Except, it wasn’t.
*
The rain fell in sheets, and water began to build in the puddles all over the moors, resembling small lakes. Each drop of rain splashing into the puddles caused a small wave.
Mairi looked out the window at the teeming rain and wondered if it would ever stop. It had been the worst storm the locals had ever seen. The Isle of Mull was blocked from view because of the dark clouds and heavy rain.
She felt damp and sore. Every time she glanced across in Mull’s direction her heart nearly stopped. She could feel the evil emanating and had tried sharing her worries with Omniel, but his condescension knew no bounds.
“There are some things, I think, in life, Mairi, of which you do not need to be made aware. One of those things is quite simple. We are the superior race and are willing to take the risks, in order that lower species are kept safe. Therefore, we can decide what is the appropriate course to take in order to keep you from harm’s way. It is a fact that you are not able to comprehend any of the outcomes that may lead to your endangerment, caused by our mishandling of the situation. So your ‘feelings’ of evil coming from Mull are probably misguided.”
Mairi tapped her foot impatiently. “The gall of it! Lower species?” Mairi struggled to keep her anger in check. “If we’re such a ‘lower species’, how come you need our help to stop you heavenly superior dickheads from killing off all the universes simply because you can’t get along?” Mairi poked him in the chest twice, before continuing with her rant. “And if you’re such superior beings, how come you couldn’t prevent all this crap from happening at all? Oh, wait, I know the answer to that, it’s the stock phrase used whenever an answer can’t be found to justify all the evil that is perpetrated. ‘We gave you free will. It’s not our fault if you chose that free will to destroy.’ ” Her voice took on a whining upper-class tone.
Now in full flow, one hand on her hip, the other stabbing him constantly in the chest, she didn’t care that with every poke, she was leaving a small red indentation.
“You gave us free will. You didn’t think we stupid humans would work things out for ourselves, and that was your get-out-of-jail card you use constantly when things go pear-shaped. What’s your superior excuse for the thousand-year war, or the war that’s bubbling away just now? The very same war you needed Mistdreamers to help prevent. Mistdreamers who, by your own admission, are inferior to your superior beings?” She took a step back, anger washing over her like a hot shower, and surveyed the mess she’d made of his chest and felt a tiny bit of remorse, but when she saw his snotty face with that patronising look, she went straight back into her torrent.
It was so much easier to lose her temper with an Archangel, than to have the evil flow across the Sound and skulk into her mind, she thought as she marched away.
*
Lucias peered through the fog. This damn weather was impossible. How was he to win a war when he couldn’t even find the enemy? But he had been close to sensing her; that tiny light she fought to hide, he could see. But there was something closing around her, keeping him out, but she would lead him to her, and he could feel her fear.
“Lucias?” Angela came to stand beside her son. “I have a favour to ask of you.”
“Please tell me why I should grant you any favours, Mother?”
“Because this one will help you win the war you’ve started.”
“And how is it you work this out? Do you have a better battle plan? More demons? A way into the castle?”
“Even better,” she replied viciously. “I need you to take me to the mainland, tonight, under the cloud of this fog. There, I will spell the ground outside the castle.”
Lucias sneered at her. “I think I can manage that for you, Mother.”
Mairi recalled her discussion with Omniel. It hadn’t ended well, and Omniel had stomped off in search of the Archangel Michael, probably to tell him she was an interfering Mistdreamer.
“I doubt that would be the case,” a voice whispered in her ear.
Mairi searched around for whoever had spoken, but could see nothing.
“Search your heart, Mairi, and you’ll find me.”
“Who are you?” she asked, worried. How had a stranger been able to get through the witches and Fae enchantments? She thought of her babies—they were in danger. She turned to flee, when she was stopped by an unseen force.
“Let me go!” she cried. “Let me go!”
“Your babies are safe and will remain that way. I am not here to hurt you, just to make sure you know the consequences of the actions you and Appoloin intend to carry out.”
Mairi was terrified. How could anyone else know?
“I know,” she said. “I will be with you.” The outline of a figure came into view. It shimmered for a second and then dulled into the grey of the walls.
“Aunty Cathy, is that you?”
“Indeed it is, sweet child. Can you see me now?” she asked.
“Can I touch you? Are you real?”
“I am in spirit form, but when the day has passed by three, I will be here.”
“You mean in three days?” asked Mairi, but got no response. Cathy had gone.
Mairi shook herself and, wanting to lie down for a moment, went to her room. Appoloin was readying himself for the lists. His kilt wrapped around his body, his shon strapped to his legs.
“I hear you had a run-in with Omniel this morning,” he stated.
“I should apologise,” Mairi said huffily, not really meaning it.
“No, you should not. Michael gave him a roasting about how he should move with the times and realise that he was an old fuddy-duddy living in another realm.”
Mairi laughed. She wished she’d seen that.
“What’s a ‘fuddy-duddy’?” he asked.
Mairi laughed harder, so hard that tears ran down her cheeks. Tears that changed from happiness, to fear and sadness.
Appoloin held her in his arms. “What was it you told Omniel this morning about the Isle of Mull?”
