Chapter 12: Explanations
Writer's Note: Here is another chapter. I have an ending in mind, so I'm going to be writing chapters until I am done, before my inspiration runs off again. Thanks HoaLotsAtla for the review I'm not sure if they are planning on starting to update those other stories. It sure would be nice though! As always R&R! Please
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, they all belong to the wonderful Cate Tiernan.
I stood quietly in the elevator, with Hunter, Ciaran and Killian behind me. I had my back facing them, and needed to take a moment, to marvel, that my favorite 3 guys were in the elevator with me. We were all safe and sound (at least for now). The tension in the air, was very strong, but I don't think Hunter or Killian realized Da's presence quite yet. We reached my floor, and walked out together. I pushed through the door to my room as we had left it open, since we were in a hurry.
I ordered them to sit down, and I could hear Kill mumbling to himself under his breath. I also pointed to the invisible space and told Da to take his spell off. Ciaran materialized, and Kill was gaping at us both. "What in the world are you doing Morgan?" Killian was expecting answers but I knew he wasn't going to like them.
I had to figure out a way to explain to Kill about Ciaran. Hunter knew most of the story already, but I'm not quite sure, he knew I had a circle with Amyranth last night. "I need to talk to you." I spoke directly to Killian, "It will be easier to explain everything to him by myself". I was thinking out loud. I grabbed Kill from the arm, and headed for the closet.
The hotel's closet, was a walk-in closet, but no bigger than 4 by 5 feet. I closed the doors, and put some concealment and silencing spells around the door. I needed to take this seriously, and keep Killian calm. I knew he was about to get the shock of his life. I hoped that since I left Hunter and Ciaran alone in the room, they weren't going to kill each other. A few seconds later, I got a witch message from Ciaran saying that he was going to go get some breakfast, and he would be back before noon. That would ease the tension outside in the room.
I was left alone with Killian in the closet, and Hunter was alone in the room. Killian was looking at me with a cartoon expression on his face, that almost made me laugh, but I knew I had to tell him the complete truth about Ciaran, otherwise he wouldn't realize why I am now doing circles with Amyranth.
So I started. "Kill, I know you're mad, but you have to listen to me. The situation is complicated, well more than complicated. I should not have left without a warning in Edinburgh, and for that I do apologize, but I don't want to put you at risk. I know it's selfish, but I can not bear losing you. You have helped me so much over the last few years, and you honestly don't deserve this."
I was calculating my words very carefully. I needed to break this gently.
"I don't want you to think I've lost my mind. I need you to trust me on this, and I will show you the truth later. I've been meeting up with Da almost every week, for the last 6 years. We've been having breakfast, lunches, witch-training sessions, long conversations. I've grown to care for him, and he's taught me so much over these last few years."
He was looking at me, like I had just revealed, that I was a spy.
"I know you don't care for Ciaran, I know you don't like him. I know your scared half to death of him. (whether you admit it or not). I also know your different than the rest of your family. There's a reason you stuck by me all these years. You're not like Grania, or Kyle or Iona. You have a lot more Ciaran in you, than you think. I know you despise the fact that he's the leader of Amyranth. That Amyranth has tried to kill me multiple times, but I found out something that really changed my prospective of him."
Killian was thinking of saying something, but I don't think he knew what to say. I'm sure he had no idea where I was heading with this conversation.
"I found this out, after the incident in New York. Ciaran approached me, thought I should know about this. He couldn't take it if something happened to me. You know Kyle and Iona don't talk to him anymore. He feels guilty for involving all of us in this. I know he could never tell this to you in person, because he feels like a disappointment. This was definitely not how he imagined having a family. You know he loves you. He always thought that out of the three of you, you had the most good in you. You were not destined for Amyranth, and deep down he knows you hated the fact that you're family was responsible for so much evil."
