“You can’t go back,” Rhein said, finally touching her, laying his hands on her shoulders so that she couldn’t pull away and avoid the truth in what he was saying. “You can’t spend any more time alone with him.”
“But if I leave, he’ll know we’re on to him.”
“I don’t care.”
There was anger in Rhein’s voice, but there was also something else…something buried in the way he looked at her, the way his thumb caressed her throat.
She wanted to hide in his arms, to let him hold her and assure her that everything was going to be okay. But she knew nothing was going to be okay until she figured out what Cei was up to and how his plans involved Bran and Branwen. She had to know what his agenda was before she took him to the gate and attempted to reverse this curse.
“I have to go back.” She pulled away from Rhein’s touch, pausing just a few feet away to look at him. “We have to finish this thing.”
“Gwen, no one would blame you if you backed out. With everything that’s happened—”
“I want to finish this. I don’t want this sword hanging over my head for the rest of my life. Besides, do you really think Branwen would respect my decision to walk away? Do you really think she would stop coming after me?”
Rhein’s eyes dropped to the ground for the moment, but she could see that he agreed with her. With a heavy sigh, he closed the few feet of space between them and touched her chin with the lightest touch of his fingertip. “You’re a lot tougher than anyone ever gave you credit for being.”
“Thanks, I think.” She looked up at him and smiled. “We’ll see how tough I really am when we find that gate.”
Rhein leaned closer to her, almost as if he intended to kiss her. But, instead, he pressed his forehead to hers.
“I’ll be here if you need anything.”
“I know.” She laid a hand on the center of his chest and felt his heart pounding underneath. “I trust you. Don’t let me down.”
“Just…be careful, Gwen.”
“You, too.”
It took a lot for her to pull away and walk back to the camp she shared with Cei. She almost expected him to follow her. But he didn’t. He stood there, alone, in the middle of the Welsh mountains, watching over her like the owl that seemed to follow Gwen everywhere she went. She looked back and lifted her hand in a silent farewell. A fear like nothing she had ever known settled in her chest as she finally accepted the fact that this was not going to end well. She only hoped it would last long enough for her to know a little of the happiness her screwed up childhood denied her.
Chapter 12
Cei looked up as she walked into camp. He held out a hand for one of the water bottles she carried. She tossed it to him before ducking into the tent.
“A little early to sleep, isn’t it?” Cei called to her.
She paused, her body only half inside the tent. “It’s been a long few days. I’m not nearly as athletic as you.” Defending herself despite the fact that sleep was really the last thing on her mind.
“Yeah, well, I think we have a few things we need to talk about.”
Gwen reluctantly backed up, returning to where he was settled on the ground, a small fire pit built, but unlit, in front of him. She didn’t sit; she didn’t really think the unspent energy roiling around inside of her could be still at the moment.
“There’s an oak tree a few hundred yards that way,” Cei said, pointing in the opposite direction from which Gwen had just come.
“So?”
“So, oak trees were sacred to the Druids. They believed that they channel the power of the earth. Gwydion always went to an oak tree when he needed to be rejuvenated or had a question he couldn’t answer.”
“Gods need help with their magic?”
Cei shrugged. “Even gods are not perfect.”
Gwen turned toward the wooded area behind them, wondering why she hadn’t put that little fact together herself. She’d read enough about the Druids for her history class…not to mention the project she did on Blodeuwedd with Cei. She should have guessed simply by the fact that the first tree to talk to her—to protect her from Branwen’s attacks—was an oak.
“What do you want me to do?” she asked. “Commune with an oak tree.”
“Yes,” Cei said, his strong affirmative almost mocking her ironic tone. “That’s exactly what I want you to do.”
“For what?” She turned to look at him, careful to keep her facial expressions under control so that he wouldn’t be able to see that she was lying through her teeth. “You think the tree will tell me where the gate is?”
Cei climbed to his feet and approached her, acting as though nothing had happened between them and it was okay for him to take her hand between both of his.
“This is part of what it means to be a demigod. You have a special connection with the immense power that is the earth. And touching an oak tree—just being near an oak tree—should increase that connection.”
“I can make dead plants come back to life. And I can make a weapon appear out of thin air. But talk to a tree?”
“Have you tried?”
Gwen laughed. “Have you?”
“Yes.” Cei stepped back slightly, his cheeks taking on a little color as he did. “I used to try all the time. Gwydion…he told me I was special. I had something that no other human had. And I believed him.”
“Were you ever able to?”
“We should go before it gets dark.”
Cei brushed past her, heading into the trees. Gwen followed, glancing behind her in hopes of catching a reassuring glance of Rhein, but if he was there, he was well hidden. She did see, however, that cinnamon colored owl that was her cursed mother. Not that it reassured her much. Blodeuwedd could not move into her human form while the sun was still high in sky—as it was now. She might be able to peck out one of Cei’s eyes, but he would likely get the better of her before she could do much more.
So much for her protection detail.
When the oak tree was visible, Cei stepped aside and waved his arm.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Touch it,” he said.
