Beyond the Pale: A Thin Veil Novella (The Thin Veil Book 3) by Jodi McIsaac Read Free Book Online Page A

humming a haunting, lyrical tune that sent shivers up her spine. She had never heard him sing before. Then he stopped suddenly, a frown creasing his face.
    “What is it?” she asked, unable to keep silent any longer.
    “Wait,” he said. Then he crossed the field to one of the living trees that bordered the clearing. He repeated the same things with several of them, his humming carrying across the field to where Kier stood waiting. Then he strode back toward her, his expression grim.
    “I don’t…I don’t understand it,” he said. “The trees say there is a poison leaching into them, but they cannot identify the source. They say it seems to be everywhere—in the ground, in the air, in the water. But that doesn’t make sense. How could that be?”
    “When did it start?” she asked.
    “They say it has been growing for the past two moons. They have been trying to fight it, to use their own power to counteract its effects, but…”
    “What?”
    “They’re losing. Soon the land will be dead.”

 
     
     
CHAPTER SIX
     
     
    Kier sat dozing among stacks of heavy, leather-bound books. She was in the large, circular room that served as a library, filled from floor to ceiling with books and manuscripts of all sizes, many of them thousands of years old.
    “My lady? Are you quite well?” Eolas, the librarian, floated down to her from where he had been hovering among the top stacks. He was a thin man, with bulbous eyes and skin so pale it was almost translucent.
    She lifted her head from her arms and wiped a wet patch at the corner of her mouth. “Mmm? Oh, yes, thank you, Eolas. I’ve just been feeling…tired, lately.” This was the third day she had spent in the library, searching for answers. Perhaps it was the stress, but she felt weak and more tired than usual. She wondered if whatever was afflicting the plants could be affecting her as well. Connor had not offered any further ideas about what the problem might be, but he’d promised to keep an ear to the ground. Their chief healer had also taken samples from the dead tree and several other plants that had been affected, but so far they had no answers.
    Kier pushed aside the stack of books she had been resting on. She had been researching the war between the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Milesians, trying to find something she could use to persuade Lorcan from his plan of revenge, if they could find him. She thought about what he had last said to her. Things are going to start changing, and soon you will see that I am right. When that time comes, send word to me. She wondered if he might eventually come to her .
    She thought again about the dead tree. Could Lorcan somehow absorb power from trees, as well as people?
    That’s impossible , she told herself. He doesn’t have the power to do that…no one does. Even Connor could only speak and listen to the land. Her friend Anya could manipulate water, just as Kier could flames, but neither of them had the ability to cause this much damage. What benefit could Lorcan gain from killing the trees? Unless…he wanted further cause for them to leave Tír na nÓg for Ériu. He wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t destroy our home. She shook her head at the thought, but she now knew that he was capable of anything.
    “Your Majesty.” Eolas was watching her closely, his large round eyes wide with worry. “You really do not seem well. Shall I call a healer?”
    “No,” she said quickly. “It’s nothing.”
    He came and sat down next to her. “You have been working yourself too hard. Can I assist you in your research?”
    She was about to say no, but why not enlist his help? No one knew these books better than Eolas, who had cared for them for hundreds of years. “Actually, yes,” she said. “I’ve been reading about how our people came here to Tír na nÓg, and about our time on Ériu.” She watched him closely. He didn’t seem like the type to side with Lorcan, but she had been surprised before. And after all,