Sword of Elements Series Boxed Set 2: Bound In Blue, Caught In Crimson & To Make A Witch

by Heather Hamilton-Senter

  “Not all of us,” I whispered as I thought of Rowan’s body lost and forgotten in some distant cave.

  Redcap sighed. “Ah yes, the druid. A good man by all accounts, but I do not come for the likes of him. I felt the son of Arthur die.”

  “Yes, he died,” I said. “But then I made him live again.”

  Redcap’s hand darted out to claim mine. Lifting my fingers to his lips, he bit one lightly.

  “What are you doing?” I asked breathlessly, but I didn’t move my fingers away from where they rested on his bottom lip, one of them bloodied.

  He turned my hand over and kissed my palm on the small wound on my hand. I breathed in quickly when I felt his tongue flick at the blood covering it. Golden eyes rimmed in red gazed at me in wonder. “You are a goddess, love. Forgive me, for I couldn’t help but try to take a part of you for myself.”

  Pulling away, I stumbled and dropped Excalibur. It hit the pavement with a dull clank.

  I’ve really got to stop dropping this thing.

  Redcap bent to pick it up, but his eyes widened as the rough metal refused to budge. He burst into laughter and the sound was sunshine and apples and warm blood.

  “I understand everything now,” Thomas Redcap said.

  CHAPTER FORTY THREE

  Whatever it was that Redcap understood, he didn’t share it on the trip up to the lake. He was in a good mood though and enjoying the burger he’d asked me to drive through and get for him. I glanced over at him as he was finishing; he was a neat and fastidious eater.

  I shivered as it reminded me of what else he delicately harvested and ate.

  Pushing the thought away, I asked Redcap where his car was and why didn’t he drive himself if he was so keen, but he laughed again and turned up the volume on the heavy metal station he was forcing me to listen to.

  Arthur’s awake and preparing to conquer the world and I’m transporting a bloodthirsty Greylander with bad taste in music to cottage country. In the off-season!

  I could feel the heat of Redcap’s gaze on me as if he couldn’t stop looking at me. The nick on my finger and the wound on my hand burned.

  When we arrived at the lake, Redcap was out of the car and almost down the hill as if he couldn’t wait for whatever it was he was expecting to happen next. “Grab a blanket if you’ve got one, Love,” he called over his shoulder, “and bring the sword.” When I caught up with him, he was already sitting on the dock with his eyes half closed against the weak sun. I did a quick check of the drowned trees before stepping back as far from the water as I could.

  “Sit down, Rhiannon.” There was something in his voice that made my heart beat faster, but then I felt the echo of Tynan’s follow it and ice washed over me. “She’s down there, yes.”

  L’Inconnue de la Seine.

  Placing Excalibur in the center of the dock, I sat down and pulled the blanket over my knees. “Why are we here?”

  In a sudden movement, Redcap pulled me back against his chest, grazing my temple with his rough cheek and wrapping his arms around me. “You’re cold,” he explained.

  I held myself stiff for a moment and then relaxed. Redcap would keep me safe from L’Inconnue.

  “Do you remember the day we met here?” His breath was warm. “You were a child then. A dangerous child I thought, but beautiful. Now you’re a woman and I’m in awe.” His lips brushed my ear and my colors swirled in confusion.

  “What are you doing?” I whispered.

  “Only what you want me to and nothing more,” he answered and nipped my ear with his sharp teeth.

  “Stop!” I scrambled away from him and grabbed Excalibur.

  We stared at one another. He was dangerous—I’d always known that—but I’d been drawn to him too. It didn’t matter though. I wasn’t ready for what he was offering me.

  Redcap sighed and looked away. “I’m sorry, mo leanabh,” he said rubbing at the shadow of his beard, “I shouldn’t have done that. It’s just you remind me so much of one I lost long ago.”

  Something blocked the sun. “Touch my daughter like that again, Redcap, and you will lose something else.”

  The Lady of the Lake stood on the water with her cloud of dark hair rising in the wind.

  “Mom!” I jumped to my feet, torn between amazement and embarrassment. “Morgan said it was possible, but I didn’t believe it.” Despite all my anger and disappointment, I wanted to touch her, but she was out of reach.