Gwen approached the tree a little cautiously, not sure what she should do. She couldn’t let Cei know that she already knew where the gate was. He would want to go there immediately, and she wasn’t prepared to defend herself from whatever he planned to do with that baton he took from Gwydion’s lab. But she wasn’t sure how much longer she could lie to him and continue to expect him to believe her.
She could feel the hum of the tree before she was close enough to touch it, almost like the expectation on a pet’s face when its owner returned after a long day at work. It was welcoming her…she could feel the anticipation as she held out her hand.
“Hello,” she said quietly, hoping that single word sounded somewhat awkward to Cei. But, in reality, she was just as pleased to commune with this tree as it was her. She could feel the tension slip from her shoulders as her fingers came in contact with the rough bark. It was like the quick, but satisfying, impact of an injection of pain killers. The ache in her muscles just disappeared. The fear that had settled in her chest dissipated. It was taking all of her aches and pains away, the physical and the emotional.
Welcome home.
Gwen smiled, but she didn’t respond. She glanced back at Cei—who was watching with intense interest—attempting a nonchalant shrug before she turned back to the tree.
Danger in that one.
Gwen half nodded, as she stroked the tree.
“I don’t know what you expected to happen,” she called back to Cei. “But it’s just a tree.”
“You don’t hear a voice?” he asked.
“Not a sound. Just you.”
Her fingers were actually vibrating. She smiled again, laughter rising in her throat even as she tried to keep her tone sober. The tree was…it was like it was trying to play with her. The vibration and images of flowers and blue skies that danced through her mind…it all felt spirited
, like the tree understood what she was trying to do and was playing along.
Cei stormed over and grabbed her wrists, forcing both of her hands against the tree’s trunk.
“You have to concentrate,” he said, so close against her that she could feel the heat of his body from the back of her neck to her waist to the low curve of her hips. He was rigid, the tension in his muscles like an antithesis to the vibration running through her hands into her arms.
“Nothing’s happening, Cei. Maybe my powers just aren’t what you thought they were.”
“And maybe you’re just playing games with me.”
Gwen jerked away, moving like a spoiled child in the midst of a tantrum.
“I’m tired of you accusing me of lying.”
“Then stop lying to me.”
All the fear and uncertainty came flooding back as Gwen moved away from the radius of the tree’s vibrations. As she stared at Cei, she knew that there was reason to be afraid of him. She wanted to ask him. She wanted to know what it was he was after, why he would help Bran and Branwen—but she knew she had to censor herself if she ever wanted to know the truth. She pointed a finger at him, but let it drop as she turned away from him.
“I’m going back to camp.”
“You have to give it a chance,” Cei called after her. “You have to listen to the earth. It’s the only way we’re going to come out of this thing alive.”
She paused, turning back to him just as the oak tree’s heavy branches seemed to lean forward, as though they planned to smack him down like a horse swatting away a fly. She moved her head in a subtle refusal just as Cei stepped forward, out of the reach of the tree.
“I want to find the gate as much as you do,” she said. “I’m just not sure I can do everything that everyone thinks I can.”
“You won’t if you don’t give it a chance.” Cei held out his hand to her. “Come try it again.”
Gwen reluctantly stepped forward and took his hand. He led her back to the tree, held her hands to the thick, rough bark and whispered in her ear, “Close your eyes and try to feel the vibration of the earth’s power.”
Gwen didn’t have to close her eyes to feel it. But she did as he asked.
They stood there for more than an hour. Gwen could have stood there much longer. But she was never going to tell Cei the truth. Not now.
He finally gave up.
“We’ll try again in the morning,” he said, dropping his hands from her wrists.
Gwen began to walk back to camp, but Cei didn’t follow. She looked back at him and caught the overwhelming disappointment that filled his handsome features. He turned away and began to walk deeper into the woods. The part of Gwen that still wanted to believe that Cei was a good man took a step in his direction, intent on consoling him. But then that other part of her that could no longer deny what had become too obvious turned away.
Let him deal with his disappointment on his own.
She returned to camp and crawled into the tent, more to warm herself in the insulated material than to sleep. She kicked off her boots and crawled into the sleeping bag, curling into a ball in the silence, her thoughts going back to the cave, to the grief in eyes of Gwydion when she and Cei walked out of his lab. She thought she understood his grief now.
Her eyes filled with tears and—for the first time since this ordeal began—she gave in to them. She bit down on her hand as sobs threatened to slip from her lips, a habit she developed in the many foster homes where she grew up. No one liked a cry baby, especially not other foster kids who had been through much worse than some of the things Gwen experienced. She could still feel his arms around her and the reassurance of his touch when Gwen slipped across the hallway that separated their bedrooms and crawled into Cei’s bed. She could still feel that reassurance that was almost like the comfort a child might get from their parents’ arms. It was the first time she had ever felt that kind of security.
