"You can't say that until you've tried. Tree." She pointed at the thing and gave Macey a stern look.
With a sigh, Macey diverted her attention, thinking on how she might achieve the impossible. The magic swayed as she tried to direct it and failed miserably. That wouldn't do. She needed to control it better but didn't know where to start.
Water. The answer was always going to be the water. She kept her mind focused on all the elements, trying to keep them together, but sent most of her focus into the strand of water magic. Coiling it around, she directed that towards the trunk.
It almost worked. The moment the water hit the bark, she let go of some of her concentration and the elements all crashed into force. Before she could stop it, the tree burst into flames and burned to a crisp before their eyes.
"Oops."
Chapter 12
After their training, Macey lay down for a nap. She was exhausted, her magic drained more than she'd anticipated. If she was to be ready to fight soon, she needed to recuperate a little.
Rónàn joined her in bed, but all he did was wrap an arm around her shoulders, providing a hard but warm pillow. She snuggled against him and fell asleep almost immediately.
* * *
MACEYYYYYYYY!
The Voice was gentle, coaxing, alluring. She wanted to follow it, do whatever it wanted her to do. Please it in any way she could.
COME TO ME, LITTLE KELPIE.
She moved towards him, becoming faster the closer she got.
THAT'S RIGHT, COME TO ME.
The Voice chuckled sweetly and Macey found it to be one of the prettiest sounds she'd ever heard. She needed to be close to it, bathe in its warmth.
She ran, following the pull she felt in her heart, racing towards the beautiful Voice. She didn't know what would happen once she got there, but she knew it was all she'd ever wanted.
GIVE YOURSELF TO ME.
Yes, that's what she wanted. He was the only one she wanted. Right?
Suddenly, she stumbled and fell, images flashing through her mind. Men, four of them. It took her a moment to identify them - but then, memories rushed over her like a bucket of cold water, waking her from her trance. Her men. Cam, Jared, Flint and Rónàn. What the waves was she doing? Why was she running towards a Voice she didn't know? Was she going mad?
DON'T THINK OF THEM. COME TO ME.
Somehow, he didn't seem as alluring anymore. She wasn't sure if she really wanted to go to him. Why was she doing it, anyway? What was awaiting her? He'd never told her why he wanted her to come.
"What do you want from me?" she called, her voice shaking a little. The warm feeling her belly had dissipated.
I WILL TELL YOU WHEN YOU'RE HERE.
She had to fight to not be convinced by his beautiful Voice. It was so tempting to just give in and do what he wanted.
"No, tell me now!"
INSOLENT CHILD!
Suddenly, he sounded a lot less enticing. He was not a nice person, was he? She turned and walked back to where she'd come from, wherever that was. Everything was a little fuzzy in her mind; she was having trouble concentrating.
DON'T! COME BACK!
She didn't turn and walked away, somehow proud of herself for whatever reason.
* * *
Macey woke with a squeak that made her embarrassed as soon as her brain switched on and registered the sound she'd made.
"Everything okay?" Rónàn asked, looking at her with a trace of concern.
"Just a bad dream," she muttered, wrapping herself around him. She needed to feel him close. The last remaining tendrils of her dream were still swirling around her mind. An ominous feeling settled within her, like something bad was about to happen.
"Want me to kiss it better?" He grinned and placed a tiny kiss on her forehead.
"I wish we had the time," she whispered, kissing him on the cheek in return. "But I don't think we can do this now. Later, once we're done with kicking the Mahoun's slimy arse."
"Slimy arse?" Rónàn laughed. "I like that. I'm going to use that expression from now on."
Macey smiled. "Go ahead, it's yours."
"The devil's slimy arse is mine? Well, thank you, I guess. Nobody has ever given me someone's behind before."
A giggle broke from her throat, dispelling the last remnants of the dream.
She ran her hands over his back, admiring the hard muscle hiding beneath his soft skin.
