“Would you care to have a turn with her, Father, when I’m through with her?” The horrid young man’s voice brought her back to her present unenviable dilemma. “I’d be willing to share her with you, but only if you ensure me you’ll cause her great torment and pain!”
“What? No, I think not,” the priest stammered nervously obviously understanding only too well what the other was suggesting.
“Have you ever had woman, Father?”
The priest did not respond, for he appeared nearly as disturbed by the happenings as Alainn. She decided to take advantage of his doubtfulness in the hope he did claim some faith or possess any level of decency.
“You must release me, Father. You do not want these sins upon your head. Killian will reward you, I am certain of it. If you allow me to be freed, sure you will not be sorry.”
“Don’t try to bribe me, woman. I have thought you evil ever since you were a child. You should be dealt with and destroyed before your child is born and another demon is allowed to enter our world.”
“You truly believe that I am evil? You think I am a demon when you have just looked upon an actual demon?”
The man appeared to be assessing her words and their situation. The younger man apparently did not care for the fact she might actually be altering the priest’s mind to her way of thinking, for he grabbed her roughly and threw her to the ground. She managed with some difficulty to get back up again and placing her secured arms in front of her she was able to prevent him from coming nearer.
“Don’t you see, Father, she has unnatural abilities that surely stem from Satan!”
“Though I admit full well I am uncertain where my powers have originated, Father, I assure you I have never used them in an evil capacity.” Alainn pleaded with the man to believe her though she doubted he had any conscience to speak of when he remained so calm even after he’d caused or at the very least contributed to Rory’s death.
The young man remained unable to move any nearer to her so he settled on attempting to convince the priest to band with him against the woman.
“Father, I believe she fears fire. Get the candle sconce from the wall. Surely she must be cleansed by fire.”
The priest appeared filled with uncertainty and Alainn chose to allow his thoughts to come to her. Even he was left reeling at the thought of the horrific creature he had just witnessed. He believed there was a hell, without question, and he was reasonably sure the being he’d just seen had surely come from the darkest depths of hell. But, though this girl was beautiful in appearance she could be a shape-shifter, able to mold herself into whatever vessel she needed to suit her purpose.
“Father!” The younger man’s voice pulled him out of his trance. “Get the candle and bring it to me!”
“And what do you fear, Richard McGilvary, besides me and the chieftain’s dogs?” Alainn hoped to distract the young man while the priest wrestled with what to do and whom to believe.
The young man heard a low snarl behind him and saw the old dog he had once tortured so many years ago. It appeared as young and strong as it had ten years earlier before he’d harmed it. Its lips curled back to reveal its teeth, and Alainn noticed the deep unhidden fear in the other man’s eyes.
“Look at her, Father, she must be a daughter of the devil for she has summoned her demon-dog to do her bidding.”
“I have brought him here to protect me, ’tis true, but he is no demon, only a loyal canine. He remembers it was me who saved his life and prevented you from causing him further torment.”
The priest’s eyes bulged widely again when he saw the animal simply appear out of nowhere. He felt himself in the middle of a hellish nightmare and he knew not what or whom to believe. He looked at the dog and the woman and then glanced at the candelabra on the wall.
She thought the dog might be able to deal justly with Richard McGilvary, but then the priest would only insist her evil powers had caused another death. And she had little time to consider this for as quickly as the dog had appeared, he disappeared. Somehow the nearby demon must have some control over her ability to employ her powers. The priest started to walk toward the candle and Alainn felt herself growing ever frightened. The fire would partially lighten the darkness, but she knew the two of them with the aid of fire would be able to harm her greatly, and, if that horrid demon returned, she reasoned she and her unborn child were as good as dead, and surely their souls would be lost as well.
She thought of Killian and how he would respond if she were found assaulted and murdered in the dungeon. He would feel the need for vengeance and he would have no notion who to blame for her demise. She thought of attempting to summon Danhoul, but if he were unable to assist her, she would be greatly saddened if, like Rory and Ramla, his young life was lost while attempting to aid her. Then she recalled Aine’s words, she’d said Lugh would be her guardian when Killian or Danhoul could not. She envisioned him and although he did not appear before her she was certain she could hear his voice within her mind.
“You have the power over time, woman, use it!”
She immediately held out her hands again and momentarily the other two men were frozen where they stood. But, this was only a temporary solution, for she surely could not hold time still for long, certainly not until someone could come to assist her. Surely by then the demon would return and then she would be done for. She weighed her options. She could possibly steal the keys from the priest and hopefully get away from the two men, but where would she run to? And would the demon not be capable of locating her wherever she went? Or did he need the power of darkness?
Again she heard the Celtic god’s voice. “You have a greater power over time than simply stopping it. You are able to move through it, backward and forward, but take heed, for if this unusual ability is not perfected you could possibly end up in an entirely different century. Dwell upon a time in only recent memory for that would undoubtedly be the safest path.”
