Vision in Trust (Legends of the North #2)
Read Vision in Trust (Legends of the North #2) Online
Authors: Liz Bower
Vision in Trust - Copyright
Copyright © 2016 Liz Bower
All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people, except by agreement with the vendor of the book. If you would like to share this book with another person, please use the proper avenues. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
First Edition: May 2016
ISBN: B01EVVS0UU
This work is registered with the UK Copyright Service: Registration No:
284703231
Book cover design: PremadeEbookCoverShop.com
Editing: Hot Tree Editing
Proofreading: Proofing Style, Inc
Dedication
To every single person who took a chance on reading Vision in Love, thank you! I hope you enjoy this one.
Prologue
Lancashire, England -1700s
William leaned his forearm against his flail and wiped the other across his forehead, smearing a streak of earth and sweat in its wake. The harvest had his back aching and his fingers blistered. He surveyed his field, sprawled out in front of him, and almost groaned at the amount of work he had left to do.
As he bent to lift the flail, he caught sight of the shadowy figure he'd spoken to not even a week prior. As the figure made his way towards William, an unnatural quiet descended. The leaves rustled in the trees as the birds took off in flight and even the slight breeze had dropped. The man inclined his head towards William as he stopped in front of him.
"Your final wish is ready." He lifted his arm and pointed towards the river with his clawed hand. William dropped his flail and started off in the direction the man had pointed.
"Thy shalt have wealth, as thee wished for. Your family will be of great repute and with this …" The man lifted a gnarled hand and William's gaze followed where he pointed. "Your final wish. Thy hast a bridge built by my own fair hand and the reeds of the river Alten."
William gasped at the sight before him, never believing this man could make his wish come true. Panic gripped his chest as the implications of that bridge hit him.
"You remember the deal, don't you," the man whispered as he moved closer to William. His foul breath blew across William’s face, reminding him of spoiled meat, before he continued, "Time to surrender your soul."
William spun on his heel to face the man and put some space between them. "Wait!" William needed to buy himself some time because there was no way he was risking the chance that this man could take his soul. William moved closer to the bridge and hesitantly lifted his leg. But before he stepped onto the bridge the water lapped at the foot still on solid ground.
The tide is rising.
"Thy knew the deal. Thy agreed to the terms."
William faced the man, taking in the bony eyebrows and hollow cheeks. His flesh hung loosely, as though it might slip off at any moment. William repressed a shudder at the sight. "I know the deal but I want to cross the bridge at high tide.
Then
you will have met my final wish." The man's flat black eyes bored into Williams before he inclined his head slightly in agreement.
And so they waited in silence, only the sound of the river between them. As the waters slowly rose it began to cover the reeds. They began to sag under the weight of the water until they were carried away with the flow downstream. The man beside him let out a wail as the last reed was washed away.
My soul is mine.
Present day
Jess jumped at the creak of the door, running towards it when the light began to fade as it swung shut. She slapped her hand against it futilely as it closed, locking her inside the burial vault. She screamed and hammered her fists against the door, but who would hear her? Who would be in the graveyard at that time of night? In fact, what was
she
doing there? She couldn't remember how she even got there. She turned to lean against the door then slid down to the floor, wrapping her arms around her bent knees. Her eyes burned as the memory of being locked in there as a child by her eldest brother, James, came back to her.
Oh, God, James. Was that why she was there? She raised her head and looked towards the raised stone plinth. That was when she saw the beam of the torch. Had her brother, Matt, left it in there earlier when he had brought her and Emma in there? Slowly, she stood and made her way to the torch. Picking it up, with her back against the wall, she swung it around the vault. There was nothing but cobwebs and stone walls. She lit up the stone plinth and crept towards it.
Her chest started to hurt, and the tears finally fell as she saw James laid out flat. The skin around his neck was red and raised, reminding her of Matt after he had been attacked not so long ago. James's shirt was ripped, revealing deep, ragged scratch marks. She moved the torch down to where the cloth was missing completely over his heart. Shimmering in the beam were four puncture marks, blood red against his pale skin. Tentatively, she reached out and gently touched his cheek. She gasped at the iciness of his skin, and a sob tore from her throat.
