The Fifth Beast (ManxMan Chinese/Celtic Fantasy Story)

Chapter 42

Niall looked back at the gates of his castle, looked down at his feet, and, just in case, took a small step from the drawbridge to the edge of the moat.

"I can swear by anything you want, Yuizhen of the Kirinches, that your slave is not in my castle of Sliab Mis, and there is no one there who knows about his existence."

Fao smiled, also looked at Niall's feet and gave him an approving glance. He clearly appreciated how gracefully Niall had gotten out on a technicality.

"Can you swear by the sacred name of the goddess Danu, Steward of the North Niall Mac Nechtan, that you do not know where he is?"

Niall bit his lip. This was where Fao caught him. By the icy depths of Angaine, how did this mortal know the only unbreakable oath of the Tuatha Dé? Of course, a mother's name was sacred in any culture, and the very name of the Tuatha Dé Danann — the tribe of the goddess Danu — betrayed who their most sacred ancestor had been.

"I can't, as you well know," he muttered.

"Then I ask for the return of my property, my dear Steward of the North."

"I'm afraid there might be some difficulty with that."

"It's all right, a ransom will do."

Niall looked at Fao in disbelief. Was it that simple? For this he came with an army to Mag Tuired, for mere twenty taels of silver? Incredible. He opened his mouth to blurt out: "You can have even thirty taels, for God's sake!"

"I think a thousand taels of silver would be an acceptable amount," Fao continued calmly. "In Mag Tuired measures, about a thousand cumals. And also, please add the silver bracelet you're wearing."

"You're crazy, or what? No slave, even the most beautiful and skilled one, is worth that much! This is the price of several villages with fields, mills and cattle. Or of the entire castle Sliabh Mis!"

"Well then, I will take your castle as payment, Niall Mac Nechtan." Fao bared his teeth in a predatory smile, dropping the pretense. "I won't leave a stone unturned here, I'll slaughter all your people or sell them into slavery, and I'll drag you to Khanbaliq tied to my horse."

Niall rolled his eyes and made a bored face.

"How briefly your courtesy lasted, gallant Yuizhen of the Kirinches. If you didn't understand the first time, I'll show you more clearly!" He spread his palms and threw a humming white arc of lightning between them. "How many warriors did you bring — two, three thousand? Come on, let all of them die under the walls of Sliabh Mis. And whoever tries to flee, Daire Mac Cormac will catch up with them and slaughter them like pigs. I've already sent word to him, he will soon join the party."

"It never ceases to amaze me how you Sidhe could lie without even batting an eyelid. Do you think I didn't order to cordon off the Cromlech of Sliabh Mis, so you couldn't send word to anyone? I also ordered to intercept every rider and walker aiming towards Ath Luain. And I have hunting falcons trained for pigeons, and skilled archers. But, Niall," Fao leaned closer, lowering his voice intimately, "we both know that no one in their right mind sends for Daire Mac Cormac while he hopes to manage on his own. And you didn't."

Niall struggled to keep his bored, indifferent expression. The blow was well-aimed and hard. Faolan Three Swords came prepared. Why did he talk so confidently about Daire, as if he knew him personally?

Chills ran down his spine. It was quite possible, come to think about it. Daire might have visited Airenn, Fao might have visited Ath Luain. Not now, sometime before, when he was young and naïve, not yet the junior leader of the Kirinches. At the thought that Daire Mac Cormac's hands were touching those dark nipples, that his muscular knee was spreading those long and slender legs, Niall's insides suddenly twisted into a tight ball. Barbarian whore! Niall was neither his first man, nor even his first lord of the Tuatha Dé Danann!

"On a chain, with a slave collar on, you will enter the gates of my castle, Faolan Three Swords," Niall hissed, and his eyes lit up with white fire. "Not in any other manner. And to achieve that, I don't need anyone's help."