It was that Cei she grieved. That man who could be so understanding, who knew exactly what it was she had needed. That man who seemed willing to put her needs in front of his own. That…unconditional. That was the word that filled her mind when she remembered that time. Unconditional. Most kids take that sort of thing for granted. But Gwen…
It killed her to know it had all been part of a game.
When the tears slowly began to subside, she rolled onto her side and tried to find a comfortable position in which to rest. She felt the pull of the earth and felt the bruised flesh on her hand begin to heal. It wanted to heal her broken heart, too, but she wasn’t ready for that.
And then she felt something sharp press against her hip. She rolled onto her back again and dug out the small object Gwydion had given her before her vision of him faded. It was a key, made of wood and hanging from a chain that was made of tiny wood balls and some sort of string. She studied it in the fading light, not sure if it was a working key or if it was meant to symbolize something else.
Was it something she needed to break the curse?
She didn’t know, but it seemed that Gwydion would not have given it to her if it wasn’t important. She pushed it back into the depths of her jeans pocket. She was more secure in the idea that it was on her body, and she could feel it throughout the night and day rather than trusting Cei wouldn’t go through her backpack and find it.
As she rolled back onto her side and closed her eyes, sleep suddenly not that far away, she waved her hand to create a barrier over her resting form.
Just in case.
Chapter 13
She heard voices before she was even fully conscious.
“She has no idea where the gate is. I even tried to get her to commune with the damn trees—”
“She must know by now.”
“It’s just like all the others. Her powers simply aren’t strong enough yet.”
Gwen opened her eyes and glanced over at Cei’s sleeping bag. He’d clearly slept there. There was still an impression of his head in the thin, inflatable pillow, but he was gone.
Which was no surprised because she recognized one of the voices as his.
“What do you suggest we do?”
“We wait,” Cei said. “She’s stronger than the others. She’ll figure it out.”
“She better do it soon,” a female voice said.
Branwen.
Gwen sat up, dissipating the protective barrier she’d placed around herself with a quick wave of her hand. She tugged on her boots as quickly as she could, a small dagger appearing in her hand as she unzipped the fabric doorway.
“Morning, sleepyhead,” Cei said, glancing at her from the same place he had been sitting the night before. This time he was slowly stirring something that was bubbling inside the collapsible pot he carried in his pack.
“What time is it?” she asked as she glanced around, looking for the source of the other voices.
“A little after nine.”
“Were you talking to someone?”
Cei frowned, slowly shaking his head. “No one to talk to out here.”
“Thought I heard voices.”
“Maybe it was part of your dream.”
Gwen walked over to the fire, her stomach growling as the scent of the stew he was warming reached her nostrils. She’d forgotten to eat again last night.
Funny how learning your boyfriend is manipulating you can dampen your appetite.
“Sit down. I’ll fix you a bowl.”
Gwen slipped the small dagger into her back pocket as she settled down in the dirt. As Cei bent over, a small cellphone fell off his lap. Gwen picked it up, touched the screen to bring it to life.
“Where did you get this?”
“It’s a throwaway. I bought it at that athletic store where we bought our supplies.”
“Why?”
He slipped the phone out of her hand and played with it for a second before he handed it back to her. He had pulled up an email that was fairly short and to the point:
“Found something. Meet u
s in Llandudno.”
It was signed simply. Tony.
“I didn’t think you could get the Internet up here.”
“There are a bunch of little towns not more than a mile from here. We’re not as far from civilization as it would seem.”
Gwen handed him the phone back. “Are we going?”
He didn’t look at her, but she could feel the disappointment hanging heavy in the air between us. He lifted the hot pot and carefully divided the stew between two bowls before handing her one.
“We probably should.”
Gwen took a bite of the hot carrots and potatoes in her stew, her breath immediately turning to fire as she breathed around the superheated stew. Even burning her tongue, it tasted like manna from heaven. She gulped down half the bowl before she was able to slow down and focus on Cei again. He was only picking at his food.
“What do you think they found?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. But Tony wouldn’t have emailed if it wasn’t important.”
Gwen pushed the last of the stew around in her bowl, thinking about Morgan. She had yet to figure out what his role was in all of this. She wondered if he knew something…or maybe his magic consisted of something that might help them. It surprised her that the idea of seeing him again—no matter what his role was—invited a spark of excitement. He was almost like a brother—the only other person she knew who was struggling with the same unique DNA.
And Tony. He was a good man despite his scattered thoughts and disorganized life.
“Does Morgan know about Rhein?”
Cei looked up, his eyebrows raised a little.
“I know about what you know.” He gestured with his spoon. “We both left Lubbock at the same time, remember?”
“I just thought you might have talked to him while Theresa was helping me clean up that night. Or Tony might have said something in another email.”
“No, Morgan wasn’t exactly the most important thing on my mind the night you were kidnapped and nearly killed.” He stood up and walked to the edge of the camp, tossing out the contents of his bowl. He came back and kicked sand onto the fire, extinguishing it under a heavy pile of dirt. “Why? Are you thinking Rhein might be there when we arrive?”
SONS of DON Page 40