"I'm glad you're here," she muttered, kissing him again, this time on the lips. "I couldn't do this without you. Without any of you guys."
"I'm kind of honoured to be here," he admitted. "I'm not one of the Wardens, yet you treat me like one of you."
She laughed. "You're an honorary Warden. Maybe we should change it from seven to eight. We're the last generation of Wardens anyway, nobody will mind."
"Does that mean there will be no more trouble in the world after we're gone?" he asked. "Or will the world be defenceless from new evil?"
Macey was spared from answering by shouts coming from the tent.
"Get up! Someone's approaching the camp!" Cam shouted from outside, moments before the tent flap burst open and all three of Macey's men came inside.
"Is it Izban?" Macey asked, sitting up, not caring that her boobs were on display.
Jared licked his lips at the sight, but didn't comment.
"We don't think so," Cam explained. "But whoever it is, we need you out there."
She nodded and jumped out of bed, putting on her clothes as fast as she could. Rónàn was doing the same, and she couldn't help but shoot an admiring glance at his naked body. If only they had time. They never did.
They hurried outside where the rest of their army was waiting for them.
Amber was standing a little bit removed from them, watching the horizon, where a lone figure was slowly approaching. They were walking and had reached the point about halfway between the Mahoun's castle and their camp.
"Did he come from the castle?" Macey asked.
One of the kelpies nodded. "He didn't come from the main gate though, but from a smaller door in the wall that we hadn't noticed before. He's very slow, maybe he's injured."
"Why do you say he? Couldn't it be a woman?"
The kelpie shrugged. "Yes, perhaps. I can't see them well enough from here."
Macey couldn't, either. The person was humanoid and wrapped in black clothes, but that was all she could make out. Somehow, she didn't think it was Izban though. The mage always walked with a certain swagger, and unless he was injured and couldn't walk like he normally did, it had to be someone else.
"Where's Luc?" Macey asked, noticing the daimon wasn't there with them.
"Flew off, said it was important," Flint said. "He was doing his mysterious thing again."
"Does he ever do anything else?" Macey muttered, frustration building in her. It would have been great to have Luc here just now. He could have flown towards the mysterious figure and check them out. Now, the only person with wings was Amber, and she hated putting her friend in danger. Putting the daimon in danger, not so much.
"Amber?" Macey called and the beithir turned. "Do you think it's Izban?"
"No, I'm pretty sure it isn't," Amber replied, confirming Macey's thoughts. "Want me to check it out?"
"Yes. Shall I come with you?"
Amber grimaced. She didn't like having people fly on her back.
"No, it's alright, I'll manage. If I need help, I'll create some lightning above me."
Macey nodded, smiling at her friend. "Good. We'll stand ready to assist."
Amber took off her clothes, not caring that she was naked in front of a lot of strangers, and shifted in one fluid motion. Macey always admired the ease with which the beithir could shift. For her, it was a struggle, something painful, that had to be executed perfectly in order to keep the pain to a minimum. For Amber, it seemed like an intuitive, easy thing.
The beithir leapt into the air and flew towards the castle, quickly leaving the camp behind. Macey shielded her eyes
with one hand, making sure not to look away from Amber for even a second. She didn't want anything to happen to her.
"She'll be fine," Rónàn said from behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders and beginning to massage them gently. Immediately, some of her tension waned.
"What if it's a trick?" Macey asked. "It could be the Mahoun."
"Or it could be someone who wants to help," Flint said, joining Macey's side. "We'll find out in a moment. Look, Amber's almost there."
He was right. The beithir was slowly descending, drawing circles over the lone figure. If they were talking, then Macey couldn't hear it. Amber seemed relaxed, her body not curled up in a defensive position.
Suddenly, the beithir dived and wrapped her long body around the person, helping them climb onto her back. This had to be someone friendly, otherwise she'd never do that. Amber turned and flew back towards the camp, even quicker now than she'd flown before.
