Succubus Ascendant: An Urban Fantasy (The Telepathic Clans Saga Book 4) (13 page)

The Council erupted in laughter, the tension broken. As the Council broke up and the members were leaving, Dermot approached her and drew her aside.

“That was well done, lass,” he said. “Many that argued for leniency were simply testing you. Your answer to them was spot on. It’s what they wanted to hear, what they needed to hear.”

“What you needed to hear, Dermot?” Brenna asked.

“Yes. But what has spoken louder to me these past few weeks is Seamus O’Donnell’s absence. He hasn’t set foot in Ireland since you inherited the Clan. It tells me two things. One, that you’re not a puppet, and two, that he trusts you. He has faith and confidence in your judgment.”

“We needed help from O’Donnell to put down the rebellion. I have O’Donnell Protectors building a barracks next to the manor house.”

“That is true, but Corwin might have asked Seamus for help, and expected he’d get it. The two Clans have been allied for four hundred years. That’s not what I mean. You walked in here today with no one to back you up. No one from O’Donnell. You might have been walking into the lion’s den, and you brought not a single bodyguard.”

“This was a meeting of the Council of Clan O’Neill,” Brenna replied. “Someday the Clans will be united, but that hasn’t happened yet. None of you brought a bodyguard. If I have to worry about my Council, then I need to find some new councilors. I don’t expect the Council will always agree with me, but I do expect that we’ll treat each other with civility.”

He stepped away from her and bowed. “Welcome to Clan O’Neill, my Lady. I think we’re very lucky to have you join us.”

~~~

Chapter 10

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things. - Peter Drucker

“You need to name an heir,” Morrighan said. They were having dinner alone on the terrace overlooking the gardens at O’Byrne. Having the Teleportation Gift did have its advantages, and Brenna had needed some quiet time.

“Huh?” Brenna stared at her aunt for a moment and then shook her head. “Why do I need to do that?”

“Because it’s traditional and it makes people feel secure. Especially with people plotting your death, the people you’re leading want to know their future. I’m sure no one is thinking about that tonight, but give it a few days and it will be a major source of speculation.”

Brenna drew a deep breath and sat down on the bed. “I haven’t thought of that. It would have to be someone who is acceptable to all three Clans, wouldn’t it?”

“Yes, if you plan on keeping the Clans united after you’re gone. Brenna, someday you’ll have children and you can change the heir, but right now, you’re going to have to name someone for the next forty or fifty years.”

Brenna thought of all the people she knew, in all three Clans. No one came to mind.

“What should I consider in looking for someone?” she finally asked.

“Power,” Morrighan said. “Power above all else. The Clan Chief is a protector. But he or she also has to have enough power to hold their position. Power also has to be coupled with kindness and mercy and true empathy. The person has to be altruistic. They have to be able to put their personal needs and desires aside for the good of others. That’s not an easy thing to do.”

Morrighan looked away, then took a deep breath. “Fergus, Corwin, and Seamus each have fifteen Gifts, including at least one of the rare ones. They all have the Krasevec Gift. That kind of power isn’t common. As strong as Rebecca is, she wouldn’t do.”

Brenna shook her head. “She wouldn’t do for other reasons. She’ll die when I do.”

“Yes,” Morrighan nodded, “your Shadow.”

“I guess I can have Callie do a search for the strongest telepaths in her database,” Brenna said, looking at her hands twisting together in her lap.

“No, you can’t.”

Brenna’s head snapped up at the commanding tone in Morrighan’s voice.

“It has to be someone who is loyal to you. Someone who loves you. Someone who won’t stick a knife in your back at the first chance. It has to be someone who doesn’t want it, who would do almost anything to protect you and make sure they
don’t
inherit.”

“I can’t think of anyone with that much power,” Brenna said.

“I can. But you have to make the choice, and I’m not going to put any thoughts in your head.”

