Devan Chronicles Series: Books 1-3 (8 page)

“Hush Julia. It will be all right. Hush, hush, hush...” Jessica said rubbing Julia’s back and smoothing her hair out of her eyes.

Julia pushed away a little and wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what is the matter with me. I’m not like this usually...” she took the piece of lace Jessica held out to her and dabbed at her eyes. “I must be tired or—”

“Tears can be healing. I remember when Kevlarin died...” Jessica said faintly.

“Kevlarin?”

“My lord husband. Here, I’ll show you.”

Julia followed Jessica across the room.

Jessica gestured up at a large portrait on the wall. “This is... was Kevlarin. He entered the Other World almost ten years ago.”

The portrait was of a much younger and happy seeming Jessica sitting with an older man. Jessica glowed with happiness. Ordinarily Julia would have called Kevlarin brooding, ominous even, but the artist had captured a different feeling. It was love pure and simple. Kevlarin was wearing rich velvets in dark colours as if trying to fade into the background, but the way he was looking at Jessica gave him a different aspect altogether. It was as if Jessica’s presence shone a light upon him, one which he could not escape. The adoration in his eyes was obvious. Jessica could only have been twenty or so when the portrait was commissioned, but it wasn’t Jessica’s beauty or the age difference that made her lord husband seem plain. There was something familiar about Kevlarin that Julia couldn’t quite put her finger on, something about the eyes? She shrugged. Whatever it was she couldn’t dredge it up out of the jumble she laughingly called a memory.

“He is... strong looking,” Julia said lamely.

Jessica laughed. “You mean plain don’t you? It’s all right, everyone remarked on it at the time. Oh Jessica, you can do
sooo
much better. Oh Jessica, you should marry Athlone, he’s
sooo
handsome.”

“And were they right do you think?” Julia said stifling her laughter.

“Bah! Kevlarin is beautiful in my eyes and that’s all that matters. Athlone was, and still is by all accounts, a brigand. I wanted nothing to do with him. He married a beauty a while later and I never heard from him again... well not directly. He has caused some trouble for Keverin since then.” Jessica’s eyes shone with her memories and glistened with tears, but they didn’t fall. Jessica was a strong woman.

Julia remembered those nightmare months after her parents died, and envied Jessica that strength.

“I loved Kevlarin very much,” Jessica went on quietly. “He was older than I as you can see. He was lonely. This pile of stone takes a lot of work to manage. He kept himself busy by building up the fortune. His mother wanted him to marry a girl from Chulym to tie Athione to the masters there, but he resisted.

“Anyway,” Jessica went on in a more upbeat tone of voice. “His mother had arranged a banquet and invited all the lords. In those days this place was bustling. This lady or that lord would come to visit, and children would be running in the corridors playing. Every day felt like a holiday. This old place feels dead now, but you should have seen it forty years ago before the troubles began.”

“Then what happened?” Julia asked breaking Jessica’s reverie.

“Oh well, my parents brought me with them when they came to visit. Kevlarin was there all dressed in black and brooding in the corner. He did it on purpose of course. His mother was livid, but what could she do? He was Lord of Athione in his own right. Most of the ladies were afraid of him for being so big and ugly in their eyes, but I saw something different behind the scowl he wore.”

Julia listened as Jessica transported her to an Athione of long ago...

“Excuse me a moment would you?” Jessica said in a distracted voice. “I want to have a word with Lord Kevlarin,”

Athlone bowed stiffly. “As you wish.”

Jessica walked away, hardly aware of Athlone’s disgruntlement, and headed directly for Kevlarin. She didn't see her mother's knowing smile or hear the comment she made to her dance partner. Lord Padrig faltered at his consort’s words and looked worriedly toward his daughter. Another whispered comment made him relax suddenly tight shoulders and he concentrated upon his dancing.

The music was beautiful and the ladies danced gaily with the lords. The hall was decked in bunting and the chandeliers seemed to blaze brighter than the sun. Kevlarin made an ominous figure dressed as he was all in black. It accentuated his strength, though Jessica was sure he didn’t realise just how much.

“My lord Kevlarin,” Jessica said with a deep curtsy.

“You have the advantage of me lady,” Kevlarin said with a bow.

