He let out a cross between a laugh and a groan before reaching for me. The kiss was hurried, desperate, but as we pulled back for a breath, his touches became gentle. He traced the line of my jaw, pressing kisses along the side of my neck. I helped him out of his tunic and chain mail, and he reached for the fastenings of my armor.
“You’ll have little need for armor now,” he said, putting it to the side as he removed each piece.
I lay down on the bed with a sigh. “Oh? And what would you have me wear instead?”
“Nothing.” He pressed a kiss to my bare shoulder. “But I don’t think you’d agree.”
My lips curled into a smile. “You’re right.”
“Then let me dress you as I would my wife,” he said, pressing another kiss to the hollow of my throat, “with gold and furs and silk.”
I pushed him back until I was on top, my hands braced against his wide chest. “You are forgetting that I am a queen in my own right. I can clothe myself in gold and furs and silk.”
He laughed, the motion shaking through me. “I could never forget that you are a woman who can take care of herself.” His smile melted away as he pulled me down to his mouth. “But that won’t stop me from wanting to shower you with gifts.”
Any response I might have had disappeared as his mouth and tongue rendered me speechless.
Though I didn’t recall falling asleep, I woke to the sound of rustling wings. I sat bolt upright in bed, my heart racing in my chest. Beside me, Leif slumbered on, unaware, but I knew the Morrigan had come for me.
From out of the fireplace, tendrils of black smoke flowed. They outlined the form of a woman just before solidifying into the Morrigan. She was dressed in a gown of black, a mantle of crows’ feathers on her shoulders. Though I had seen her many times since that first vision, my skin still erupted in goose bumps at the sight of her. There was no ignoring the undercurrent of darkness and violence that lay just beneath her surface.
And I am just as dangerous, I thought.
“So you are a queen now,” the Morrigan said with an expression I would almost call pride on anyone else. “Power becomes you.” She tilted her head. “Soon all of éirinn will come to know what you have done for them, and though many will be grateful, there will be others who will want to test their might against yours just to see who will come out the victor.” Her gaze shifted to Leif’s sleeping form. “And the two of you together will only draw powerful beings to you like flies.”
There was a compelling truth to her words, and for a moment, despair descended upon me like the heavy weight of chains. “Then we will draw together for strength and thwart any who would threaten us.”
A wide, approving smile curved her lips. “You truly have grown into your power, Ciara of Mide.” She turned to go, but I held out my hand to stop her.
“Why didn’t you tell me I could call upon your power in battle?” I asked.
Her expression remained unapologetic. “I had intervened as much as I dared. I could not fight your war for you; destroying the j?tnar was your quest. You needed to believe you only had yourself and your Northman lover to rely upon, but I have always done everything I could to see that you succeed.”
Her eyes met mine, and something inside me seemed to shift. “Have you ever loved me as a mother?” The words were torn from me without conscious thought.
She let out a self-deprecating laugh. “I’m not sure I’m capable of such an emotion,” she said, but just as a dagger of pain stabbed through me at the thought that no parent was able to love me, she added, “But if I were, you are the only one for whom I’ve felt anything remotely close to it.”
Before I could respond, she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my hair. Then in a flurry of feathers, she was gone.
31
I sat upon Mide’s throne of white, my gown the glittering silver and black of the night sky. To my right sat Leif Olafsson, the Giant Slayer, my former prisoner and soon-to-be husband and king.
A crow let out a caw-caw-caw just outside, and my lips curved in a slow smile.
Acknowledgments
Deo gratias.
Beyond has always been special to me because I nearly put it aside, but Ciara and Leif just wouldn’t let me. Their voices, as it turns out, are pretty hard to ignore. And I’m so glad I didn’t, because with the help of many, many people, their story has been brought to life.
Thank you to my husband for everything he does (the list is long and exhaustive), but especially for keeping the kids entertained while I literally locked myself in a room to work on edits. I love you forever and always.
For my mom and dad, who always believed in me, no matter what. And for my mom’s willingness to read every version of this story . . . times a million. I’m sorry for the animal peril! I’m also sorry for refusing to change the ending. . . .
For my in-laws, Mike and Carol Leake, who have always been so proud and supportive—and they were always happy to take the kids any time I needed time to write!
For Karina Sumner-Smith, who never doubted Ciara and Leif’s story could—and should!—be told. Our Skype conversations on plot ideas (and everything else) were pure genius—it’s like we should write books. . . .
For my editor, Alice Jerman, for loving this book just as much as I do and working tirelessly to make sure it was the absolute best version it could be. Your edits were brilliant. I’m sorry I kept you on the phone for insane lengths of time talking about writing and chickens and everything in between. Thank you for falling in love with this book!
For my agent, Brianne Johnson, for her persistence in finding the absolute best home for Beyond. I literally couldn’t have done this without you, so I hope you realize just how appreciated you are!
For everyone at HarperTeen for all their hard work on this book—most especially for the gorgeous cover that was everything I could have hoped for and more.
I have an enormous family, and every single one of them is supportive and encouraging to an incredible degree. Thank you to all of you—my grandmothers, all my aunts and uncles (including my favorite aunt and uncle), cousins, most especially my cousin Kelsey Cox, who has always been my partner in this writing journey through her inspiring and insightful critiques. You’ve been my best friend since we were kids, and I’m so glad to share a passion for writing with you! Love you, cousin.
I have an amazing group of friends, so thank you for all the playdates, book club meetings, and thousands of text messages, all of which helped me keep my sanity as I navigated being mom to four extremely small (but so, so adorable) children and writing/editing a book.
For my chickens for being so fun to watch. I’m kidding. I wouldn’t actually thank my chickens . . . who would do that?
For my aunt Patty Fahey, who would have loved this.
Pronunciation Guide
Celtic names and words áthair: ah?her
Ciara: keer?a
Each-uisce: ach (said in the back of the throat; it almost sounds like “ugh”) ?ish-kay éirinn: ay?rin
Flidais: flee?dish Máthair: ma?her
Sluagh: sloo?ah
Tuatha Dé Danann: too?uh?huh dey dah?nuh?n Norse names and words Einherjar: ane?hare?yar Huginn and Muninn: hoo?gin and moo?nin Kráka: krah?kah (crow in Old Norse) J?tunn/J?tnar: yo?ton / yo?nar Meyja: meh?yah (Girl or maiden in Old Norse) Seidr: say?der
Sleipnir: sleep?neer
Author’s Note