~~~

The following morning, she had breakfast with her grandparents in a sitting room off their suite. A large bay window gave them a view of the grounds outside and the mountains in the distance.

“This is a lovely room,” Brenna remarked.

“I’m glad you like it,” Caylin said. “We’ve had breakfast here almost every morning for a hundred years. It helps to ground us, set a calming mood for the day.”

“Yes, I can see that. I need to ask you about something. Last night, Morrighan mentioned that I need to name an heir. I thought about it all night, and I can’t think of someone who would be acceptable to all three Clans. I’m wondering if you had given any thought to the matter.”

Her grandparents looked at each other, and Brenna knew they had discussed this issue between them.

“What are your plans for children?” Caylin asked.

“Fifteen, twenty years,” Brenna replied. “I know that I want kids, and I know who I want the fathers to be, but I’m not ready for that now. I also know that Samantha, Seamus and Cindy’s daughter, will be very important in my life, but she’s just a baby. Morrighan said that I could change my heir in the future when I have children, but she also said I need to name someone now.”

“Yes, the people you lead will expect you to do that,” Fergus said. “The trick is to find someone who is qualified, powerful enough, and has links to all three Clans. And that person has to be loyal to you.”

“Links to all three Clans,” Brenna said. “I can’t think of anyone.”

“The link could be through you. You have relatives in all three Clans,” Fergus said.

“So, you think it should be one of my relatives?” Brenna asked.

“Brenna,” Fergus said, “our society is feudal, and that has persisted out of necessity. The ruling families have conducted an informal breeding program for thousands of years.”

He chuckled at the expression on her face and held up his hand to forestall what she might say.

“Please, let me finish. The strongest of us have ruled the Clans. We tend to marry other strong telepaths and so our children inherit more Gifts than is normal. Seamus, Corwin and I all have fifteen Gifts. Your parents each had fifteen. Your half-sister has fifteen. Callie has thirteen. Your Collin has twelve. Most of the people you know and those who are related to you are very strong telepaths. But remember that half of all telepaths have only one Gift.”

“So, you’re saying that the chances of someone who is not a relative being qualified are rather small,” Brenna said.

“Not impossible,” Caylin said. “Keep in mind that the person would have to be extraordinary to overcome the Clans’ traditions. Power isn’t everything, of course, but you’ll tend to find that power and intelligence are closely linked. Again, just a by-product of our breeding practices.”

“Okay, so who do you have in mind?” Brenna said, raising one eyebrow and quirking her mouth into a half-grin. “It’s obvious that you have discussed this.”

Fergus told her. Someone she hadn’t considered.

“I wonder if that’s who Morrighan had in mind. She said she didn’t want to influence my decision.”

“No, she wouldn’t,” Fergus said. “I have no such qualms. You don’t have to take our suggestion, but I’m not bashful about telling people what I think they should do. I also know that Seamus would have no problem with such a selection.”

