Beyond A Highland Whisper (30 page)

At first, the aura that had risen from the bowl flickered and hesitated as though about to fade away. The silver mist shimmered as though the veil of magic struggled against some unseen force and was unable to grant Latharn’s request.

“Show me the way to the one I love. She carries my sons. She carries innocence within her womb. Ye must show me the way to make her safe. Ye must show me the way to bring her home!”

No sooner had Latharn bellowed the words did the mist strengthen and refocus. It showed the ancient stone mausoleum squatting behind the family chapel residing on the MacKay grounds. Nessa had been right under their very noses, mere yards from where they were currently sequestered in the library of mysteries high within the castle walls.

Jumping up from the table, Trish headed toward the door, only to be barred by Brodie’s strong, restraining hands. As she tried squirming her way loose, Trish shouted in his face. “Let me go! You saw where she is. Fiona and I walked right past her when we went to get the holy water.”

With a firm shake of his head, Brodie held her arms tighter, and led her back to sit at the table. “Ye saw the dark witch holding her captive. Ye saw the immense power of the crone and her ability to control the energies. We must carefully form a battle plan before we go rushing into the tomb.”

Latharn raked his hands through his hair and locked his fingers behind his head as he paced about the room. “Aye, this time, ’twill definitely be a battle to the end. And not one I intend to lose.”

Latharn turned to plunge his hands into the holy water. He flung the droplets into the air and bellowed into the darkness. “Ancestors, I call upon ye to join me! My goddess, hear the call of your son. Grant me my rights as brother to an immortal. Help me destroy this one from the shadows.”

The droplets of holy water hung suspended and shimmered with a power all their own. Fueled by the authority of Latharn’s summons, they splintered and spun through the air. Whirling above the heads of all in the room, the flowing field of moonlit energy sparkled as it gained momentum. As the hurtling vortex heightened in its intensity, the murmur of many voices rippled through the air. Thunder rumbled deeply, a rising battle cry sounded by all the gathering MacKays as they returned from centuries past.

All the voices melded into one strong and echoing mantra rumbling clearly throughout the room. “We stand ready, Laird MacKay. ’Tis time for vengeance against this evil foe. The
dhubh bana-buidhseach
brought down many of this clan. Ye have the power and the right to lead us. Summon us when ready. We will heed your call to send this abomination to the eternal abyss.”

The storm of energy surrounded Latharn’s body and melded itself into his being. The essence of his ancestors coursed through his body. His mind pulsed with the memories of thousands. His thoughts churned with the knowledge of eons, his ancestors’ strengths now his own. His voice echoed with the voices of his kin as he gestured toward the horizon. “At dawn, we will not only take back what is ours, we shall also right a great many wrongs. As soon as the sun rises, we shall rip the
bana-buidhseach’s
black soul from this existence and send it deep into the abyss.”

Trish took a step back and addressed Latharn. “Latharn, once it’s over. Once Nessa is safe…will all the rest of those MacKays…umm…go back where they belong?”

Latharn spread his hands to encase the entire castle and shook his head with a look of pride. “They belong here, Trish. This is the only place where they can find true peace and this is where they shall return. Ye needn’t fear them. They’re guardians to watch over and protect us. They honor us with their presence.”

Fiona squeezed Trish on the shoulder and whispered her agreement. “We’ll need their help in overcoming the Dark One. And ’tis also their natural right. She tortured many of them for centuries and suspended their souls from the peace promised beyond the grave.”

Trish chewed her lower lip and glanced back over at the table at the now lifeless prophecy bowl. “I just wish there was a way we could somehow warn Nessa. I wish we could give her some hope that help is on the way.”

Tinkling laughter trickled out of the darkness as two shimmering women materialized into the room. Each of them rested a hand upon Latharn’s arms as they gazed up at him with pure adoration.

The youngest one affectionately snuggled her cheek to his shoulder and smiled to all in the room. “Have no worry, Trish. Our Nessa may be tiny but she is fearless. Did ye no see how the lass killed the gutless cur and then stood against the Dark One without batting an eye? Her bloodline does the MacKays proud. She’s full of fire, that one is.”

The older woman nodded her agreement. “Aye. Those sons she carries in her womb will inherit her fire as well. Latharn, you’re going to finally pay for your raising. I’ll have my revenge for all the gray hairs you placed on my head! I’m going to truly enjoy watching these grandsons add their stories to the MacKay legends.”

At the shocked looks on Brodie, Trish, and Fiona’s faces, Latharn spread his arms to encircle the two transparent women clinging to his sides. Nodding to the younger of the two, he inclined his head as he began the introductions. “This is my sister, Aveline, immortal consort to the sea god Mannanan mac Lir. How is your husband, my fine little sister? ’Twould be nice if he’d lend his help.”

Aveline waved a glimmering finger in her brother’s face as she gave a pert lift of her chin. “The ancestors and I are all the help ye’ll be needing, my brother. We dinna want to take the joy of vengeance out of the hands of the MacKays.”

Latharn turned to smile into the motherly gaze of the woman at his right and bent to press a kiss against her misty cheek. “This is my mother, Rachel MacKay. Why did ye not join the others inside my body?”

Her eyes flared with six centuries of rage as she hissed her reply. “Your father is within you, along with the others. I choose to stand apart and land a few strikes of my own. Hell hath no wrath like that of a mother avenging her son’s life of pain.”

“Well then.” Trish threw up her hands. “I guess there’s nothing to worry about. But how exactly do you go about yanking a soul out of a witch? From what we saw in the vision, she can change her form. Isn’t it kind of useless to stab a hole in a shifting bank of mist?”