Alainn felt herself growing weak and dizzy when she even attempted to deal with moving through time. She heard unusual voices she’d never heard, saw faces she’d never seen. The face of a beautiful young woman with brilliant green eyes and lovely red hair kept flashing before her eyes and another with large, dark eyes and soft, dark hair. Alainn sensed a powerfully strong connection to both of them, but was hesitant to go to that point in time for she believed it was not to be, not yet. And another voice kept coming to her, a voice she did not recognize and this one was filled with deep contempt for her.
She heard her whispering. “Did you truly think you were the only one of your kind; that yours was the only line of witches?”
She snapped back to her present, precarious situation and was startled to find the two men had begun to move once more. The priest had snatched up the candelabra and passed it to the other man. He smiled nastily at her and almost gleefully jabbed it in her direction. She moved backward as the flame nearly touched her skin. Her long hair swished near the flame and she saw the ends of it had caught on fire. She screamed loudly and awkwardly smothered them between her sleeve and the stone wall. She could smell the putrid odor of singed hair. The man was clearly delighted by her terror, and purposely came at her again.
She felt the darkness consuming her as the horrid young man walked toward her with the flame outstretched once more. Then she heard enchanting gentle music from the other side of the chamber. As she dared to glance toward it, she noticed a soft light that began to grow in size and in brightness. And within the center, radiating light, was the figure of a lovely young woman. A fairy, perhaps... or maybe even an angel. She had long, light hair, so fair, it was surely nearly white and the light radiated from her and swirled around her. Maybe she truly was an angel coming to take Alainn to heaven.
Perhaps Richard McGilvary had already violently taken her life and having no memory of it was a simply a final gift, a last act of kindness granted to her. Yet, something about the female figure seemed familiar. She did indeed possess an angelic glow, but
also a hazy otherworldly tinge as well... a quality that often accompanied a specter. Alainn finally reasoned this young woman was a spirit. And when she looked directly at her, Alainn noticed her eyes were very similar to her own.
“You needn’t fear me dear, Alainn, I would never harm you!”
“You know who I am?” Alainn’s voice quavered.
“Aye, Aine and Morag have sent me to assist you for both remain unable to come to aid you. Aine wishes to protect you and Morag loves you well, as she loves me and your mother, my daughter, Mara.
“You are Ainna, my grandmother, daughter of Aine?”
“Aye, my kin. I regret I was not strong enough to live to raise my child, and perhaps to see you born as well. But, alas, nothing can be done about the past and regrets are of little use to any of us. I had hoped to assist your husband with searching for the amulet as Morag wished, but the dark forces are not a few. For now, I will do what I can to aid you at this time of great peril, my kin.”
With that, the glow that surrounded her spread widely throughout the chamber and filled it with an almost blinding brightness. She smiled appreciatively at the spectral female.
Alainn looked at the two men who wore matching expressions of fear and disbelief. She took advantage of this momentary distraction and concentrated fully on stilling time again...and of Lugh’s words. She thought of this morning, when she and Killian lay together in each other’s arms, she remembered even in her fear and concern for him, how warm and safe and protected she’d felt. She envisioned that again. She closed her eyes tightly and wished herself back to him. Ainna smiled at her as she felt her surroundings becoming blurry and her reality began slipping away. She was vaguely aware of the glowing portal that housed the dreaded demon. The specter’s brightness appeared to ensure the portal remained closed.
The dizziness nearly left her sickened, and the sound was as loud a humming as when she crossed over to the fairy glade. She felt herself falling dizzyingly as she sometimes did in her dreams. When she finally landed, she dared to open her eyes and it was as she’d imagined as though none of the horridly disturbing events of this morning had happened. She was lying unclothed in Killian’s arms. He was startled when she sat up in a panicked state.
“What is it, Lainna? You look as though you’ve had a terrible fright! Did you have an unpleasant dream? I didn’t realize you’d fallen back to sleep.”
She did not respond and tried to sort out if what she’d just seen and experienced could have been a vivid and terrifying dream. Could it all have been imagined, Rory’s death, the demon, the whole of it?
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Alainn prayed it was so, that she had dreamed or imagined all of it, but her hopes were short-lived when she heard Killian’s next words.
“What’s happened to your hair, Alainn? Sure, you’ve edged too close to the candle’s flame. I’ve never known you to be careless with fire, knowing your distaste for flames. Best you be more cautious, Lainna,” he said as he placed his fingers to the singed ends. “The smell is most unpleasant. When did this happen? It must have been only recently for such a strong odor to remain.”
She glanced down at her hand and saw the repulsive sight of Rory’s dried blood upon her palm. Her heart both leapt and sank with the knowledge that Rory was still alive, and that she would now need to find a way to ensure that he remained so.
Alainn could think of no words to explain any of this to Killian and she wasn’t sure she’d care to elaborate even if it was just an ordinary day, one when he did not have to prepare for battle in a short time. She did the only action she could think of that would ease her mind and prevent further questioning on his part. She passionately kissed him and initiated a much needed time of lovemaking.
“Again?” he whispered as his voice grew raspy with arousal, and his smile told her he was pleased to accommodate her need. “Didn’t you only yesterday tell me I wasn’t to expend any strength even to love you?”
