by Audra Hart
CHAPTER 2 - MAGDRID
When Morna comes to she pushes the stranger away who she thinks is kissing her. She’s very confused and very angry. She hears Luca and Elias laugh. Before Morna’s eyes flutter open she hears Luca say, “Easy love, easy! Don’t hurt your favorite godson. He is just trying to keep you alive.” Morna hears Elias laugh again. She hears other voices join the merriment. She tries to rise.
Luca’s beautiful face is suddenly before her. “Be still woman. You have managed to break some bones again.” He orders firmly, but not unkindly. His eyes are full of concern and love for her. She feels instantly better just seeing him before her.
Elias says, “Actually, Morna that ton of stinking beast stopped your heart when he fell on you. Do be still. And I think some of the same bones have been re-broken. They did not have enough time to fully knit together.” Elias turns to Damian and George who are looking on. “Can one of you run back to the gateway and get my backpack, I dropped it as we entered the great room and started fighting the Trolls.”
“I’ll go,” says Damian, “I am faster. No offense George.”
George laughs, “None taken kid.” Damian is gone before George can get the words out.
Luca hasn’t moved. His face is just inches from Morna’s face. She watches him for a few seconds then whispers, “Are you going kiss me or just stare at me?” He smiles tenderly and leans in and kisses her, gently as first, and then more urgently. He had been convinced just very short time ago that he would never get to see her beloved face again.
“Oh hell!” says Archer. “I should have gone back with the kid. My sons might not react well to him charging back in through the gateway.” He takes off at a run.
Elias clears his throat. “Luca, I really should examine her for internal injuries.”
“Stay close Luca, “she pleads.
“I promise, baby, I won‘t leave you again. Never,” Luca vows. Luca moves back just enough to allow Elias to examine her. And then the lovers hold each other in place with their eyes.
Elias is pressing on her abdomen. She winces when he presses in on a tender spot. “Damn, I am getting tired of not being as unbreakable as you are Luca,” Morna mutters under her breath.
“Morna, you are pretty damn unbreakable, lady. You should be dead as hard as that thing fell on you.” says Elias in disbelief. “That exposure to vampire venom has saved your life today, for sure.”
Suddenly Morna remembers what she saw at the top of the waterfall. “Luca, did you see someone up there at that top of the waterfall?” she asks quietly.
Luca’s face gets hard. “Morna, it was Ari. He’s not what we thought we thought he was. He was acting crazed. He has Aideen as his captive and he attacked his own mother. He was still there after I dropped the Troll with the pike, but he disappeared with Aideen when Elias felled the last one. I have no idea where they have gone,” Luca admits feeling helpless.
“Luca we know about Ari. His father was Dortain, do you remember him?” Morna asks.
“Yes, Ari ranted about the Primordial Mistress wreaking havoc in our lives for centuries. He said we wouldn’t be able to save Aideen. He said she belonged to the dark one now. He has done something to her, Morna. She is not in her right mind. I am sure that it was Ari’s influence that made her attack you. It was probably his influence that made you allow it.” Luca chokes on his fear for his child. “Morna, he was in my head, why couldn’t I see the truth about him?”
“He has had centuries of practice hiding what he really is,” Morna reassures him. “That or he is being influenced or controlled by someone…” Morna tells Luca about the confusing thoughts she received when she tried to link with Ari, Aideen and Almeda. “I really don’t know what to make of any of this.”
Morna turns to look at Elias, “Patch me up, now! I must go to Alfheim, I must go beg Alberich to help us find and save Aideen. We don’t have time to wait around. God only knows what Ari is doing to my baby.”
“No way Morna, you are going to be in bed for at least a week this time. Your body heals fast, but you have subjected it to far too much in recent days. As your physician I am ordering you to stay put. As your favorite godson, I am begging you to stay put. Once I patch you up you can send some envoys to the Elf stronghold of Alfheim and your father will be here any time. Valliant and Luca can search for Aideen while you mend.”
George clears his throat. “We have company folks.”
Luca looks up and snarls, “What the hell is she doing here?” He’s gone from Morna’s sight in an instant.
