by Jana LaPelle
I look to my little friend and say, “Tomorrow Jaz, you come clean. Lexie and I both need to know what is going on with you.”
Lexie hears her name and smiles at us both; it’s obvious that she is engrossed in Declan right now and I have no room to talk. The three of us will get together in the morning for breakfast before training begins. I’m so utterly happy that we are all back together again. It just feels right, and I realize that once more home is where the heart is and my heart is with my kindred and my friends and family.
“I wake to disturbing images from my dreams. It’s only been a number of hours since we drifted off to sleep, but I find that I need to process the images from my subconscious. I miss our terrace from Glenndale Loch and wish that I could stand under the over large moon of the Otherworld. I climb out of bed and go to stand under the dim light of the full moon before the window in our room, a rarity here in Ireland at this time of year. Since Alaric and I have mated the need to wear night clothes to bed has dissipated. They hinder our ability to explore each other’s bodies and once again, I stand exposed and vulnerable under the light of the moon. I look at the shadow that I cast and unlike before evidence of my pregnancy is now visible, all be it, a small change. My belly is now somewhat more distended and clearly more rounded, and my breasts are heavy. The changes that my body is undergoing are no longer something that can remain hidden for much longer. I worry that The Morrígan will take advantage of my precarious situation if she were to get her hands on me. Hence the worry from my dreams, I have no idea what The Morrígan looks like, but images of crows, jet black feathers, and dark crimson blood plague me. A female high pitched cackling laughter is prominent as are the caws from crows that seem to be after me, their beaks and claws are dripping in blood. Closing my eyes and breathing heavily, I try to put the images behind me.
For the time being, we are safe, and I cradle my abdomen in my hands and send all my love and comforting thoughts to the two little ones that are growing within me. I’m so engrossed in my thoughts that I do not hear Alaric slip out of bed to come up behind me as he pulls me in. I melt into him as his hands trace down my arms and move to caress my stomach which feels a little heavy, a sensation that is new to me. The changes are small, but they are there none the less. My babes are eager to make their presence known to the world. The evidence will soon be seen by all.
“You should be resting. What’s plaguing you, mo grá?” His words are accompanied by gentle kisses tracing my shoulder and neck as he runs his fingers through my hair pulling it away for his access.
“My dreams were unsettling. But now they are nothing more than a distant memory, and I cannot grasp their meaning. I know that you’re right, but now that I’m awake, I want nothing more than to have you near me and to get something to eat. For some reason, my stomach feels empty, and I’m craving meat.”
“Come, Ashlinn, I thought you might need something additional to get you through the night. Here put this robe on and come with me.” As we make our way out to the outer chambers of our room, Alaric growls at Nym and Khatar who are playing a game of chess and the two discretely back out to the hallway. I find that the table has been set with slices of rare pink meat. I quickly devour several helpings of beef and lamb. The ravenous feeling in my belly has been abated as I sigh in contentment.
Alaric picks me up and carries me into our bed chambers. It’s three in the morning, and I clutch Alaric to me. He lays me down on the bed and cups my belly, gently caressing and kissing where our two little ones now reside. Multiples have a tendency to come earlier so now I have to shorten my timeline. There is nothing that I can do about that now as I nestle into Alaric. We have not even been back together for twenty-four hours but now my time here without him is becoming a distant memory, and it is as though we have never been parted. I fall back to sleep in the arms of my lover, my soul mate and draw comfort from him. As much as I want to be independent and able to defend myself in the battles to come, I know that there will be only so much that I will be able to do and I will have to rely on Alaric and others to keep the three of us safe.
Chapter 18
(Ashlinn)
As promised Jasmine and Lexie are in my quarters bright and early, well not so early after my wakeful evening. Alaric did not wake me and left orders to allow me to sleep. Evidently, I was worn out and slept till half-past nine. I should have been up at six, and now I’m feeling very discombobulated as my schedule is all out of whack. I don my now worn out leathers and lace them up, not pulling the lacing as snug as I once did. I pull on an overlarge sweater, and my hair is pulled back into my trademark high ponytail as I greet my two best friends for a late breakfast.
