Liam

Chapter 13

When Rayne awoke, she was on a couch in the back office. She propped herself up on her elbow and looked around the room. Megan and Kalli sat holding hands talking to Liam near the desk. Liam looked over when he heard her move. He quickly came to her side, "Are you alright, darling? You gave us quite a fright. Here, take a sip of this, it will help." he handed her a cup of warm tea. It had a soft floral smell and tasted sweet. She took another drink before allowing him to help her sit up.

She looked over at Megan and Kalli with curiosity. She had known them for almost 4 years and never once would she have expected Kalli to be a Goddess. How had she missed it?

"You didn't see because I didn't want you to see," Kalli answered her thought out loud. "It really was fate that you came to work here. Rayne, you are a fountain of magic. You have potential I've never seen before, and I'm sure others can see it as well. I'm surprised it took this long for someone to make a move to take you." She paused for a moment and then asked them both, "Do you know who that was?"

Liam spoke up first. "His name or at least the name he gave us was Mr. Klen. He was referred to me as a client to find some Celtic artifacts. Rayne accompanied me to the meeting as my expert. His associate Mr. Stewart then attempted to attack us in the park yesterday. We've determined Stewart might be some sort of revenant, but we don't know about Klen. Do you have any insights? You called him a God."

Megan shook her head at Kalli and said, "That was Homados. He is one of the Makhai from the Greek pantheons. He is a lesser being, but considered the God of the battle-din."

"That would explain why I heard cries of pain and death when he looked at me." Rayne rubbed her temples. This is all so much to take in at once, she thought. Can't I just have one normal day?

Kalli had a sad, motherly expression on her face, "No little one, I'm sorry but normal is not in the cards for you."

"Okay, stop doing that! At least let me say stuff before you respond, please," Rayne huffed, then with an apologetic look, she lowered her voice and asked, "what exactly does Homados want with me?"

"I doubt very much he wants anything. His mother, however, is an entirely different matter. He never strays far from Eris. She is who you should be focused on. Eris is very strong and tricky. She enjoys her chaos and can be unpredictable." Kalli had a worried expression on her face. "I can't help you outside these walls, little one." She turned to look at Liam. "You were willing to sacrifice yourself for her today." It was a statement, not a question.

Liam nodded, "Yes, a thousand times if needed, yes," He intertwined his fingers with Rayne and looked into her eyes as he finished his sentence, "she is where I am meant to be."

Kalli's eyebrows arched at his remark. She looked over at Megan who gave her a similar look. "You both need to be careful. Rayne, I fear it isn't safe for you here anymore. You need to go home, your real home - Ireland and Tír na nÓg. That is where you will find the strength for what is to come."

"What are you talking about? I've never been to Tír na nÓg. I was only a small girl when we left Ireland, and it definitely wasn't in a Fae realm. I was born in Crookhaven, County Cork, not Tír na nÓg." She shook her head, sitting up straight. None of this made sense to her. She looked at Liam hoping he would give her some sort of answer, or even agree with her.

"Look at me!" Kalli's voice boomed. "You must face who you are now. Do as I say. Go to your ancestral home and find your answers." Her voice softened as she now had Rayne's full attention. "I do not know what lies ahead for the two of you, but I will do what I can from here." She turned her full attention to Liam, her eyes burned with blue light and her true form showed. "You have chosen a truly dangerous path. If harm comes to her by your hand or actions, no amount of trickery will save you, understood?"

Liam bowed to her then raised his gaze steady with hers, "I will lay down my life eternal before I allow her to come to any harm. I give you my word Timeless One and her consort." He nodded to Megan as well.

Seeming satisfied with his response, Kalli, now Kali, clapped her hands together in a thunderous sound and suddenly, Rayne and Liam found themselves standing in the bedroom of a hotel in the middle of Dublin, Ireland. "Good, I hate flying." Rayne laughed, trying to stave off the fear that was beginning to overtake her. Liam took her in his arms and just held her for a few moments.

"Come and sit. Give yourself a moment to breathe, darling," he took her hand and led her to the edge of the bed. Once she sat down, he walked to the window and peered out. "I've never been to Ireland before. You'd think in all my years I would have stopped here before now, but I never have. Did you ever come to Dublin in your childhood?" She could tell he was trying to distract her with small talk, and she appreciated him for it.

"Only on the day we left. Grandma and I ate at a small pub before getting on the plane to America. Grandma never cared for big cities and Dublin is one of the biggest." Her eyes teared up at the mention of her grandmother. "I wish she was here now. She would know what to do. I just feel so lost. I don't know what I'm expected to do, Liam." Her head fell forward into her hands, her sobs breaking free from her chest. She couldn't stop crying. Liam rushed to her side, holding her and stroking her hair.

"I know you miss her. It will be okay, my love. We will figure this out together, I promise. Look at me, please," he lifted her chin to see her eyes, "I'm not leaving you, not ever." He wiped away a tear on her cheek with his thumb, and then he kissed away the tears on her other cheek. "I would give my life for you, Rayne."

She bristled, and snapped, "Stop saying that! That's exactly what I'm afraid of! First my dream, then you jumped in front of that mist. You could have been killed and I can't live without you!" His eyes went wide as she spoke. Rayne whimpered, "I love you, Liam."

Liam pushed his lips against hers, then pulled back and said, "I love you too, Rayne. I think I always have." He kissed her again and pressed her to his chest. "When Klen, Hormados, or whoever he is, shot that mist at you, I didn't hesitate. I couldn't bear the thought of you being hurt. I love you so much, ástvinur."

"I'm stronger than you think, Liam. I can defend myself. You shouldn't have jumped in the way." She kissed his chin, then his lips, "I know this sounds crazy, and it's not even been a week, but I can't lose you." 

Author's Notes:  Kali knows something about Liam...what might it be?