“He had two blades,” Keenan said (34 page)

“You can heal her,” Drakkina said.

“Aye, I can,” Merewin said tersely, “but I’d still like to ken what happened.”

“Later.” Drakkina ignored the piercing eyes of Elenor and watched Merewin pull several stones from a bag tied to her waist. Some were polished, some rough. Merewin carefully rolled Serena to her back. She gave several jagged crystals to Elenor.

“Lay the clear quartz along her stomach up her sides near the wound.” Merewin held up a smoky, smooth crystal. “My rutile quartz will ease her breathing and lesson her shock.” She laid it against the hilt still buried in Serena’s chest. Drakkina recognized jade stones that Merewin placed in each of Serena’s palms, curling her fingers around them.

Merewin closed her eyes and moved her hands gracefully over the stones. Drakkina studied her, trying to see the intricate web of healing threads that Merewin wove. Fascinating. The power to heal was one Drakkina had never mastered, but this young woman, she held complete control of the power. She used the stones to help her focus the intricate energies required in healing.

Drakkina looked at the dagger hilt. “Shouldn’t we remove it?”

Merewin didn’t open her eyes, and a frown creased her flawless brow. “Nay, not until I’m certain.”

“Certain?”

Merewin lowered her arms and touched several of the stones. She bent low to Serena’s face and brushed back her hair. “Why doona ye warm from my magic, Sister?”

“What?” Drakkina squawked. She clasped her misty hands.

Merewin didn’t rise, but turned her face to Drakkina. “My magic isna’ working on her.” She turned back and kissed Serena’s forehead. “Sister, open yer eyes, see me.”

Serena’s eyes flickered. Merewin smiled. “There now. Ye must open to my power, else I canna help ye.”

“What do you mean, you can’t help her?” Drakkina demanded.

Merewin pulled back, still smiling at Serena. “I can only heal those who want to be healed.”

Drakkina wafted over to Serena and looked down at her. “Serena, let your sister heal you. He’s coming. I know he is. Trust him to come to you.”

Serena’s eyes didn’t focus on anyone in particular. “If he is to die, then so will I.”

“No!” Drakkina wailed as she yanked her shawl off her head and threw it on the shriveled wildflowers. “You are not to die. Even if he does, you cannot die. Stop dying this instant.”

Merewin looked at Drakkina like she’d gone mad. Perhaps she had. The tightness in her chest moved behind her eyes. She wouldn’t cry. It was weakness to cry, and she was the powerful Drakkina. Reigning in her control, Drakkina looked at Merewin. “Do what you can. I must work to shorten his journey here.”

Merewin turned back to Elenor, and the two of them began to pack around the wounds. Merewin dabbed drops of liquid on Serena’s pulse points and dropped several drops between her parted lips. “This is
Apophyllite
gem essence,” she said to Elenor. “It fights off hopelessness.”

Chapter 18

Voices wavered in and out. Serena felt the cool weight of stones along her body. A wet rag wiped at her mouth. “Serena, ye must want to live for my magic to work on ye. Do ye not want to live?”

Serena squeezed her eyes and managed to flick them open. Large lashy eyes stared into her own. Serena was mesmerized by the warm green orbs.

“I remember you.” Serena coughed.

The woman ran her hand through Serena’s hair, brushing it back from her face. She smiled. “I am Merewin. We’ve met before, though at the time I thought it a dream.”

Serena watched her lovely soft lips smile. Soft golden brown hair framed a heart shaped face. She did look familiar.

“I’m yer sister. Our mother sent us away, hid us. Do ye remember?” Merewin asked. Serena caught glimpses of a girl laughing as they danced in and out of the large stones around their cottage.

“Yes,” Serena breathed. “I remember.”

Merewin beamed at her. “I too.” Serena felt Merewin squeeze her hand, but it felt like she wore thick mittens.

“I am cold, numb,” Serena said and coughed up some more blood.

Elenor came into view, her eyes red with tears. She rubbed Serena’s mouth then placed her cloak over Serena below the dagger. “Serena, ye have to live. I,” she hesitated. “I wasn’t the one to strike ye.”

“I know.”

“And I didn’t want to strike you, Serena,” Drakkina’s loud voice came from nowhere and everywhere at once. Serena squeezed her eyes shut.

“This is yer doing?” Merewin snapped.

Serena opened her eyes again. Drakkina’s misty form hovered over her making her gasp which led to another cough. Concern, self righteous defensiveness, and panic, floated with the priestess. “Listen to me, Serena,” Drakkina’s voice spoke into her mind. “It was the only way to make him leave the battle. He must have felt the attack through your bond with him.” The image wavered slightly. “He will be here soon. Do not die, child. It was never my intent to harm you mortally.”

“Perhaps it would be easier to die,” Serena murmured. Life was so hard. She’d been fighting for normalcy her entire life and she would never truly know it. Her magic would always single her out and without Keenan she’d never know love.

