Page 120 of Queen of the Shadow

Cuchulainn closed his eyes and pulled her to him. She was rainfall in his desert.

When they finally parted, it was Scáthach who broke the kiss. She stepped back and cupped his cheek with her hand. “You have brought me so much joy.”

“And you have healed me,” he said.

She smiled. “No, Sentanta. I simply helped. You chose to heal.”

“What I chose was you.”

Her smile faded. Scáthach turned away from him to the sea and the glowing tunnel to stop herself from shouting,Had you really chosen me, you’d leave that cursed spear here and tell your father to sire another hero!“Ready?” she said instead.

He grinned. “Good thing I know how to swim.”

Side by side they dove into the tunnel. The water was warm. An artery that fed the Underworld pulled them into its pulse and, escorted by sturgeons, carried them with immortal swiftness from the Winterlands away and up, up, up—spitting them out like blow from a whale.

They broke the surface sputtering and squinting in the bright light of a warm spring morning. Treading at the surface, they wiped hair and water from their faces and tried to orient themselves.

Then the wail of a carnyx echoed across the water, accompanied by the excited barking of a very large dog. Scáthach spun in the water to gaze up at Dunscáith. All along the castle’s seaward balustrades, black uniformed Shadow Guards waved and cheered. The sun caught her daughter’s leonine hair as Uathach waved both of her arms over her head. Beside her, Tabiti took the carnyx from a Shadow Guard and blew it over and over as Leannan barked in joyous welcome.

“I think they’ve missed you,” said Cuchulainn as he treaded water at her side.

“And you’ve been missed as well.” She cut her eyes to the west, where a great ship was just dropping anchor. The flag that flew proudly over it was white, decorated only with one large red handprint.

“The red hand of Ulster,” Cuchulainn said solemnly.

* * *

“Mama!” Uathach hurled herself into Scáthach’s arms the moment her mother emerged from the water as Tabiti wrapped a blanket around her and then another around Cuchulainn. Leannan jumped about, whining and trying to shove her muzzle between mother and daughter.

“It’s okay, Leannan. You’re my good girl,” said Scáthach as she held Uathach, but freed one hand to ruffle the big dog’s ear. Leannan then turned her exuberant attention to Cuchulainn, who laughed and petted her.

“Little Fry, I have missed you.” Scáthach held her daughter tightly as Uathach trembled. She pulled back to stare at Uathach. “Why are you crying? Has something happened?”

“Yes, you’ve been gone for months,” said Tabiti, hands on hips. “Actually, it’s been exactly one year and one day since Cuchulainn crossed the Bridge of Leaps, which is why the King of Ulster is on our doorstep.” She pointed seaward to the ship that was already lowering a landing boat. Even from that distance, the sunlight glinted off a golden crown.

Cuchulainn straightened from petting Leannan, though he kept one hand on the big dog’s head. “The King of Ulster. He’s here for me.”

“That’s what his runner said. He arrived a few days ago to inform us of the king’s visit.” Uathach wiped her eyes and stepped out of her mother’s arms. “Hello, Cu. Did you get your spear?”

Cuchulainn pointed a thumb at his back and the bone spear that was strapped there. “We did.” He turned to Tabiti. “Good to see you. And let me thank you again for teaching me how to swim.”

Tabiti grinned and bowed her head. “You are most welcome, Hero of Ulster.”

“Have we really been gone for months?” Cuchulainn asked.

“Yes. I was becoming worried,” said Uathach.

Scáthach threaded her arm through her daughter’s as the four of them, with Leannan trotting close beside, walked along the rocky shoreline to the seaward entrance to Dunscáith. “Has Mother not visited?”

“Not once,” Uathach said.

“It’s why we worried,” added Tabiti. “We thought you two might have gotten yourselves in such trouble that Béfionn had to help you out.”

“No, she’s still in Valhalla with Father,” said Scáthach. “I know because I spoke with him and he said she was there.”

“You were in Valhalla?” Uathach asked.

“It’s a long story,” said Scáthach.