Brenna stared out the window for a while and then said, “I think I need to go back up to O’Neill and talk to a couple of people there.”

~~~

“You’ve lost your fucking mind! How can you even consider such an insane idea?”

“It’s not insane. Everyone agrees with me. Seamus, Fergus, Morrighan, they all think you’re the proper person. Besides, Rhiannon, it’s a ceremonial title. Rebecca says that I won’t die until I’m very old.”

“And how does she know that? She told me once she doesn’t put much credence in precognitive visions.”

“I think she feels it was a vision sent by the Goddess on Samhain.”

“If it’s ceremonial, then it doesn’t matter who you name. Name anyone else.”

“Don’t you think the people of the Clans deserve better than that? Shouldn’t the heir be someone qualified and capable of leading them? Do you think they deserve an heir like Hugh? Someone who could do an incredible amount of damage even if he never inherited?”

“Is this going to be a circular argument that I have no chance of winning?”

“The only way I won’t name you is if you absolutely tell me that you won’t take it. I have no desire to embarrass either one of us. Tell me that you feel no sense of obligation or responsibility to Clan O’Byrne, and I’ll find someone else.”

“You don’t play fair. Choose Morrighan.”

“I can’t sell Morrighan to Clan O’Neill or to Clan O’Donnell. Not enough power. Besides, she will argue that as the High Priestess she already has a job. You know that Seamus and Fergus were hoping you’d press a claim to O’Neill.”

Rhiannon gave her a sour look. “I’m not a business woman. I don’t have any interest at all in sitting behind a desk and telling people what to do. I’m terrible with math and money. I’m not going to get sucked in to running a major corporation like you did.”

“Agreed.”

“Bitch. Quit being so damned agreeable.”

Brenna laughed.

“What do you mean by ceremonial? Do I have to show up and smile pretty for ribbon cuttings and crap like that?”

“There’s an annual meeting of O’Donnell in London in April every year. I assume O’Neill and O’Byrne do the same thing. If they don’t, they will be now. It’s boring as turds, but it’s important, and I’d expect you to be there. O’Donnell throws a formal ball at winter solstice. It’s a great party, and I’d like you to attend. And yes, you have to dress up, but after seeing you in that gown in Monaco, you can’t bullshit me that you don’t like to wear nice things. I attend Beltane at O’Byrne. Morrighan and Rebecca always throw a big bash at Samhain. Otherwise, act as my surrogate occasionally if I think it’s important.”

“Are you going to pay me, or do I do it for the prestige?”

“Five percent of the stock in O’Neill, with five percent of O’Byrne when I inherit. Five percent of O’Donnell if you’re still my heir when I take the seat there. Non-revocable.”

Rhiannon sighed, “You really don’t play fair. I’d have to be a complete idiot to turn that down. Shit. I also have to be a complete idiot to take it. Damn you.”

She abruptly changed the topic. “What’s a Pathfinder?”

Brenna called mentally, *
Rebecca, can you please come in?*

Rebecca opened the door cautiously and stuck her head into the room.

“Is it safe? I don’t see any blood anywhere.”

Rhiannon shot her a look. “No, and all the walls and furniture are intact.”

“Rhiannon wants to know what a Pathfinder is,” Brenna said.

“Oh. Well, I’ve been researching that,” Rebecca said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her. “There isn’t anything definitive, but some of the old Gaelic texts mention it. Of course, they’re talking about something that was handed down in oral histories, and I’m not sure the people who wrote it down understood it. It would help if I read Gaelic better. I wish Siobhan was here.”

“I read, and speak, Gaelic quite fluently,” Rhiannon said. “Where are the books?”

“Some are here, but O’Neill has the most extensive library. Do you want to look at them? I’m actually surprised that Corwin didn’t have anything in his memories.”

“All he had was a vague knowledge of the term.”

“I’m starving,” Brenna announced. “Let’s go get some dinner first, then I’ll take you to whatever library you want to start with.”

Within a week, Rhiannon had been confirmed as Brenna’s heir at O’Neill.

~~~

Meanwhile, Rhiannon and Rebecca disappeared into the O’Neill library, emerging only for meals and sleep. Four days of that were followed by them informing Brenna that they were going to O’Byrne. Rhiannon had been in contact with Fergus, and he thought there might be some information in the library there.

The O’Byrne library, with its dark wood and heavy furniture, was an amazingly light room due to floor-to-ceiling bay windows on one wall. The women were sitting on a sunny padded bench in the alcove created by one of those windows, overlooking the garden and small lake beyond. Books and scrolls were scattered around them.

“I’ve probably spent hundreds of hours in this room over the years,” Rhiannon said, “but we’re looking through books and letters and stuff I never imagined existed.”

“Yeah, I’ve got my work cut out for me,” Rebecca said. “O’Neill actually has a librarian, but the library at O’Donnell had been neglected for fifteen years until I got there, and this one hasn’t seen much care for at least ten years longer than that.”