Whistle Down the Wind (Mystic Moon) (30 page)

Lord
Sheffield cocked the pistol, but her
sylphs
whirled around his hand like
a swarm of angry hornets. He tried to shake them away.

“I’ll kill
him and then I’ll have you.” He bellowed.

The energy
of the stars pulsated in Catlin’s body. The magic roared through her blood,
giving her a strength that made every muscle flex. She tossed her head back,
and howled as the wind slammed into her. She rose into the air, spinning in a
tight circle. The knife fell from her hand, and she drew a sigil in the air
that flamed into life. It hung just before her, glowing red and gold like a
coal in the middle of an inferno.

An entity
bobbed just beyond the edge of her vision—a presence she recognized as strange
and foreign. She sensed she should be terrified, yet the power screaming
through her body made her confident. She didn’t fear this creature.

A
bloodcurdling scream shattered the night air. Catlin recognized the pain within
the cry, and she sent out a burst of welcoming energy.

Come, she
invited, come to my circle! I bid you welcome.

Lord
Sheffield stumbled. The shadows thrown by the candles grew longer, and another
horrifying scream echoed through the dark, gloomy night.

“What are
you doing, witch?” Lord Sheffield took a step toward her and aimed the gun.
“Let us see if your powers can save you from a bullet.”

Before he
could fire, a horrible apparition ripped the air apart. A huge creature flew at
Lord Sheffield. It had a great, red maw of a mouth filled with dagger sharp
teeth and eyes that glowed like fiery coals in the night—the
Windago
.

Catlin felt
no fear. The
Windago
wouldn’t hurt her, because it had come from the
depths of the darkness when she called for help. The poor, tortured creature
had answered her summons. Magic sang though her body, making her strong and
confident.

She closed
her eyes as Lord Sheffield screamed in agonized pain. When there was finally
silence, she opened her eyes to discover she was alone in the clearing with the
badly injured Griffin.

She quickly
created an opening to her circle and dragged an unconscious Griffin into the
space.

As she
prepared to reseal the circle, the
Windago
appeared at the edge of the
small clearing, hovering. A high keening noise came from the creature, and
Catlin was filled with pity. An ache wrapped around her heart and there was
thickness in her throat. Whatever had happened to this monster, she had nothing
to fear from it.

Catlin
stared at the ghost a moment before nodding. “You are welcome here,” she said.

The
Windago
entered the circle and Catlin sealed the doorway. The
Windago
transformed into a beautiful young native woman with large ebony-hued eyes that
spoke of endless pain and suffering.

Catlin
didn’t have time to pause and consider her actions. “We must help Griffin, or
he will die.”

The other
woman nodded, and Catlin gathered the ritual tools to begin a healing ceremony.

They said
nothing more as they went to work. The darkness surrounded them, and silence
filled the night.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I stand
next to Griffin in the realm of Dream Time. Somehow my spell has transported us
here.

My mother
paces across the wildflowers carpeting the garden. Her brow is knotted.

“Daughter.”

The
sharpness of my mother’s voice forces me to stand taller. I anticipate a harsh
judgment. I've broken serious rules governing the uses of magic. But, I never
expected to face the consequences with Griffin by my side.

“You have
performed spells and used your magic in the presence of a sophor, is that not
true?”

One look
at my mother’s expression signals this is no time for petty excuses.

“I humbly
apologize for doing so.”

“Apologize?”
My mother scoffs. “As if that shall make any difference.” She gazes up at the
cloudless azure sky. “I seem to remember you have always been most skillful at
creating an apology once the deed has been accomplished.”

I know it
would be wise to remain silent, but I cannot stand to be humiliated in front of
Griffin. “I was only doing as you directed, Mother.”

My mother
scowls. “I doubt I ever told you to endanger your sisters, perform spells in
front of a sophor, take this man as your lover, challenge a dark druid, or
bring a bwgan and a sophor to the Dream Time with you!”

I
swallow. Her list of transgressions is quite long.

My mother
taps one silver-slippered toe in agitation.

Griffin
stands in the stiff pose of a soldier facing his commander. His face displays
an expression of bland indifference, as if facing a powerful dead witch in the
magical between realm is an everyday occurrence, hardly worthy of notice or
alarm.

“You,
sir, have acted in a most disrespectful manner towards my daughter. You have
seduced and dishonored her!”

Griffin
swallows. “I love Catlin, my lady, and would never do anything to harm or
dishonor her.”

My mother
pauses in front of him. "I must know what your intentions are in regard to
my daughter.”

Griffin
smiles. “My intention is to make her my wife and the mother of a brood of
mischievous and delightful children.”

I’m
tempted to laugh out loud, but adjust my expression when my mother’s cold gaze
settles upon me again.

“And what
do you say to this, daughter? Will you become this man’s wife and fill his
house with my beautiful and talented grandchildren?”

The
question startles me and I laugh. I lunge forward to wrap my arms around my
mother, then remember she is a shadow. My happiness is tinged with a moment of
sadness.

“Yes,” I
say, turning to Griffin, “yes to the proposal and yes to the plan for our children.”
I step away from my mother. “In fact, I suspect the grandchildren part might
already have been set in motion.”

Griffin’s
face explodes in a wide grin. He wraps me in his arms. “I’m delighted to learn
of it. I’ve been most distressed I’ve not yet managed to get you with child. I
must be looking to my heir.”

“But,” my
mother says, “we must make certain those children are well-protected.”

“Sir
Griffin Reynolds—” She raises an arm, and a sword appears in her hand, “I gave
you this weapon once before, but you managed to lose it.”

