by Linsey Hall
He agreed.
The three figures could be the same that we’d encountered a few days ago—the ones in the cloaks. The cloaked figures had been Lachlan’s nemeses ever since they’d stolen the ancientus spell.
They’d become mine, too.
I turned back to Cebhfhionn. “Were they powerful?”
“Very. When our guards confronted them, they used their magic to blast them backward. Like a sonic boom, but more powerful.”
I rubbed my stomach, remembering the pain of being hit with that type of blow.
“Yet they didn’t come here,” I said.
“No. But we have a vested interest in stopping them. They may not be coming after us now, but they are hurting our fellow citizens here in Otherworld. We may be a loose collection of cultures and individual religions, but it is still our duty to watch out for one another.” She shrugged. “Anyway, they may grow tired of destroying the rest of Otherworld and come here for us eventually.”
She had a point. “So you don’t know what they are after?”
“I do not. Only that their strength is growing and they don’t hesitate to kill.”
“We’ll stop them,” I said. “We have to.”
“That is true. Your destiny is linked with theirs, this I know. This is a battle you were meant to fight, Ana. Perhaps the battle.”
Suddenly, exhaustion pulled at me. Almost as if the strength of Sulis’s bath had worn off and the difficulty of the day was catching up with me. I could still feel her power within me, but I needed to recharge.
“You must rest.” Her gaze traveled behind me to Lachlan. “You must, as well. When you encounter the evil, you must be strong and able to fight.”
She had a point there. But… “We can’t stop. We need to catch them before they get whatever they are after.”
“Even they must rest,” she said. “And so, too, should you. Tomorrow morning, we’ll give you fae horses that will carry you far faster than you’d ever make it on foot. They can’t go out at night—their vision isn’t good enough—but in the daylight, they’ll take you. You won’t lose any time, and you’ll get some sleep.”
I believed her. Maybe because I wanted to, but she had a vested interest in us stopping the invaders, so I doubted she’d lie to us.
I turned to Lachlan. He looked exhausted as well. He nodded.
I turned to Cebhfhionn. “We’ll stay the night. Thank you.”
They set us up in a cute little cottage on the main street. It was for guests, apparently, and the whole place was made of pale wood and silver paint. All of the cushions were white, and the place definitely felt like a fairy cottage.
I had a quick shower in the strangest little room I’d ever seen. It was lined with gray stone like a normal shower, but the water poured from flowers that grew out of the ceiling. It even smelled good.
By the time I was clean, my stomach was rumbling. I changed back into my clothes, which were only semi-dirty since they weren’t coated in blood, and traded places with Lachlan.
While he showered, I dug into the backpack that the druids had given us. There had to be magic involved, because no matter how many things I removed from the bag, it never emptied.
Eventually, once I had a whole lot of stuff from every level of the food pyramid, plus a bottle of wine, I closed the bag. By the time Lachlan returned, I’d made a nice little platter of sliced meats and cheeses, along with some fresh veggies and fruit.
“That looks amazing,” he said.
I did a half bow from my seat at the little table and grinned. “Thanks, made it myself.”
He joined me, and we dug in.
“Wine, even?” He took a sip.
“You wouldn’t believe that bag.” Once we’d sated the worst of our hunger, I looked at him. “So, the three figures. I think they must be the three shadows that drifted out of the cloaked figure when I removed their cloak.”
He swallowed and nodded. “Given that they have a type of sonic boom power as well, and a connection with Italy, I’d say you’re right.”
“But how the heck is this all related?”
He leaned back in his chair, expression thoughtful. “First, they were after the ancientus charm to bring back a spell from the past. Second, they went after the power source provided by Arach’s heart.”
“And now they are after strength and knowledge here. But for what?”
“Whatever their end goal is. Which is pretty damned unclear right now.”
I bit into a bar of chocolate—had the Celts really had chocolate, or was this an import?—and mulled it over. “We need to figure something out at the sacred grove.”
He nodded. “You’re getting better with your magic, though.”
“I am. I can feel it. This place is really helping. Each step on this journey has made me stronger. I just hope I can master the rest of my magic.”
“I have faith in you.”
“Thanks. I’m going to call my sisters, all right? I want to let them know what’s up.”
“Sure. I’ll clean up.”
I went to the other side of the room and pressed my fingers to my comms charm. “Bree? Rowan?”
“Yeah?” Rowan’s voice crackled through the connection, as if she were farther away than normal. Probably because we were in Otherworld, which wasn’t truly on earth. “Are you okay?”
“Fine. But we’ve found some info we want to pass along.” I relayed everything I’d learned to her.
“All right, thanks. I’ll tell Jude. But be careful, Ana, okay?”
“Definitely. You, too.”
“Love you.”
“Love you back.” I killed the connection and joined Lachlan where he sat on what I assumed was a fae version of a couch. It was like a large cushion made of soft white fabric. Sinking into it was like sinking into a cloud. But the lack of support meant that I drifted right into Lachlan’s side.
As soon as my skin touched his, my breath caught.