  Viviane smiled. “You did well, Rhiannon. I had lost all power, all weight in this conflict over the fate of two worlds. But the moon wanes and dies only to be reborn again, and the tide recedes and then returns. I knew the Redcap would come at my death and consume my spirit and then you would spread my ashes here as I instructed.”

  Redcap stood and gave her a little bow, but winked at me as he straightened. He wasn’t the least bit embarrassed. “I didn’t know why I was drawn to this place. And then I met you here and you were attacked by L’Inconnue. She wasn’t trying to kill you; she was trying to get us both into the water. The raw power inside you was the spark that lit the flame of the spell and Viviane left me when I jumped in to save you.”

  “It was some time before my spirit and my body were rejoined, and still not perfectly.” Viviane gestured down at herself and I could see the lake through her flowing gown and white limbs. “Perhaps I will never leave this place until the true death of my kind claims me, but I have regained the power to do what must be done.”

  Moisture ran over my lips and I realized I was crying. Viviane cocked her head at me as if my tears puzzled her. “Do not cry for me, Rhiannon, for I am content. I was one of three sisters, but of us all, I had the least of love within me. It seems to me now that we were each incomplete in some way, but I cannot puzzle out the mystery of it. Much that I was and knew is lost forever. Still, what love I had, I gave to you. Being your mother for a time has given me that gift and I am grateful, but I must now give you a gift which one day you may curse me for.”

  Redcap motioned for me to approach. “Excalibur returns to the Lady of the Lake,” he proclaimed.

  I picked up the shaft of lumpy metal and reached out over the water to give it to her. Taking its weight easily, Viviane examined it. “I am glad the Green Man kept our bargain, but it is difficult to again see the totem in this state. In the depths of the sea, I formed Excalibur from metal that fell from the sky, but I did not give it life. That task fell to another. Yet I knew its destiny was to save us from my brother’s dominion. I believed Arthur was Excalibur’s ordained master, but he disappointed me.”

  “He’s awake,” I said.

  She smiled sadly. “I know. I felt it. I felt your peril. And yet, here you are.”

  “Morgan let me go.”

  Viviane gazed into the sky as if she could see her sister there. “Do not judge Morgana too harshly; she fights her fate as best she can. Love is Morgana’s downfall, and yet she has had more of joy with both Arthur and Taliesin than I have had in all my days.”

  Without warning, Viviane sank into the lake. I tried to look for her in the depths, but the water was strangely opaque. Redcap and I waited in awkward silence and the arm he draped around my shoulders for warmth was now light and impersonal. Finally she emerged, the water streaming from her hair and a magnificent sword in her hand. She offered me the hilt, but I hesitated.

  “Take it,” Redcap urged me. “Take it before she fades.” He was right—Viviane was now transparent. I took the sword and then with the other hand she passed me a jeweled scabbard. Excalibur glittered in the dying light, but I felt nothing from it, not even a hint of the gold I’d sensed before.

  She seemed to read my mind. “Yes, Excalibur has been remade, but it must still be quickened. You must temper it in the fire at the heart of the world and then you must find your true mother to guide you in how to use it. I go now to regain my strength. Do not come back here again until the end.” She began to fade.

  “Wait! What does that mean?” The only mo
ther I’d ever known was leaving me. It hurt worse than the first time because I knew it was her choice, that it had always been her choice.

  “Go in peace and remember that as I was able, I loved you.” Viviane disappeared into the water.

  “Wait!” I yelled as Redcap restrained me from diving in after her.

  “Stop!” He shook me hard to get my attention. “Look!”

  Where Viviane had disappeared, another figure surfaced, pale and menacing—L’Inconnue de la Seine. The creature had changed. Her hair now flowed over her white shoulders and the ghastly smile had relaxed. Through a splash of bright horror, I saw that her eyes were open and alive.

  Redcap pulled me away from the edge. “Viviane has a new daughter now, and she will not let you disturb her mother’s rest. We’d best leave before she remembers she once walked on land.” We backed away and the creature watched us with gleaming eyes until we were off the dock before she slipped back down into the lake.