I had to take a break, this was the hardest thing I had to tell someone. I was forgetting to breathe and that was getting to me. Killian and I had discussed, things about his side of the family before. While Kill had done a good share of unapproved magic he was by no means evil, and I knew that he always felt like he didn't fit in, with the rest of the overachieving power hungry side of this family. Killian never had the opportunity to know Ciaran, because he was gone so often. I decided I was just going to blurt out my point, since I had no easy way of putting this.
"Da works for the council"
There it was. Killian stared at me in disbelief, and then asked me "Are you sure?".
"I'm pretty damn sure". I replied, and he started laughing.
I had no idea what to do with his reaction, I knew he was freaking out.
"Please let me explain" I told him, and he stopped laughing, and leaned against the wall behind him.
I started then to tell him the story about the brach, how I found out about it, how Ciaran infiltrated Liatach, how they worked the plan all those years. I could tell he felt uncomfortable about how his family was created, but he never said a word to me. When I was done he almost seemed relieved at the situation. He was relieved that Ciaran wasn't evil.
"You know Morgan, this explains so much" He looked straight at me.
I looked back at him puzzled. "I always knew I was the oddball of the family. I thought I was crazy, thinking that all of Liathach was so wrong and so evil. Everyone around me was so power hungry, you know I never felt like that"
He was taking this way better than I had. I wanted to kill Ciaran after I figured it all out. I couldn't believe someone could cover up all that. I spent so much time thinking I was an heir to darkness. I also have faced Amyranth face-to-face more times than Killian has, and I know how evil they are.
Killian was still giggling like a little girl. It was his defense mechanism. We hugged each other, and continued to laugh at the comicality of the situation. I could not have asked for a better brother than Killian.
As soon as he sobered up he asked "This doesn't explain why you're in San Francisco?"
"OK. I know you're going to get mad when you find out what I did. So please please don't freak out, I can't handle that. I am trying to infiltrate Amyranth. I left Edinburgh because Da warned me, that the next target of Amyranth is the Sgiurs Dan. He can't stop them without blowing his cover, so I decided to run and hide. I couldn't drag you with me in this. I know that they could use you as bait Kill. I've faced them before and I know their ruthless. I don't want Ciaran to do anything stupid either."
I stopped to collect my thought.
"I came to San Francisco to find Eagruth a coven, that the New York Cell is trying to recruit so that they can overthrow Ciaran. After Ciaran came to my rescue six years ago, he left Amyranth for almost 6 months. They are still mad that he walked out on them. I had my first circle with Eagruth three days ago, and last night we had our first circle with Amyranth. They are planning on making them members of Amyranth. They want me to join, and I'm planning on going through with it. Official induction is tonight at 10pm.
Killian's jaw had dropped, and he looked like he wanted to start swearing at me.
"Edinburgh's Amyranth cell and Ciaran scried for the circle last night, and that's when he figured out what I was planning. He came here in the morning to try and convince me otherwise. I've run out of choices Kill. I can't let him lose everything he has worked for, and I can't bear the thought of losing either of you. I want to get this done once and for all."
I realized I should give an explanation on why Hunter is here.
"Hunter has been a member of Eagruth for the last two years. The real reason we were fighting was because I told him, I was meeting with Ciaran, he didn't believe everything I told him, and he tried to pull the braigh out to bind my powers, because he thought I lost my mind or was spelled. I guess Ciaran told the Council he wants to leave Amyranth, so Hunter volunteered himself for the position, because he finally realized that what I told him all those years ago was the truth. "I told him to leave Eagruth, since I had to be the one to join Amyranth not him. I couldn't bare him joining Amyranth. You know that."
There I had laid everything out to catch Killian up on everything. We had been sitting there for almost two hours, it was 11 o'clock. I remember that we had left Hunter outside by himself.
Kill was still trying to process everything. I was giving him some time and space. When he took me in a giant brotherly hug, and told me "Don't you dare break your promise to me. If you die, I will be so mad I will bring you back from the dead, to kill you myself" he spoke near my ear. I nodded and started to cry again. I realized he was crying too. This was a lot to process, and we had no time to adjust. I needed to get ready for tonight.
