By the time she left the hall, the whole underground fortress beneath the mound burst into activity. Soldiers and lords and officers hurried everywhere. The clatter of weapons and armor echoed down the long passages. Servants and ladies bustled out of the way to seek shelter somewhere.
Hazel spotted Sinclair issuing orders to a regiment of men. Her heart spasmed when she remembered that neither Faing nor Athol would join this campaign. Nothing Alasdair Sinclair said erased the terrible burden of responsibility hanging over her head. One man died to ensure she completed this mission, and another came close to it.
She pushed through the chaos, but no one paid any attention to her. She was just another Faery in a massive city of Faery under the mound. She was nothing special. If she possessed any magic at all, she had to use it to further these people’s advantage. If she didn’t, her power meant nothing.
She found her way back to Faing’s room, but when she approached the door, it opened from within. A tall, scrawny figure in a full-length brown robe emerged from inside. A large brown hood of coarse woolen fabric covered its head. Only a rough beard showed under the hem.
Hazel drew back in horror. She saw that figure before at Angus’s castle. It was Ross. In front of her eyes, a dozen more brown-hooded people came out of Faing’s room. They filed down the passage, past Hazel, and disappeared.
She plastered her back against the wall and waited for them to leave. She wanted nothing to do with them. Why? Weren’t they wizards with powers like hers? She ached so badly for some explanation of her powers from the Loch Nagar witch. Why shouldn’t she get it from Ross?
Still, she couldn’t approach him. She feared and hated him more than any other. She didn’t understand her own behavior, but it was already too late. He showed no sign of recognizing her before he vanished around the corner.
Hazel took a few tentative steps toward Faing’s room. She had to see him, to see if Ross healed his ribs after all. She eased the door open and found…nothing. The bed stretched empty and cold in front of her.
While she stood there stupefied, a servant girl entered and started stripping the sheets and blankets off the bed. “Where is Faing Douglas?” Hazel asked. “Is he…?”
“He’s gone tae his own home,” the girl replied. “He left this morning tae organize his weapons fer the assault.”
“But the wizards were just here.”
“Aye,” the girl told her. “They fixed him up and he left. They just finished their work, and now they ha’e gone down tae the King tae discuss their strategy fer the assault.”
Hazel’s shoulders slumped. So Faing was okay after all. She kicked herself for not being able to heal him herself. That was the least she could do for him.
“Ye ought tae go down tae the armory, Miss,” the girl chirped. “Ye need tae prepare yerself, too.”
Hazel’s head shot up. “What?”
“Aye, Miss,” the girl went on. “His Majesty wishes ye tae head the flank assault. Ye’ll need tae be ready fer that, I’ll wager.”
“He does? How do you know that?”
“Why, Miss!” the girl exclaimed. “It’s all o’er the castle. His Majesty plans tae send the wizards in first tae take off the brunt o’ the witch’s magic. The Army will cover the ground invasion, and ye’ll take the flank. Once the Army engages the Loch Nagar forces and the wizards deal tae the witch’s magical defenses, that’s when the real assault’ll begin. Ye’ll command the most powerful o’ the King’s fighters. It’s an exalted position, ye ken, Miss.”
Hazel stared at her. How a lowly servant girl knew more about the King’s strategy than she did, Hazel couldn’t figure out. So the King wanted her to come in and deal with the witch herself.
Nothing could make more sense than that. The wizards would be busy with the witch’s defenses and the Army would take on the witch’s soldiers. Like the servant girl said, that’s when the witch would trot out her most deadly weapons. Hazel might have to fight Althea one on one. Could she handle that if it happened?
For one terrible moment, Hazel stood frozen. She couldn’t forget the Althea she met on the drawbridge, the kindly lady who welcomed Hazel with such hospitality. The next minute, Hazel’s vision of Fergus pushed that image away. Hazel would destroy the whole world to free him.
She stormed out of the room. She paused in the passage long enough to check which direction the soldiers were going. She fought against the tide of bodies to find the armory where the soldiers came from. She pushed her way into the room.
