Mistress of the Waters
Mistress of the Waters by Janeen O’Kerry is the next instalment of her
Celtic Journeys series.
Classic time travel romance set in pagan Eire.
Shannon Rose Gray has decided to relocate to Ireland after losing everything when her father’s business collapsed. But her plans were soon ruined when she finds herself swept back in time to Eire.
Working at the Renaissance Faire Shannon finds herself with a new friend in the form of Ian Galloway. But no sooner is she getting to know him than he disappears from her life with just a note and a mysterious gift to remember him by.
The gift, Ian claims is a family heirloom that is Shannon’s by right. He claims that he has been keeping it safe for her and that she will figure out how to open the mysterious present.
Hurt at his dismissal of her Shannon resolves not to let him get under her skin and to get on with her life.
But she is unable to forget him or his gift and the presence of the strange cylinder tube beckons her. Opening it easily she finds within it a piece of leather with musical note written on it. Playing the musical notes on the evening of Beltane she is upset to find that the old leather crumbles away to dusk in her hands. Leaving the house she moves from upset to shocked as she sees the Hawthorne tree which had earlier been cut down for the Maypole back where it has always stood.
Recalling superstitions and magic Shannon finds herself listening to the melody once more and being swept back in time to pagan Eire.
Lasairian wants to be a bard but rejects the harsh training of the profession. Instead he seeks his own way of making music and telling stories. But his father does not approve of his rebellious nature and issues an ultimatum. He will either continue to train as a bard in the traditional way or he will marry Clodagh. Lasairian knows he has no choice and agrees to wed Clodagh despite the fact he has no feelings for her.
Lasairian’s father, Fergus, gives to him a gift for his new wife but Lasairian cannot bear to give the gift to Clodagh and instead throws it into the river and the keeping of the mistress of the waters. And so the same cylinder container that Shannon had found the music within many years ahead was consigned to the rushing river centuries before.
Marriage to Clodagh did not bring about the results that Fergus envisaged. Instead Lasairian continued his way of life as before to the despair of this father and his king. So it was at the will of the King of his people that he found himself ordered to become a cowherd and exiled from both his people and his idyllic life of leisure.
When Shannon finds herself in the past she also finds herself face to face with Lasairian who she mistakes for Ian. From her backyard she now finds herself in the middle of the countryside of Eire.
Taken in by Lasairian and his family Shannon does not realise that Clodagh is his wife and mistakes her for his sister who she suspects is widowed.
Lasairian goes to his father and his king with the news of Shannon’s arrival and they agree that she can remain in the community as a servant, and if she gives them any trouble she will become a slave.
Barely comfortable within her new surroundings Shannon finds herself swept up in the Beltane ritual when she is chosen by the King as his mate. She is saved from this by Lasairian who declares he will marry her and does. Shannon accepts on the understanding that this marriage is not forever and only until they no longer care for each other or until the next Beltane.
Leaving after the Beltane Shannon remains ignorant of Clodagh and agrees to go with Lasairian into the countryside where he is still banished to the life of a cowherd.
Lasairian is pretty pleased with himself for taking Shannon into the country with him and is sure that he will have an easy time of things while he is exiled. But his plans are soon ruined when he realises that he will actually have to work while he is in exile. But it is not all hard work and he and Shannon grow closer as the months of exile pass. Lasairian also grows up a lot and faces up to his responsibilities.
Lasairian eventually confides in Shannon the truth about why he is a cowherd and who he was before. But in all his confessions he does not mention his other wife.
Things come to a head when they return once more to the village and Shannon realises what Lasairian has been keeping from her and must make a choice between staying with him in the past or leaving him and returning to the future on the next Beltane.
A slower paced novel than some other time travels this one savours the
beautiful setting of ancient Eire and draws the reader into a magical world
where customs are different but the power of love is just the same.
This Celtic journey is as good as the previous ones and is my favourite
to date.
RATING : 
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Also by Janeen O'Kerry: Queen of the Sun and Lady of Fire.
Read an Interview with Janeen O'Kerry.
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