Smiling, I walk into the outer rooms to see the two are catching up and are very animatedly discussing the events of the last twenty-four hours. “Sorry, I’m late for my own gathering.”
“Yeah, what’s up with that sleepy head? Alaric threatened the both of us within an inch of our lives, warning us not to wake you. Like we were going to wake the pregnant lady carrying twins? Seriously, he must think that we have cotton balls for brains.” Jasmine exclaims before going all super sprite on me. “You don’t do anything halfway, do you?”
I sigh, “Evidently not.” My smile is lackluster at best as disjointed images from my lost dream come back to me. I know that the dream or nightmare is important and that I need to remember it, but the images are out of grasp. I decide to change subjects as breakfast has been brought up and hunger eats away at my core. “So my little friend, you have met a very handsome little friend of you own. Pray tell, is he important to you? What’s his name? Is he going to be a permanent fixture within our group? Do I have to worry that you will up and leave to join his coven? Are you two holed up in your own little love shack?” I grin as I see Jasmine blush a furious shade of crimson.
“Ashlinn, seriously?” Jasmine glares at me.
Laughing out loud, I say, “You, my dear friend, are seriously deflecting. Come clean. What is he to you?” I ask as I dig into my morning meal. There is something on the table that smells heavenly but looks uninviting. I sniff again as I look at the mound in the center of the table and I can’t decide if I want to gag or devour the whole plate. I ask, “What is that?”
“It’s blood sausage. I think you may like it, my Lady.” I hear from Nym who is standing in the corner of the room.
“Nym, I’ll take your word for it, I would rather not know exactly what it is.” Turning my attention back to Jasmine, I ask, “So? We need deets. What’s going on?” I ask as I dig into the blood sausage and Nym is right, there is something about it that appeals to me.
“Ash? That is the grossest thing that you have ever eaten. OMG, that is making me seriously nauseous just watching you eat that. How is it even possible that you like that? Yuck…” Lexie says.
“I don’t know, but it is seriously, amazingly good. Last night I was craving almost rare meat, and this is helping with that craving, and I will gladly eat my weight in it if it does not turn my stomach. But we digress. Jasmine?”
“Okay, princess, don’t freak out but Darius and I are kindred.” Her explanation is anticlimactic.
“Yes? So? Why all the dramatics?” I ask.
Jasmine’s face crumbles into despair, “Darius did not think he would ever find his kindred, and he mated someone else, years ago. When he goes back to the Otherworld, he will go back to his chosen mate. He is an honorable male, and he will not leave her.” Jasmine’s demeanor fractures as her despair becomes evident in her words and actions.
I’m at a loss for words and want nothing more than to pull her into my embrace and hold her close. Tears slide down my face as try to understand her pain, and I know nothing will compare to her agony as I weep for her loss. “I’m so very sorry for making light of this situation. I had no idea. Jasmine…”
“We are so sorry, had we known…” Lexie says at a loss for words and looking as distraught as I feel.
“It’s okay, you two. I’m j
ust not meant to get my happily ever after. I can live vicariously through you both.”
Her words break my heart. “Jasmine you will get your happy ending. I promise this is not the end of your story. Is Darius firm in this decision?”
“Yes, they have been together for several years now. He and I have decided, that from this point forward, we will remain apart. To be together is too difficult as the bond is becoming more demanding. The few days that we have spent with one another will have to last us both for a while. Several of his friends think that he is making a mistake, but he stands firm in his decision. Unless something happens to change his mind, we will never complete our binding.”
Lexie and I sigh heavily, as she ponders, “Why does everything have to be so complicated? As childish as it sounds, this is so unfair. You have been looking for him your entire existence only to find out that he chose another before you came along and is promised to her. I know it’s no one’s fault, but damn, this situation really sucks.”