“Please tell me Magdrid isn’t here,” she looks at Elias. She can tell by the look on his face that she is. “Damn, damn! Elias, help me up! Don’t argue, just help me up! I can’t face that woman flat on my back.” Elias and George carefully bring her to her feet. George hands her a pike to lean on, and then they help her to walk over to where Luca and Magdrid are face to face.
“What do you want mother?” Morna calls out.
“Who are you?” Magdrid demands. Then she gasps, “Morna? Is that you child? This is your most recent reincarnation?”
“Most recent and final.” says Morna. “I am more like Luca now than you. Now Mother, tell me, why are you here? What do you want? If you still seek my death it won’t come easily, I can promise you that. Curse or not I am much harder to kill now.”
“Your death? I have never sought your death child.” says Magdrid earnestly. “Oh, so this is what Almeda meant today when she came to me. She said that her son had more of his dark father in him than she had ever suspected. She said that he had been seeking revenge against you and Luca for killing his father. Almeda said that Ari had plotted over the years to convince you that I was against you.” Magdrid says breathlessly. “She said that Ari was insane and she couldn’t reason with him.”
“Mother you turned on me when my mate was attacked by that vampire. Someone was holding him in a binding spell while the vampire drained his body of blood. If I had not come to the glen when I did, he would have died.” Morna rages at her mother. She draws a painful breath and continues. “You tried to exile my husband, Mother. You have been against us for centuries,” Morna snarls at Magdrid bitterly.
“Morna, I confess I was afraid of Luca after he was turned into a vampire. When I found out you were pregnant and that you had hid it from me I was convinced the child was vampire spawn. I was so devastated when you died and those friends of yours and your disloyal sister ran off with the babe‘s body. I admit I took it out on Luca and unfairly imprisoned him in an exile spell. But child, I never sought to harm you,” promises Magdrid. “NEVER!
“You were jealous of me because I am supposed to take over for you,” Morna begins.
“Child, you are not destined to take over for me that young man beside you is. Elias is destined to be the next First Weaver, not you dear,” Magdrid earnestly informs Morna.
Morna is greatly relieved at this revelation, but she still doesn‘t fully believe she can trust her mother. “Then why were you jealous of me mother? Don’t tell me you weren’t. I was a child when it first started, but I could feel it.” Morna accuses her mother.
“Yes child, I am ashamed to admit it, but that is true. I was jealous of you. Néill knew that you were not his child. I came to suspect that he lusted after you mightily. I was jealous. One day, when you were only fourteen years old, I caught him watching you as you bathed. I drove him out of our village and Guild. I only told the Elders my reasons. I was too ashamed to admit to everyone that my husband wanted my daughter over me.” Magdrid hangs her head in shame with this last admission.
Morna fears there might some truth in these words, she recalls looks, touches and other actions of Néill that were all wrong for a father. She hadn’t been old enough, worldly enough to understand it then… But…perhaps Magdrid is telling the truth, about that part. But Morna still has a hard time believing that. Her step father had always been very good to her.
“Magdrid, what about your relationshi
p with Kyera? Are you going to tell me you weren’t her lover?” Morna demands of her mother.
Magdrid hangs her head again, and whispers, “Yes, she and I were lovers for centuries. Off and on, even after I took Néill for husband. I only took Néill for husband because I wanted children. But then Kyera took up with that beast, that vile vampire Marcus and I never allowed her in my bed again.” Magdrid runs her fingers through her jet black hair roughly. Her pale blue eyes are very troubled, yet calculating. “Morna, I am deeply humiliated that you know about that.”
Luca has moved nearer to his mate and supports her with his arms. He thinks that she looks as though she might drop face first at any moment. “Morna love do you believe her?” The look Morna shares with her mate clearly conveys that she does not believe her mother. “Act as though you believe her,” he whispers in her ear so quietly no one else but Morna can hear. Morna nods silently.