“Yes I have, haven’t I?” She said with a laugh. Kevlarin grumbled something under his breath. It sounded like he wanted to hide in the stables. “Oh don’t do that my lord! We won’t be able to hear the music.”

“I’m not dancing...” Kevlarin broke off looking sharply at her.

Jessica grinned and closed her trap. “May I have the pleasure of this dance?”

“You can’t ask me, I’m supposed to ask you!”

“Thank you my lord, I accept.”

Kevlarin looked around for a distraction or some other way to escape, but then he saw his mother heading toward him with a young woman in tow. He inclined his head to Jessica, “You honour me, lady,” he said and quickly led her away from his mother’s determined advance.

“You haven’t told me your name, my lady,” Kevlarin said as he whirled her around the dance floor.

Jessica was feeling a little breathless and wished now she had chosen a dress a little less tight. “Jessica—my name I mean,” she said breathing hard but enjoying the giddy feeling that was coming over her.

“You are a vision come to life Jessica. Where did you come from?”

“Don’t do that. Every man I’ve ever met says something like that and I’m sick of it! All my friends say I should let Athlone court me—he’s always saying stupid things like that.”

“I meant no disrespect. I assure you that I meant what I said.”

Jessica looked up at him in confusion. Did he really mean... ? She was feeling more than a little giddy now. She was having trouble concentrating upon his words.

“Can we walk outside for a little while Kev? I’m feeling a little giddy.”

“Of course,” Kevlarin said in sudden concern. “Here, take my arm and I’ll see you safely outside.”

Jessica walked unsteadily on his arm, but she quickly regained control of herself as the night air refreshed her. They walked slowly around the courtyard. It was a beautiful night. The sky was clear and the stars shone down. She could still hear the music even this far away, and wished Kevlarin would dance with her under the starlight.

“I’m sorry to be such a bother. I’m feeling much better now.”

“It was my honour to escort you,” Kevlarin said guiding her steps through the darkness. “You still haven’t told me where you live.”

“We have met before, my lord. My father is Padrig,” she said wondering if he would remember her.

Kevlarin frowned. “Lord Padrig? I don’t recall ever meeting Padrig’s daughter.”

“I was only eight at the time Kev,” Jessica said with a chuckle.

Daylight dawned and he gaped. “You... you can’t be! What ever happened to that mutt?”

Jessica laughed. She called her dog Lord Growley because he would always growl and bark at any stranger who came too close to her. “Lord Growley is not a mutt I’ll have you know. He is a noble beast!”

Kevlarin boomed a laugh across the courtyard. “My apologies to the honourable Lord Growley, but he did bite me first.”

“Only because he was protecting his lady,” she said grinning.

Kevlarin stopped laughing abruptly and raised Jessica’s hand for a kiss. “I can understand his need to protect you.”

The kiss made Jessica all tingly, and she wanted him to do it again on her lips, but he very properly escorted her back to the dance. Kevlarin danced beautifully. The night progressed with him glaring at anyone even attempting to come between them.

Jessica was well pleased.

“And what happened then Jessica?” Julia said breaking the mood that had come over her new friend.

“What?” Jessica said blinking in confusion. “Oh, Julia I’m sorry. I was lost in the past there for a moment,” she sounded sad to be back. “Well... the next day we went riding together; the next hawking, and the day after that my father informed Kevlarin that we were leaving for home. Kevlarin said he would escort us, and he did all the way to the castle, but afterwards, instead of leaving he camped outside the gate. When my father came outside the next day, Kevlarin asked him for my hand in marriage.”

“And your father said yes of course?” Julia said eagerly.

“He said
no!
” Jessica said with a laugh. “I was outraged I can tell you. Father, I said, I love Kevlarin and if you don’t go out there and tell him that you’ve changed your mind, I’ll go. He wouldn’t have that of course. He was the master of his own castle. He asked Kevlarin to come up and stay a while. The next day we were married by the priest in one of our villages.”

Julia chuckled. “A master of his castle but not of his daughter!”

They both laughed. Jessica brought her a glass of wine, and Julia sipped it occasionally while telling her about Earth.

“No, we don’t use magic at all,” Julia said. “Everyone knows magic is all tricks and illusion...” she frowned, “At least it is on my world. We use technology to do the things you described. Any one can fly where I come from. We use jet planes—big metal birds that hundreds of people can sit inside of to travel anywhere in the world.”

