Blue Keltic Moon (Children of the Keltic Triad) (30 page)

She had worked more magic than either of them realized when she healed him. Her magic allowed him to return to himself. Somehow he would find the way to help her understand, whether in pain or as a whole being, he loved her. He would always love her.

He moved closer and cupped his hand against her hair, sighing as the strands tickled his palm. She shivered under his gentle touch. He knelt at her back and rested his chin on her shoulder. “
Sundarii
, soulfire does not lie.”

A second tremor shook her body. Staring straight ahead, she asked, “What do you mean?”

Tempted by the smooth, delicate curve, he nuzzled her ear before answering. “I mean,
caarutama
, most beloved, despite how we may change as we live our lives, or appear to become different in some way, those changes will be of no consequence to us. Nothing can destroy our soulfire. Nothing either of us may do or say, nothing another may attempt will destroy the destiny that brought us together.”

She sighed when he sat, and turned to face him. Capturing her restless hands, he brought her fingers to his lips. She resisted, trying to pull away but he kept her hands in a gentle hold. “Why do you wish to cast a pall over the love I have finally admitted?”

Breanna jerked her gaze to him. “I-I don’t...”

“You have not known me as anything other than damaged. You are concerned now that I am able to manage the memories, I will not love you.”

She shook her head.

“Ah, so it is that you fear yourself, your love. That you will not love the Faerie with a mind made whole. Or perhaps you wonder if your love was born only of the need to heal.”

Wide, her eyes glistened with the threat of tears. “How... how did you know?”

He caressed her cheek and brushed away a single errant tear. “Am I truly so much different? Yes, there is much you have yet to discover of me, of my life. I am, by human standards, very old. I have had experiences, lifetimes, such as you do not yet know or understand. But, my beautiful one, we now have our lives, our time together to discover what we do not yet know of each other. Does not every couple, every relationship encounter such times?”

Her ragged breaths tugged at his heart, but he waited for her to speak. Finally, she nodded, shook her head, then nodded again. “I guess for all my life, for all my loving you and wanting to heal your agonies, I never thought about you. Who you were without the need for healing. Who you would be once the pain no longer dominated your life.”

The evil touch of a long known comfort of pain rose in his brain. Confidence fled from the maelstrom as his mental defenses shook, the pieces threatening to return to a solid wall. Being who she had known would be so easy. Too easy.

Breanna gripped his hand. “No, don’t do that. Don’t give in. Don’t go back. Gowtham, stay with me. I’ll be okay. We’ll be okay.”

He blinked, struggled with the internal force of his memories, and found the strength to laugh at the mental winds. The warmth of Breanna’s body when she leaned closer destroyed the last of the insidious temptation and he let his shoulders relax.

“Such is my battle, Breanna. The darkness will always be there, just within reach. However, I am no longer willing to allow evil to succeed, to dominate my life. Be my constant, my anchor. When I slip toward despair, assist me to return to me, to remain me. You are the light to my darkness. I need... please, do not question my need for you.”

The brightness he ached for shone in her teary smile. “And you’ve got me, Gowtham. Forever.”

Forever. Even with the long ages of a Faerie lifetime before them, he liked the sound of forever.

“W
e’ve got company.”

With Chance’s bland pronouncement, followed by Morghan’s rumble of anger, Breanna knew exactly who approached the camp. Reluctant, but with a determined kiss, she eased from Gowthaman’s embrace, stood and brushed the dust from her rear. When he flowed to his feet beside her, and rested his hand over the curve of her bottom, she leaned against him. For a moment she accepted the comfort, then straightened.

This was it.

Confrontation.

Battle.

Panic swept through her, swirling, building, making her muscles weak and trembling. Her Alastriona training had prepared her for battle, but she had never really expected to face a foe as menacing and world threatening as this ancient fire elemental. The urge to turn and run twined with her panic.

Gowthaman wrapped his arm around her waist. Damn, now she couldn’t run. If only the trembling would stop. Maybe then she could think.

Granda would be so ashamed of her.

