Blue Moon Shadows (Shadow Bound Series Book 1)

by April Wood

  “You did it by relaxing your mind and visualizing where you wanted to go,” Carolyn explained.

  “Try again,” Tomlin requested.

  I closed my eyes and focused on the practice grounds. I even went so far as to put on a dry dress, my armor, and call Andess. When I opened my eyes I was standing in front of the targets. It took two seconds for Tomlin to follow me. It was a while longer before Carolyn showed. She must have thought I had gone somewhere else. Tomlin was also wearing his armor. It wasn’t really armor so much as it was gear you would see on an archer. We had cuff guards on our left arms and leather fingerless gloves on our right hands. It was perfect for working with a wand. Carolyn and I both had metal breast plates as a part of our armor, though she wasn’t wearing any. They were form fitting. I hadn’t really called for it as much as it knew I needed it. It was hard to explain. The armor actually came when it was needed and not when it was called.

  “That was classic,” Tomlin said.

  “How did we get dressed correctly and Carolyn didn’t?”

  “Give me a minute,” she said sternly.

  She closed her eyes and her gear was on immediately. She was lovely in her gown and armaments. Her wand was alder with pink touches and a diamond. It was as powerful as it was beautiful.

  “I think you have mastered it,” Tomlin said.

  “Really?”

  “Now we should practice with these,” Carolyn said, taking her stance and arming her bow.

  Then I noticed Andess was gone. Slung across my chest was a bow. It was magnificently crafted. It was dark wood and the string shined in the light. Carolyn loosed her first arrow and hit the ring just outside the center target. Then it was my turn. I grabbed an arrow out of the quill on my back and nocked it into place. I drew it back to my mouth and let it fly. All this seemed like a common thing for me to do though I had never done it before. The arrow hit the target dead center.

  “Well I guess you don’t need to practice that either,” Carolyn said. She conjured her bow back and stood there in just her gown. It was blowing gracefully in the wind. I did the same, letting my armor go and the bow.

  “Now take my hand. I need to take us somewhere you have never been,” Tomlin said, putting his hand out for mine.

  I took his hand and closed my eyes. I had complete faith in him. He was my rock in the storm of life. He was the one thing I could depend on. When the wind stopped I could smell the ocean. My eyes opened to take in the deep blue of the Atlantic Ocean. Bouncing up and down on the waves was a large ship with sails. In the water headed toward us was a small row boat. I could see there were several people inside. I couldn’t make out details, but there were at least five passengers and two crew members.

  My heart began to beat hard with anticipation. I just knew she was among the people on that boat. I stretched out to see her. This moment was the one I had been waiting for since I knew of her existence. Actually, it had been far longer than that. My soul knew she was out there and knew I wasn’t were I was supposed to be.

  “Is that her?” I asked, excitedly.

  “It is.”

  “Which one?”

  “Is the anticipation killing you,” he laughed.

  “Yes.”

  We stood there watching them row closer and closer. When they reached the shore two tall men jumped out and pulled the boat to land. They held it there while the passengers disembarked. When all were off, the men jumped back in and rowed back to their boat. Four of the people, dressed in fine clothes, walked away to the left. I looked up to the hill and saw a fancy carriage waiting. When I looked back she was standing in front of me. Her piercing blue eyes captured my soul. Her raven hair was blowing in the wind. Her wool cape was covering her priestess gown. It was the same one from my dream. It was white and flowing beautifully.

  “My dearest, Riona,” she said, spreading her arms. I stepped into them and let her squeeze me tightly. There was something in her embrace that made me feel like I was home. This woman was the missing part of me.

  “Máthair.” It came out of my mouth like whisper on a faraway breeze.

  “Iníon.” She stroked my hair. I never liked that word before. It meant I was in trouble. When she said it, I felt nothing but love.

  “Shall we head home?” Tomlin asked.