  I sheathed Excalibur and followed Redcap to the car where he got into the driver’s seat without asking and began to drive. The heavy weight of the sword lay across my legs while anger simmered inside me and burned away my tears.

  “Why couldn’t she tell me? Why couldn’t she give me what I needed, just once? I don’t care if she’s the damn Lady of the Lake! She owes me more than that.”

  Redcap gave me a concerned look. “I wasn’t lying when I told Morgan that things were missing from Viviane’s essence. I now believe she used her power to excise certain memories. She no longer has the answers you seek, Rhiannon.”

  “But why?”

  He shrugged. “To protect you in case Cernunnos ever found her, I suspect.”

  “Does it make me a bad person that I don’t care about that right now?”

  He sighed. “No, love, it just makes you very young and there’s no shame in that.”

  And there it was, the elephant sitting in the front seat between us.

  I wasn’t sure how I felt about Redcap. He’d saved my life and I was drawn to him, but he was a monster. Closing my eyes, I leaned my head against the cool glass of the window. The colors of regret filled me, but I wasn’t sure if they were mine or his.

  I woke up when we pulled up in front of my house and Redcap muttered, “I’ll see you in safely.” As we went inside, I noticed that either Redcap wasn’t enough of a monster for the holly to keep him out, or the plant was somehow sentient enough to know he was with me.

  He looked around and frowned. “Viviane lived here?” He seemed surprised and my cheeks went hot.

  “What’s wrong with it?”

  “Nothing. It doesn’t seem like her, that’s all. This is cozy though.” He seemed to be picking his words carefully.

  By “cozy” he means cramped, old, and ugly.

  Anger swept through me, but there was no color left to call up fire with. “That’s just great! I get the second class mother and the second class house. And I suppose you’re my second class stalker. Pervert actually. What are you? A thousand years old? More? It’s gross. Or maybe you’re just a second class monster since you don’t even have the guts to eat the corpses you collect. And now I’m stuck with this second class sword! What am I supposed to do with it? Use it as a big, stupid letter opener?” I threw Excalibur on the couch.

  Without warning, I was pushed hard against the wall; Redcap had me pinned. One hand held my wrists above my head and the other trailed across my cheek. I winced as his sharp fingernail pierced my skin.

  “The Great Ones are always cruel. Never doubt that you stand first class among them, mo leanabh. But better an honest monster than one who hides behind a pretty face.”

  As I stared into his gold and red eyes, I had an impulse to apologize, but the sting of the scratch on my cheek stopped me. There was a low growl as Seolan came out of the bedroom. He was no match for Redcap, but the look in the man’s eyes told me we weren’t in any real danger.

  I was the one who had hurt him.

  Redcap released me and walked away, his back straight and stiff. He opened the door and hesitated, but didn’t turn. “May the next time I see you be at the moment of your death, Great One,” he whispered, pulling the door closed behind him with a soft click.

  CHAPTER FORTY FOUR

  I sat down on the couch and tried not to cry. I knew I’d acted like a brat. Confused, Seolan paced nervously and then jumped on the couch beside me. When he put his head on my knee, I stroked his soft head and felt a little better.

  I looked around with new eyes; the place really was shabby. Worse than that, it didn’t feel like home anymore. Home was with the people I cared about, and with the exception of Seolan, they were all back at the mansion. Even Peter continued to train there—in fact, had thrown himself deeper into it than ever—though things between him and Miko were strained and uncertain.

  I gave the hound a quick hug and then pushed him off to go pack some clothes. I left Excalibur on the couch where I’d thrown it. Maybe Taliesin would know what I was supposed to do with it, but for the moment, I wanted to get as far away from it as possible.

  Seolan followed me outside to the car. I thought about taking him with me, but he nudged my hand and ran off into the darkness. The hound came and went as he pleased and I hadn’t even had to feed him yet. I suspected his second home was the main barn and he was either stealing food from Old Tom’s dog, or Tom had taken him in as a stray.