The elemental stopped a few hundred yards from them, smiled broadly and pointed to the faint circle of lighter gray half way to the horizon. Then he shook his head in mock sadness and found a low stone where he sat, crossed his arms and cocked his head regally to one side.

“What’s he doing?’ Bree whispered.

A second low growl rumbled from Morghan. “A creature of his word, so he says. He will no’ come to fight until ’tis time for the veil to open. Until ’tis time for him to make his...” He paused and increased the volume of his voice. “Attempt...” another pause, then in a more normal tone, “...to escape.”

“So, you really don’t think he’s going to fight us now?”

Morghan shook his head. “That one has a misguided sense of himself, an’ what actions he decides to take. I do no’ ken why he holds his own word in such high regard.”

“So, he’s just going to sit there and watch us?”

Chance moved from his position at the edge of the camp. “Looks like it.”

Worry for her brother gave Bree a focus, something other than misgivings over her own preparedness. “Has he tried to get in your head?”

“Nope. Don’t think he’ll give it much of a try either. He doesn’t need to control any of us since what he wants is within his grasp. Or so he thinks.”

Control? A fresh wash of fear settled like a lump in her stomach. “Did he, did he ever...”

Chance gave her his usual cheeky grin. “Never. At first, when I had no idea what was going on, he may have tried. Give me a little credit for some strength of character, will ya, Sis?”

“Chance, I wouldn’t—”

“I know. And no, he never did. Without really trying I must have found the way to block him before he had the chance to dig in. Maybe that ability was left over from our battles with Fiedhlim. So, no worries about me, sister mine.”

But she would worry about him. Both because he was her brother, and because he was a part of the team. A team she was supposed to be leading.

She stiffened her spine. Gowthaman gave her waist a squeeze then stepped back, close enough to offer moral support, but far enough to allow her to make her own decisions. She closed her eyes.
Please let me make the right decisions
. “We’ll wait, as long as he does. Watch him. If he moves...”

“Aye.” Morghan paced three steps forward, lifting his fists higher with each step. “I’ll watch the... creature. ’Twill no’ be long until time to begin. I know the words, have repeated them innumerable times o’er the years here. Ye watch the time. I will no’ let the elemental disturb yer final preparations.”

He strode to the edge of their campsite, found his own stone and sat facing Brandr Ur. Crossing his arms, he rubbed at the bandage on his upper arm then matched the elemental’s pose.

The insane urge to laugh crawled up to settle in Bree’s throat. Stand-off, world between worlds style. “Okay,” she breathed. “What’s left to do?”

Coralie shrugged. “Wait.”

Bree glanced at Gowthaman. He lifted one shoulder. “We shall each review the incantation and prepare in the event the others are unable to split the veil.”

“Agreed. Chance?”

“I’m just gonna sit over here. I’ll help Morghan watch, go over the words. And there’s a couple other things I need to take care of.” He sat on the ground, his long sword balanced across his knees.

In the end, they all sat, lost in the silence of their thoughts. Waiting.

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S
hortly before moonrise, Jayse led his small party to the brae. Nightshade lagged behind but his thoughts raced as he scuffed along the dirt path.

After the last communication from Breanna they’d each drifted into their own thoughts, though he was sure all those thoughts centered around one thing. All three branches of the Alfar race were needed to successfully hold Brandr Ur in the world between worlds. He wasn’t convinced the magic of Faerie participation would fill the Domovoii void. But perhaps it would slow the elemental enough to allow the rescue party’s escape.

He didn’t relish the idea of telling Breanna’s parents she and her brother weren’t coming home.

Giving himself a shake, he increased his speed and climbed the steep path to the outcropping’s level crown. He moved immediately to the edge overhanging the loch and stared out over the dark water.

In the distance the loch disappeared into the cobalt of the advancing night. The moon would rise from the darkness, a moon over-full with meaning and magic. A similar moon would rise in at least two other worlds, enabling the elemental to traverse the veil and enter one of the opened worlds.

To terrorize this human world.

Nightshade took a fortifying breath. He would do anything and everything within his power to prevent that from happening.