  “Give it a minute, Mac.” She looked at him and smiled. She didn’t want the crew of the ship to see us. If we were here one minute and gone the next it would cause problems. The crew probably already had ideas as the ship arrived a full two weeks ahead of schedule.

  “Certainly, Máthair.”

  “Go raibh maith agat, Mac.”

  “Tá fáilte romhat.”

  Their flawless Gaeilge intimidated me. I only spoke it when I was in trouble. It was spoken around me, but I wasn’t fluent at it. I hoped to make a study of it soon. It breezed from Tomlin like it was the only thing he knew. Though he had told me he only spoke a little. I guess having to embrace who he was made him remember.

  “Worry not, Iníon. You will get it soon. Now I think it is safe for us to depart.”

  Tomlin grabbed my hand and started to close his eyes. “I think Riona should do it.” She smiled warmly at me. Her confidence in me boosted my strength. Tomlin smiled and kissed my hand. We all joined in a circle. I pictured the cabin in the woods. I tried to remain focused on the front porch. It would be a shame to land my mother in the water. I imagined the rocking chairs and the swing. The door and the stairs were clear in my mind. When my feet felt wood I opened my eyes. I had accomplished my task.

  “An-mhaith, Iníon.” She leaned over and kissed my head. The very touch made me burst into tears. I had always wanted to be loved by my mother. All I had gotten up to this point in my life was torture. How could this woman love me so much?

  “Easy. I gave birth to you. You are bone of my bone flesh of my flesh. I would love you no matter the circumstances.”

  “How do you do that?”

  “Answer your unasked questions? I am your mother and I am high priestess. There are certain perks that come with this job,” she laughed.

  “Oh. So I guess I should be more guarded with my thoughts,” I said, my face turning bright red.

  “I don’t look into your thoughts regarding your husband. That would be a level of prying that I am not comfortable with. I wouldn’t want to inhibit your relations with him in anyway. I remember what it was like to lay with a man that I loved. There is nothing on this earth that can compare to the feelings of ecstasy and joy. I wanted only this for you. I couldn’t be more pleased that you have found your one true love,” she explained.

  “What about you?” I asked, taking her coat. I placed it on the rocker as she took a seat in the other. Carolyn came out with a tray of tea and sandwiches. I was grateful she had thought ahead.

  “I have loved hard in my life. Don’t feel sorry for me,” she said with a smile. She took the tea Carolyn offered. I sat down in the swing with Tomlin. I didn’t want the tea. I just wanted to find out more about her. She was lovelier than I had imagined.

  “So how is the training?”

  “She is a brilliant and fast student,” Carolyn said, taking a seat.

  “Good. We will need to be ready soon,” Deheune said.

  “Ready for what?” It seemed like everyone knew something I didn’t.

  “They will be coming soon. That is why I got an early boat here.”

  “Who?” I asked blindly.

  “Your old family. Specifically Aidan and Edward. As the patriarch he will want his toy back. We will need all our skills to defeat him once and for all,” she explained. She sipped on her tea staring off in the distance. There was a history there. I didn’t like not knowing. At that moment I wished I could read her mind. Then images started rolling through my mind. At first it was just confusing. Then I recognized main characters. I saw my mother with a man. It was obviously when I was conceived. Then she was giving birth to me alone. Then she saw the man again. He spurned her and de
manded the child. She refused and banished him. Then she cried for hours. Other women were forced to take care of me. When she snapped out of it she never let me go again. The man tried to come again. Then he sent a woman. I recognized her immediately. It was Agnes. She was to join the circle under false pretenses.

  When mother discovered her she banished her as well. Then I saw them standing outside the circle. It was Edward and Agnes. My mother had loved him. He was really my father. Then I remembered all the times he beat me with that damn cane of his. I was angry. How could he do that? He knew who I was.

  “Because you reminded him of me. I couldn’t let him have you. It wasn’t right.”

  “How could you have been with him?” I asked.