Brodie frowned as he turned the pages of the journal and scanned along the passages. As he glanced up, he locked eyes with Latharn’s watchful gaze. “Nessa willna understand what is happening at first. But once it’s over, hopefully she’ll see why it was done.”

Trish tiptoed to peer over his shoulder. Her eyes widened as she read the instructions on the yellowed page. “You’re right. If this is what you’re going to do and the witch doesn’t kill you, Nessa might be the one you need to fear.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Curled up in a shivering ball on the floor, Nessa drifted in and out of sleep. There wasn’t a square inch of her body not aching from the damp chill seeping up through the stones. She was starving and the brackish water in the bowl on the table had only made her thirst worse.

She’d reduced herself to licking the moisture off the stones in the corner. She’d gagged at the taste of the mildewed droplets, but at least it had helped moisten her dry, cracked lips. As near as she could figure, she had to survive maybe one more day.

Aveline had said Latharn would arrive on the dawn of the autumnal equinox. But with no windows, Nessa had to guess at how much time had passed since she’d been locked away in the room. She also didn’t know how long she’d been unconscious when Gabriel had spelled her into the place. All she knew was she was determined to survive. She’d be damned if that witch would win without a fight.

She felt a presence on the other side of the energy field. Nessa called out as she shielded her eyes. “Who’s there?” she croaked. She tried a futile swallow to clear her throat and ran her dry tongue over her lips. “I know you’re standing there watching me. I can feel your beady little eyes.”

“It’s beyond me what Latharn sees in such a rude little bitch. And one who’s so plain and tiny as well. Ye have no tits. Ye have no curves. Ye are so small the man would split ye in two if he tried to give ye a good pounding. What did ye do to him while he walked in your dreams? How did ye trap his heart in your spell?”

Deardha had once again reverted to her beguiling form of pale ivory skin, voluptuous curves, and red, pouting lips. She cupped her hands under her heavy breasts and pushed them high as she arched her back. The creamy swells of tempting flesh threatened to overflow the deep vee of her low cut gown. “I remember how I rode him well and drew his seed many a time with any part of my body he cared to explore. I made him hard with the slightest glance, and yet not once did he offer his heart to be joined with mine.”

Nessa rolled her eyes and took a deep breath to control her seething emotions. How stupid did Deardha think she was? She knew Deardha baited her. The hag was trying to make her fly into a rage and waste what little strength she had left. Besides, even if Latharn had slept with the woman, it had been over six hundred years ago. Nessa shrugged a shoulder and pretended to stifle a bored yawn before she took the time to reply. “I could really care less about your technique. Obviously, it wasn’t good enough to keep him or he never would’ve come looking for me.”

Deardha’s lips curled into a vengeful sneer. “Once I’m finished destroying the insolent MacKay, I’m going to take a great deal of pleasure in torturing you. The hour will be upon us soon when he makes his presence known. The sun has but to rise a wee bit higher above the horizon, then my revenge will truly be sweet.”

Nessa rubbed her eyes to hide her surge of elation. Finding out that Latharn would be arriving soon was just the shot of adrenaline her waning strength needed. With newfound determination fueling her, Nessa pushed herself up from the floor. Shoving her hair out of her eyes, Nessa took a deep breath and edged her way closer to the electrified door.

With a bounce in her step from her newfound hope, Nessa goaded Deardha. “Since you’re so positive you’re going to win, take down the barricades. Unless you’re afraid?”

Deardha bared her teeth and opened the portal with a hissing wave of her hand. But she was prepared. As soon as the field disappeared she lobbed an energy ball at Nessa’s face. Nessa dodged and slipped through the doorway. She scurried into the main chamber of the mausoleum before Deardha resealed the door.

Her eyes darted about the room. Her heart jumped to her throat. Nessa needed a place to hide and catch her breath. She slid behind a reclining stone effigy. Nessa panted and pressed her back against the cold, damp stone. She struggled to slow her pounding heart and figure out her next move. A shaft of sunlight pouring across the floor caught her eye. The door to the mausoleum had to be open. She was almost free. Just as she was about to bolt for the outer door, Latharn stalked into the room.

His eyes flashed with eerie fire. Flexing his hands, the sheen of his well-muscled body glowed bronze in the light of the torches. Scowling about the room, a fearsome sneer on his face, Latharn exuded confidence for a battle.

Nessa vaulted herself at his body. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she planted tearful kisses all over his face. “It’s about time you got here! Now fry that bitch with a lightning bolt or something so this nightmare will be over.”

Latharn fought the urge to sweep her up into his arms and carry her off to the keep. He had to finish this or their family would never know any peace. Latharn sucked in a deep breath as he heard the inner souls remind him of what needed to be done. With a groan, Latharn settled her to the floor, cupping her face in his hand. He peered intently into her eyes, silently placing his words in her mind.
No matter happens ye must trust what I do and remember that I love ye with every bit of my soul. Can ye do that, Nessa? Make your promise to me within your mind. Ye will trust me in what I am about to do?

A look of confusion replaced Nessa’s relief as she clenched her fists upon his shoulders. She’d heard his words even though he’d not spoken aloud, so silently, she replied,
I’m not so sure I like the sound of that, but... I promise, I trust you with all my heart.

His thumb caressed the curve of her cheek. Latharn ached to crush her to his chest. But that was for later. He dare not overplay his hand. He must wage the war as they’d planned or lose everything to the darkness of the eternal abyss.