Embers in the Dark

The Kelpie

"What the hell do ya mean I killed the wrong kelpie?!" Adair shouted in the kitchen.

Darrach sighed and rubbed his face as he leaned against the kitchen table.  "I mean the kelpie you killed wasn't the kelpie that ate Olena. There were two kelpies in the swamps that day and Apate's pet was one of them," he explained.

"How the hell did she even get a kelpie?!"

"Apparently he was a present from an Irishman, a very long time ago.  Apate raised the kelpie until he was old enough to survive on his own and she had him relocated to Ireland."

Adair growled and shook her head.  "Corvin has tah be lying!  I know what I saw that day!"

"Tell me what you saw."

"I saw Olena get pulled in!  I went in after her!  I saw her get eaten!" Adair shouted, tears forming in her eyes.  "Then he swam back up!"

"And then?"

"Then I chased after the fucking bastard and I killed him!"

"Uh huh," he said, tapping his chin.  "Did you lose sight of him at any point?"

Adair huffed, crossing her arms. "It was a feckin' swamp, Darrach!" she hissed.  "It was darker than shite but I still managed tah see what the fuck was going on!"

"Did you lose sight of him, Adair?" Darrach asked with a serious expression.

Adair rolled her eyes and looked away.  "...Maybe for a few seconds in the water, but that wasn't enough time for a second kelpie to just come out of nowhere."

"It wasn't?  Aren't kelpies extremely fast underwater?"

"...Yes.  But the kelpie I saw was the exact same one that killed Olena!"

Darrach frowned before approaching Adair slowly.  "Adair, listen to me.  If you were mistaken, no one is going to blame you for anything."

Adair sniffed.  "Yes they will."

Darrach put a hand on Adair's shoulder.  "No they won't.  You are a goddess of war and it in is your very nature to be blood thirsty in the heat of the moment.  Is it at all possible, that in your blind rage, you confused one kelpie for another?"

Adair sniffed again, wiping her nose quickly.  "...It is possible."

Suddenly O'Callaghan and Lilly barged in through the kitchen door, laughing their asses off with glee.  "Just you watch, Lilly.  Rose is going to have Arthur hanging upsi-" O'Callaghan suddenly stopped, then she looked at Darrach and Adair.  "Oh dear, did we interrupt something?"

Adair blinked in shock while Darrach started laughing.  "Oh noooo," he laughed hysterically.  "Were you doing what I think you were doing?!"

Lilly rolled her eyes.  "Darrach," she groaned.

"How did you..." Adair paused, pointing at O'Callaghan.  "...How?"

"Oh.  Loki taught us how to do it," O'Callaghan explained casually.

"And Rose?"

"She's with Arthur," Lilly replied as she went to the pantry and opened it.  "We're just grabbin' refreshments."

"You left Rose alone with Arthur?!"

"She has magic chains on, relax," O'Callaghan said, going to a different part of the kitchen to grab a tray.  "They have things to talk about."

"What kind of things?"

"Things that require a heart to heart conversation."

"And you're not worried?"