What the hell did this to him? And why?
She dropped her gaze, unable to look at him through her tear-filled eyes. But she jerked her head up when she felt him move beneath her hand. A scream echoed around the vault—hers, she quickly realised.
"It's okay, Jess. I will always protect you."
She screamed again at the sound of Rob's voice. It was Rob's cheek underneath her fingers as she snatched her hand back. She took a step back as he sat up, reaching for her.
"Jess?"
She could hear the concern in his voice, but she couldn't help it—she turned and ran.
Her legs kicked as she tried to flee, but became tangled in the bedsheets. Jess sat up straight, her scream dying on her lips as her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she recognised the familiar sight of her bedroom. She dragged in a shaky breath and leaned over to switch on her bedside lamp, jumping as the bedroom door was flung open. Pulling her hand back, she twisted it into the covers to try to stop it from shaking.
"Are you okay?" Emma asked. She was standing in the doorway, Matt peering over her shoulder.
Jess turned to look at Emma and said, "It was just a dream."
Emma glanced over her shoulder at Matt. "Why don't you put the kettle on? We'll be down in a minute." Matt checked her over then nodded before Jess heard his footsteps on the creaky stairs. Emma made her way into the room, almost closing the door behind her. Jess looked up at her and saw Emma's forehead creased with worry.
Jess gave her an attempt at a smile and said again, "It was just a dream."
Emma sat on the edge of the bed. "If it was just a dream, how did these get here?"
Jess looked at her hair, Emma having gathered it in her hand against Jess’s shoulder. Several cobwebs laced through it, a stark contrast of white against her dark locks. Glancing back up at Emma, her eyes wide, she shrugged. She didn't know what to say.
Emma dropped Jess's hair and rested her warm palm against her friend’s cold arm. "And do you always sleep with a torch switched on and under your covers?" Jess tensed, and Emma rubbed her hand up and down Jess's arm. "It's okay."
Jess stared at the torch, then at Emma's hand, moving slowly across her skin. Quietly, Jess said, "It was in my dream. The torch. There were cobwebs there too."
Emma kept rubbing Jess's arm and whispered, "I don't think it was a dream, Jess. I think you had a vision."
Jess lifted her head at Emma's words then sucked in a loud breath. "But ..."
"Can you tell me about it?"
Jess nodded. "I was back in the burial vault." She returned her attention to Emma's soothing touch and told Emma the rest of her vision. When she had finished, Jess got out of bed and pulled on her dressing gown. When Emma moved towards the door, Jess grabbed her arm before she could leave.
Emma turned to look at Jess over her shoulder. "What is it?"
Jess looked at the half-open door and then back to Emma. "Please, don't mention the part about Rob to Matt."
Emma turned fully so she could face Jess. "Why?"
Jess belted the dressing gown, pulling the ends tight around her waist. "I just ... He ... You know what he can be like."
Emma pressed her lips together. "He just wants to look out for you, Jess. You're his little sister."
"I know. But sometimes he forgets that I'm a grown woman, and I don't want him and Rob to fall out."
"Why would they fall out?"
"I don't know. He might read too much into it, and think he needs to protect me from Rob," Jess said, as she picked at a thread on the end of the belt.
"Why would he need to protect you from Rob?"
Jess dropped the belt and glared at Emma. "That's what I'm saying. He doesn't need to. There's nothing going on between Rob and me."
Emma said nothing, just stared at Jess as she fidgeted. "You don't sound sure. Who are you trying to convince, me or you?"
"Nobody. I don't have to convince anybody because there's nothing going on," Jess said, as she pushed past Emma towards the stairs.
***
Matt turned and handed Jess a steaming cup of coffee when she walked into the kitchen. "You okay?"
She nodded and took a seat at the table, wrapping her hands around the hot cup.
"What happened?" he asked, taking a seat next to her.
"It was just a dream. I dreamt I was back in the vault, with James."
He reached across the table to take her hand. "Well, that's understandable. We were all ... upset after that."