  The windows of the mansion were dark when I pulled into the driveway. Taliesin had given me my own key and I slipped it in the lock and opened the door. I could sense Peter and Tynan through our separate bonds. Tynan was sleeping. Peter was in the gym even though it was late. He didn’t seem to care anymore if his parents were worried about where he was at night.

  I sighed. He was right. We were changing. Maybe too much.

  Hoping I wouldn’t run into Taliesin, I went up the stairs and knocked on Daley’s door. He opened it with a surprised look on his face and then pulled me into the room.

  “Where’d you go? Tynan’s been asking for you.”

  “I’m sorry. How is he?”

  Daley sat down on the bed, running his fingers through his hair. “Confused. He says he doesn’t remember anything.”

  I sat down beside him. “Do you believe him?”

  “I don’t know. I can’t wrap my mind around any of it.”

  Even with the lights off, there was still light in the room—the Wheel of Taranis in its larger state was hanging from a hook on the wall and glowing with stored power. Daley followed my gaze. “Viviane wanted you to find the charm, but did she expect you to give it to me? I wonder if she’s laughing at us from wherever goddesses go when they die.”

  For some reason, I was reluctant to tell him about what had happened up at the lake. “Do you still think I’m a leanan sidhe or some sort of vampire?”

  He scrubbed at his face with his hands. “Whatever you are, you need to come with us and fall into rank with Taliesin. We’re at war now.”

  It wasn’t what I wanted to hear. Redcap had unsettled me, made me feel somehow wrong. Despite what I’d called him, I felt like the monster.

  I pounded my fist on my knees. “I don’t care about any of that! I don’t care about Taliesin’s war.” The electricity between us surged through me, igniting colors in my mind and my body. What I wanted to say was that all I wanted was for Daley to take me in his arms, but I didn’t dare. Instead, I leaned in and kissed him.

  I had a moment of fluorescent panic when he pulled away, but then his lips found mine and it was replaced with rose and magenta. Winding his fingers through my hair, Daley pulled me closer and the thunder vibrating between us told me he wanted this as much as I did. Opening and closing, rising and falling all at the same time, I sank into him, blinded by lightning and deafened by thunder.

  I was slapped back to reality when Daley pushed me away and jumped off the bed. “What do you want from me?” he choked. I couldn’t speak, but I suspected the answer was in my fac
e when his breath caught and branches of light flared across his eyes. He turned and faced the window. His shoulders heaved with a couple of deep breaths and when he spoke again, his voice was steady. “This doesn’t mean anything. It’s only electricity. I loved Melusine. I know why you did what you did, but I can’t forgive you for it, even if I do see my lightning reflected in your eyes.”

  Cold filled me until I was numb and colorless. I wanted to laugh, but I knew it would come out wrong, twisted and ugly.

  If there’s a god of love somewhere, he or she must be laughing their asses off. Tynan, Taliesin, Redcap, Daley, Me—we all love the wrong people. We’re all bound to the wrong people by bands of crimson and flame. Consumed by fire.

  By the fire at the heart of the world.

  I heard her voice again—the voice of the mother who’d abandoned me. Something teased at my brain. There was something I needed to remember, and it wasn’t about love.

  Not this sort of love anyway.

  The fire at the heart of the world—I tasted the words, searching for the colors hidden in them. For a moment, I was overwhelmed, but then the fragmented memories of the day she left me clicked together like the pieces of a puzzle. I finally knew what I had to do.

  Standing and walking over to the door, I looked back at the young god of thunder silhouetted in the light of the moon streaming through the window. “Tell Taliesin that Viviane is alive and has remade Excalibur. Tell him Excalibur is mine.”

  Daley’s face was shocked, but he remembered his duty. “We need you, Rhiannon. We need Excalibur. Are you with us?”

  I left without answering.

  CHAPTER FORTY FIVE

  I entered the clearing carrying Excalibur in its scabbard in one hand, a flashlight in the other, and a blanket draped over my shoulder. Kicking the candles and other witch debris out of the way, I shrugged the blanket off onto the grass and dropped the sword on it. As I put the flashlight on the picnic table, a gleam of something metallic caught my eye and I knelt down to pick it up.