Wild Irish Heart (The Mystic Cove Series Book 1) (15 page)

"Want to grab a pint?" Aislinn asked her as she finished packaging Keelin's lace and picture.

"Sure. Up at Cait's pub or elsewhere?"

"How about right here?" Aislinn laughed at her as she flipped the sign closed and gestured to a refrigerator in back. "Less gossip this way."

Relieved, Keelin headed for the fridge and pulled out two bottles of Harp. Aislinn motioned towards the back door and she opened it to reveal a small, enclosed courtyard. A worn yellow brick wall surrounded the small yard that was brimming with flowers. Intricate statues and various lawn ornaments were woven through the flowers. A large planked table stood in the middle covered in sketchbooks and jars of art supplies. Aislinn brushed them aside and put down a plate of cookies that she had brought out with her.

"I know there is a bunch of time to catch up on who we are and what we do and all that, but I'm dying to know about your power. I'm really struggling to learn about mine," Keelin said in a rush of breath. She grabbed a cookie and quickly crammed it in her mouth, hoping to stem the flow of words.

Aislinn laughed and gazed across the courtyard. She fiddled with a pencil on the table and sighed. "I guess that I don't really know when or how I've really defined them. I haven't met anyone like me therefore I rarely talk about it. I don't take it for granted but I don't always know how to describe what I do and don't know about myself."

Keelin nodded and gestured with her Harp bottle. "Go on."

"I don't really think I know when it started. I don't think I realized that I was different from other people until my parents started training me not to talk about certain things. I could always see colors around people. I would run up to them and tell them that I liked their purple color and people would look at me like I was crazy." Aislinn laughed and took a swing of her beer.

"So, you see auras? What else? What is all incorporated with that?"

"Well, I finally realized that one of the reasons I am so sensitive is that I can feel what other people are feeling. I can read them at a hundred paces. I'll know if someone is lying, happy, sad, or angry. That's why I decided to withhold judgment on you until I actually met you. Well, I shouldn't say "withhold" but at least I was willing to give you a chance." Aislinn laughed at Keelin.

"That's okay. I understand. Hey, I only learned about you both this week so I haven't had much time for any judgments. I'm taking it as is. Though I may have a few words with my dear mother for omitting this information."

"I really can't believe she never told you. It's fascinating to me," Aislinn said as she idly drew a sketch of Keelin on her pad.

"My mother has a tendency of avoiding unpleasant discussions. I imagine this was one of those that she liked to sweep under the rug. A pretty big sweep, mind you. It wasn't until Fiona sent for me that she even acknowledged Grace's Cove and that there might be some sort of power there."

Aislinn nodded. "I get it. She wants the best for her girl. Society isn't kind to those who are touched with a little extra something. That must have been tough growing up."

"It was." Keelin swallowed over the lump in her throat. It was so nice to finally talk openly about this. "I cried when my mom finally acknowledged that she knew that I had a gift. I felt like it was something that was to be shunned and hidden. I don't think that I have ever felt as alive as I have since I've come to Ireland."

"I'm sorry. I always had Fiona. She was kind to me and taught me how to nurture myself without showing the whole world my gift. She saved me," Aislinn said ruefully as she continued to sketch on her pad.

"I think that I understand. She is saving me right now. I feel like I've never felt as much true emotion as I have in the past few weeks. It is just pouring from me. It is overwhelming. But. Discovering my power? Finally not hiding from it? God, it is exhilarating. I feel energized," Keelin admitted.

"Yes, there is something about stepping into your own that just kind of makes your soul sing, right? That is how I feel with my shop. The happiest day of my life was borrowing money to start this place. I've never regretted it. A traditional job would never have fit me. I can't handle office work or being around that many people all day every day. This works perfectly for me," Aislinn said as she took a swig from her bottle of Harp.

"So how does this whole empathic thing affect dating?" Keelin asked, and snagged another cookie from the plate.