An officer handed swords and armor to the soldiers entering in a steady line. They rushed out with their arms to join the throng careening through the castle. The officer shoved a sword and breastplate at her. “This ought tae fit ye. Ye’re small, but no much smaller than some o’ our men.”
Hazel eyed the weapons. “I…. I don’t really need these. Thanks anyway, but I have my own defenses.”
He gave them another shove. “Take ’em. I ha’e me orders tae arm all that’s goin’ on the assault. I’ll no disobey me orders by leavin’ ye unarmed.”
“I’m not unarmed. I don’t know why I came down here, but I can’t take these. They would only slow me down.” He started to protest, but she cut him off. “If His Majesty or anybody else questions you about this, you can tell them to take it up with me. If I’m going to command the flank assault, I’ll do it my own way.”
That pacified him, and he went back to arming the soldiers who really needed arming. She kept out of the way and watched the men grabbing weapons and buckling on their armor. She didn’t realize she felt that way until the words came out of her mouth. She didn’t need swords and armor. She had all the power she needed in her fingertips. If that couldn’t defeat the Loch Nagar witch and get Fergus and the Stone back, nothing would.
She wandered out into the passage, but the press of people going both ways stopped her. While she stood there wondering what to do, the King’s retinue shouldered its way into view. The King’s eyes widened when he saw her. “There ye are. Ye’re wi’ me, lass. Ye’re coming wi’ me tae organize yer flank.”
She didn’t need to hear any more. She dropped into place at his shoulder, and the procession passed down the passage into a lower hall. Thousands of soldiers packed the chamber, along with officers, mounted cavalry, and many others.
The company parted to let the King entered. Hazel kept her place at his side. He halted in front of a cluster of cavalry, and an officer saluted the King from his saddle by swishing his sword in front of his face. “Yer Majesty.”
Hazel gasped. “Faing!”
“Ye twa’ll work taegether fine, I’m sure,” the Faery King told Hazel. “Douglas’ll be yer command officer. Ye gi’e yer orders tae him, and he issues ’em tae yer troops tae see they’re carried out.”
Hazel nearly burst containing her laughter. “Of course, Your Majesty.”
“I’ll leave ye two tae’t, fer I’ve a dozen other regiments tae deal tae, and I’m sure ye can handle yerselves on yer own.”
He marched away without further ado. Hazel smiled up at Faing. “You had me worried, Faing. I thought you would be stuck in bed for the duration of the campaign.”
“I’ll no stay abed when there’s work tae be done, lass,” Faing replied. “Ye’ll need a mount, I’ll wager. Ye’ll no make the assault on foot. Get alaing tae the stables. Ye’ll be lucky tae find a mount wi’ four good legs left after these ha’e been afore ye.”
Chapter 23
Fergus watched Gordon Lauder march his recruits out of the courtyard, over the drawbridge, and vanish into the woods. Fergus didn’t know where Lauder planned to hide his band, and Fergus didn’t want to know. He wanted the sixth faction’s appearance to surprise everyone, including himself and the other Loch Nagar troops.
Now, with Lauder and his men gone, Fergus had nothing more to do but go inside. All the factions practiced and drilled under their own commanders. They didn’t need him—not yet, anyway.
Fergus scanned the sky. H
e would give anything to get up there and fly around. He ached to reconnoiter the countryside and see the enemy’s position for himself, but Althea wouldn’t allow it.
What was Althea to him? Why did he have to take her wishes into account? Wasn’t he a man in his own right, that he could make decisions for himself? He could take off right now, take a spin through the mountains, and be back before she knew he was gone.
He had to take her into account, though. He was doing this for her, wasn’t he? None of this made any difference if he alienated her in the process. He had to deal with her, to find out what she wanted.
She never returned again to insist he come and break bread with her. He better do it now before she turned against him altogether. He entered the door he usually used to get inside the castle. He followed the curving ramp upstairs to the hall where they shared their meals.