This was the first time we’d been together alone and hadn’t been fighting for our lives. And the Cats of Catastrophe weren’t here. I couldn’t imagine what that peanut gallery would have to say if I kissed Lachlan in front of them.
I turned to look at him, trying not to show how affected I was by his nearness. The last time we’d been really alone together, we’d decided not to pretend that there wasn’t something between us.
But what did that mean? And where would it lead?
The questions made me so uncertain that I decided to go with another question instead. One that had been bugging me for a while.
“Why did you hesitate to admit that there was something between us? You said the whole we work together thing was just an excuse. What was the real reason?”
A sad look crossed his face, but it was distant. Like he was in the past instead of here in the future with me. He wrapped a strong arm around my shoulders. I leaned into him, waiting.
For a while, he didn’t speak. I was about to bug him when he finally opened his mouth.
“When I was young, I loved a girl.”
“How young?”
“Seventeen.”
“So it’s been a while, old man?”
He chuckled, and I was glad to get the sound out of him. The air was almost too heavy otherwise.
“What happened with her?”
“We were walking in Edinburgh one night. In the Grassmarket. The bars had closed, and it was too late to be out. It was during the Difficulties.”
“The Difficulties?”
“Aye. A period when law and order wasn’t as easily maintained. There were more demons about then, wreaking havoc as you’d expect. The government instituted a curfew for anyone who didn’t want to get in trouble with them, but we were young and stupid.”
I’d never heard of the Difficulties, but then, I’d been struggling to survive in Death Valley at the time and hadn’t had much—or any—knowledge of the outside world. “I have a hard time imagining you were ever stupid.”
“When I was young? Yes. I was infatuated. Totally lost my mind. We shouldn’t have been out, but we were. And we weren’t paying attention. I wasn’t paying attention. All I could see was her. Until the demons came.”
“Oh no.”
He nodded. “We fought back. I took out six, but there were ten. By the time help arrived, we were both nearly dead.”
“Oh, Lachlan.” I couldn’t imagine how terrible that must have been. In pain. Afraid. Young. “What happened then?”
“Recovery was an ugly process. Our relationship didn’t survive it.”
“I’m sorry.”
“That part, I’m not sorry about. We were never meant to be. But her injuries…” He sounded agonized. “I couldn’t bear it. If I hadn’t been so infatuated, so obsessed, I would have been more on my guard. We wouldn’t have been out at night. Or if we had been, we’d have stuck to the safer streets. I vowed I wouldn’t let anything like that happen again.”
“Which is why you made up the excuse that we couldn’t be together.”
“Exactly. I wasn’t quite ready to bare my worst failing to you. But when I started to feel something for you—something I’ve never felt before, not even with her, I knew I was in trouble.”
“I can take care of myself, you know.” His story sliced at my heart. “But I don’t need you to be watching out for me all the time. I’ve managed fine on my own since I was thirteen.”
I felt him turn to look at me, so I met his gaze. Conviction burned within the dark depths of his eyes. “I know. And that’s what changed. I realized that you could take care of yourself. Better than I can take care of myself, half the time.”
“I wouldn’t say that. I’ve seen you fight.” But the words mollified me.
“I want to protect you, Ana. I can’t help it. I need to. But I also want you. And I recognize that you’re more than capable on your own. It was stupid of me.”
I liked what he was saying. Liked it a lot. “Well, don’t be stupid anymore. Kiss me.”
A rakish grin swiped across his face right before he pulled me to him. His thick arms wrapped around my back, and I reveled in his strength.
I crushed my mouth against his, my breath already coming fast. He kissed like he couldn’t get enough of me. Like I was oxygen to a dying man.
My head spun as his mouth moved over mine, strong and sure. He tasted like wine and something that was indescribably him. I ran my hands up and down his back, over his shoulders and chest. I couldn’t get enough of him.
He growled low in his throat, an animal noise that lit my senses on fire. “I can’t get enough of you, Ana.”
“Same.” I kissed my way down his neck, loving the taste of him. “I’ve never felt like this before.”
“I’m damned certain I’ll never feel like this again.”
I moved my lips back to his, and he devoured me, so skilled that my head began to spin. As he lowered me back onto the couch, I was certain that I never wanted to kiss anyone else, ever again.
6
The next morning, after waking up with Lachlan on the fluffy cloud couch, we had a quick breakfast that involved far more smiles than any other breakfast I’d ever had. Last night, we’d kissed for over an hour—I wasn’t ready for more—then fallen asleep in each other’s arms.
It had been the best night of my life.
I was well and truly infatuated and trying my best to play it cool. I was probably failing, but in fairness, Lachlan was clearly not totally cool himself. I kept catching him looking at me with this goofy smile on his face. Considering that his brand of attractiveness was the slightly scary kind—all dark hair and sharp angles and wicked dark eyes—it was pretty awesome.
My ego was definitely a fan. And so was my heart.
After eating, we met Bren and Errawen, our fae guides. They led us back up the path toward the exit from Annwn. Each of them led a majestic white horse. The hounds followed us, silent sentinels who walked on soundless paws.
