning.

Maeve met us in the courtyard, she looked both relieved we were back but also worried that we were back so soon. Captain Siobhan was there too of course, and there were other soldiers and servants to tend to the horses and everything. Kelly and Keira gave back the bows they'd been carrying, as did Colm.

Maeve looked to me, "Tegan, welcome home! You're early though. Is everything all right? Did you run into trouble?"

I greeted her with a hug and replied, "We need to talk."

Maeve caught the tone of my voice and the look on my face and nodded, "Of course."

She led the four of us inside and Siobhan followed. We wound up back in our usual haunt of course. Along the way she ordered servants to have breakfast brought to us in the study.

The five of us sat together around a table, until Maeve asked her captain to join us. Siobhan once again appeared uncomfortable but she didn't protest as she pulled a sixth chair over and joined us at the table.

The table was round and we'd all sort of crowded around it. There was Maeve then Keira then myself, then Kelly then Colm then Siobhan. Conversation waited until after the food and drinks were all set out and the servants retreated.

My fae-mom looked around at all of us then said "I'd like to hear Tegan's report first, then we'll hear from you sir Colm."

He just nodded slightly. The others all started to eat quietly as I began with the most important information.

"Captain Eamon was indeed a traitor. I say 'was', because Sir Colm executed him yesterday afternoon. Eamon and Keenan ó Conghaile have been working for Lord Aengus for decades, perhaps over a century."

Maeve's expression immediately darkened at the news of her captain's betrayal. Then she asked, "Keenan ó Conghaile? Is he not your grandfather?" She looked from Kelly to Keira.

"Yes m'lady," Kelly replied.

Keira added, "We disavow him or whatever. We have nothing to do with the man. Or our mother. Kelly and me are both loyal to Tegan and you and Clann Brádaigh."

Maeve nodded, "Thank you Keira. I did not doubt your loyalties but I appreciate the sentiment."

I realized Colm was staring at me again, and after a few moments figured out why. He had no idea I'd peaked into Eamon's mind. He knew the captain was a traitor but that's all he knew.

"Mother, there's more. A lot more." I sighed as I looked back at her again.

I decided to tell them everything I'd seen, all the details of that meeting the three conspirators had last year. I knew it would upset Maeve, as well as both my girlfriends. I drank a few gulps of juice then took a deep breath and started talking.

When I was done, my fae-mom knew her own mother had been murdered. She knew she'd been manipulated, our whole family had been played for the past hundred years. And she knew the mastermind behind it all was Lord Aengus, and that Keenan ó Conghaile was a very dangerous man, that he was an enemy of our clann.

And Kelly and Keira both learned their grandfather had been the one behind the attack back on Earth. That Kelly had very nearly died at her own grandfather's hand.

And we all knew that Aodhan Ceallaigh had been murdered because Lord Aengus had said my marriage to Aodhan must be stopped, and he wanted an important Ceallaigh to die. So Captain Eamon put the two together and picked Oisín's son as his target.

I finished my report with the explanation that Keenan was present in castle Griofa and attempted to use mind control on me, but I managed to block the spell and quickly teleported Colm and myself to safety.

I didn't mention what happened after that, with Colm's angry threats and demands, and I didn't mention what I'd done to the castle. I figured I'd leave that for him.

I finished off with, "They had dogs and horses, and Feichin warned that we'd be overrun on our walk back to the place where the veil was thin. So I teleported the five of us straight there. We crossed over to Earth last night at dusk, spent the night at my property there, then returned here at dawn."

The others had all stopped eating during my report. Maeve and the twins looked shocked and upset, Siobhan and Colm probably stopped out of good manners.

With my report over, the knight then took up the story. I was hungry, so manners or not I started eating while he spoke.

He confirmed my report of Eamon's treachery, and suggested with the captain dead the second in charge there, lieutenant Desmond probably took command of the castle.

Colm glanced at me and added, "Since Keenan was working so closely with Eamon, and it appeared Keenan had the run of the castle, Lady Tegan concluded the entire castle was likely compromised and in the service of either mister ó Conghaile or Lord Aengus. She felt at that point her priority was to get this information back to you."

Maeve sighed, "Thank you sir Colm. And thank you Tegan, Kelly, Keira."

"I assume Feichin buggered off as soon as you were all back here?" Siobhan asked.

I nodded, "Yeah he seemed pretty eager to get back to his own home." I added, "He did an excellent job while we were travelling. I don't know how you handle stuff like this, but I'd like to see him rewarded, or at least thanked."

My fae-mom nodded, "I will see to it, Tegan."

We were all quiet for a while after that, and everyone wound up focusing on breakfast again for now.

"Sir Colm," Maeve asked after she'd had enough of breakfast, "What will be your next move?"

The knight was quiet a few moments as a thoughtful look settled on his face. He mostly stared at the table, but he did glance towards me, then at Maeve.

Finally he replied "I need to send a report back to King Cathal. Then I believe you and I both need to address the situation with Lord Aengus. As you know, the king wouldn't normally involve himself in a dispute between noble houses. But Lord Aengus's actions have put the entire southern border at risk, gambling with the stability of the Southern Marches. That is something the king will not condone. I am confident the king will support you in action against Aengus."

Maeve sighed, "War will weaken the region regardless who I do battle with, sir Colm. Whether with the Ceallaighs to the east, or the ó Faoláins to the west."

We were all quiet again for now, till Keira spoke up.

"Ok, Aengus is the guy who's been pulling strings the whole time. But he's been depending on others to actually do his dirty work. I mean, he hasn't just marched in and attacked Cathasaigh, he's been trying for over a century to get you and the Ceallaighs into a war with each other. So I don't think he's a direct threat. And now that Eamon's dead, that just leaves our granddad."

Keira took a deep breath, then suggested "Worry about the old mastermind guy later, after he's been isolated and he's run out of lackeys. First priority, in my opinion, is to find and deal with granddad."

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