Elfhaven (the Danu Cycle: Fiann Trilogy Book 2)

Four days before the ball, the Ladybird and Gryffyn fianna were training together again, as they had for what seemed like forever now. The last few days had been tense as the Ladybird fiann felt their departure drawing closer. They hadn't told anyone, hoping Killian or Niamh would find a few moments to speak to the King.

"Oh, say it isn't so, Ladybug!" Niamh heard as she threw Myrna to the ground. She looked up and saw Nessa scowling at her, standing over Lochlan, her blue hair flying.

"Say what isn't so?" She asked, wiping sweat from her forehead.

"That you're leaving on Sunday!"

Conor, Tiernan and Oran threw her a look of horror, the Ladybird fiann threw her a wary look, she directed an annoyed glare at Lochlan – who was avoiding looking at her – and Eamon's normally stony demeanour seemed even stonier. For a moment, she expected him to create gusts of wind and thunder like his father.

Niamh sighed, still glaring at Lochlan. "We are. I'm sorry Nessa, but we have to get out of here and it's the only other place we have to call home."

"Why didn't you tell anyone? We could have thrown a party!"

"We didn't want a great glorious farewell, we just wanted to leave. It's not like we won't see you ever again anyway."

Nessa flipped her hair, then pulled Lochlan to his feet. "All right. I suppose we may go back eventually. Though, with you there, they won't need another fighting fiann." She said, sounding overly dramatic.

"We could never take the place of the Gryffyns, Ness, you know that." Lochlan said. "And there have been two before."

Nessa smiled at him warmly and Niamh wondered what she'd said to make him blurt out that they were leaving. Niamh hid a snicker, having a few pretty good ideas.

"How were you planning to get to Gryffynhall?" Conor asked Lochlan, avoiding Niamh.

Lochlan shrugged. "Camping, I guess?"

Conor shook his head. "We do not know what may be on the roads, despite our victory. You will take a carriage."

"You sure?" He asked. "We can take care of ourselves..." he didn't sound like he was actually trying to convince the Gryffyn's second.

Conor nodded, looking to Eamon to see if he'd object. Eamon did not, but only because he didn't say anything. "I'll arrange it."

"Thanks." Lochlan grinned.

Very little training occurred after that, the Gryffyn fiann kept distracting the Ladybirds with talk, as though they had decided they needed to get in as much as they could.

That night, while the Ladybird fiann were all in Niamh's room, all the Gryffyns but Eamon came to visit. By the time Conor arrived, there was a veritable party going on.

"Well, I see we all had the same idea!" he smiled uncharacteristically widely, holding up a bottle of wine.

"Well, if you come bearing gifts, you are more than welcome to stay!" Lochlan smiled.

"Says you, in my room." Niamh said from the comfort of the couch, Killian's arm around her shoulder, but she smiled at Conor. "I'm glad you stopped by. We may need another couch though." She used the excuse to get up.

It wasn't that she didn't appreciate Killian's affection, but she wasn't sure she wanted it anymore. The way he reacted about her and Eamon, though fair in human terms, seemed a little out of whack with fae notions and it gave Niamh pause. She also found herself pulling away from the slight maniacal glint in his eye; it was deep and only surfaced occasionally, but it scared her.