Hounded

jerking my thumb back to the hilt. » Da stole it from him long ago, but in a way it’s more like he brought it home. It’s an Irish sword, you know, but this bloke had it in his private collection, and it didn’t seem right, him being British and all. «
    » He’s British? «
    » Aye. « I felt ashamed for pushing the widow’s buttons like this, but I couldn’t afford to keep talking all night with a decapitated body in the street. Her husband had been in the Provos during the Troubles and was killed by the UVF, whom the widow had always assumed, rightly or not, to be puppets of the British.
    » Ah, well then ye can bury the bastard in me backyard, and God damn the queen and all her hellish minions. «
    » Amen, « I said, » and thank you. «
    » Not at all, me boy, « the widow said, and then she laughed. » Ye know what me Sean used to say, God rest his soul? He said, ‘A friend will help ye move, Katie, but a really good friend will help ye move a body.’ « She cackled hoarsely and clapped her hands together. » Not that I can help ye move a big bugger like that. D’ye know where the shovel is? «
    » Aye, that I do. I wonder, Mrs. MacDonagh, if you would have some lemonade or something in the house? I have a feeling I’ll need it. «
    » Oh, sure, me boy, I can whip something up. Ye just get busy and I’ll come out with a glass. «
    » Thank you so much. « As she disappeared inside, I turned back to Oberon, who was still in camouflage. Think you can carry the head back to the backyard? We need to get this out of sight . Night had fallen, but the streetlamps were coming on, and anyone driving down the street would see a slight problem in their headlights.
    › Not much to grab on to with that helmet on. I guess I could nudge it along with my nose. ‹
    Good enough , I said. As I bent down to pick up the body and Oberon began playing a macabre game of snout soccer, the battle crow showed up. It took one look at the carnage and squawked angrily at me.
    » I know, « I said in an urgent whisper. » I’m in deep trouble. If you will follow me to the backyard, we should be able to speak privately there. « The crow squawked once more before launching itself into the air and flapping over the roof.
    I hauled Bres off the street and slung him over my shoulder in a fireman’s carry. I felt his blood oozing through the back of my shirt—I’d have to burn it.
    When I got to the backyard, the Morrigan was already in human form, standing pale and silent with her hands on her hips. Her eyes were glowing. This wasn’t going to be a nice chat.
    » When I agreed to your immortality, that did not give you permission to kill the Tuatha Dé Danann, « she spat.
    » Surely I don’t need permission to defend myself? « I asked. » He tried to use his glamour to cut me down, Morrigan. If I hadn’t been wearing my necklace, I never would have seen the sword he pulled on me. «
    » You would have survived, « the Morrigan pointed out.
    » Aye, but in what condition? Forgive me if I do not wish to experiment with various levels of pain and disembowelment, « I said, as I lowered my shoulder and let Bres fall unceremoniously onto the widow’s Bermuda grass.
    » Tell me precisely what happened, every word that passed between you. «
    I told her, and she regarded me with stony silence, except for those red eyes. They finally dimmed when I told of how I had used a camouflaged dog to trip him and finish him off.
    » Well, that was unforgivably arrogant of him. He deserved to die a fool’s death, « she said. » And look at that horrendous armor. « But then she looked at his head resting a yard to the right, and her eyes blazed red again. » When Brighid hears of this, she will want me to bring her your head! And I will have to tell her no! Do you know what position that puts me in, Druid? «
    » I am sorry, Morrigan. But perhaps if you tell Brighid precisely how he died, she will be less inclined to demand blood for blood. Think of your own reaction to it: His death was the most dishonorable of any of the Tuatha Dé Danann. And why was he doing Aenghus’s bidding, anyway? Demanding restitution for one such as he would be almost ridiculous. «
    Her eyes cooled down as she considered my words. » Hmm. You reason well. Perhaps we can avoid conflict if we present it to her properly. « She looked again at Bres’s headless body and his head sitting at Oberon’s feet. » Leave the body with me, « she said. » I will take