Timeless (16 page)

The branches on the old tree above the gazebo creaked and sighed, like a tired old man wanting nothing more than his bed.

"But you only just got here," Kat said, holding D'Artagnan's hands. "It isn't fair if you have to leave already. Why can't you stay for just a little while longer?" Kat turned around with a pleading look in her eyes and looked at Alexandria. "Please tell him he can stay here at Witchwood," she implored, grabbing hold of his arm now, afraid if she let him go he might disappear. "He could protect us if he stayed."

"It's not my decision," Alexandria said apologetically. She walked up and pecked D'Artagnan on the cheek. "Thank you so much for your help, earlier. I couldn't have done it without you."

D'Artagnan bowed, kissing Alexandria's hand. "You would have found a way," he said. "But I'm glad I was here and able to help. And I'm quite sure we shall meet again." He turned and looked at Kat. "I will most certainly see you again, my sweet Kat."

Kat looked from Alexandria to Mindy. "Aunt Mindy, can you please do something? Make this confounded watch stop," she said, dragging the chain over her head.

"It isn't my decision, either, dear," Mindy said, shaking her head. "We should go. Let you say your goodbyes to D'Artagnan in private..."

Kat stamped her foot defiantly. "No. Wait. If he can't stay, then I'll just go with him."

D'Artagnan turned Kat to face him, kissing her on the cheek, her lips, brushing a tear from her face with his thumb. "This is not our time, Kat. If we are destined to be together, then we will be. We'll find a way, I promise you."

"But I want to go with you, and this is my decision." Kat pressed the pocket watch into Alexandria’s hand. "This is yours. All the time you have it here with you, I can come back. Just don't expect me any time soon."

D'Artagnan shook his head. "I can't let you do this, Kat. My world, my time, it's so very different to yours. You'd never—"

"It's okay," Mindy said suddenly. "If Kat wants to go, I think she should be able to go."

Kat flew into Mindy's arms. "Thank you, Aunt Mindy. Thank you. Will you explain everything to my mom and dad?"

Mindy held Kat's face in her hands and kissed her forehead. "Of course I will. Your parents were young once. I'm sure they'll understand. You go have some fun, but don't forget about us, okay?"

"You can't let her do this," Alexandria said, shocked that her aunt would let Kat go so easily, and with a man she barely knew. She turned and looked at D'Artagnan. "No offense, D'Artagnan, but you guys only just met. And what about that guy, the one you came through the portal with? What about him. Shouldn't he go back with you?"

D'Artagnan shrugged. "When your vampire friend tracks the villain down, and I know she will, she has assured me she will send him back ... in one piece."

Kat kissed Alexandria on the cheek. "I'll be fine. I'll be better than fine. When you know you're in love, you'll do anything to be with that person. Anything. One day you'll know exactly what I mean. Say goodbye to River and Andrew for me, okay?" Kat turned and hugged her aunt again. "You're the best, Aunt Mindy. I love you so much." She fetched her phone from her pocket. "I'll text every day, I promise." She kissed Mindy on the cheek. "I'll text you, too, Alexandria. Every day."

"Your phone won't work where we're going, Kat," D'Artagnan said softly, wrapping his arm firmly around her waist as the orb's gravitation pull grew stronger.

"We have to go," Kat said, motioning towards the glowing orb, the wind whipping her hair across her face. She handed her phone to Alexandria. Look after this for me, okay? It's got River's number in it. You should call him. He's a good guy."

"This is a mistake," Alexandria protested, shouting over the whirling sound of the orb. "You need to think about what you're doing. And what about school, your education?" she said, in a last ditch effort to try and change Kat's mind.

Kat shrugged. "Love is my teacher now."

Alexandria rolled her eyes. "You're not thinking straight, Kat. Aunt Mindy, will you please say something ... do something?"

Mindy took hold of Alexandria's hand, pulling her away from the whipping air current coming off the orb. "Don't you worry, Alexandria. Your cousin is about to learn a very important lesson that can't be learned in the confines of a classroom."

"I love you both," Kat called, blowing them both a kiss, then stepping into the orb with D'Artagnan.

"This is complete madness," Alexandria said, shaking her head.

Mindy waved at the disappearing Kat and D'Artagnan. "Have a little faith in your aunt," Mindy said, squeezing Alexandria's hand and smiling. "Come on. Let's go help Nina. She should be ready to begin the summoning spell. Hopefully, we will be able to contact Matilda's people before she passes; that's the least we can do for her. She deserves the traditional passing over celebrations and rituals of the Rivenfell Clan, even though she never knew anything about them," She put her arm tightly around Alexandria's waist and led her towards the house.

