A Battle of Pride and Desire

Chapter Twenty

Brigette's mind had been spinning the entire history lesson on the fae. Taran tried to gloss over the earth shattering news that he believed the fae took his father by bringing them to the library to do algebra. Algebra? Brigette managed to convince him to do a history lesson on the fae instead but he did not stray away from the lesson plan, no matter how much Brigette tried to distract him. The information he had shared this morning left her reeling. And what surprised her most was the anger she felt in the pit of her stomach. It was red hot and had legs, it could consume her if she wasn't careful. She had never truly felt hatred for something or someone she had never come across before, but her soul despised the fae. They tried to kill a child, they stole a father from his son and wife, they had no value for life. Their way of life went against the very core of Brigette's being and the anger she felt towards them only grew with every passing minute. It did not simmer, it did not calm down, it only grew stronger and more prominent. A thought shot across Brigette's mind that it would be better if her gift was killing people because what good was saving people when the fae walked, blood on their hands. She could practically hear her father's voice telling her that two wrongs don't make a right but her mother, her mother before grief, would encourage her to fight back.

Taran's voice droned on in the background and Brigette tried to listen but her anger was taking control of her. She hadn't the strength and will to listen.

"Brigette," an impatient voice.

Brigette's eyes snapped to Taran's and she knew something between them had changed in the past 24 hours. She couldn't pin point what it was but the world had shifted, the skies had opened up, the Gods were waiting for this. Or she was. Which ever.

"What?" she said dumbly.

"The fae," Taran pointed to the book. "How do they differ from faeries?"

Brigette only had a slight idea of what he was talking about, "Yes, uhm, they haunt children?" Brigette guessed from the stories she heard as a child.

Taran sighed and closed the book, "What must you never do if you encounter one?"

Brigette didn't know so she didn't answer.

"You never give them your name, and you mustn't ever eat their food. They will come to haunt your family or poison you. It's in their blood, they don't know otherwise. With a name comes power and with a name like Brigette it won't take them long to track your family to Dune Bríd."

Brigette hadn't thought of that. Her name was indeed to honour Bridie, but Bridie had that name because of Dune Bríd. Dune Bríd was named after the magnificent Bríd, a Goddess of healing and poetry. Her mother often said that Brigette had a streak of the Goddess within her - the desire to heal. Brigette pushed her chair out with a squeal in realisation. Was it a coincidence? Was anything these days?

"What?" Taran asked her.

"My name," Brigette said.

"Yes, don't give it to the fae."

"No. My name. I'm named after Goddess Bríd, She resides here, sleeps here. Do you know of Her?"

"She is a triple deity," Taran nodded.

"And what is She the Goddess of?" Brigette asked slowly.

"Of-" Taran paused. "Healing," he said, his eyes wide.

Brigette held a curse in, "Does Juno know Her?"

"I assume so," Taran said. "But Brigette, none of the Gods are awake. Juno awakening is a miracle, Bríd awakening would be a misfortune. Don't push them."

Brigette rolled her eyes, "I wasn't going to summon Her, I don't think I'd even know how. But I do want to talk to your mother for more information about Her."