“Aye, again,” she murmured as she tried to diffuse the fear in her heart and warm the chill in her soul. “And I’ll see to it you needn’t use up too much of your strength!” she promised as she pushed him back upon the bed and capably mounted him.
When Killian left once more after they’d said good-bye again, precisely as they had earlier, she was exceedingly joyful to see Rory alive and well and waiting for her to accompany him this day. She embraced him tightly and didn’t want to let go. He gave her a curious look as she left him in the corridor waiting for her to join him. This time Alainn dressed as quickly as she was able, and hurriedly tied back her hair without attempting to brush it. She’d felt an uneasiness within her belly ever since she’d passed through time. A slight pain made her fear for the child. As she went to the tiny private chamber that housed the chamber pot, upon inspection she was relieved to find no hint of blood. She struggled with what to do.
In only a few short moments the guards would come to take her to the dungeon, Rory would end up fated to die once more. She determined what she might do and where she should go. She thought of going to her grandfather or to her aunt for surely they would attempt to shelter and protect her, but clearly that would put both of them in danger as well. She felt within her they and anyone who assisted her would meet with peril if the demon sensed they protected her. She decided she must do this on her own.
She glanced out the castle window to the ground below. It was far too high for her to jump, or even attempt to climb down. She leaned over the small arched window and looked to the windows below. They led to the Great Hall. If she could simply get down to the lower balcony below, she could enter the Great Hall and then decide what was to be done. She thought of using her powers to send herself to that location, but she thought it might be best not to attempt using her powers for the slight pain within her midsection had not ebbed. And the demon may be alerted to her if she continued to use her powers again for her Grandfather had told her as much.
She wasn’t clear how long the spirit of Ainna could hold the demon at bay behind the portal in the dungeon. She tried to keep her concern from the young apparition as well. Perhaps Ainna would be made to pay dearly for assisting her. Alainn reasoned she couldn’t be fretful any longer of what she could not control, for surely she would need whatever strength her powers allowed to deal with the dark demon.
She heard Rory calling out to her somewhat impatiently and she opened the door a crack to peer out at him.
“Rory, ’tis sorry I am, but at the moment I’m sorely plagued with the weak morning stomach due to the babe.” She only partially lied for indeed her stomach was wretched with all the quandaries she was facing. He gave her a sympathetic, knowing gaze and closed the door as she hung her head above the basin. She hurried to lock it as quietly as she could and formed a plan that would ensure Rory O’Brien did not die this day.
Alainn quickly tied the bed sheets together and then to a heavy post of the massive bed all the while making loud exaggerated retching sounds to assure Rory she was indeed unwell and spewing in earnest.
She slowly lowered herself downward, thankful Killian’s bedchamber was not directly across from the grounds where the challenge was being held. As she felt her feet touch the window that led to the Great Hall, she heard a loud and excited cheer from the crowds who watched the bouts. Killian must surely have won his first match for the cheers and exuberance continued for some time. One more to go, she thought, and this time the morning star, she calculated and prayed he would not be too tired and weakened from wielding the pith-axe for such a lengthy time. And then there remained the challenge with his uncle to be considered.
Before she entered the hall, she peered inside to see only a few servants clearing the tables from the morning meal. No one even seemed to notice her so she made her way into the stairwell where she planned to hide until later. She realized how dark the winding stairs were and therefore she raced up the steps until she came into the lighted room...the priest’s room. She was grateful he wasn’
t there and she felt certain he was either still standing in the dungeon, wondering where she’d gone, or he had given up trying to search for her and perhaps gone to watch the challenges with the rest of the castle residents and the villagers.
She looked around the small room the priest occupied and noted it was not much larger or more adorned than the one she had shared with Morag for many years. He did possess a large writing desk and volumes of richly bound books. Her powers of perception made her sense she should look through the desk though ordinarily she would never think to be so guileful or intrusive. She hesitantly opened a small drawer and saw several beaded rosaries. Another drawer contained the vial that once held the elixir that served the purpose of deadening his physical male urges. Alainn noticed it was empty and reasoned the priest would not have come to her for the potion. Now that Morag was not here to issue the conncoction to him, she wondered if the physician had done so or if the man had simply decided to deal in his own way with whatever desires he felt.
Another larger drawer contained papers scrawled in Latin and in the priest’s scratchy handwriting. When she heard footsteps on the stairs, she quickly pushed the papers back in the drawer, but in doing so another smaller paper fell loose from the pile and floated down to the floor. She quickly picked it up. This was entirely different paper of a finer quality, and the handwriting varied markedly as well. She stuffed it in her pocket and regrettably squeezed beneath the small wooden bed frame. It was dusty and dark, and she immediately thought of how she was to avoid the darkness. When she heard someone straightening the bedcovers and tidying the room, she dared to glance out from beneath the bed and saw a woman’s slippers. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief and pulled herself out from under the bed. The woman nearly fainted in her fright but, when she saw it was Alainn, her expression turned to only one of curiosity.
“Did you wish to see the priest?” the woman asked meekly.
The Chieftain's Daughter Page 20