“I just said I could feel evil from over there, and he went into an explanation of how I don’t know everything, blah, blah, blah.”
“Here’s a thought: Ignore Omniel. Why don’t you speak with the witches, or the Fae? Mayhap they have experienced the same sensation. I know the Angels are oblivious to anything but the training we have set for them. What do you think?”
When Appoloin left, to work in the lists with the Fae, she visited the Witches. Lesley had reunited with her mother, Baglis, and her friend Jenny. They spelled every day and checked the four corners of the grounds, ensuring the enchantments had not been broken.
They boiled and brewed liquids for health and recovery, and Lesley ripped sheets apart to make bandages. Mairi was impressed. There were bottles and bandages everywhere, all neatly arranged and labelled. She hoped there would be no need for any of them.
Lesley was working to her best ability. This was the sixteenth century, not a futuristic hospital in the land of Dragon.
Sharing the darkness she felt, coming from Mull, with the witches, Mairi told them her impression was that the island was shrouded in evil. Unlike Omniel, they took it very seriously. She was a Mistdreamer. Her gifts, bestowed upon her by the Angels themselves, were about discerning evil, and how it would affect the universes.
The witches told her they would work with the Fae and the Dragon, and together, they would ascertain whether or not the Demon had arrived and were hiding in Mull.
Lesley assured her, if Mairi thought evil lurked there, then it probably did.
Mairi’s heart felt a little lighter when she left the witches. She hated calling them that because, in truth, they were Druids. She got into the habit of calling them witches, and they accepted they could not change opinion of them, in this century.
The days turned to weeks, and impatience added an unmistakeable layer to the castle. The Dragon were restless. They had not released their wings for too long a time, and their bones were fusing. B
efore long, they would lose the ability to transform from man to dragon.
Mairi came up with the idea to open the basement of the castle, which had been locked for forty years.
Using a pulling mechanism on the wall, the floor of the main hall began to separate. The slabs of the floor parted to gain access. She lit wall sconces as she walked down the large stone steps. Reaching the lower floor, she could smell the sea air floating in and lit the last wall sconce.
She stood in amazement when she saw two large baths, bubbling with hot water geysers. Running back up the stairs, the Dragon were waiting.
“All of you,” she insisted, “come with me.”
They were a bit hesitant at first, until Sebastian followed. Emmaline and Gerryalys, John of the maroon guard, Hazel of the blue guard, and… well, they all followed, curious to see what had Mairi so excited.
The basement was massive. The hot springs bubbling away were noisy, and it was difficult to hear Mairi speak.
“It’s big enough for you to open your wings!” she screamed.
“And because your bones are so painful, you can have a hot bath. It will massage your muscles before you free them. It’s SO LOUD, NO ONE WILL KNOW!” she yelled.
Emmaline already understood and dived into the first pool, emerging from the steaming water, when the first of her bones began to crack.
Sebastian waited by Mairi’s side.
The Dragon took their turns seven at a time, throughout the night. By morning they had all opened and stretched their wings, exhausted, they lay in contented slumber.
Sebastian shook the water from his wings and stood by Mairi’s side feeling refreshed. “what’s your next plan, my lady?” He asked.
“Not the simplest of tasks, Sebastian” she whispered, as they walked up the cellar stairs. “I just have to figure out how to prevent the Fae from killing each other!”
*
The Kings and Dukes of Hell were the first to settle on the land. Grass and leaves burned and died as they took each step nearer the castle. They had materialised when the Dragon had begun opening their wings. The castle was asleep.
Angela crept to the first of the four corners of the castle and touched the enchanted foundation. She burned her fingers and withdrew her hand quickly.
“I thought you could undo the enchantments,” Vual snarled at her.
“Give me a moment. I am but one witch, and there are more than one casting spells here.”
“That’s the best thing I’ve heard for the past two weeks,” Amdusias purred.
“Hurry up, Mother, the sun will be rising soon.”
Angela cast her own spell. Realising she was unable to break through the four foundations, she cut a tear through the invisible cloak that had been thrown around the castle.
Cautiously, she peeked through the opening and quickly pulled back.
“There are Fae guard all around.”
“And the Dragon?” asked Lucias.
“I feel them asleep, below the ground,” she replied.
“Why do you not cast invisible spells over us and we can enter freely?”
“Are you an idiot?” asked Angela. “Do you think the Fae and witches have not covered every base?” she said, pointing to the foundation stone that had burned her. “I will shroud Lucias, and he alone will be able to walk in. He is of their blood, so they will not notice him.”
Lucias was spelled, and Angela held the cloak ajar slightly, and he slipped through. He walked through the castle, unnoticed, searching for Mairi. He could hear her, singing. It was a lullaby. But where was she? There was no opening to gain access to her, and suddenly, she was in front of him. Her eyes searched for the ripple in the air that had caused her discomfort, but she couldn’t see him.
And then he heard it. The baby…
His baby.
He walked through the wall and saw the twins sleeping; one was more agitated than the other. Mine, he thought, the lively one.
Picking the child up, he moved through the castle, hiding in the darkness.
Before he reached his mother, he heard Mairi’s scream. He met his mother’s eyes, and they returned the malevolence that shone, just as brightly in his own.