“Good,” says Luca. “Almeda confessed pretty much the same things to me before Ari murdered her in front of my eyes. He was holding me in place with some kind of spell. I was unable to move, unable to stop it. I believe he did the same thing to me the day Marcus attacked me. I wasn’t truly free from his spell today until I heard your battle cry as you charged into the glen, my love. Your battle cry brought me out of my trance just as it did the day Marcus attacked me.”
Morna has one more accusation against her mother in her heart, unfortunately, she knows her mother can’t deny this one. “Mother, you hate my husband for what he was turned into, don’t you?”
Magdrid meets Morna’s eyes. “I hate vampires with all my being, but this one has protected you through time, over and over he has saved you. He can’t be truly evil, I know that now. I must accept him as my son in law.”
Morna laughs, and then sneers, “Well turn around and meet your grandson!”
Magdrid spins around and is horrified to see the young vampire standing behind her holding a backpack. Damian smiles, and says “Don’t worry ma’am, I am not really your grandson. Morna and Luca have sort of adopted me. Taken me under their wing, so to speak.”
Luca, Morna, George, Elias, and finally Damian start laughing. Magdrid looks at them all, and uneasily laughs too, even though she’s really not sure what the joke is.
“Mother, Ari has Aideen, my babe that was born the day I died here in Airendell. The Clan must send an envoy to Alfheim to enlist their help. Send Elias he knows what’s been going on. I don’t know if they would allow Luca to enter their stronghold, I am not strong enough yet to go, and they might not receive me now either. I don‘t know how deeply the prejudice against vampires goes.” Morna gets this out before she faints. The excruciating pain in her chest has overwhelmed her completely now, and she is experiencing serious difficulty breathing.
Luca and Damian catch Morna before she can fall. Damian hands the backpack to George.
Elias says, “I think one of those broken ribs may have punctured a lung. Get her inside. Luca I need your help.” He takes the back pack from George as Luca gently carries her into their former home.
Magdrid demands, “What has happened to her?”
“She has been in 3 major fights in the last four days ma’am. She has been clawed and poisoned by a NA’YU’NUWI, a spirit cannibal of sorts. She battled the creature on the Spirit Plane and returned triumphant, but injured. Her mate there healed her with his venom. And then she got a nasty concussion and had several bones broken by her own daughter. Miss Aideen kinda went insane and Morna wouldn’t raise a finger against her. Finally she went into battle against the Trolls after running all the way from America. You could say she has had a rough time lately,” supplies George wryly.
Magdrid looked at him imperiously and demands, “And just who are you?”
“I am George Welborn ma’am. I’m what’s known as a Stone Breaker. My people hunt and kill vampires.”
“Yet, you are keeping company with two of them?” She quips suspiciously.
“Well ma’am, small freaky world we live in, ain‘t it? I met your daughter first. In fact, we destroyed three vampires fighting side by side. I got a chance to get to know her, and I decided if these two are good enough beings for her to trust them and not to destroy them, I could do the same. I count these two among my friends now.” George tips his hat back on his head and drawls, “Your little girl makes quite an impression wherever goes.”
Elias laughs. “George you have a talent for understatement!”
Luca has placed Morna on their bed, and Elias has been examining Morna while they were talking. “Luca, she definitely has a broken rib. I need your help healing it and the internal injuries. Please weave the healing spells while I put in a chest tube to relieve the pressure. She is bleeding into her chest and its compressing her heart and lungs. Damian, George hold her down, we don‘t have time for an anesthetic.”
Elias dons surgical gloves and retrieves the scalpel and a piece of clear plastic tubing, he takes a deep breath and whispers in Morna’s ear before he proceeds. “Pretty Morna, do your best to be still. Please!”
Magdrid has been evaluating her condition, she tells Elias, “Her heart is bruised as well. We must to get that pressure off before it stops beating completely. Keep it beating and we can heal her injuries fairly quickly.” Magdrid assures Elias.
When the tube is in, the blood pooled in her chest cavity slowly starts draining. “That’s sufficient young man. Remove your tube,” Magdrid instructs Elias.
“Just a moment,” says Elias as he listens to Morna’s chest with his stethoscope. When he is satisfied that Magdrid is correct, he removes the tube and joins Luca in weaving the spells that will heal Morna’s body.
