Elfhaven (the Danu Cycle: Fiann Trilogy Book 2)

Chapter Eight

"It was the iron."

Niamh pulled her arm off her eyes and looked at him. He wasn't looking at her. "The what?"

"The iron."

"What iron?"

"The iron Ironbridge is named for. It is anathema to faery-kind. You, your mother, you can handle it because of the human blood in your veins. That stuff has been pumping iron around your system since you were born-"

"Wait...?"

"What?" She heard the smile in his voice without having to see it.

"How many fae women give birth to half-breeds, as you so lovingly call them?"

"I could not tell you. Why?"

"Well, if iron is anathema to fae and assuming you're reproductive systems work the same as humans which is why we can...reproduce together. Then the fae mother would get the iron in her system from the baby... Surely that doesn't work? Oh my God, are part-fae offspring barren? Like a mule or a lyger?"

"What is a...? I am really not qualified to answer either of those questions..." He seemed to stumble, uncertainty marring his usually know-it-all voice.

"Never mind. You were telling me about Ironbridge?"

"There is really not that much more to tell you. Dwendardien escaped, you encountered him. The fiann was weakened because of the iron. Dwendardien's troops were insane because of the iron. The fiann did poorly and my fiann pulled you out before there was much lasting damage." The way he said the last two words made Niamh's hair prickle at the back of her neck and her stomach drop.

"What does that mean?"

Eamon rubbed his neck. Niamh put her hand on his knee, worried about what he was going to say.

"Eamon, who is it?" Niamh whispered, dread clutching her heart, picturing Lochlan lying dead on the forest path.

"What?" he started. "No, you just might have some trouble with your leg. The rest of your fiann, while weak, will all make a full recovery."

Niamh sighed in relief and she saw respect in Eamon's eyes.

"What?" it was her turn to ask.

"I am impressed with your loyalty to your fiann. You put them above your own safety. I should not have told you to use your magic. Dunne told me you had already used it."

Niamh's hand was still on his knee and she gave him what she hoped was an encouraging squeeze. "As you said, I would do anything for my fiann. When you called, I knew that was the best thing for them."

He smiled at her, seemingly happy to sit in silence for a while.

Niamh felt a sudden urge to see what was wrong with her leg though. So, she pulled the blankets back.

"What are you doing?"

"Checking out my... Bloody... No pants again?" she grumbled, seeing she wore only underpants and a white bandage around her leg.

She looked at Eamon, waiting for him to explain what was wrong with it, but she saw he was not looking at her.

"It's just a leg, man. I'm sure you've seen worse."

He got up, still looking away. "We may have had...our moments, O'Callaghan, but I do not intend to put myself in a position which could leave me open to your accusations of impropriety..."

"I'm sorry... What? You make it sound like I'm naked under here." She looked down, wondering why he'd be so squeamish about a bandaged leg. She'd seen him do and receive much worse in training.