Jasmine shrugs as she says, “Trust me, I know. I just need to keep myself busy so let’s get to it, ladies. The day is a wasting.” That’s all it takes to gets us moving, and I can see that Jasmine is determined to put this behind her.
The next seven days pass in a blur as everyone falls into a rhythm. My training takes on a different approach as Alaric has made it clear that I’m not to make contact with the ground, under any circumstances. Damn, overprotective kindred. My ass is much appreciative of the fact, but I’m disgruntled because that means no hand-to-hand. The guys are not willing to put my abilities to the test.
The Dagda was right in his earlier assessment, and I believe that air is my affinity element but it is also closely tied to fire and I’m making headway there. Today I was able to summon enough air to forcefully push Dagda away from me when he came at me. I feel a bit like Storm from X-Men as the wind whips about me lifting my hair up and away from me. For several seconds, I was able to manipulate the air around me to lift me about a foot off the ground before my mother had me stop, worried that I would drop like a rock out of the sky if I lost control of the element.
Tarron had a seamstress pay me a visit to prepare me some clothing that actually fits. She was able to let out several of the day-to-day gowns for my use, but ultimately I prefer my training attire. Why we couldn’t just order something off Amazon and have it delivered is beyond me, but Tarron insists on keeping the wards up and intact.
I worry about Jasmine, every day since our discussion about her kindred she has grown more and more distant. Not even Camoryn has been able to cheer the little sprite up. The longer we remain in The Mortal Realm, the more distant she becomes. My heart aches for her but I vow not to let this go, she should be with her kindred, if that is what she wants, even though I know that the situation is a delicate affair.
Apparently, we are no closer to discovering the whereabouts of the last known location of The Lady of the Lake than we were before and so our efforts have been divided into researching not just the Stone of Fál but the other lost treasures. As time passes the urgency to find them has increased tenfold and I find that once more I’m on edge. The only difference this time is that I have the support of my kindred and family and friends to lean on. My dreams are bothersome, and each night I wake not able to make sense of them and fear that I’m missing something. Alaric and I sit up night after night after the dreams wake me trying to piece the images together to no avail, and finally, I decide to turn to Morgwais, the leader of her coven after Lexie tells me that she is not only very wise but a seer as well. I have Lexie and Jasmine in tow, and I’m about to knock on the old crone’s door.
The door opens abruptly with my hand poised to knock as Morgwais says in her old gravelly, sing-song voice, “It be about time, I be waiting for ye. Come. Come in and let’s get to it then. Yes?” She holds the door open wide for us to enter her strange looking chambers.
I hear Jasmine whisper, “That was just a little creeptastic.”
I chuckle at her remark, “Just a little.”
Lexie shrugs, “Come on, let’s do this. I’m sure that she can shed light your nightmares.”
Morgwais shuffles across the floor and lowers herself to her seat at a round table. In the center of the table is a dark colored bowl that is filled with water. Morgwais looks at me and says, “Child, tell Morgwais what troubles ye. I be waiting for days for ye to come to me. Yes?”
“First and foremost, I worry about the twins I carry and how we are going to make it through the war to come. I know that my fear is irrational as I have seen us together in my visions but my dreams have given me pause because they plague me nightly.”
“I be here for ye princess to give ease to yer worries. The babes will be born, and all will be well. Yer family line will provide a great service to all The Realms. Not all has been revealed to me but this I know. As the babes grow within yer womb, they will become aware. Their powers will grow as well, and for a time ye will be very powerful as ye will be able to tap into their abilities as well. Ye will know when that time arrives.”
The crone’s words don’t really ease my worries but only give cause for new ones as I ask, “Why am I unable to tap into my dreams? They are disjointed and fleeting images. I’m certain that they are important and I feel as if I’m missing something about them. Nightly I wake in a sweat after the nightmare. The images and sounds are of midnight black crows, their talons and beaks are covered in dripping crimson blood. The sound of their beating wings and caws are deafening, and in the background, I hear the sound of a woman’s cackling laughter.”