A minute later, she landed and a man slid from her back, wavering, then crumpling to the ground. Amber shifted faster than the eye could see.
"He needs help!" she shouted. "He's injured."
One of the kelpie healers ran forward and dropped onto his knees by the man's side, turning him onto his back. This was the first time Macey got a look at his face.
"What the..."
"Yes," Amber said, smiling grimly. "That's what I thought too. But it's not him. It's his brother."
"Malan's got a brother?" Macey exclaimed, staring at the familiar face. He looked exactly like the prophet, except that he had a body and well, he wasn't a ghost.
"Did he say anything?" she asked Amber.
"Just his name. Talon. He was about to pass out, so I thought I'd better bring him here before he died on me."
The kelpie healer was running his hands over the man's prone form.
"What's wrong with him?" Macey asked him, kneeling on Talon's other side. The man really looked like Malan. They had to be twins.
"Exhaustion, dehydration, some wounds that have festered," the healer reported, not stopping his work. "He's been tortured."
"How do you know?" Talon was wearing thick black clothes that didn't show any skin besides his face and hands.
The healer didn't even turn to look at her. "I can feel his injuries. There are a lot of old scars and wounds that never properly healed. There are broken bones, too. He must have been in incredible pain."
"When will he wake up?"
The healer frowned. "I can probably wake him now, but he will be in pain. You'll only have a few minutes, then I'll let him sleep again.
She nodded. They had to talk to him, it was imperative that they found out where Talon came from and why he was here. How he could help, preferably.
"Stand back, please," the healer commanded and Macey got back on her feet, looking down at them curiously. Of course she'd seen kelpie healers in action, many times, but she was still fascinated by their magic. Being able to heal was something she would have loved to be able to do, but it was a magic that was very different from her own and not linked to any elements.
With a gasp, Talon suddenly woke, his eyes wide open.
His whole body twitched and shook. The healer hurriedly murmured words and Macey could almost feel the magic flowing from him into Talon. Slowly, the injured man stilled and his breathing slowed. He looked around, shock and fear evident in his expression.
"Who's in charge?" he asked with a raspy voice that clearly hadn't been used in a long time.
"I am," Macey said confidently and kneeled in front of him so that he didn't have to look up at her. "I'm Macey, one of the Seven Wardens."
"Kelpie?"
Macey nodded.
"He wants you," Talon muttered. "He's been talking about you."
"Who has?"
"The devil. He's fixated on you. On the others, too, but mostly on you."
"The devil?" Macey asked. "The Mahoun?"
Talon nodded weakly. "I've been his prisoner for years. He made me his confidant, the person he talks to when he gets bored. He gets bored a lot."
"How did you get away?"
The man sighed. "I don't know who he was. A man with blue hair. Young. Didn't say anything, just unlocked my cell door. He said the guards were dead, so I decided to try my luck at escaping. Most of the other prisoners were too weak or scared to even try."
He coughed and the healer handed him a glass of water, which he downed in one large gulp.
"How long were you there?" Macey asked, wondering whether Malan knew that his brother had been in the Mahoun's dungeons. Why hadn't the prophet done anything about it?
"I don't know, time flows differently there. It's been hard to keep track. There was war on Earth when I was captured. People wore different clothes from the ones you're wearing. Women wore dresses, not trousers like you."
"In that war, how did people fight?" Cam asked before Macey could. "What kind of weapons did they use?"
Talon looked confused. "Swords, bows, lances. Trebuchets, sometimes. Lots of metal armour."
Macey turned and exchanged looks with her men. That sounded a lot like the middle ages. Talon hadn't been a prisoner for years, he'd been captive for centuries. Maybe they shouldn't tell him that just yet.
"If you got out, does that mean we might be able to get in?" She tried not to put too much hope into her words. This might be the moment they'd waited for. Once this was over, she was going to hug Izban and forgive him all his snide words.
"I think so," Talon muttered, his voice growing weaker. "I'm sorry, I..."