Jessica shook her head gently in wonder. “That is truly amazing. To think that something so marvellous can be done... but is it possible your world does have magic? You see, we believe that magic comes from the God. It is His power to bestow. Surely He made your world as he did ours.”

“In the Bible, that’s my faith’s holy book, it says God made the world in six days. I can see just by looking around me that your people and mine are the same. I believe God did make both our worlds. As for magic, we have stories of mages, but that’s all they are. Why is this so important to you?”

“I will tell you why.”

Julia turned to find the man she had landed on just entering the room. Mathius was hiding behind him.

“Though I cannot imagine how anyone could sleep through the noise, you should know that we are under attack. Athione will likely fall in the next day or so—”

Mathius gasped in protest, but the man ignored him and continued.

“—and most here will die. If you had been who you were supposed to be we might have prevented it!”

Before Julia could think of a reply, Jessica bounced to her feet in outrage. “
How dare you!
Lord you may be, but you don’t rule here! You burst in unannounced and think to insult my guest—I’ll not have it! If you don’t apologise I will have you
barred
from the women’s quarter!”

Julia nodded to herself. So this was Jessica’s son lord Keverin. Trust her to use the only lord for miles around for her landing mat. Julia watched the confrontation with interest. The lord was easily a foot and more taller than Jessica was,
and
he was heavily muscled, but the way Jessica stood toe to toe with him made her appear the larger. Julia could see his resemblance to Kevlarin now that he stood before her. He was struggling to hold his temper and was clenching his bandaged hands. They were bleeding. The injury must be recent.

Keverin bowed stiffly. “My lady mother, I...
apologise
to you and your guest.”

Julia nearly laughed to hear him strangling on the apology. She tried to hide it behind her hand, but he noticed the movement. “I’m Julia Morton. I would like to say that I’m pleased to meet you, Lord Keverin, but I’m not.”

Keverin growled something, but Julia was distracted from his words when Mathius glowed just like before in the great hall.

“What did you just do?”

The glow winked out and Mathius looked at her in bewilderment. “I? Nothing, Lady.”

“What are you talking about wom...” Keverin was cut off by a glare from Jessica. “Excuse me,
Lady
Julia, but what are you talking about?”

“He just did something.”

“I didn’t see anything,” Keverin said turning to look.

Julia glanced at Jessica for confirmation, but she shook her head. “But I saw—
THERE!
” She cried pointing at Mathius. “He’s doing it again!”

Keverin and Jessica both turned to the distracted Mathius. When he looked up, he jumped in surprise to see them all staring at him so intently.

“What? I mean... can I help in some way my lord?”

“Lady Julia says you just did something. I would appreciate you putting her
mind
at rest.”

Julia frowned at his emphasis. So, he thought she was empty headed did he? She would give him empty headed!

Mathius bowed to Julia. “Lady, I swear I did not use magic on you or anyone. Is that satisfactory my lord?”

Keverin nodded.

Julia knew that she had seen something. There was no way she was letting his lordship shrug it off. “But I saw you glow. I did, I swear I did!”

Mathius gasped. “You couldn’t have! No woman has ever had the gift. Never, it’s not possible!”

Everyone started talking at once until Keverin restored order by the simple expedient of shouting louder than anyone else. “Shut up! Let me get this straight. Julia says that she saw you glow. You said that you didn’t use magic. So what was the glow?”

Mathius shifted uneasily. “My lord, that is not...
entirely
accurate. I said that I hadn’t used magic on her or anyone. No more did I, but I did use my magic to bespeak Renard in the courtyard. The first time, Renard informed me of a meeting later tonight. The second time was to tell me I wouldn’t be needed to monitor or maintain the wards today.”

Keverin nodded. “So, what is this about the glow she supposedly saw?”

Supposedly! Julia glared at Keverin’s choice of words. What was it with the man that irritated her so much? She’d only just met him and already she wanted to kill him!

“When a mage uses his magic, another mage will be able to feel it, and in extreme cases he will hear it as well. More to the point, he will see the mage glow. The more he draws the brighter the glow will be. Darius... sorry my lord, but Darius drew a colossal amount. So much that even you saw the glow. The noise was...” Mathius shook his head and didn’t continue.