“But Glenna, your dress.”
She only smiled at Moira. “It doesn’t matter. Only this matters.” She clasped hands with Hoyt, locked her eyes with his. “As the goddess and the god and the old ones…”
Hoyt’s voice joined hers. “Are witness to this rite. We now proclaim we’re husband and wife.”
He reached down, took her face in his hands. “I will love you beyond the end of days.”
Now, she thought, now, the circle was truly cast, strong and bright.
And the light glowed warmer, a wash of gold when their lips met, when their lips clung in hope and promise, and in love.
“So,” the old man said, “with the handfasting complete, they tended to their wounds and began the healing. They drank a toast to the love, the true magic, that had come out of dark and out of death.
“Inside the house while the rain fell, the brave rested and prepared for the next battle.”
He sat back, picking up the fresh tea a servant had set beside him. “That is all of the story for today.”
The protests were immediate, and passionate. But the old man only chuckled and shook his head.
“There’ll be more tomorrow, I promise you, for the story’s not finished. Only this beginning. But for now, the sun is out, and so should you be. Haven’t you learned from the beginning of the tale that light is to be treasured? Go. When I finish my tea, I’ll come out to watch you.”
Alone, he drank his tea, watched his fire. And thought of the tale he would tell on the morrow.
Glossary of Irish Words, Characters and Places
a chroi (ah-REE), Gaelic term of endearment meaning “my heart,” “my heart’s beloved,” “my darling”
a ghrá (ah-GHRA), Gaelic term of endearment meaning “my love,” “dear”
a stór (ah-STOR), Gaelic term of endearment meaning “my darling”
Aideen (Ae-DEEN), Moira’s young cousin
Alice McKenna, descendant of Cian and Hoyt Mac Cionaoith
An Clar (Ahn-CLAR), modern-day County Clare
Ballycloon (ba-LU-klun)
Blair Nola Bridgit Murphy, one of the circle of six, the “warrior” a demon hunter, a descendant of Nola Mac Cionaoith (Cian and Hoyt’s younger sister)
Burren, the, a karst limestone region in County Clare, which features caves and underground streams
cara (karu), Gaelic for “friend, relative”
Ceara, one of the village women
Cian (KEY-an) Mac Cionaoith/McKenna, Hoyt’s twin brother, a vampire, Lord of Oiche, one of the circle of six, “the one who is lost”
Cirio, Lilith’s human lover
ciunas (CYOON-as), Gaelic for “silence” the battle takes place in the Valley of Ciunas—the Valley of Silence
claddaugh, the Celtic symbol of love, friendship, loyalty
Cliffs of Mohr (also Moher), the name given to the ruin of forts in the South of Ireland, on a cliff near Hag’s Head “Moher O’Ruan”
Conn, Larkin’s childhood puppy
Dance of the Gods, the Dance, the place in which the circle of six passes through from the real world to the fantasy world of Geall
Davey, Lilith, the Vampire Queen’s “son,” a child vampire
Deirdre (DAIR-dhra) Riddock, Larkin’s mother
Dervil (DAR-vel), one of the village women
Eire (AIR-reh), Gaelic for “Ireland”
Eogan (O-en), Ceara’s husband
Eoin (OAN), Hoyt’s brother-in-law
Eternity, the name of Cian’s nightclub, located in New York City
Faerie Falls, imaginary place in Geall
fàilte à Geall (FALL-che ah GY-al), Gaelic for “Welcome to Geall”
Fearghus (FARE-gus), Hoyt’s brother-in-law
Geall (GY-al), in Gaelic means “promise” the land from which Moira and Larkin come; the city which Moira will someday rule
Glenna Ward, one of the circle of six, the “witch” lives in modern-day New York City
Hoyt Mac Cionaoith/McKenna (mac KHEE-nee), one of the circle of six, the “sorcerer”
Isleen (Is-LEEN), a servant at Castle Geall
Jarl (Yarl), Lilith’s sire, the vampire who turned her into a vampire
Jeremy Hilton, Blair Murphy’s ex-fiance
King, the name of Cian’s best friend, whom Cian befriended when King was a child; the manager of Eternity
Larkin Riddock, one of the circle of six, the “shifter of shapes,” a cousin of Moira, Queen of Geall
Lilith, the Vampire Queen, aka Queen of the Demons; leader of the war against humankind; Cian’s sire, the vampire who turned Cian from human to vampire
Lora, a vampire; Lilith’s lover
Lucius, Lora’s male vampire lover
Malvin, villager, soldier in Geallian army
Manhattan, city in New York; where both Cian McKenna and Glenna Ward live
mathair (maahir), Gaelic word for “mother”
Michael Thomas McKenna, descendant of Cian and Hoyt Mac Cionaoith
Mick Murphy, Blair Murphy’s younger brother
Midir (mee-DEER), vampire wizard to Lilith, Queen of the Vampires
miurnin (also sp. miurneach [mornukh]), Gaelic for “sweetheart,” term of endearment
Moira (MWA-ra), one of the circle of six, the “scholar” a princess, future queen of Geall
Morrigan (Mo-ree-ghan), Goddess of the Battle
Nola Mac Cionaoith, Hoyt and Cian’s youngest sister
ogham (ä-gem) (also spelled ogam), fifth/sixth century Irish alphabet
oiche (EE-heh), Gaelic for “night”
Oran (O-ren), Riddock’s youngest son, Larkin’s younger brother
Phelan (FA-len), Larkin’s brother-in-law
Prince Riddock, Larkin’s father, acting king of Geall, Moira’s maternal uncle
Region of Chiarrai (kee-U-ree), modern-day Kerry, situated in the extreme southwest of Ireland, sometimes referred to as “the Kingdom”
Samhain (SAM-en), summer’s end (Celtic festival); the battle takes place on the Feast of Samhain, the feast celebrating the end of summer
Sean (Shawn) Murphy, Blair Murphy’s father, a vampire hunter
Shop Street, cultural center of Galway
Sinann (shih-NAWN), Larkin’s sister
sláinte (slawn-che), Gaelic term for “cheers!”
slán agat (shlahn u-gut), Gaelic for “good-bye,” which is said to the person staying
slán leat (shlahn ly-aht), Gaelic for “good-bye,” which is said to the person leaving
Tuatha de Danaan (TOO-aha dai DON-nan), Welsh gods
Tynan (Ti-nin), guard at Castle Geall
Vlad, Cian’s stallion