The orb fell suddenly silent, turning back into the gazebo, glittering brightly with fairy lights. They walked in silence for a moment, lost in their own thoughts.

Mindy was the first to break the silence between them. "I hope you're hungry."

"Hungry?" Alexandria asked, a blank look spreading across her face. "After everything that's happened, I've completely lost what appetite I had."

"Let's just say, you’d better get it back awfully fast."

Chapter 16 – Life's For The Living.

After a quick refresher course in t
he traditions of the Rivenfell Clan, Mindy had made a new shopping list and had driven back into town by herself, insisting that Andrew stay and start preparing the food they had already purchased on their earlier trip.

"I'm back," she called, struggling through the front door with a box laden with an assortment of meats, fish, poultry, and game in one arm and a box of flowers in the other. She dumped both boxes on the kitchen counter. "That smells nice, and very familiar. What is it?" she asked, peering through the glass window on the oven. "Is that what I think it is?"

"I found this," Andrew said, pushing a hand-written recipe across the counter towards her.

Mindy shook her head. "I can't remember the last time I ate Grandma Savannah's
potato and rosemary bread. It was always one of my favorites. Where did you find this?"

Andrew went into the pantry and pulled out a crafted box with brass hinges and sat it on the counter. "I found it up in the attic when I was up there looking around this morning."

"Oh, my goodness. These are all Grandma's handwritten recipes. There are some real treasures in here," she said, flipping through the ivory colored pages. "I'll have to go through these later, but for now, can you grab the rest of the groceries out of the car for me while I start on this lot?" She took a leg of lamb out of the box on the counter.

"Sure. How many people are you expecting to turn up?" Andrew asked.

"At least twenty of her ancestors," Mindy said, tying an apron around her waist. "It is an insult to the dead to have less than that attend the passing over celebrations, according to Rivenfell tradtions."

"How did you even manage to track down these ancestors in this short amount of time?"

"We witches have our talents when it comes to these particular matters."

"And where exactly are all these ancestors coming from?"

"Oh, that is the most amazing part, but you will just have to wait and see."

Nina bathed and clothed Matilda in one of Alexandria's plain white dresses, which was the custom of the Rivenfell Clan. With her hair washed and brushed, and the scars on her face, throat and arms healed, Matilda looked as though she were just sleeping on Alexandria's bed, and would wake at any moment.

"Is she..." Alexandria began, not wanting to say the word.

"Yes," Nina answered. "She isn't in pain anymore."

Alexandria took a few long breaths and let them out slowly. "She looks beautiful, Nina. You did a great job," she said, holding back a fresh wave of tears. She sat down on the bed and held Matilda's cold hand. "You know, I think, had I known her, if this had never happened, and we had met, I think we would have been friends."

"I'm sure," Nina said. "She woke when I was dressing her, and she wanted me to tell you that you did everything you could. She wanted you to know that."

Alexandria nodded. "But in the end, everything I did wasn't good enough."

"You got her out of there, don't you ever forget that. If you hadn't heard her, gone to her, who knows how long she would have suffered in that dungeon."

Alexandria placed Matilda's hand back down gently on the bed. "And now she's dead. Gone. Just like that, and we don't even know if there was anyone out there that loved her, or she loved them."

"Everyone dies, Alexandria. Whether they're loved or not."

"You didn't exactly die though, did you? You're a vampire. How old are you, anyway?"

"I was seventeen, the same age as you are now, when I died. The girl that I used to be all those years ago, she died, and I am what is left, a monster that barely tolerates the rays of the sun, and feeds on blood to survive. Some say that is not living at all, and most days, I would have to agree."

"How did you die? How long ago did you die?" Alexandria asked.

"I think that is a story for another day. Tonight is about Matilda, not me. We should probably go downstairs," Nina said. "We have guests and a feast to prepare for. The Rivenfell people believe that there is only one celebration that is more important than birth and marriage, and that is the celebration of death. You see, the Rivenfell people see death as a new beginning, not an end, and with every new beginning, there must be a feast. And if the smell coming from the kitchen downstairs is any indication, you are in for one hell of a feast."

"I'll be down in a moment," Alexandria said. "I just want to sit here for a little while. I hate the thought of her being alone."

"I can assure you she will not be alone. One is never alone in the Witchwood House."

Alexandria nodded. "I'll be down soon."

"Okay then. I'll be downstairs, helping Andrew and Mindy with the food and other preparations."

Chapter 17 – Let Her Go.