“Be careful,” Errawen said as we stepped out into the dawn light. “Otherworld has never seen such a threat as this. The destruction that it is causing….” She looked toward the dark scar in the land, her eyes sad. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“I’ll fix it.” I had no idea how, but I would. This was my second home, in a strange way. I couldn’t leave it like this.
“Stay alert,” Errawen said. “Take help when it appears. Otherworld wants you to succeed in this. It will help you. You aren’t terribly far from the sacred grove now, but you must be prepared to make a sacrifice.”
“I will be.” Yikes. Sacrifice never sounded fun. “And thank you.”
They nodded once, then handed us the reins. “The horses will help you go fast. When you’re done, release them. They will find their way home.”
“Thank you.” I patted my horse on the neck, noticing that her white fur sparkled slightly. Her mane was a pale blue, along with her hooves. She looked a lot like what I’d imagine a unicorn would look like, though she had no horn. As a kid, I would have lost my mind over this fae pony. Adult me was having a bit of a fit as well, honestly.
Bren and Errawen turned and went back into the hill. The door disappeared.
Lachlan and I mounted our horses. We hadn’t seen hide nor hair of the cats, though I had a feeling Muffin would like to ride on this horse.
I didn’t need to tell the horse to set off. She picked up the pace and went straight toward the black scar on the earth, following the premonition that dragged me in that direction. It was almost as if she were connected to me, knowing which way I wanted to go. Lachlan’s mount kept pace with mine, and we galloped across the fields, making excellent time toward the sacred grove.
When a pond glittered in the distance, I pointed. “See that?”
“Aye. We headed that way?”
“Yep.”
My horse went faster, slowing only once we had reached the pond. It was about a hundred yards wide. The air on the other side shimmered as if something there was hidden by magic.
I dismounted and patted the horse’s neck. “Thank you.”
She whinnied and began to chomp grass, going straight for the clover. Every one she plucked up had four leaves. The luckiest horse on the planet. Or in Otherworld, at least.
Lachlan jumped off his mount, who began to mow the lawn as well, cleaning out every clover in the place. I left them to it, following the black scar in the land as it stretched toward the pond.
Just like at Sulis’s Roman baths, the water looked like it had an oil slick snaking through it.
“They’ve been here.” I stepped up to the slick and bent over, peering at it. The stench of rotten meat wafted toward me, and I gagged, stumbling backward. “Wow, they’re foul.”
“Aye, that’s the truth.” Lachlan walked around the edge of the pond, peering into the depths. “There are weapons in the water.”
“Weapons?” I joined him and spotted several old daggers and a sword. There was a shield, too, along with a small metal figurine. Understanding dawned. “They must be sacrifices. Remember what the fae said?”
“Aye. Which means that this must be something we have to decipher. Or do.”
“Maybe we make a sacrifice?”
“Maybe.”
I turned and inspected the land around us. About ten yards farther down the lakeshore, there was a large flat rock. It was shaped like a disc and set perfectly into the ground. I walked toward it, noticing that there were four indents carved into the rock. One in the center, and three around the edges, forming a triangle.
I climbed onto the rock and peered at one. It was shaped like a short sword, roughly two feet long with a slender hilt. The second one was a figurine, and the third a shield. In the middle, there was one shaped like a dagger. I looked between the lake and the platform, then at the hazy air across the pond. It was shaped roughly like a tree.
“Hey, Lachlan? Will you walk around the pond toward the tree? I want to test something.”
�
��Aye.” He started around the pond, going clockwise. I went counter-clockwise.
After about fifty yards, I slammed into an invisible barrier, just barely managing to stop before smashing my face.
“Yep. As I thought.” I looked at Lachlan just in time to see him hit another barrier.
“I can’t get through. There’s a spell.”
“I think I know what it is.” I approached Lachlan, who met me at the flat stone disk. “There’s a spell protecting whatever is on the other side of the lake, and we need to earn our way in. I think we have to find sacrifices in the lake that match the shape of the indentions on the stone.” I pointed to the sword-shaped one. “That’s what the fae meant about sacrifice.”
Lachlan grinned. “Aye, you’re onto something.”
I turned toward the lake. “Our target already completed the task.” The black oil snaked through the water, making me shudder. No way I was getting in that water as long as it was there. “I’m going to try to clean up the pond first.”
“Good plan.” He held out his palm. “Want a hand?”
“Sure.” I smiled. Teamwork. I liked that. When I had the torc, it’d be easier to do this on my own. But for now, I’d take all the help I could get.
I gripped his hand, my body lighting up at his touch. When his magic flowed into me, strength followed. I called upon my gift of light, catching onto it quickly. Sulis’s help had broken a barrier inside of me, making it easier to call upon the gift.
The light barreled out of me, shooting straight toward the black oil and lighting it up. It disappeared instantly, leaving the lake clear and calm.
I grinned and let go of Lachlan’s hand. “I like getting the hang of this.”
“You’re good at it.” Lachlan stripped off his shirt, getting ready to go hunting for the appropriate sacrifices.
It wasn’t easy not to stare, so I focused on taking off my boots. Next came my jacket, and since I didn’t want to run around in wet clothes all day, I stripped off my jeans and shirt as well.