"Ugh." Aislinn groaned and took another swig of her beer. "It's not pretty. It takes some of that mental guesswork – that spice out of it. I can read people fairly clearly so if a man is guilty or trying to hide anything – I know it immediately. I also know if he is interested in another woman or doesn't really love me. It makes it tricky. I also don't reveal that side of myself to many. I just pour that all into my work."

Keelin nodded. "Which is beautiful by the way. You should sell this overseas."

Aislinn shrugged. "I may. I don't know yet. I sell across Ireland and make a sustainable living for now. We'll see where that takes me. Now. Tell me how you healed Finn."

Keelin opened her mouth and stopped. She thought about how to explain what she didn't herself understand. "I don't really know. I am only just exploring this ability. I've had weird things happen to me growing up but Mom never acknowledged it and I just kind of wrote it off. But I also felt like there was a part of me missing. Since being here, I feel like my soul is humming, if that makes sense?"

"It does. You aren't hiding from yourself anymore."

Keelin raised her beer bottle. "Exactly!"

"Yeah, I get you. It's nice to be able to talk about this with someone." Aislinn offered Keelin her first unguarded smile. "I think we'll get along just fine, sis." They clinked bottles and made plans to meet up later that week.

"So, Flynn? Are you going to sleep with him?" Aislinn met her eyes.

Keelin looked at her quietly. "I don't know. I want to."

"I can see that you are a mess of feelings. Love usually is complicated, you know."

"I don't love him!" Keelin gaped at her.

Aislinn gave her an enigmatic smile and rose to clear their bottles. She said nothing and walked inside.

"I don't!" Keelin called after her. Silence answered her.

Chapter Seventeen

Keelin took the
cliff drive home. The fading sun cast a warm glow over the cliffs and the romance of Ireland seeped into her bones. There was nothing casual about Ireland's beauty. It was weepy, mystical, and oftentimes a punch to the heart. Keelin idly daydreamed about living here, nestled amongst the hills, with a child of her own to nurture. Shocked, she snapped out of her daydream. A child? She had never considered herself a maternal type. Where had that thought come from? Keelin shook her head as she pulled into the cottage's drive.

The warm scents of an Irish stew greeted her as she pushed the door open. Fiona tended a pot at the stove and smiled at her as she added more spices to the bubbling liquid. Ronan yipped and raced across the floor to greet her, tumbling over himself and sprawling haphazardly on her feet. Keelin laughed down at him and scratched his belly, murmuring nonsense words to him.

"A graceful one he is not." Fiona laughed at him from the stove. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes, please, I'd love to eat." Keelin helped to set the table with some warm brown bread and heavy stoneware bowls. Fiona bustled over and poured the steaming soup into the bowls. She inhaled and gave a brisk nod.

"Perfect. Now, tell me about your day."

Between bites of the chunky stew, Keelin filled Fiona in on most of her day. When she got to Aislinn's powers, she stopped. She wasn't sure if Aislinn would like her discussing her powers with Fiona. She didn't want to violate any sort of sister code.

Fiona eyed her. "Ah, I see Aislinn must have told you about her."

Keelin blew out a breath. "Yes. She did. Is it okay to talk about it?"

"Yes, with me it is. I've been one of the few that she could talk to freely. I did my best to lead her on a path of exploring her talents while still trying to lead a normal life. Lucky for her, the creative talents she has offered a wonderful outlet for much of her powers."

"Okay, so I just have to ask. Who all is a descendent of Grace? Does everyone have powers that are? Is it just us? What about Colin?"

Fiona eyed her levelly. "No. It is only passed down through the women. Colin is not gifted. Your friend Cait is."

"What! Cait is? What does she have?"

Fiona tapped her head.

"What? What does that mean? Minds? She can read minds?" Keelin's mouth dropped open as she stared at Fiona.

Fiona nodded and cleared the stoneware from the table to the sink. As she rinsed the dishes she motioned towards the cabinet. "Let's have a whiskey."

Silently agreeing that they needed a little something, Keelin pulled out a bottle of Clontarf and poured them both a generous portion. Together, they settled in the nook by the small fire and Ronan leaped onto her lap. Keelin picked up her glass and examined its contents. The fire picked up the warm gold of the whiskey and it seemed to glow from within. Keelin couldn't meet Fiona's eyes.