Damian is very stiff and uncomfortable in the presence of all the blood, but he holds his breath and concentrates on Morna’s face as he helps George hold Morna down on the bed. Elias looks at Damian and says, “She should be okay now. Do you need to go outside kid?”
“I’m good,” Damian insists. He really doesn’t trust Morna’s mother, and wants to keep an eye on her.
Luca understands the young vampire’s concerns and tries to reassure him; “All is going as it should. Morna will be fine Damian. You can go outside, son.” Damian meets Luca’s eyes, and then he finally nods and is gone in an instant.
Magdrid looks at Luca in surprise. She is amazed at the control the vampires have exhibited around all of this blood. “You can go too, Lucian. The sight and scent of her blood must be overwhelming for you. I promise that my daughter will be all right,” the First Spell Weaver of Airendell quietly tells her son in law.
“I know Magdrid, but I won’t leave her,” Luca quietly informs his mother in law. “This isn’t anything I haven’t dealt with before.”
“What she needs most now is sleep,” Elias assures Luca. “I will reset the bones and apply splints. But I do not want her out of this bed for at least a week. Luca, you have the difficult job now, making her stay put.” Elias chuckles as he thinks to himself that he wouldn’t want that job.
Magdrid speaks up, “I have a sleeping spell that should put her out for at least 3 days, should I use it?”
Luca says, “No Magdrid, it won‘t work on her. When Morna wakes she will insist on going to find our daughter. Magdrid, you must go to Alfheim, right now. I doubt that I can track Ari, but I suspect he hasn’t gone far so I will set out in a little bit to try. He will want another shot at destroying Morna and I.”
Magdrid looks into her son in law‘s eyes and says, “Elias and I will go right now. I will send Kelly and Nobbs to help keep an eye out for Ari. Are your healing spells strong enough to help her if she has any complications?”
Luca nods, “My magic is as sound as ever Magdrid, you needn‘t worry about that.”
Magdrid observes the men around her daughter thoughtfully. “I can see my daughter is truly an amazing being to have such a wide array of men seeking to do her bidding, and looking after her. Luca, I have made so many mistakes. I should have sought her out years ag
o, and tried to figure out how to break the curse. I assume she can die, even though she has been exposed to your venom?” Magdrid asks thoughtfully.
“Magdrid, all creatures can die, you know that. Even the so called Immortals like ourselves.” Luca agrees with Magdrid. “Neutralizing Ari is the key to keeping her safe. He is our enemy.”
“We must neutralize Kyera regardless. She is still a threat to Morna and everyone she loves. Almeda told me that Kyera killed Morna’s children, but that the high council of Alfheim had sprites watching them and managed to whisk the children to safety at the last second. Have you been able to confirm this?” Magdrid asks Luca. Her voice is hopeful. “My heart sings at the thought of four grandchildren.”
“No Magdrid we have not been able to confirm that.” Luca regretfully tells Magdrid. “Ari and Almeda were our only source of information on this score, and obviously that’s not reliable.”
Just then the front door crashes open and Valliant strides in followed by his sons Sailor and Raider. “What is that cow doing here?” he demands as the points at Magdrid.
Luca sighs, he had heard Damian explaining to Valliant what had transpired before the demigod barged into the cottage. “Valliant, it seems that Ari tricked us into believing that Magdrid was behind all of Morna’s troubles.”
Valliant grunts, but says nothing more. It’s plain to everyone present that Valliant doesn’t trust Magdrid one bit.
Luca looks at Valliant and says, “As soon as Elias says it is okay for Morna to be moved, you must take her someplace safe. I can’t know where she’s hidden. In case Ari can still connect to my mind. As soon as I began to suspect that he was behind everything and not Magdrid, he shows up here with a small army of Trolls. He apparently murdered his own mother, placed some kind of binding spell on me that held me virtually defenseless until Morna showed up. If I know where Morna is, Ari will too. I won’t risk that. Valliant, you and Damian are the best ones to protect her.”