  “It was years ago, Riona. He was different. When we were younger we tried to conceive. It never happened, but we kept trying. I loved him and he loved me. Then he met Agnes. She was the poison that ended our relationship. When you were born she told him to get you. You would keep them safe from our kind. He believed her. He changed,” she explained.

  “I’ll say!” I stood up and started pacing. All I could see where the hundreds of times he beat me. The times he called me names. How he hated me from the very beginning. It was as if I was this lowly creature he tolerated only a little. In reality I was his meal ticket. Without me they would be open to attack from other covens. My hate for him only grew.

  “You can’t really blame him for that. You do look just like me. He was probably just taking out his anger for me on you.”

  “That doesn’t make it right.” I was pacing so fast my feet were starting to make a mark on the wood. I had to cool off. I thought of the pond and instantly I was in it. My body was starting to cool, but my mind was still racing. It was hard for me to focus. Then I felt his touch behind me.

  “Love,” he said.

  “I just can’t believe this. Did you know?” I said, turning into his arms.

  “No. I had an idea, but Deheune never shared the name of her lover.”

  “This sucks.” He held me as we both treaded water. It wasn’t romantic, but it was cathartic. It was the healing my mind needed. I didn’t need to think of that horrible man anymore. I had Tomlin. That was all my world really required.

  “Are you alright?” Deheune asked, running up out of breath. I forgot she didn’t know the area. She couldn’t teleport yet. Now she could.

  “I’m fine, Máthair. It’s just a lot to process.”

  “I know.” She sat down on the shore and watched us swim for a minute. Then she dipped her feet in the pool. The color instantly changed to a crystal blue. The water temperature adjusted too. It was more tepid than it had been. She stripped off her gown and climbed in. It was shocking at first, but then I realized she had the right idea. My gown was dragging me down. I looked into Tomlin’s eyes and we both let our clothes go at the same time. It may have seemed odd to outside eyes, but somehow it felt like the most natural thing ever.

  As we swam birds started to cluster and sing. The vines all bloomed and spread heavenly scents in the air. Even the sun took on a softer glow. It was as if we were in a place touched by the gods. It was peaceful, reverent, and gracious. It had to be Deheune. She changed our little cove into a place of great holiness.

  “How?” I asked as she swam up to us.

  “When you become high priestess you will understand.” She smiled and then dove deep into the pool. When she came up there were shells around her neck. The birds dropped a vine wreath on her head.

  “What does she mean?”

  “When you are high priestess even the animals of the field know you. They don’t worship her as much as they appreciate her and she them. They have a bond that no one other than a priestess or priest can understand,” Tomlin said.

  “Really?”

  “Watch,” Carolyn said, stripping off her robe and diving in. When she came up she also had shells on her neck. The birds brought her a wreath. It wasn’t as intricate as Deheune, but I expected that.

  “Wait. Carolyn’s a priestess?”

  “As I am a priest,” Tomlin said. He dove down and came up with a pearl in his teeth. He gave it to me and smiled.

  “I thought our order didn’t have priests.”

  “I was trained in an order in Germany. Mother thought it best. She wanted me to be all I could be. After all I have the blood of the priestess.”

  “This is starting to confuse me again.”

  “It won’t,” he said, taking my hand. He pulled me over to the rocks my mother was sitting on. Her hair was delicately braided and covered her nakedness for the most part. I climbed up and sat beside her. She ran her hand over my hair and it braided itself. It hung in the same manner as hers. Tomlin sat beside me with a leaf covering his vital parts. It made me snicker. He was the only male.

  “Normally we don’t worry too much. It is usually myself and my priestesses that bathe together. I have yet to meet a true priest other than Tomlin. Your union is why we are rethinking some of our rules. They no longer apply to our people,” she explained.

  “Wow.”

  “It will all start to come into focus for you. I promise, for now I think maybe we should all rest.” Then she was gone. Seconds later Tomlin and I were in our room. After all the things I had learned today I was more than ready for sleep. I closed my eyes and wondered what tomorrow would bring.

