The Stolen: An American Faerie Tale (33 page)

 

EPILOGUE

D
ante gripped the leather box in his hand and looked from it to the sidhe mound.

“You really think he's dead?” Faolan asked.

“I do,” Dante lied.

Brother, I hope you found the redemption you were looking for. If you did live, I hope that you escaped. Heaven help you if you didn't.

“You didn't tell her,” Faolan said as he watched the SUV vanish from sight.

“Somehow, I just didn't think the time was right.” Dante didn't look from the mound. He slid the box into a pocket. “She's been through enough already. The last thing she needs right now is hearing what role her daughter might play in the future of our court.” He patted Faolan's shoulder. “We have plenty of time.”

“I suppose.”

“It's hard enough for a mortal to raise a child who thinks she's a faerie princess.” Dante looked down the trail. “Let alone one who actually is.”

Dante retrieved the keys from the box in the bed of Brendan's truck. He opened the driver's side door, and Faolan climbed into the passenger side. Dante hesitated, looking at the mound for a long moment.

“What is it?” Faolan asked.

“Nothing.” Dante climbed in and started the engine. Reluctantly, he put the truck in gear and drove down the trail, leaving the mound shrinking in the rearview mirror.

“Now, tell me about what's happening in Seattle.”

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

M
y deepest gratitude goes to all those who helped this book, and me, reach this point. Thanks to all my friends who are characters enough to fill an epic series: Ed, Gabe, Ned, Kenda, Mike, Dustin, Casey, and Kristin. To the editors and staff at The Editorial Department: Renni, Shannon, Peter, Ross, and Jane, thanks for giving me the confidence to make the story my own. Susan E. Kennedy, MFA, thank you for your hard work and insight in polishing the story and characters and making them shine. Thank you to Rebecca Lucash and everyone at Harper­Collins for your work in bringing it across the finish line in such a short period of time and so spectacularly! Thanks to my agent, Margaret Bail, for your hard work and support. Last but not least, my deepest thanks to Dr. Deborah Hayden, junior research fellow at Christ Church, for her assistance with the Irish language translations.

 

GLOSSARY

A bhitseach dhaonna
Irish/Fae
—­ “mortal bitch”

A ghrá mo chroí
Irish
—­ “my heart's beloved, my darling”

Ádh mór, mo dheartháir
Irish
—­ “good luck, my brother”

Agor y ffordd
Welsh
—­ “open the way”

Anghenfil
Welsh
—­ “monster/ogre/beast”

Atgyfnerthu
Welsh
—­ “to reinforce/fortify/strengthen”

Bastúin
Irish
—­ “bastard” or “an uncouth/aggressive/stupid man/boy”; plural of
bastún

Cac ar oineach
Irish
—­ “shits on honor”; a mean, low-­down person

Cailín
Irish
—­ “girl”

Ceapa
Irish
—­ “protector”;
ceap
(singular) is a homophone of
cop
and thought to be a possible origin of the word

Codail
Irish
—­ “sleep”

Craic
Irish
—­ “news, gossip, fun, entertainment, and enjoyable conversation”

Cyrydu
Welsh
—­ “corrode”

Damnú air
Irish
—­ “damn it”; an oath or curse

Damnú ort
Irish
—­ “damn you”

Dar fia
Irish
—­ “by God”; expletive in line with the British
bloody hell
or more vulgar English words, also an oath or curse

Dia ár gcumhdach
Irish
—­ “God preserve/protect us”; an oath or curse

Dia ár réiteach
Irish
—­ “God save us”; an oath or curse

Deamhan buile
Irish
—­ “demon of madness/frenzy”

Dewin
Welsh
—­ “wizard/sorcerer”

Díbeartach
Irish
—­ “exile/reject/outcast”

Díoltas
Irish
—­ “vengeance”

Diwedd
Welsh
—­ “end”

Dóú craiceann
Irish/Fae
—­ “second skin”

Drochairteagal
Irish
—­ “bad/dangerous person”

Et Filii
Latin
—­ “And the Son”

Et Spiritus Sancti
Latin
—­ “and the Holy Spirit”

Fág an bealach
Irish
—­ “clear the way”; battle cry

Feck/Fecking
Hiberno-­English
—­ gentle form of
fuck

Girseach
Irish
—­ “young girl/lass/damsel”

Gobdaw
Hiberno-­English
—­ “idiot”

Go hifreann leat
Irish
—­ “curse of God upon you”; an oath or curse

Haearn
Welsh
—­ “iron”

I mi
Welsh
—­ “to me”

In nomine Patris
Latin
—­ “in the name of the Father”

Lluosi tân
Welsh
—­ “multiply the fire”

Llyfr y tylwyth teg
Welsh
—­ “The Book of Faeries”

M'anam
Irish
—­ “my soul”; an oath or curse

Mac mallachta
Irish
—­ lit. trans. “son of a curse”; also means “limb of Satan/son of perdition”

Míle buíochas
Irish
—­ “a thousand thanks”

Mo mhallacht ort
Irish
—­ “my curse upon you”; an oath or curse

Nghalon
Welsh
—­ “heart/core/center”; name Edward has given to the voice that sometimes talks to him at home and his office

Peidio
Welsh
—­ “cease/refrain”

Skawly
Irish
—­ “bad/horrible.”

Slán agat
Irish
—­ “good-­bye”; spoken to one who is staying by someone who is leaving

Slán go fóill
Irish
—­ “good-­bye for now”; carries the expectation of seeing the receiver again

Striapach
Irish/Fae
—­ “whore”

Tá grá agam duit, m'aingeal
Irish
—­ “I love you, my angel”

Taid
Welsh
—­ “grandfather”

Tân
Welsh
—­ “fire/flame”

Tar amach, a Bháis
Irish
—­ “come forth, Death”; used to release the demon in Brendan

Téigh i dtigh diabhai
Irish
—­ “go to the house of the devil”; an oath or curse

Tenebrae
Latin
—­ “darkness”

Tír na nÓg
Irish
—­ “Land of Eternal Youth”; Land of Faeries

Trwy dy enw, yr wyf yn eich gorfodi
Welsh
—­ “by your name I compel you”

Tymestl
Welsh
—­ “storm”

Wojus
Hiberno-­English
—­ “bad/poor”

Ymdeithio
Welsh
—­ “journey/travel/venture forth”

Yn dangos i mi beth sy'n cuddio. Dangos i mi Fiona
Welsh
—­ “show me what is hidden, show me Fiona”

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BISHOP O'CONNELL
is a consultant, writer, poet, blogger, and member of the New Hampshire Writer's Project. Born in Naples, Italy, while his father was stationed in Sardinia, Bishop grew up in San Diego, California, where he fell in love with the ocean and fish tacos. While wandering the country for work and school, he experienced autumn in New England. Soon after, he settled in Manchester, New Hampshire, where he collects swords and kilts. But he only dons one of those two in public. He can be found online at A Quiet Pint (
www.aquietpint.com
), where he muses philosophical on the various aspects of writing and the road to getting published.

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COPYRIGHT

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are drawn from the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

THE STOLEN.
Copyright © 2014 by Bishop O'Connell. All rights reserved under International and Pan-­American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-­book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, decompiled, reverse-­engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Harper­Collins e-­books.

EPub Edition JULY 2014 ISBN: 9780062358776

Print Edition ISBN: 9780062358790

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