“Sister,” Merewin snapped above her, blocking Drakkina’s floating form. Merewin’s eyes were as firm as her hand that squeezed her fingers. “Ye must not be my sister, born of Gilla’s blood.” Serena watched her storm filled face. “No daughter of Gilla would give up so easily.”

“It’s so hard,” Serena said.

“Do ye remember her, our mother?”

“Aye, a bit. She was beautiful. She hummed all the time.”

Merewin’s face tightened, a sad smile sat on her lips. “I’d forgotten that, aye she hummed.” She leaned closer to Serena. “Mama fought for us, to save us, leaving herself helpless to the demons.”

“Demons?” Elenor asked.

“Yes demons!” Drakkina shouted. “If you only knew how important this is!”

Merewin ignored her. “She did not give up even when they killed Papa. She fought until the end. Do not make her sacrifice in vain, Serena. Mama died for us,” she shook her head, soft brown curls falling over her shoulder as she looked down over Serena. “How could ye give up on yer life so easily?”

Elenor stepped beside Serena. “Yer a warrior, Serena. Keenan told me that. Ye saved William, ye saved that boy and his mother from the Campbell. Brodick said ye stood up to yer whole tribe. Ye even lied to King George to help us.”

“I did,” she said looking first at Elenor and then Merewin. “Mama was a warrior, wasn’t she?”

Merewin nodded, tears glistening in her once again soft eyes. “She fought for us all.”

“She fought for this world,” Drakkina added hovering nearby.

Serena closed her eyes, releasing the burden of her indecision. She’d chosen.

“Look,” Elenor’s voice wavered in her muffled ears. “The stones are glowing!”

Serena felt Merewin’s strong hands touch her skin. The cool fingers warmed and a heat spread out, connecting stone to stone along her numb body. Serena gasped as the heat penetrated. Flesh and muscle tugged closed across the stab wounds inside and out. Serena opened her eyes. Merewin stood, eyes closed, forehead furrowed, hands sliding along Serena’s body.

“Woman,” Merewin said to Elenor. “When I say, pull out the knife in the same slant that it entered.”

Elenor bit her bottom lip and nodded while she wrapped her hands around the hilt.

Serena closed her eyes against the gruesome sight. Heat pooled around the blade embedded in torn flesh.

“Now!” Merewin yelled and pain ripped through Serena as the blade yanked free. She gasped, her eyes flying open. Merewin covered the hole with both of her hands and the sharp pain dulled, blending into the numbness throughout Serena’s entire body. Merewin continued to radiate magic into her body. It crept along her limbs, nudging them with power.

The numbness awoke to pain which ebbed to discomfort and dissolved to wholeness once more. Serena struggled onto her elbows.

“Serena!” Elenor yelled and helped her sit up. Stones rolled to the table and into the grass. Merewin opened her eyes and smiled at Serena.

“Ye are healed, Sister,” Merewin said, fading as she gathered the rocks about her.

Serena smiled. “Thank you. Before you go…” but Merewin was already gone. “Let us meet again,” Serena whispered. Her gaze moved about the circle and she slid off the stone slab.

“Elenor, where’s our horse?”

“Where are you going?” Drakkina said.

Serena pivoted, piercing the witch with a harsh stare. “To help my husband.”

“No!” Drakkina shouted. “Stay in the circle where it’s safe.”

“Safe?” Serena yelled sarcastically.

“I feel that you and your mate are in terrible danger. It is safer here than anywhere else in this world.”

“You want me to hide,” Serena said and shook her head. “Damn all the prophecies and warnings of this world! I am going to my Keenan’s side and we will meet fate together!”

****

Keenan broke through the tree line followed by Brodick and Gavin, and Ewan and Thomas. Keenan dodged a tall monolith of stone as he tore into the clearing. His eyes fastene
d onto a stone table in the center. He jumped from his horse. Red blood dried upon the stone.

He turned, “Serena!”

“She’s not here now,” Drakkina’s voice wafted to him on a breeze as she materialized.

Fury, hot blood fury whipped through his mind, into his muscles. Without breaking stride, he pulled a dirk and hurled it toward the witch. A startled look crossed the wrinkled face as the blade cut through her vapor to clang unheeded against one of the stones behind her.

“Sometimes it’s good to be nothing but mist,” she said, floating nearer.

“Where is she? What have ye done, old witch?”

“Hold your blade and your temper, Highlander,” Drakkina admonished and pulled back the stray curls of white hair that tossed wildly about her face. Her eyes narrowed but flushed cheeks and rapid movements gave her a flustered, anxious look. “Your wife is whole and well.”

“Even though ye stabbed her.”

“You know?”

“Our link is strong.”

“Then you know she’s headed for your battle?”

“Nay!” Keenan roared.

“The battle,” Ewan said. “She goes alone.” His face mirrored the horror pinching at Keenan’s features.

“With the other woman, your sister,” Drakkina said, looking to Keenan. Keenan turned, slamming his fist down on the blood soaked granite. Drakkina continued. “I brought you here over my temporal bridges. Serena travels back over them.”