A bank of dense clouds hovered in the distance. The lower edge glowed silver as each layer of churning clouds captured moonlight then reflected the iridescent shine further into the sky. It was an ethereal moonrise, one he would have appreciated fully in another place, at another time.

He watched until the moon’s curved, gilded edge eased into the night sky. Then he turned to the others, spread his hands and snapped his fingers.

“Showtime.”

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B
randr Ur stretched. This day was interminably long. Yet he was willing to wait a bit longer, considering his reward.

Freedom. Freedom from this forsaken place. Freedom to do as he wished, to take all he desired. To rule.

He’d never bothered to study the minds he’d been able to touch throughout the ages. Now he pondered what he would discover in the world of weak humans. Would they be much different than those who long ago worshiped him, and his brethren?

The low sound of unrestrained anger rumbled through his chest. Existence had been good all those millennium ago. Fewer beings populated his world then, but they had worshiped him. Closing his eyes he savored the memory of adulation and offerings. Soon, he would again receive his due. That which his brethren had taken from him so long ago.

What fools his fellow Elementals had been, choosing a form of oblivion in another dimension when lesser beings fell to their knees before them. He’d made his stand, refused to retreat with the other gods. Another angry growl vibrated along his spine.

And because he’d refused, had chosen instead the adulation, his brethren imprisoned his fire deep beneath the sea. A witch who imagined herself as powerful as a god, had discovered the way to breach his prison. Allowing him to break free. To a world with god-pretenders and only two worshipers. Two who would not bow to him. A stirring of pleasure settled in his groin and he shifted. The most pleasing memories he carried were not of worship, but of their child as a woman grown. Of Dea Anu.

Of the times he’d taken her. Only thrice, but what pleasure.

Movement from the camp destroyed his memory and he frowned. The prince of waters had risen and paced from one side of his camp to the other. And back to his stone.

Brandr Ur blew out a disgusted breath. Blood of his blood. A poor showing of a descendant. Had Dea Anu and the worthless godling she’d chosen over him allowed him access to his offspring, this prince of waters would be a far different creature.

Or perhaps not. Time had a way of diluting the power he would have nurtured in any descendant willing to worship him.

The morose thoughts faded as he stared toward the horizon. The weak sun that lightened the gray, touched the horizon. Soon he would be free. To burn with the power of the sun. Glorious flames. Free of the dull, lifeless gray.

His skin tightened, hot with the anticipation of increased power. In this moment it didn’t matter which worlds were home to the rising full moons. His plan was set, the motion begun, and nothing would prevent him from taking his rightful place.

As a god. The only god.

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M
orghan studied the elemental with the intensity of remembered purpose. The feeling pleased him. Existence in the world between worlds was one of deprivation. No color, no interaction, no... Coralie. He’d been nearly lost to the lack of sensation. Mayhap only a few more hours and he would have been beyond caring. Beyond rescue.

Thank Sindhu, thank the blessed waters of the great sea, Coralie had been on time.

Now he had that purpose, and a reason to remain alert and caring. He would see the others safely home. Even if he faced the sacrifice of remaining here.

The elemental stretched and altered his position to watch the barely visible sun lower toward the horizon. Little time remained. And so many thoughts to think.

His niece, his darlin’ Lucidea, had ruled well in his absence, for Coralie spoke nothing but praise for Lucidea and her husband. Morghan glanced at the young woman who led the party to rescue him. If Lucidea’s man was of the same race, of the same quality as Breanna, he was satisfied. This Faerie race bred strong, determined folk. Much like the Sindhu.

He frowned a moment before Coralie came to him. If his sacrifice were called for, how could he watch her pass through the veil, returning to their worlds without him?

“Yer thinkin’ very loud, m’lord.”

“An honorific?”

“Yer expression was one of royal thought, Morghan.”

“Aye, heavy thoughts for heavy times,
eudail
.”

Coralie stroked her hand over his shoulders. Delight followed her touch and he leaned back to increase the pressure. She bent to whisper. “We shall all return home together. An’ if we do no’, I will stay here with ye.”