"I feel like I am going a little crazy. I am really struggling with understanding how I am able to do what I do. I had a nightmare last night about that tree exploding. On the other hand, part of my soul feels like it is singing because I am finally in the right spot for me."

Fiona smiled and took a sip of her whiskey. She rocked softly in her chair and leaned over to stir the fire. "Keelin, dear. This is very overwhelming. It is normal for you to feel this way. I wish that I had gotten to you sooner so I could have helped you to understand yourself as you grew. I wish that I had a distinct answer for you on what this power is but all I can tell you is my own conclusions that I have reached. I truly believe this power comes from a universal energy that we can all tap into. However, some of us are given the ability to tap into it where others have to actively work at it. Maybe it is from God, or maybe it is just a source energy. I only know that which I am compelled to do and that is to help others. From that alone I can only believe it is a power that is meant to be."

"But, what about being a descendant of Grace? The cove? How is that all tied in?"

"Ah, yes. Well, when Grace was close to her death she went into seclusion. Her oldest daughter went with her. Together, they decided on the final resting place for Grace. For months prior to her death, Grace and her daughter would spend the night at the cove and chant under the light of the moon. Now, this is powerful sorcery that I am talking about here – magic. Her daughter was pregnant at the time and absorbed much of this magic. When Grace was close to dying, she shared her blood with her daughter in a sacred ritual of blessing and passing of her power. Shortly after she gave her power away, she passed on and was burned on a funeral pyre at the cove. The story goes that her daughter swam to the pyre and collected the ashes in the chalice before hiding it deep in a small cave far out in the cove. There are so many charms and protections on the cove that nobody has been able to reach the cave. They all die while trying. It is said that her daughter gave birth the evening Grace died. It is believed that her soul lives on through her granddaughter and descendants."

Keelin let out a deep breath she had been holding. Her science mind warred with what she had seen of the power of the cove. "What do you mean give away her power? Can you do that?"

"Of course, Keelin." Fiona looked at her. "Look at your mother. She never formally renounced her power yet she chooses to live as if it doesn't exist. In doing so, she'll never find true happiness. It is a difficult trade-off. She lives in fear of what she truly is and turns her back on her power. Would she just claim it and learn to harness it, happiness would be hers."

"Is this why I've always felt so unsettled? I've never claimed my power?" Keelin took a small sip of her whiskey and rubbed Ronan's back. The pup stretched lazily in her lap and rolled onto his back, revealing his stomach to Keelin. She smiled at him and felt her heart ache a bit with love for the small dog.

"Yes. But, in some respects, don't you think that goes for anyone? Think about the people who are accountants or businessmen that simply follow what their parents or wives want for them. They don't follow what makes them feel good, what their true passion is, and with that, a part of them dies. If they would just step into their power they would know true happiness."

"Are you happy?" Keelin asked Fiona.

Fiona took a small sip of her whiskey and stared at the flames. "Yes, I am. Though I don't think I could ever say that I know one way or the other. It isn't a thought process. It isn't an up and down. I don't know how to be happy because I am happy. Everyone in the States is constantly striving to be happy, obsessing about it really, and nobody realizes that they are standing in their own way. Happiness can be an existence, not just a mood. I've always likened it to simply pivoting when things make me feel negative. If something feels bad to me, I pivot away from it and move towards what makes me feel good. I do this irrespective of what others think. Most don't know how to live that way."

Keelin nodded. She thought about how she had felt when she had healed Finn. It was a mixture of sheer terror along with a rush of power. Part of her had liked it. Almost too much. She decided to voice her concerns to Fiona. "I, well, when I healed Finn, it just, it was kind of awesome. It scared me but at the same time it made me giddy! I wanted to run around and make flowers bloom and heal people who were coughing on the street. I don't know if I like that side of myself though. It seems, almost, I don't know, cocky?"