He opened the door and spied her standing by the window. A plate sat in his usual place at the table. Hot roast mutton, steaming potatoes and creamed peas wafted their aromas into his nostrils. A few inches of deep magenta wine colored the crystal goblet set next to his napkin.
He strode up behind her. “Forgive me fer takin’ so laing. The troops’re all set tae go. We’re as ready as we’ll e’er be fer the enemy invasion.”
She didn’t turn around. “It doesn’t matter now.”
“No? And why no? Are they still wi’in yer territory? Can ye see that?”
“They still pose a danger to us, but that doesn’t matter. Sit down and finish your meal. You’ve waited long enough.”
He rested his hands on her shoulders from behind. He pulled her against his chest and murmured in his ear. “Dinnae stay angry wi’ me. It’s fer ye I ha’e done it. Do ye ken that?”
She leaned her head back into his chest. “I know. I was just worried, but it doesn’t matter now. Sit down, and I’ll join you.”
“Are ye hungry, too?” he asked. “Dinnae tell me ye’ve gone withoot food allus time fer my sake.”
She turned around and smiled up at him. “No, I didn’t, but I’ll join you anyway. I want to see you satisfied.”
She returned to her own empty place at the table and pulled out her chair. She watched and waited while he approached his place. The steam drifted into his nose. The scent filled him with undisguised longing. He gazed through the vapors at her angelic face—and froze.
That smell, the heady injection of saliva into his mouth at the thought of food—they acted on his mind and heart. They embedded their magical hooks in his flesh so he couldn’t get away.
In that moment, the whole horrible situation lay bare and exposed before his eyes. He hadn’t eaten that food or tasted that wine in almost twenty-four hours. The insidious poison it infected into his blood faded with time, and he looked straight through the mist at her face. She poisoned him. She drugged him to block out his feelings for Hazel and replace Hazel with herself in his heart.
He never wanted to trade Hazel for Loch Nagar—never. Althea planted that desire in him. She started that first night he arrived when she invited him to have something to eat. The food and wine deadened the memory of how he felt about Hazel. They made him care only for Althea when he belonged to Hazel all along.
Fergus stared in horror at the witch’s face. “Ye’ve done this! Why?”
She smiled her benign smile into his eyes. “You’re hungry and tired. Have something to eat. It will restore your strength.”
He swept his hand across the table. He slammed the plate, the glass, the napkin, and the cutlery against the wall. He smashed his two fists into the table in a rage. “I’ll no eat yer food again tae save me life! Ye deceived me, ye…ye filthy witch. Why? Why ha’e ye done this tae me?”
She drew herself up to her full height. Her face changed to a cold mask of cruel malice. “Don’t you know?”
She walked around the table and stopped right in front of him. He searched her face in a flurry of conflicting emotions. She appeared as beautiful and enticing as ever, but now his vision showed him the hidden scheme she kept concealed under her magnificent exterior. How could he fail to see it before?
She came close to him the way she used to. Her presence sent a shiver up his spine. Before he could get away, she lunged forward and kissed him on the lips. He held her in his arms a dozen times, but he never succeeded in kissing her before—not like that. The sensation electrified him. His every nerve and sinew tensed to react.
Althea jerked her mouth away, and her eyes blazed. “You’re…you’re taken! You gave it to her and not to me? How could you?”
“What’re ye talkin’ aboot?” he exclaimed. “Are you mad?”
“You’re Urlu!” she cried. “You gave it to her. You gave it to Hazel, didn’t you? You shared your power with her, and now you have nothing left to share with me.”
He stared at her with his mouth gaping open. “You…you wanted tae become Urlu? Is that what this is all aboot? You…you tried tae seduce me tae make yerself Urlu? Is that it?”
She whirled away. “You’ll never leave this castle. When she comes to get you, I’ll destroy her and you’ll be free to mate again. You’ll stay here until you do it.”
“When she comes tae get me? What’re ye on aboot now? I dinnae understand half yer crazy words.”
