Unbound (24 page)

“Yes.
Yes...excellent point.” Amerlyn seemed cheerful, still for all the world like a
kindly grandfather, despite the fact we were literally debating my fate. “We
don’t think Amun will wait, in fact, we believe he will do his best to pre-empt
the Council’s decision and take matters into his own hands. Rachel is not
safe.”

“And?”
Sannah’s expression was bland.

“And,”
he smiled, “since I have decided to accompany her to London to address the
Council, we will need assistance to ensure we arrive there safely. We need to
travel incognito.” He whispered the last word conspiratorially.

Sannah’s
face did not change. She scanned the group of young women who stood quietly in
the room. Her eyes stopped on Mara.

Sannah’s
voice softened. “Are you in agreement with Amerlyn’s decision, Mara?”

Mara
glanced quickly at Amerlyn and nodded. “Yes, Sannah, I am.”

Sannah’s
face was impassive, unreadable. “Very well.”

She
stood and addressed the room, pitching her voice so all could hear her. “We
have been asked for assistance. Sir Eaden James MacAlister, who has come to our
aid countless times, requests protection for the mortal girl Rachel.” She
seemed to stress the word “girl” again and I wondered suddenly if it was
disdain or jealousy she felt. “Amerlyn, as you have just heard, supports this
request and Mara will join them as they journey to London. I will not ask any
of you to accompany them, but if you do so by your own free will, you have my
leave to go.”

The
next few seconds were quiet, the young women preternaturally still in their
contemplation. I kept my gaze on the table, not wanting to unfairly influence
any of these women to put themselves in danger.

“I
will join them.” I was pleased to see Elora step forward and wave diffidently
at me from the corner of the room. Mara’s face brightened perceptibly and for a
moment I saw something more intense flash between them.

More
rustling, and then a petite Indian woman stepped forward with a shy smile. Her
azure eyes were direct and honest as they met mine and then flitted over to
Eaden. “If Eaden needs help, it’s only fair that I should offer it.”

Eaden
smiled gratefully. “Sita, you owe me no debt. I brought you here because it was
the rightful place for you to be.”
 

She
nodded. “Still. Having lived among mortals for so much of my life, I have no
desire to see their world destroyed. I will join you.”

Sannah
looked upon the two women who had stepped forward and then spoke directly to
Eaden. Her voice was icy.
 
“Let it
be remembered by all that I am entrusting you with their care, Eaden. You have
the blessing of the Lady of Lake. May the Goddess protect you all.”

She
stood swiftly then and Eaden and Amerlyn rose to join her. I prayed that Mara
would give me some sign if I was expected to stand, too, but I noticed she
seemed to be gazing at Elora and paying very little heed to her surroundings.
Figuring I couldn’t make myself any more of a nuisance, I pushed myself up.

With
Sannah’s departure, the room erupted into conversation, Eaden gently touched my
hair, peering at me to see how I was faring.

“I’m
fine,” I reassured him, before he could ask. “I’m actually growing accustomed
to all of this.” I gestured around me dismissively. “It’ll be a rather tedious
day now when I’m not in a room full of witches.”

He
smiled wanly and I noticed again how tired he looked. His grey eyes were
hooded.

“This
is what you wanted, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”
But his eyes had not lost that worried look. “I just hope it’s enough.” His
face brightened a little as he looked over my head and I turned to see Stuart
loping towards us, a broad smile lighting up his freckled face. To my surprise,
he greeted Eaden with a half-tackle, embracing him in what seemed to be some
sort of wrestler’s welcome.

Eaden
shook him off easily with a good-natured cuff. “Manners first lad, there’s a
lady present.” He gestured towards me with an eyebrow raised.

Rubbing
the back of his head, Stuart smiled warmly at me and extended his hand.
“Rachel. Lovely to finally meet you. Really smashing.”

Nodding,
I tried not to study him too directly as he and Eaden exchanged news. Stuart
looked so unlike the other immortals I’d seen so far. Granted, Amerlyn was not
a typical case, and it had been dark when I’d encountered Sabas, but there was
something very different about Stuart that I couldn’t yet name. I was pulled
out of my thoughts when Eaden leaned down to kiss my forehead.

“Excuse
me for a second,
mo cridhe
, I need to
speak with Mara to make arrangements.”

Eaden
walked away, leaving me and Stuart alone together, the silence suddenly awkward.

Smiling
self-consciously, he drummed his fingers against his leg. “First time in
Scotland?”

“No,
I’ve been once before...with my parents.”

He
nodded like he should have known this. “Oh right. Your parents, they’re
Scottish then?”

“Um,”
I bit my lip, “my father was.”

His
eyes widened slightly. “Right, right. Sorry,” he mumbled.

I
offered him a half smile. More silence.

His
eyes darted self-consciously around the room. “Planning to do any sightseeing
while you’re here?”

“I
don’t think so,” I gestured around the room, “things are a bit ...complicated
right now.”

He
muttered a low oath and his face reddened. “Sorry. Look, I’m completely
hopeless at small talk, absolutely rubbish at it.”

Exhaling
with relief, I nodded. “Me too. Can we just skip it and say we’re friends?”

“Done,”
he agreed enthusiastically. For the second time, he extended a large hand and
we shook on it.

I
liked him already.

He
ran large fingers through his curly red hair. “I’m not usually so bleeding
nervous, but...” he checked quickly over his shoulder. “Sannah scares the bejeezus
out of me.”

My
chest loosened immediately. Mimicking his shoulder check, I leaned in. “Me
too.” I repeated.

He
raised an eyebrow. “You sure about that? Didn’t sound like she frightened you
last night.”

I
stifled a groan.
Did everyone know?
My
smile was rueful. “No, I was plenty scared, just tired enough to be cranky,
too.”