“He was
trying to save my life,” I object. "He had do drop it to rescue me from
drowning."

 My
mother frowns. “Be silent, child!” She commands.

“This
sword honors you, and now if you will bend down, I shall make you a knight of the
Mystic Moon. Do you swear to protect the life of my daughter and her children?
Will you honor the rites of her family and take a vow to the Queen of Heaven?”

Griffin
falls to one knee. “I give my oath that I shall do as you ask of me.”

My mother
raises the sword and touches it to each of Griffin’s shoulders, then hands it
to him. When he rises, the sword is bathed in a strange, cold blue fire.

I blink
as tears flood my eyes. I take a step closer to Griffin, nodding my thanks to
my mother.

Pride
shimmers through me, and my heart beats a slow, steady cadence. My lover, my
husband, my protector. Griffin is all that to me, and more.

I turn to
the woman who has been transformed from the Windago. She stands in the shadows
of the garden beneath a willow tree.

“What’s
to become of her?” I ask my mother.

My mother
shrugs. “I know not, for her curse is strong. I cannot release her, but I shall
send her back with you to act as a guardian while I study upon it.”

“Will she
continue to kill?” I don't regret the deaths of the vile Lord Sheffield and his
henchmen, but I do care about the people living on Hawthorne Hundred. If this
creature presents a threat, I need to find a way to protect them.

My mother
shakes her head. “This creature seeks only those who would hurt the innocent or
destroy the land. You have nothing to fear from her.”

Griffin
takes my hand in his and we both drop down on our knees to ask for my mother’s
blessing.

She
raises her hands. “By the power of the wind, I give your union strength. By the
power of water, I give you perseverance against evil. By the power of the
earth, I bless your home with prosperity. By the power of fire, I give you
passion and love that shall sustain you for all your days.”

She
places her hands gently upon our heads. “So have I said, so shall it be!”

Griffin
helps me to my feet and puts an arm around me. He carefully takes my chin in
his other hand to lift my face up to meet his gaze. His eyes glitter with good
humor.

“You have
truly bewitched me now, cariad.”

I grin up
at him. “The magic has just begun.”

Before I
can say any more, he silences me with a tender kiss.

Epilogue

“How are you feeling,
cariad
?”
Griffin’s arms encircled her slightly bulging waistline and Catlin sighed
deeply.

“Incredibly happy,
deliriously in love and hungry.”

Griffin chuckled. “Kanti
is making supper, we’ll eat soon.” He gently kissed the top of her head. “And
I’m glad you are deliriously in love and happy.”

Catlin leaned back against
the muscular chest of the man she loved.  She couldn’t keep the satisfied smile
from her face.

“I sometimes feel guilty
about all the happiness I’ve found here in the New World. I worry about my
sisters.”

Griffin pulled her tighter
against him, and she felt a hot pulse of desire whip through her. Despite long
passionate nights of making love, she simply couldn’t get enough of this man.

“As soon as possible,
we’ll bring them all here. You sent the letter inviting them to come and stay
with us, didn’t you?” Griffin said.

Catlin twisted around to
look up at him. “You don’t think filling your house with a passel of women is
going to make your life a bit difficult?”

Griffin nodded his head,
an exasperated sigh escaping from his lips. “I imagine it will. Since I’ll be
dealing with a fire witch, earth witch and water witch in addition to my lovely
air witch, I expect my life will consist of one strange incident after
another.”

Catlin blinked at him, she
wasn’t sure if he was teasing her. Then his handsome face split into a grin.

“And I wouldn’t have it
any other way my darling, Catlin. After all, I’m now a Knight of the Mystic
Moon.” He lifted her and swung her around. “I take my vows seriously and in a
few days our wedding vows will be repeated in front of the Priest.”

Catlin touched his face
with one finger, astounded that somehow this wonderful, kind warrior had
accepted her and everything she was with no reservations. When he finally set
her down  she turned to lean her back against him again and watch the final
rays of the sun burn orange and red at the edge of the early evening sky.

She heard the soft murmur
of voices as the field hands came in from their chores. The smell of cooking
filled the air and she sniffed. Her stomach gave a slight groan as the aroma of
roasting venison reminded her that she was starving. Lately, she was always starving.
She hoped their kitchen garden and the hunting parties could keep her fed this
summer as her pregnancy seemed to keep her ravenous.

“It’s a good life here,”
Griffin said.

Catlin nodded, grasping
his hands in hers and placing them gently over her belly.

“It will be a fine life
for our children and when my family finally arrives, they’ll see it’s just as
my mother predicted-- our destiny lies here on the shores of this new colony.”

“Do you think the child
will be born with, well -- powers?” His voice was flat, but Catlin could feel
the concern behind his words.

“It will depend, because
all the females of our line have possessed special powers. But if they are
males, it is not as predictable.” She tried to reassure him. “Generally no
magical powers are apparent in children.”

He nodded. “Then I suppose
we will just have to wait and see what happens.”

She laughed. “And isn’t
that the important lesson we’ve had to learn? We must take each day as it
comes, welcome new things and rejoice in all the happiness that is offered to
us.”

Griffin turned her around
and pulled her closer, lifting her chin to gaze deeply into her eyes. Her arms
slipped around him. Her heart beat slow and steady within her chest but she
felt a tickle of pleasure slide up her spine as she snuggled against him.

“I’m looking forward to
every sunrise that I’ll share with you,
cariad
.” Griffin whispered.

“And at every sunset I’ll
whisper a prayer of thanks to the Goddess for bringing you to that gaol the
night I was arrested.” She replied.

His mouth hovered over
hers. “As we have said, so shall it be.”

The End

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