it was very difficult for her. And you might be surprised, Ruithneadh, just how many gels don’t care for that sort of thing and the violence of their reactions once they realize they’ve been—how shall we say it?”
“Misled for their own good?”
“Lied to,” Soilléir corrected with a smile. “How long was it before you knew she had no magic?”
“How did you know that?” Ruith asked in surprise, then he held up his hand. “Never mind. I know: you are who you are. I knew early on, though she is quite adept at hiding it. I imagine her lack made for a very difficult life with Seleg and that damned brother of hers.”
“I suppose that’s understating it a bit, but those are likely happenings she would rather leave in her past. Let’s discuss your past instead. What were you doing all those years whilst our lovely Sarah was trying to stay out of Seleg’s sights? I know about the well, of course, and I knew you’d gone south to regroup—”
“That is one way to put it,” Ruith muttered.
“You were a lad of ten winters, Ruith, and not your father’s equal—though that was simply a matter of age and experience, not raw power. You’ll remember that not even your mother was able to stand against him in that glade, empowered as he was by the acquisition of your brothers’ magic.”
“Acquisition,” Ruith echoed grimly. “Aye, I suppose you could call it that.”
Soilléir shrugged. “What else is there to call it? ’Tis an awful business, and your father was a master at it. You could not have fought him at your tender age, and for all you knew, he was still hiding there in the woods, wounded but alive. You made the choice to retreat in order to fight another day.”
Ruith dragged his hands through his still-damp hair. “You’re trying to assuage my guilt.”
“You know I’m not,” Soilléir said without hesitation. “There are many, including me, who have been faced with that same sort of decision and live now with the consequences of our actions. You cannot go back and change what’s done, but you can accept that you did what was needful at the time.”
Ruith wasn’t sure he cared to know what sort of choices Soilléir had made. He couldn’t imagine they’d been easy ones.
“And in case you’re wondering, I have left you your privacy all these years—not that I didn’t think about you now and again and hope you were well.”
“I appreciate that,” Ruith managed.
Soilléir laughed a little. “I imagine you do. And I will admit that I hadn’t given you much thought recently until you healed Seirceil of Coibhneas. You woke me out of a dead sleep with that little piece of magic, if you’re curious.”
“I wasn’t,” Ruith said sourly, “but I appreciate knowing as much. How far does your sight extend, anyway?”
“Not to the innards of your stewpot, if that eases you any.” Soilléir poured more wine for them both, handed Ruith his cup, then settled back comfortably in his chair. “I’ve often wondered how it was you so easily found a place to land. Perhaps someone knew you were coming.”
“I shudder to think who that might have been,” Ruith said. “No one could have suspected I would travel south. I imagine it was just a matter of happy coincidence.”
“Others might have a different opinion,” Soilléir said with a smile, “but we’ll leave that for now. What happened after you shut your door and no doubt slept for days?”
“I survived,” Ruith said, then he stopped as something else occurred to him. “I don’t suppose you have stretched your sight to looking for other things besides what I put in my stew, have you? Perhaps as far as determining if any of my siblings are still alive or not?”
“I might see,” Soilléir said mildly, “but I don’t divulge.”
“Damn you.”
Soilléir laughed softly. “Ah, Ruith, it is good to see you again.”
Ruith only grunted. “I’m sure my lack of deference is refreshing. And since you won’t divulge, I will. Keir is alive, if Díolain is to be believed.”
Soilléir didn’t look particularly surprised. “Is he, indeed?”
“You’re impossible.”
“Discreet,” Soilléir corrected with a smile. “And instead of your past, tell me of your journey east. I’m curious about the particulars of it and what you saw on your way here.”
Ruith set the cup aside for future need and began with his encounter with Sarah at his front door. He related with no relish at all the events that led up to his realizing that his father’s