Scarred

Chapter 35: Eogan and Fionuir

"I have found little point in pursuit beyond the grave, wouldn't you agree?" he replied, a hint of teasing laughter in his tone, though his face remained impassive. He was baiting her in return, wanting her off balance.

"Is there any pursuit truly beyond the grave?" she replied. "We carry our ancestors just us as our children carry us. We are our bloodlines."

Eogan tilted his head in acknowledgement. After all, this was the very core of Unsleir beliefs. "True, but to hold the child responsible for the sins of their parent is to deny their contribution to all the clans. Not to mention being unjust."

Fionúir's eyes flashed again. "Isn't that what the council did to my family though? Held the children responsible for the alleged sins of The Forgotten?"

"No, Fionúir," Eogan replied with a sigh, irritated that Aiora had allowed such blindness in her successor. "It's important you understand the full meaning of an Unmaking as I have no doubt you have great capacity for wisdom. I would not be surprised to see you enter the elder council ranks at a younger age than most. Therefore, you should know that to Unmake someone is harsh punishment, true, but it's also done to protect the family line."

"You lie!"

"Do you remember the promise I made you when you were a little girl?" Eogan asked, wondering if Aiora's bitterness had completely poisoned the bright woman he knew Fionúir to be. He truly hoped some of that brightness might still be salvaged. After all, their clans had once been close allies.

"I had not thought such promises made to children to be worth remembering," Fionúir said, her face calm, but an underlying note of bitterness threading through her tone.

"When I make such a vow, age is not relevant," Eogan replied calmly. "Though I do wonder who was so light with their honor as to claim honor vows made to children to be invalid. Such a person is not worthy of your time, Fionúir."

"And you are worthy of my time? Is that what you wish to imply?"

"That's entirely up to you, Fionúir. You know the promise I made, do you wish to hear my words on this topic?" Eogan asked, knowing that at the least, Fionúir's curiosity wouldn't let her walk away.

"Very well, speak," she commanded.

Eogan chuckled before settling his voice into the teaching tone he'd used when she was a child. "When an Unsleir crosses into the realm of blood magic, it can and will spill over into their family lines. Our very being is so tied into blood, that when we fall into tainted magic, it melds itself into our makeup and can echo through our entire clan.

Just as a single spoiled fruit can spread the rot to all the bushel, so a single Unsleir turned to dark magic can infect others of their blood. Unmaking is done to serve as a warning, yes, but the part that few know is that its true purpose is to protect the progeny from the contamination. Unmaking stops the darkness from spreading to the innocent and unwilling."

"Even so, you expect me to believe you didn't use it as a political tool against us, oh Great Truthspeaker," she shot back at him, a sneer in her tone, though her face remained blank.

"I have never used Unmaking as a political tool," Eogan replied flatly. "I'm aware of Aiora's beliefs on the matter, but she was mistaken. Unmaking is a serious event, one that in my view, should never be sullied with politics. I'm also sorry to say that not all feel this way. Take from that what you will," he finished, now suspecting exactly who may have manipulated this situation. He was still surprised, though. Aiora had always been an extremely intelligent and very independent woman, he would not have thought such maneuvering to be something that would work against her.

He studied Fionúir carefully, attempting to glean as much information as possible. She hid her emotions well, most would detect nothing, however, Eogan had served as clan head and as a senior council member for centuries. He was adept at reading the most minute muscle twitches, and he could tell Fionúir was conflicted by his words.

"I will offer you this, Fionúir, as I offered to Aiora. I swear upon my honor and my blood that my decision to Unmake The Forgotten was based on the evidence laid before us and not upon political considerations," he said, offering the single most sacred vow among Unsleir.

Fionúir was briefly taken aback by this, but she recovered quickly, staring at Eogan for several minutes before speaking. "You offered this pledge to my grandmother?"

"I offered to make the pledge, but Aiora walked away before I could utter the words and became rather reclusive afterwards."

Fionúir considered Eogan's statements, picking apart his words from every angle. If what he said was true, this changed a great many things. She knew full well her grandmother had isolated herself since the Unmaking had occurred, turning to a handful of others that Fionúir had never trusted.

Eogan's words cast many things in a new light, and she now feared her grandmother had placed her and their clan in a very delicate position. She needed to check into a few things before she decided how to proceed. At this point, one wrong move could destroy her clan, though there was one thing she could and would do now.

"You've given me much to consider, Eogan," Fionúir said. "I take my leave of you now. Deal with your man and a bit of advice in thanks for your conversation. Take yourself and your people home and leave matters outside your clan alone," she said before turning her head towards the forest. "I rescind my offer of aid and revoke my invitation," she announced and vanished, pulled instantly back between the worlds, and to her own home.

Eogan was surprised at the sudden turn of events, though pleased that Fionúir seemed to be willing to at least consider what he'd said. There was no doubt that she was giving him a subtle warning, probably about as much as she could without breaking her agreements. Still, the fact that she was wandering on Michael's lands at all was more than a little cause for concern.

If a clan head can be pulled into this mess, whoever's orchestrating things has a great deal more influence and power than I'd expected. The time for secrecy is over, he thought to himself, letting his power flare as he activated the forest, seeking out anyone that didn't belong. He had no doubt he was about to stir up a hornet's nest, and he planned to enjoy every last minute of it.