Fiona smiled at her and leaned over to pat Ronan's head. "You're a good girl, Keelin. That was actually one of my biggest concerns when Margaret cut off contact. I feared that you would discover your power and get greedy in your use of it. But, as you know, power carries responsibility. And, the healer's gift can also be their greatest curse. Used inappropriately, your power will kill you." Fiona met and held her eyes. Keelin inhaled a shaky breath and nodded.

"So, some of this needed to happen the way it did."

"Ah yes, to everything in its own time." Fiona raised her glass and clinked it with Keelin's. They both sipped their whiskey and stared at the flames as the shadows grew deep at the window.

"Do you think we should try to find the chalice?" Keelin blurted out. The cove haunted her dreams and she didn't know why.

"Good lord, girl. No. You've heard the term 'let sleeping dogs lie' right? Let this dog sleep."

"I know. I know. I do. It, it is just so fascinating." Keelin quickly backpedaled.

"How many times does the cove need to try to kill you before your realize that not everything in life is meant to be answered? There are some things that are greater than answers. I know your science mind struggles with that but you must leave the chalice in peace. It is where it needs to be. To disrupt that would be catastrophic." Fiona stared at her with an unwavering gaze.

"But, why does the cove glow blue all the time? It drives me crazy!" Keelin blurted out.

Fiona gasped. "You're in love with Flynn!" A smile broke out on the older woman's face and she jumped from her seat to do a quick jig.

"What? No. No, I am not. Whatever made you say that?" Keelin felt warmth spreading through her cheeks.

"Ah, my dear heart, you most certainly are. I thought that you had only seen it the one time with me. But if you've seen it around Flynn that is very different. A very little known fact about Grace O'Malley is that she was a romantic at heart. A brutal woman to the bone, she believed in love to her dying day. While the cove often glows for its own or when someone passes it will always glow in the presence of love. It did for me with your grandfather." Fiona danced around the room with Ronan barking at her heels. "We will plan the loveliest wedding on the hills."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Stop. No wedding. No anything. I don't even know how I feel about Flynn. I've only been here a few weeks. And I certainly do not plan on marrying anytime soon."

Fiona smiled at her. "Ah, the stubbornness of youth. There is no time frame on love."

"Um, does he know about, well, about the powers we have?"

Fiona returned to her seat and took a happy gulp of her whiskey.

"Why don't you ask him?"

"I can't ask him! What – just say hey by the way I can heal people with my hands? Are you cool with that?" Keelin threw up her hands and shook her head at Ronan. He panted up at her with his pink tongue hanging from his mouth.

"Love does not include lies. Either the man accepts you as a whole or he is not the man for you."

"But, I don't even know my whole self." Keelin felt dangerously close to tears. The person she had known in Boston was gone. She wasn't sure of this new Keelin yet but she wanted to keep learning. But to open her heart to love without fully knowing herself – she was certain that would bring nothing but a destructive end.

"You'll get there. And, you'd be surprised what a man in love can help you to discover about yourself. Now, I'm for bed. You stay up and enjoy the rest of the fire. Take some time to think about what you want." Fiona leaned over and pressed her weathered lips to Keelin's smooth cheek. "You've a good heart, Keelin. Let it guide you."

Keelin was dangerously afraid that she knew exactly where her big heart would lead her and it wasn't onto a plane back to Boston. She groaned and leaned her head back against the chair as she stared at the fire. What was she doing with her life? In a matter of weeks she had a whole new family, a pet, and potentially a love life. Her newfound healing talent left her in awe and her studies for school no longer seemed to interest her. She wanted to learn how to be a true healer, not a marine biologist. And, if she admitted it, she'd never felt happier. Flynn's face popped into her head. Her stomach tingled as she thought about her date with him. She wanted him. There was no denying that – but love? There was so much to learn about him. And what about the important things like if he ate pizza or snored at night? All those little details that made people compatible. Shouldn't she know some of these things before her heart said she was in love? Deciding that denial was a safe bet, Keelin tamped the fire down and finished her whiskey, hoping the warmth would lull her into sleep.