“Then we return over them,” Thomas said pulling his horse forward.

Keenan had already mounted his horse. He noticed the blue bird circling the stones. “He knows the way.”

“Stay,” Drakkina said, her voice trembling. Keenan looked at her. She seemed suddenly old, tired, as worn as an ancient hag. “Once she sees you aren’t there, she’ll return. She will always return to the west.” The hag dripped resignation as if she already knew his answer.

“We go, old crone,” Brodick said.

Thomas climbed onto his horse. “The prophecy says that she will lead us to peace. The prophecy…”

“Is no more!” Keenan’s roar filled the stone circle, vibrating off the tall monoliths to tremor through the gathered men. “I ride to save Serena, not the witch.” His eyes narrowed with challenge as he looked at his faithful men. “I ride because I will it. I ride because I love her.” Power and strength flowed through Keenan’s body as he shed off the shackles of the prophecy. Energy like he’d never felt before rushed in his blood. He breathed in, filling his lungs as if for the first time. No longer would he try to decipher the words, the plan for his life. Only he and God could control him now. “The prophecy has damned my life, damned the lives of my family,” he said, and turned his horse in a tight circle. “No more,” he said, his eyes moving to the blue bird. The bird chirped once and shot off into the woods. Keenan plunged after him.

****

The dawning sun sparkled over the landscape as Elenor and Serena flew along Drakkina’s temporal bridges. Serena heard Elenor’s soft prayers to her God and Serena added her own silent ones.
Let him live. Let me get to him in time. Let him live.

Up ahead a patch of air quivered. “Hold on!” Serena yelled back as they plunged off the end of the bridge onto normal ground with the momentum ten times faster than natural. The horse screeched as Serena and Elenor clung around the beast’s middle. They dismounted on shaky legs.

Elenor threw her arms around Serena in a hug. “Dearest Lord, I never want to get on a horse again,” she said into Serena’s hair. Serena nodded and hugged her back. Feelings of thanksgiving eclipsed the fear and worry that Serena felt twining around Elenor’s heart. Fear and unease, worry for the future, but also hope. The white brilliance of hope glowed softly from Elenor, hope and trust in Serena. Serena pulled back, tears at war with the smile on her face. Elenor held only trust and sisterly love for her. There was no desire to use Serena, no wish to possess her, no anxiety that Serena’s touch was somehow evil.

“Yer weeping?” Elenor frowned. “Ye are ill?”

Serena shook her head and wiped her eyes. “I am good, Elenor,” she said squeezing her hand. Serena glanced around.

“The horse?” Elenor said.

“She’s too exhausted to go far.” Serena ducked under heavy branches. She pushed one last fir branch from her face, careful not to let it hit Elenor, and walked out of the trees.

Serena stood on the edge facing a boggy moor that stretched far before them, Drumossie Moor, better known as Culloden. Elenor stepped up beside her and gasped as she squeezed the feeling out of Serena’s hand.

Men in tattered plaids walked back across the moor toward them, some limping, some walking with their heads down, some crawling.

“Is it over?” Elenor asked.

Serena shook her head while her eyes searched for one tall figure that should stand out from the crowd. “No, too many of them are still alive for it to be over.”

“They look like they’ve been to battle,” Elenor said. She sucked in breath and pointed. “That’s Lachlan! And John and Angus!” Elenor cupped her hands around her eyes to see against the sun that was three quarters up to its zenith. “And Hamish…Lan and Fergus.” Her head turned to scan the crowd. “But where is…?

“He’s not here,” Serena said, her voice numb.

“He must be here. Keenan wouldn’t leave his men.”

Serena looked at Elenor. “He felt my wound.”

Elenor’s eyes turned to her and then glanced behind them toward the temporal bridge. “Ye think he…”

“Fell for the trick,” Serena finished the sentence. What had Drakkina done? She had taken Keenan away when his clan, when his family needed him most. But hadn’t that been what Serena had asked of him earlier? She swallowed down guilt, the bitterness invading her spirit.

“It wasn’t a trick,” Elenor countered. “Ye were stabbed.”

“I let my weakness, my doubt in Keenan…” Serena swallowed back her tears. “I should have read Drakkina, known what she planned…”

“Serena, nay,” Elenor said.

“Would the Macleans be crawling back across a moor if Keenan had been here to lead them?”

Elenor reached for Serena’s hand and squeezed. She didn’t say anything as the two looked back out over the moving moor. Lachlan had made it half way across the field when the Bonnie Prince rode out on a white horse, his orders carried away from the ladies on the wind. Elenor and Serena clung to one another as they watched the men turn back around and form lines.

“Holy Sweet Mary, Mother of God,” Elenor prayed out loud. “Save our men.”

Save our men
. Serena’s prayers echoed silently. When had these Macleans become her men? It didn’t matter, they were.
Save our men
. Serena thought of the wives and children she’d left at Kylkern. Their hearts full of hope and fear.
Save our men.