Time Masters Book One; The Call (An Urban Fantasy, Time Travel Romance) (74 page)

Dallan abruptly stood, his eyes narrowed to slits. “No!”

“It would be within their rights.”

“No!” Dallan began again. “How can they take my wife? She
canna survive
without me! Ye said so yerself.”

“I kn
ow. But the Elders will sacrifice two
of their own,
if they think it will save multi
tudes of others.”

“They would separate us and let us die?”

John swallowed and nodded.

Dallan fell back onto the bench. “Great Mother o’ God.”

Lany, who had
stood silently to one side, fi
nally joined the others. “Of course, who’s to say what happens before t
he oath is ever taken? Say
if you happen to be experimenting with Shona’s abilities and just, um, accidentally ended up back in Scotland for a few moments? Could happen.”

John couldn’t decide whether to grin or glare at Lany. “Could.”

“Aye, it well possibly could,” Angus stated calmly and added a wink.

Dallan took a moment to ponder the possibility before nodding. “Aye, I suppose.”

They all began to chuckle.

“Ah ha!” Kwaku bellowed from behind a holly bush. “I am happy to hear you all in such good spirits.” He sat next to Dallan. “You have done well, yes? You have had great success wid de Maiden. In time Boyeee, she may even begin to like you.”

Dallan’s amused expression turned deadly. “Have ye nothing better to do than insult me?”

Kwaku stopped his chuckling, brow furrowed in serious thought, and looked back to Dallan. “No,” he answered and began to laugh again.

“Bloody heathen,” Dallan grumbled as he leaned forward to re
st his elbows on his legs. He we
arily shook his head. “Saints, I’m tired.”

Kwaku’s laughter abruptly stopped. “Not too tired, I hope!” He slapped Dallan hard on the back.

Dallan pitched forward and caught himself only by throwing his feet out in front of him. His eyes narrowed to slits as he sat up straight. “I’ll get the job done, if that’s what yer worried about.”

“I am not worried, Boyeee. At dis point, I know you would do de job even if it were not required of you!”

Dallan’s gaze narrowed even further.

Now Angus chuckled. “He’s got a point there, lad. No denying it.”

Dallan sighed, knowing he was beaten. “Why are women always late?” Now all the men began to laugh.

Dallan sat up again. “I see no humor in it. I’m a tired man and the
lass
fares no better. We need to get on
wi
’ it.”

“Agreed, Dallan.”

All heads turned to find Zara standing among the fl
owers. “Your bride is ready, Weapons Master.” Dallan swallowed once, hard, as Zara made a motion with her hand and Shona stepped out from behind the holly bush.

A husky moan briefl
y caught everyone’s attention. It had come from Dallan. He stood, still wearing all but his formal kilt, having replaced it with his old one. His eyes took in the sight of Shona as his mouth curved into a pleased smile.

Shona had found the Scot’s worn, tired plaid and draped it over one shoulder and around her waist in Highland fas
hion. Her hair was loose and fl
owed down her back and over her shoulders, held in place by a circlet
of gold similar to Zara’s. The emerald encrusted symbol of the Time Master's
matched
the color of the Maiden’s eyes perfectly.

Dallan swallowed again and took an anxious step forward. Kwaku shot an arm out and caught him by his coat. “No, no, Boyeee! Do not touch her!”

He spun on the Time Master and slapped at the heathen’s hand. “Ye’ll no keep me from my bride!” He started for Shona again.

Kwaku stuck one foot out and tripped him, dropping Dallan to the hard surface of the roof. “Want to make a bet, Boyeee?”

“Kwaku,” Lany chastised. “Living stars let him go to her.”

  
Kwaku smiled and shook his head. “De
Sutyne
has already begun. He cannot touch her until de appointed time.”

Dallan sprang to
his feet, hands balled into fi
sts. “Why ye bloody…”

“Did you not hear me, Boyeee? Your wedding began de moment you set your eyes on her.”

Dallan stopped and stared at Kwaku, who now stood with his arms across his chest. “What?”

“Look to her, Boyeee. Do you like what you see? Do you dink you can claim her for your own?” Kwaku stepped over to the Weapons Master and whispered in his ear. “Can you hold her for a lifetime, Boyeee? Can you take care of her? You marry not just a woman,
but
a civilization. A people. By caring for her, you care for de rest.
Can you do dis?
If not, go. Go where you will. Now is your chance. I will even take you back to your home, Boyeee. Back to your beloved Scotland.”

“Why ye bloody heathen, ye well ken I want her. Ye also well ken I canna live
wi’out
her
, nor she
wi’out
me. Dinna mock me so.”

“I do not mock, Boyeee. She can still be joined wid
anoder
. Her heart will not be as strong, but it can be done. And you would be free to return home. What do you say to dat?”

Dallan slowly turned to Kwaku, eyes narrowed to slits
,
jaw dancing
. “She’s to be mine.
I dinna care about anything else now.
I’ll ha’ her as my wife and no other.
And if ye th
ink to distract me with yer off
er, yer wrong.
Now get on
wi
’ it!”

Kwaku began to smile. “You claim dis woman for yourself den? You claim rights to her?”

“What d’ye mean rights? She’s already mine!”

  
Kwaku burst into laughter.

Lany leaned over to John.
“Now would be a good time to fi
ll me in on what’s going on.”

John smiled slightly. “I don’t think you want to know.”

Lany’s eyes widened. “That bad?”

“No, but…”

Kwaku got his laughter under control and strode toward the Maiden who, with Zara, had quietly watched the two warriors confront each other. “You are ready, little one?”