  Chapter Eight

  

  The sun came up far too quickly for me. Yesterday was physically and emotionally exhausting. I felt the instant connection I prayed for with my mother. It was everything I had hoped it would be. She was gorgeous patient and loving from the minute our eyes met. It was the healing we both needed.

  Today was going to be interesting. She had great plans to teach me. Tomlin and Carolyn were going to go get supplies. This was my time with her alone. She was going to show me all the things I had missed out on.

  “Good morning,” she said, pouring a cup of coffee.

  “Did they leave already?” I asked, taking a seat. She placed a cup in front of me. I grabbed her hand and turned it over. It struck me how similar they were to mine. It wasn’t exact, but it was close. It made me smile.

  “You are my daughter. And yes they left.” She took her hand back.

  “I wasn’t expecting them to be gone even before the sun came up,” I sighed.

  “They didn’t want to be seen by certain people. Carolyn needed to retrieve a few of her more special items from the house. You know if Aidan catches her he will beat her at the very least. I’m sure he has already begun to interrogate the town people,” she said, sitting down. She sipped on her coffee and didn’t touch any of the food. Meanwhile I loaded up a plate and scarfed it down.

  “You can eat something,” I offered.

  “I don’t require much to keep going. It’s one of the perks of the job. Though I must say I am looking forward to retirement.” The smile on her face was large. Her red lips curved around her teeth perfectly. I did feel mesmerized by her beauty every time I was around her. It was something I didn’t feel I got from her.

  “Iníon, you are as beautiful, maybe more than I. I wish you could see how much.”

  “Máthair, I was raised by people that beat me, put me down, and treated me less than the sheep in the yard. It was hard for me to develop any self-esteem or confidence.”

  “We shall work on that. You have to be assured of who you are when you take over my role as high priestess. If you don’t you won’t last long.”

  “When do I take over?”

  “Not until you are completely trained.” She sipped her coffee and looked out the window. I wondered where she went sometimes.

  “How long with that be?” I asked, eating another pancake.

  “It takes as long as it takes,” she replied.

  “That was incredibly cryptic,” I laughed.

  “It’s true. Each one takes a different amount of time. My mother learned her role in three years. I learned in six months. Ea
ch priestess is different. The rate you have learned the minor skills gives me encouragement. It may only take a few months for you. Then I can retire perhaps where my mother is,” she said with a smile.

  “My seanmáthair is still alive?”

  “Of course. There are no limits to how long we live. Mabel is over five hundred years old. I am more than two hundred years. So you see you have a very long time to learn if you want too.”

  “Wow.”

  We sat there in silence for another half an hour. I ate the entire time. My nerves were getting the better of me. This life was going to go on much longer than I thought it was. I cleared the table and waited for mother to see what the next step was. She finally rose from the table and walked to the door.

  “We should get started. Tomlin and Carolyn will back soon. Then I won’t hold your attention anymore.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry for loving a man. Even though mine turned out to be evil I still loved him with all of my heart. It was worth it,” she said, walking over to me. Then she touched my chin with her hand. “After all, I got you out of the deal.” She kissed my cheek and then disappeared. This was my first test. I had to find her without any assistance. She really enjoyed throwing me into the deep end of the pool.

  I closed my eyes and concentrated. I let my heart search instead of my head. This was the one thing I remembered from my early lessons with Tomlin. The heart was better at searching than the head. It would connect to the one’s it missed without over processing like the brain. I pushed my love out further until it connected. Then I teleported to her.

  “Very good. That only took you about a minute to do,” she said. I opened my eyes and found us standing on the shore. It was empty today. There were no boats and no travelers.

  “I wasn’t sure I had it right.”

  “Don’t doubt your skill. Trust it. You were born with greatness inside of you, Riona.”

  Then she was gone again. I could tell this was going to be an exhausting day. This time I didn’t close my eyes. I looked at the place where she stood. Then I saw it. She had left behind a little trace. It was just enough for me to latch on to. Then I was standing in front of her. We were at the shooting range.