He
whistled. “Then I’ll be sure to keep company with you when you’re well-rested.
It’s a brave soul who can meet the Lady of the Lake and hold her gaze.”

“If
I’d known she was the Lady of the Lake, I might not have.” I muttered.

“Well
nonetheless, I’ve seen her make grown men act like
chookters with just a look.” He
dropped his voice an octave. “First time I met her, I was so terrified, I tried
to shake her hand.” He chortled. “I’m rubbish at formal etiquette too, by the
way. I think that’s how I ended up with Eaden as my rector.”

“Rector?”

“Like a teacher. I’m a green
– a young immortal,” he explained seeing my blank look.

“Isn’t that an oxymoron? How
old are you?”

He puffed up his broad chest in
jest. “65 years old,” he said with mock pride. “I’m not even the youngest.
There are a few lads that were born after me. Sandeep is only 52.”

I understood then why Stuart
seemed so different from Eaden or Sabas.

Innocence. Hope.

Stuart was still eager, playful
even, not yet jaded by the crushing weight of time. Had Eaden ever been so
spirited? It was hard to imagine, but I thought I’d seen glimpses. When we had
all the time in the world.

Suddenly, my heart ached,
wishing that we’d done more, shared more, before we were forced into flight. I
would have liked to have seen that side of him, to see his eyes free of the
remorse that ate away at him. With each passing hour, I feared he was becoming
more and more restrained. As if he were retreating back into the caricature of
the Dark Angel I had conjured when he was just a ghost that I only half-believed
in.
  

I shook my head to clear the
gloomy reverie and saw Eaden returning in the company of Sita.
The
petite woman who had volunteered to come with us extended a slim brown hand
towards me.
 
“Well met, Rachel. I’m
happy to be part of your group.”

Staring
directly into her vivid blue eyes, I thought of glaciers.
 
“I’m very grateful.”

Her
smile was deferential. “The honour is mine.”

Eaden’s
calm countenance belied the small twitch of a smile as he turned towards
Stuart. “Sita, I believe you’ve met Stuart?”

Alarmingly,
Stuart’s face had become almost purple; his eyes wider than an owl’s. His fists
clenched and unclenched rapidly at his sides.

She
swung her gaze towards him with a warm smile that seemed genuine. “Yes, I
remember Stuart,” she said. “How are you?”

He
seemed to let out his breath in a rush. “Smashing, all good. And you?”

I
didn’t hear Sita’s reply, distracted as I was by the look of amusement that
swept across Eaden’s face. He had the devil in his eye.

Sita
dipped her head towards me slightly. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll need to start
preparing for tomorrow.” Her small steps were graceful and sure as she
departed.

Stuart
groaned. “I thought you were on my side, mate.”

“I
am.” Eaden grinned. “That’s one of the reasons I brought her over.”

Scrubbing
his forehead, Stuart shot Eaden a reproving glance. “Some warning next time,
please.”

Eaden
arched a brow. “Next time? Stuart,
a
chara
, if you can’t find an opening now, there’s nothing left I can do for
you.”

“Right.
Right.” Stuart mumbled. He shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced over his
shoulder. Brightening, he straightened quickly and chucked Eaden on the arm. “I
think I’ve got an idea.” He turned his broad, smiling face to me. “A pleasure
to meet you, Rachel. It’s about time.” Directing that last bit towards Eaden,
he then he strode off, an eager set to his broad shoulders.

As
Eaden watched him leave his smile faded and a look of resigned sadness replaced
the grin that he’d worn so briefly.
 
“Will you walk with me?”

I
nodded and he led me quietly back out through the arched doorway of the Great
Hall and then outside. The cool air was refreshing. Lifting my head, I watched
the way my breath danced and hovered in the air as we walked. Following the
same rock-strewn path I had watched a few of the Sisters take this morning, we
wound our way down towards the water in companionable silence, the grey sky spread
like a blanket over the loch.

Reaching
the shore, we stood and watched the small waves roll in and break gently over
the rocks a few feet away until Eaden took both my hands in his so that I faced
him. He looked down into my eyes without pretence, without the careful barrier
he usually held in place. The enormity of his life experiences laid bare in his
gaze.

“You
know that I love you.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yes.”
My doubts seemed to have existed in an entirely different lifetime.

His
sad grey eyes searched mine intensely. I couldn’t tell what he was looking for.
Was he really unsure that I felt the same way?

“No,”
he shook his head, guessing from my troubled expression what I was thinking. “I
know how you feel. I’m just hoping it’s enough.”

“What’s
enough?”

He
swallowed thickly. “Love.”

I
squeezed his hands tightly, trying to understand what he meant.

He
looked down at the rocks we stood on, his voice soft. “I’ve tried to live an
honourable life, no matter how long it has lasted. Tried to be moral, decent,
trustworthy – all of the things my father would have wanted me to be. And
yet...loving you, having you love me, seems more important now than anything
else I’ve ever done. My mind is telling me that I must protect you because it
is the right thing to do, but my heart...” He sighed. “My heart demands that I
keep you safe because everything else is irrelevant.” He looked up to meet my
eyes and I felt staggered by the honesty that filled them. “Rachel, the world
and everyone in it can be blown to pieces for all I care. You’re the only thing
that has any value for me now.”

His
words, as sweeping as they were romantic, were bittersweet. More than anything
else, Eaden’s decency was at the core of who he was. “You might think that, but
I don’t believe it. You will do what is right, you always have.”

He
shook his head, doubt and uncertainty radiating from his gaze.

“It
will be enough Eaden, it will be enough because that’s who you are.”

He
pulled me into his arms then and for a long time we were quiet. His chin rested
lightly on the top of my head as we both tried to imagine what the future may
have in store for us.