The Twenty Seven

Chapter 2

Half an hour into their trip since the accident, Eira's stomach begins to protest. "Do you think we could stop somewhere? I haven't actually eaten--"

"We need to get to Crann," Nes responds, not looking at her.

"Okay, and don't get me wrong; I know that. I'm actually looking forward to it now, which is strange. But I won't be much help with -- well -- with whatever you need me for if I'm passed out. Which could happen at any moment."

Ty gives Nes a grin. "C'mon, Nes. Would it kill us to get some food? Crann will be there in a few hours."

"We're half an hour away. Why would we stop now?"

The car is silent for a few more minutes. "What kinds of food do they have in Crann?" Ty looks back and shoots Eira a grin. Nes gives her a glare in the mirror. Eira raises her hands in surrender. "Sorry. I just-- I'm kind of a picky eater, and I mean--" she cuts herself off, taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh. "If you guys were cannibals or something, you'd tell me, right?"

No one speaks until Ty lets out a loud laugh. The other two break out into smiles, Es shaking her head and patting Eira on the shoulder. "Eira, we don't eat people."

"I don't know if you could account for everyone," Ty says. "There are the Torcdas."

Es shoots Ty a look. Eira speaks up, instantly interested. "The Torcdas?" She pauses for a moment, lightly chewing her lip as she tries to translate the Goidelic word in her head.

"The shapeshifters," Nes supplies. "And they don't eat people." She glances back at Eira. "At least, not on purpose."

"Okay, there's no need to scare the new girl. Especially not if we want another Tochais," Es says.

"Tochais?"

"People like you," Es responds. "People who can make the Tochs work."

"Is that-- Is that why Ty cut my hand?" With a frown, Eira looks down at the hastily bandaged palm. "Actually, why can't I just use one of the Tochs on myself? If they could help keep those people alive, surely they could heal this."

"They don't work on Tochaisi." Eira turns towards Nes again. "The Ri will explain things to you." She shoots her another look. "Do you still want to stop for food?"

"Well--" Eira's complaint dies in her throat as Nes slams on the gas, pushing past one of the cars to their side. "Right. I guess not."

Another half an hour later, they pull into a small road, enclosed by trees on either side. Eira is too engrossed in the pictures of the symbols that the girls had brought along that she barely notices the figures darting through the trees. Nes slows the car, Ty already opening her door.

"Come on," Es says, gently grabbing Eira's arm. Startled, Eira makes to speak, but Es shushes her, shaking her head. Together, they make their way down the path, following the road that the car was headed down. Nes takes the lead, her head held high. Ty takes the rear, clearly on red alert. Es locks arms with Eira, giving encouraging nods whenever she looks over to her in fear.

After what feels like hours of walking -- but was, in reality, only around fifteen minutes -- they come to a large boulder, in the middle of a small clearing. The boulder is covered in writing in various different colors and it takes everything within her for Eira to not run over and inspect it. Instead, she plays it cool, following the others' lead.

Nes closes her eyes, taking a deep breath in. "You've taken the Cloch." Eira looks around, eyes darting to either side, but notices no one. "We need it back."

She opens her eyes just as a figure stands before her, their black robe tracing the ground, the hood covering their face. They don't say anything, and stand shock still. Nes tilts her head to the side, as if listening to something.