His eyes closed and he stilled.
"That's enough," the healer said, looking exhausted. "I need him unconscious for the next bit, it would hurt him too much. Setting bones is not a nice affair."
Macey nodded and got up, turning to the other Wardens. Amber had dressed again, looking both excited and proud of her boyfriend.
"It seems this may be our chance," Macey said. "Are we ready?"
Cam nodded. "As ready as we can be. Everyone is rested and has been fed. All we need are orders of what to do."
Easier said than done. Everyone was looking at Macey again, waiting for her to tell them what to do. When did she become the chief strategist? She didn't know anything about war and battles. Kelpies were a peaceful species, despite the legends.
"Cam, you will lead the kelpies through that hidden door, if it's still open. One of the kabouters will come with you and assess whether the wards inside the earth have been lifted. If they have, you can mentally tell Flint, who will be waiting here with the other kabouters, ready to attack from below. Amber, you're our eyes in the sky."
"What about me?" Jared and Rónàn asked at the same time.
Macey smiled at them. "You're with me."
Illustration: The Mahoun
Chapter 13
She shook the whole way up to the castle walls despite knowing this was what she had to do. Rónàn and Jared behind her gave her slight reassurance but not much. She loved them unconditionally but they had no idea what the Mahoun was truly capable of. Monster didn't cut it.
"MAHOUN!" she shouted before she lost her nerves and gave in to the desire to run back to the tents and disappear into her men's arms. The temptation was immense but she knew that wasn't the stuff heroes were made of. Like it or not, Luc's words had stuck and she found herself wanting to impress him. Even if he did seem to disappear at pivotal moments.
There was no answer, which didn't surprise her. She hadn't expected one quite so soon. Instead, she waited in silence, hoping her presence would be enough. He'd come to her in the dream after all. It wasn't like he didn't know she was outside the gates.
"Do you need to call again?" Rónàn asked.
Macey shook her head. "I doubt it. He's not the kind to need telling twice."
"Is this really where he kept you?" There was a hint of something unknown in Jared's voice but Macey didn't study it too hard. She didn't want to accept it could be pity.
"Yes."
; "I'm sorry."
"Not your fault."
"We should have protected you better..."
"Jared," she snapped. "Me being caught had nothing to do with anything the three of you did, and you know it. Don't make this more difficult than it is. Please?" The last word came out more like a plea than the rest of it. She didn't want to beg but she couldn't have his doubt and guilt creeping in to this. For all she knew, that could be what created the Mahoun and his like in the first place.
She averted her attention back to the grand gates on the castle walls, urging the Mahoun to appear in some way, even if it was just as the Voice. She wouldn't admit it to anyone, but there was a part of her that didn't think they could defeat something that didn't even inhabit a body.
"Can I ask a question?"
"Yes?" She turned her head slightly in Rónàn's direction but didn't take her eyes off the gates. She didn't trust the Mahoun and he'd no doubt appear the moment she wasn't paying any attention.
"You sent Izban in there, didn't you?"
"No," she replied truthfully. "Izban is there of his own free will." A statement which could be construed in a few different ways. She didn't want to openly admit anything in case unfriendly ears were listening.
Both men stayed silent, no doubt each processing their own interpretation of her words. She knew they trusted her, so it didn't even matter what conclusion they came to. She just hoped it wouldn't backfire on them all. If Izban died, it would change everything. And not in a good way.
The door still stayed resolutely shut. She turned over ideas of what to do in her head but came up with nothing. Hopefully the silence on the Mahoun's part didn't mean he'd discovered the others.
"Any clues on what we need to do?" Jared asked.
"A blood sacrifice?" The suggestion was only half a joke but she didn't say that. It likely wasn't appropriate.
"Probably best not, for all we know he has a dearg-due in his employ."
Macey snorted. "I don't think he has any one in his employ, never mind an Irish woman."
"Not a woman, a dearg-due, they..."
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