Althea turned on him and leveled an accusing finger at the window. “Don’t you get it? She’s on her way here right now. Don’t you see? You’re mated. She’ll never leave you alone until she gets you back. Even if they didn’t want to steal the Stone from me, she would come back for you. She would always have to come back for you. She can’t stay away.” Althea dissolved in maniacal laughter. “Her own stupid love for you will deliver her into my hands.”
“Ye cinnae do this, Althea,” Fergus declared. “I’ll no let you, and ye’ll ne’er mate wi’ me by force. If ye kill ‘Azel, ye’ll destroy any chance ye e’er had o’ winnin’ me heart.”
“Your heart! Ha! That’s a good one!” she screeched. “Do you think I want your stupid heart? You can keep that. You can pine for your Hazel ’til you rot. I don’t care. I’ll still have your power, and I’ll rule this country as never before once I’m a dragon, too. Nothing will be able to stand against me.”
“Ye evil demon…” he growled.
He never finishes his sentence. She hurtled at him so fast he couldn’t get out of the way in time. She grabbed him by the neck in a crushing grip. She jerked him off his feet with more strength than any living person should have been able to muster.
He fought hard to free himself, but she only tightened her fingers around his neck to choke the life out of him. She yanked him out of the room and down the passage to his own room. The door flew open of its own accord, and she flung him into the room so hard he pitched full-length across the floor. The door slammed shut, and the castle descended into silence.
Fergus lay sprawled across the floor until all sound died out around him. He closed his eyes. What a fool he was to fall for such a simple ploy! He should have known the witch’s food would make him forget. He should have known she boded him no good.
He got to his feet and dusted himself off, none the worse for wear. He gazed out the window. So Hazel was coming for him. At least this situation would come to a head before long. He only hoped and prayed she brought some force with her to breach the castle’s defenses—the defenses he himself set up to ward off her attack.
He kicked himself again. He was indeed a glaring idiot. He didn’t deserve a woman like Hazel. If only he could find a way to warn her, he could tip the scales of battle in her favor. Then again, if she came alone armed only with her power, she might not stand a chance against this witch.
Dear God! What if Althea succeeded in killing Hazel? Fergus didn’t know what he would do if that happened. He couldn’t live with himself if his own stupidity caused Hazel’s death. Althea possessed incredible powers. What if she found a way to force him to submit to her disgusting plan? He would be doomed. He could never face his brothers or
return to Urlu again. He would remain her captive pet for life while she used his powers to subdue the land for her own gain.
He bent out the window and surveyed the ground far below. He couldn’t fit through this opening in his dragon form. He might jump clear to shift in mid-air, but Althea’s magic might stop him shifting at all. He might plummet to his demise on the paving stones down there. He had no way of knowing for sure.
He pulled his head inside. He did his best to think for the first time in days when he smelled the most delicious scent. He turned around to see a small table set up in the middle of the room where nothing stood before. A plate of steaming fragrant food waited for him, along with another glass of wine.
The smell tempted him like never before. His stomach gnawed to eat it, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t trust himself to stay in the same room with that food. Althea’s magic would make this food appear as long as he remained imprisoned in this room.
He picked up the plate and glass and threw them out the window. They shattered into pieces on the ground below, but at least he didn’t smell it anymore. He sat down on his bed. He had to find a way to get out of here. He had to warn Hazel of the danger and hopefully rejoin her. He never should have left the Faery mound without her. He should have stayed until he found her.
All that slipped into the past. Only the present mattered now. He didn’t bother to try the door. He already knew it would stay locked until Althea returned to present her offer again.
Fergus shuddered. Althea wanted to mate with him, and she almost succeeded. She all but obliterated his past with Hazel until he willingly gave himself to her, body and soul. He would have done anything for her. He would have gladly given her his body to become her consort and Lord of Loch Nagar with her at his side.
Hazel stopped him. She didn’t just take on his Urlu nature when they mated. She planted her own seeds within him. Althea sensed it when she kissed him. She detected Hazel lying dormant in Fergus’s soul. He could never belong to any other woman as long as Hazel remained alive. Althea knew it, and now Fergus knew it, too.
Destiny Stone Page 17