Shona swallowed, not used to Kwaku’s booming voice
being directed at her, and nodde
d.

Kwaku’s voice dropped in pitch and became silky-smooth. “He claims you belong to him. Is dis true?”

Shona shot a quick glance to Dallan, who remained where he was, his eyes drilling holes into the back of Kwaku’s head. “Yes.”

Kwaku placed his hands on his hips and slowly shook his head.

Shona’s eyes widened. “No?”

“How can he claim you, Maiden? You have not given yourself to him. He has no right. You are still free to choose
anoder
.”

“I am?”

“Yes, little one. Now is your chance. Do you wish to remain here in dis world wid your family and all dat is familiar? Or do you willingly choose de Boyeee and a world you have yet to see?”

Shona looked at Kwaku, then Dallan,
then
Kwaku again. “I will go with him. He cannot survive without me.”

Kwaku leaned down into her face. “You will protect him den? You will guard, comfort, care for him?”

“Yes.”

“Do you willingly give yourself to him, little one? Are you willing to submit yourself fully to dis man, even so far as to call him Master?”

Shona’s mouth closed in indecision, confused at his words. Suddenly, her eyes locked with Dallan’s, and her answer was instantaneous. “Yes.”

Kwaku grinned ear to ear. “Den
go
to him, my little tre
asure. Kneel before him and off
er yourself. Tell him you give yourself freely and willingly.” He l
eaned down to her ear. “And off
er him back his heart.”

Shona shuddered at his words and began to slowly walk toward Dallan.

Lany again leaned over to John. “That wasn’t so bad.”

John began to gl
ance at their surroundings. “Th
ey haven’t gotten to the
good part yet. Find something to hold onto.”

Lany looked quickly to Angus who was already mouthing the words, “Hold onto?”

John sat on a bench and wrapped his legs around one of its legs, hands gripping the seat, his body tensed and braced. Lany and Angus copied him without question.

Shona at last reached the Weapons Master, who towered over her as he stood to his full height. A sudden light breeze lifted his hair from his face and shoulders as
her own
hair wrapped itself around the both of them. She looked up into his eyes. “I… I willingly give myself to y… you and… and…”

She never got to fi
nish and instead doubled over in pain.

Dallan instantly reached for her.

“Do not touch her!” Kwaku and Zara screamed in unison.

He froze, one hand extended to the Maiden now on her knees before him.

“Her heart is taking over, Dallan.” Zara told him urgently. “Let this run its course. You will know when you can touch her.”

 
Dallan slowly stood, his eyes never leaving the Maiden.

Shona righted herself, and looked up to him, her voice a painful rasp. “I give myself to you.”

She suddenly became calm and leaned back on her heels. Her eyes quickly, without warning, turned brilliant g
reen, her features instantly fluxed
to Muiraran, her voice now a silken whisper. “I submit myself before you, Dallan MacDonal
d of Glencoe…” Song began to fl
ow from her in a steady wave, the sound soft, compelling,
romantic
.

And in full view.

John, Lany and Angus sat with mouths agape as
a soft white light began to fl
ow and pulse about the Maiden. It rose and circled Dallan, who stood stunned at the phenomenon, his eyes wide with fear and awe.

The light was the Maiden’s
song come
to life. It formed itself into images before Dallan, images of his grandfather, mother,
step-father
and friends. It formed his own image along side the Maiden’s and ent
wined the two into one, then fl
ashed more brightly and formed into Alasdair.

Dallan gasped at the sight, but didn’t move as the light continued forming into images of all he knew, all thos
e he held dear in his heart. Th
e
Maiden’s voice changed in pitch, her song becoming more emotional as words formed and entered the light. She now sang in Gaelic, and the light formed the images of which she sang.

The Maiden began to sing of
Scotland. Hills and valleys fl
ashed around the couple, people and village
s, the courts of the cities. Th
e song covered
periods from Dallan’s people to her own as it showed all that was in his heart for his beloved homeland.

Dallan stood, his eyes locked on the images before him, body relaxed, his heart completely open. She continued to sing, her voice now absent of her earlier words. She closed her eyes and raised her hands, holding them together as if something were there, then looked up to Dallan and lifted her hands to him, bringing herself up off her heels as she did.

Dallan stood transfi
xed as his own hands moved toward the Maiden’s. Her closed hands were now inches from his open ones as their eyes locked on each other.

Dallan fell to his knees, threw back his head and let out a gut-wrenching howl. When at last he turned his eyes back to the Maiden, they were as brilliant green as her own, the light of her song covering them fully.

The Maiden opened her hands.

A rush of wind shot into the sky, followed by a blinding light. It soared into the night, lighting up the entire roof and illuminating the walls of the neighboring structures bef
ore streaking toward Dallan. The light traced the outline of fi
rst the Weapons Master’s body, then the Maiden’s, swirling and growing brighter, blinding everyone but the couple it encompassed.

Dallan looked into Shona’s eyes, his body completely relaxed, hands still held open before her as he covered her hands with his own. “Yer mine now, lass. Ye b
elong to me. I take what ye off
er.”

The light suddenly gathered into the area just above the couple’s hands, its brilliance still bearable only to them.

Dallan leaned forward, his face drawing slowly closer to the Maiden’s. She automatically tilted up her own, eyes brightening. He kissed her passionately, and the light in their hands exploded, swallowing the couple completely for several seconds. Then, growing one last time in intensity, the light gathered into a tight swirling cloud above their hands and formed itself into an image of Dallan.