“Give me yer hand. Come now child, times a wastin’. Yes?” She holds her gnarled hand out waiting for me to place my hand in hers. I look to Lexie and Jasmine, and both are nodding their heads in agreement, so I comply. Her bony fingers close over mine, and she closes her eyes and begins to mutter under her breath. This goes on for a few moments before she opens her eyes to say, “I be telling ye that these be not dreams. Ye be getting only a few images as yer talisman continues to protect ye. Today we be getting busy fortifying yer personal wards and protections. Yes? The Morrígan be sending these images to ye to strike fear in yer soul. Her intent be evil and wicked. Come, Mother Druid we be working to protect yer sister.” She says in her Scottish sounding brogue.
Lexie gets up and follows Morgwais across the room to a counter with various containers containing god knows what leaving Jasmine and me alone to wonder over Morgwais’ words.
Jasmine is the first to speak up, “I’m so sorry Ash, I’m doing the best I can. I know that I have not been myself lately. Darius came to see me last night. The wards are being lowered in the morning, and his coven is going back to the Otherworld at dawn, along with a few others to make Raven’s Claw Keep ready for The Horde’s return. He wants me to come with him so he can keep an eye on me. I refused him, of course. There is no place for me there. He goes back to his chosen mate. I cannot stand by and watch my kindred be with another. So, Ash, I’m with you. I was before, and I am now, through it all. I stand with you. This will be just what I need to help me through the next coming weeks, not to mention that I wouldn’t miss seeing you as you begin to blossom.”
I have never seen Jasmine look so withdrawn and dejected. It’s like she has been broken into a million little pieces and is trying to hold herself together before she all but crumbles. “I wish I could give you a hug Jaz. I really think you need one.” I blurt out as tears sting my eyes. Before my eyes, my little pixie friend begins to grow until she is a little bit shorter than I am. I look on in utter disbelief as Jaz throws herself into my arms and begins to weep. Instinctively, I wrap my arms around her careful not to damage her delicate wings as I hold her close. “I love you Jaz. I have to believe that he will come around. It’s just a delicate situation. I wish nothing more than for you to be happy and for you to find your happily ever after. How about we save The Realms from The Morrígan’s twisted plans, and then we work on your stubborn kindred if that’s wh
at you want. I also worry that maybe he was dropped on his head as a babe. There really is no other explanation as to how he could even consider walking away from you. You’re freakin’amazing, and he’s being just plain stupid. Let him go for now, and maybe he will realize just what it is he’s walking away from,” I say as I continue to hold her and whisper comforting words as she continues to cry in my arms. Lexi joins us, wrapping her arms around us. The three of us just stand together trying to comfort her where no comfort can be found.
Finally, Jasmine pulls back and even with her tear streaked face she is a vision. Darius is a stupid ass. I have never seen Jaz morph to this size. I didn’t even know it was possible. Morgwais shuffles around us, girls. She gives each of us a loving pat on the shoulder as she passes by us to get to her seat. She settles herself, and I swear every joint in her body cracks and groans, and I hear her mutter under her breath, “Damn ole bones. I can’t move like I used to. Maybe me sisters have the right of things giving into the dark ways. At least I would be young and pretty again.” She sighs heavily, as she says again, “Damn, ole bones.”
We all sit back down, and Lexie says what I’m thinking, “Jaz, I had no idea that you could become this size.”
“My kind are known as sprites, pixies, and faeries. It depends on whom you talk to as to how we are known. A long time ago, we decided to take our smaller size so we were able to hide more easily from the mortals and the witches that would use our wings for potions and spells. No offense Morgwais. The Mortals were just simply weary of beings that were different from themselves. Even though I have the ability to take my larger form, I have never done so until now. I needed that hug that you offered Ash, so I didn’t even think about it. I just took this form and threw myself into your arms… I think I may be stuck, though. I’m not sure how to go back to my smaller size.” She frowns as a line of concentration mars her forehead.