“Now we battle,” he said triumphantly.
“And the babe, do we eat it?” asked Zagan.
“You’ll keep your filthy paws away from my son!” he roared.
*
“He’s got Paul!” Mairi screamed hysterically. “Let’s go!”
Valerie grabbed Mairi by the shoulders. “Stop! Mairi, take Control!
“We’ll cross into Mistdream,” Lauren insisted.
“But you’re huge, Lauren!” Valerie begged her to stay. “We can do this without you.”
“You surely aren’t thinking of taking Mairi?” asked Seere. “She’s a wreck.”
“He’s my baby!” she yelled back at them all.
“And he’s my grandson,” Graeme said. “I’m sorry I’m late, but it took Alexander and me a little longer to work out how to travel through time, using mistdream.”
Mairi ran into the arms of her father and sobbed.
“He has my son.” Appoloin made a fist and punched a hole in the wall.
King Finvarra stepped forward. “He has brought us to war, once again. It is time to respond.”
“Not until I get my baby back,” Mairi cried.
“We must act now, Mairi,” Finvarra insisted. “We will get your baby, I promise, but we cannot wait. Where are the Dragon?”
“They’re in the cellar. They opened their wings and are sleeping peacefully.”
“Then they must be woken!” Seere demanded.
“They haven’t slept in nearly a month, Seere. They’ve been in agony. Surely you remember the pain of not transforming? We will cope without them. Mayhap it will be over before the end of the day, and the Demon will return to the Hell they come from and never bother us again.”
Sebastian spoke, worriedly, “Sire, I have attempted to awaken them but they sleep soundly, as though be-spelled.”
“Let me try something” Valerie insisted, her body began to transastralise, millions of tiny stars floated in the air. Seere swore, when she disappeared completely, but she reappeared seconds later, announcing it wasn’t possible to reach the Dragon in mistdream.
Valerie and Lauren huddled with Mairi, holding one another in comfort, and waited patiently, watching the witches croon their incantations, moving in all directions as they lifted the cloak of enchantment from the castle.
“How can we help?” asked Queen Oonagh.
“Get all the Fae Queen together, Mom, and work hard to keep that baby safe.” she sobbed. Oonagh, not one for displaying her feelings, grabbed Valerie by the shoulders. The baby bump kicked her as she pulled her into a warm embrace. She was so proud of this woman, her daughter. She was scared, this war had to be the last, it had to end.
King Finvarra ordered Serapiel to take charge of the Fae. He suggested that the full Legion not be put in force and that only five cohorts set out. Each cohort was made up of six troops of around eighty legionaries. King Finvarra agreed and followed behind the groups of soldiers marching together as one machine.
The Angels, led by Omniel, guarded the Fae, and circled around them, keeping them tightly packed together.
The legionaries held their shields to the front of their bodies.
They had barely exited the castle walls when Lucias let loose an invasion of deathly creatures. The sky darkened as they flew towards the earth, intent on destroying the Angels who protected the Fae.
Vual sent a signal to the Island to bring forth his legions of demons, and they sailed in on a ferocious wind, which carried them over the wild grey sea.
They landed heavily on the ground, their bows at the ready, and fired rapidly, killing their targets. Screams of pain filled the foggy air. Several Fae fell and disappeared. The troops closed the gaps made by the fallen Fae and continued on marching towards the forest.
As the Fae A
rmy approached the forest, the Demon Kings made their presence known by releasing the beasts within them. The kings and dukes roared putrid flames at the Fae. A three-headed beast attacked and grabbed four Fae, killing them instantaneously.
The circling Angels drew their swords and slashed at another of the demon beasts, but he disappeared before their eyes, only to appear behind them. He cut their throats, and drank their blood as they slowly died.
Omniel let out a loud roar, telepathically alerting his Angel Army to rise above the ground. “It has been cursed and will hold you prisoner—stay afloat,” he ordered.
He entered the forest, four demons remained still, their eyes searching around, warily, as he approached, with sleight of hand, he removed their heads and they disintegrated into clouds of ash.
Having no knowledge of babies, and a mother lacking in maternal feelings, Lucias had secreted the baby in the cursed ground against an enchanted tree, whose milk would feed the child until he retrieved him. The roots had weaved around the basket, hiding him further. When the demon guards were killed, the spell was broken and Omniel immediately saw the child. He flashed to the baby and picked him up. Holding him carefully, he vanished before any could see him, and returned to the castle.
He felt relief as he had never experienced when he handed the sweet child to his mother. Mairi didn’t think she could cry any more, but when Paul was in her arms, another wave of emotion had her weeping and feeling nauseated at the same time.
“He’s back. He’s safe. We have to go now, Mairi, can you manage?” asked Valerie.
“If you can do it, so can I,” she said, grudgingly handing the baby to Baglis.
When Omniel returned to the battle, he was horrified to see many more slain Fae and Angel. The four Angels of Death were collecting the bodies four at a time. Removing them from the battleground, they ensured that the Demon could not take control of them in the next life.
The Park Family: Mairi: Retribution Page 33
