Luke's Gold

by JoMarie DeGioia

  Violet sat in one darkened corner, her eyes closed as she continued to chant her spell. She rocked back and forth and Luke could see a shimmer of a bubble around her.

  That’s it, sprite. Beside him, Brianna shook as she gathered her strength. Luke released her hand and stepped back. She aimed her power at Daniel and let loose with a shot to shatter the boards in front of them.

  “Ow!” Daniel jerked, his hair standing on end. “Son of a whore! Who—?”

  Luke tore through what was left of the rotting board and charged at him. Daniel was quick, damn his hide, and dodged his attack. Brianna struck again, and the floorboard beneath Daniel shattered in a flash of light. Again, the imp escaped. His laughter filled the train car, low and sly like Daniel himself. He grabbed Violet, yelping as her touched shocked him, and held her like a shield.

  “Ya’ found me, ya’ bloody Braunach.” He narrowed dark eyes on Brianna. “The bitch hid yer gold.”

  “Let the child go!” Luke shouted.

  “Nay!” He cowered against the wall, still holding tight to the child. He flicked his head in Brianna’s direction. “She be me protection against that one!”

  Brianna shook, her hair a halo about her as crackling sparks lit the space. She

  raised her hand toward Daniel and Violet but Luke stopped her.

  “Nay, lass.” Her eyes, huge and bright, settled on his face. “Your magic…

  Here…”

  Brianna nodded, fisting her hands at her sides. She faced her sister and silently mouthed her name. Violet’s eyes locked on Brianna’s and Luke stepped back. A blue light flashed between them and their powers united. Like at the hospital, Luke saw the link between the two as a living thing. Pixie to Pixie, sister to sister. Daniel didn’t stand a chance against the two of them.

  Violet shook free of Daniel, moving so fast Luke barely registered her escape. In the next moment he took the opportunity it afforded and dove toward Daniel.

  Stronger and larger than the Ulster Leprechaun, Luke still had difficulty subduing him. Daniel fought like the devil, vile curses spilling from his mouth as he writhed and kicked at Luke’s legs and stomach. At last Luke grabbed Daniel’s thick neck in his hands and throttled him until he went slack. Luke dropped him and straightened.

  He took in deep breaths as his pulse slowed at last, resting his hands on his knees.

  He wrenched the crystal key from one of Daniel’s slack and grubby hands. The thing was tiny in his palm, with a fragment of blue ribbon still clinging to it. It pulsed a blue light and Luke blinked. He rolled it around in his palm. Something about the key reminded him of something, the cuts in it looking as if it might fit—

  “The key, Luke?” Brianna asked. “Is it all right?”

  “Aye.” He turned to find Brianna and Violet in a tight embrace. Again that shimmer filled the car, this one light and sharp and wrapping around the two of them. He crossed to them and waited, hesitant to break them apart.

  “Brianna,” he said.

  She looked at him, her eyes shining. He knew they were tears then, tears of relief

  and gratitude. He knew it because he felt them on his own cheeks.

  He glanced down at the carved crystal key in his palm, at the soft blue and pink glow pulsing within. He held it out to her. “Your key, lass.”

  Brianna took the key he offered, closing her hand over the trembling crystal. She relaxed her shoulders. “Thank you.”

  Violet touched Brianna’s closed fist and turned toward Luke. “Thank you, Luke.”

  Luke swallowed hard. He crouched down and she wrapped her arms around his

  neck. He hugged her back, as tightly as he dared.

  “’Twas your sister’s work, sprite,” he said. “She found you.”

  Violet leaned back from him and pulled down the collar of his shirt. “Of course she did.” She pointed at the amber and it pulsed a beat. “She had this.”

  Luke looked at Brianna in confusion, but she just blinked in confusion.

  She tucked the key into her pocket and took Violet’s hands in hers. “We have to get you home, love.”

  Violet yawned and nodded. Her eyes rounded. “Isn’t Luke coming?”

  He stared at her for a long moment before answering.

  * * *

  Brianna’s eyes stung with tears as the answer struck her. He wasn’t coming.

  “Nay, sprite.” He pointed a thumb in the Ulster Leprechaun’s direction. “I have to be gettin’ this vile creature back home.”

  Violet, bless her, only believed part of his story. Brianna wouldn’t ask him what else drew him away. She couldn’t bear it.

  “What of your gold?” Brianna asked.

  Luke smiled that crooked grin that always made her heart race. She fisted her hands and kept her expression impassive.

  “You need it for the sprite, lass,” he said. “You keep it here. For Violet.”

  Brianna longed to hold on to Luke, to pressure him to stay here and now. Her heart knew. She loved him. She hadn’t told him, but she loved him! She knew he had to return to his home, damn his bloody word. To his family.

  “Brianna, I…” he began.

  She shook her head. The key seemed to voice its disagreement as he stepped closer, humming and jittering in her pocket. She wouldn’t give in to the temptation to throw her arms around his neck as Violet had done. To bury her face in his neck and smell that scent that was uniquely Luke. It’s better this way, she told herself. Pity she couldn’t believe it.

  “Thank you, Luke,” she said.

  He hugged her, wrapped her in his arms and she let a tear slip from beneath one lid. So strong. So pure. Her heart knew it.

  “We’ll meet again, lass,” he said.

  He rubbed his chin on the top of her head and she resisted the desire to snuggle closer.

  “You have my word,” he rasped.

  He gave her a gentle kiss and released her. His word. Brianna watched as he gathered the fat little Leprechaun in his arms. He straightened and stood in the middle of the wrecked train car and clutched his amber. He swayed as the amber glowed bright and then, with a whoosh, he was gone.

  Brianna’s breath caught. “Good bye, Luke.” Brianna glanced at Violet. The little girl had tears on her smooth cheeks.

  “He had to go, Violet,” Brianna said. “We… We’ll be fine.”

  “It’s not fair,” Violet murmured.

  Ha, fair! Brianna said nothing to that. She helped her sister down from the train and led her back to Jim’s car. She sat behind the wheel and closed her eyes. After silently wishing Luke a safe return home, she started the car.

  Her urgency gone now, and with her sister dozing safely beside her on the leather seats, the ride back downtown seemed to take forever. She knew the real reason she wasn’t in a hurry to get back to the city. It had nothing to do with the mess in her pretty little house or the work awaiting her in the coffee shop. No, her heart knew the real reason. Luke was no longer there.

  Chapter 21

  “This be the bastard who took the gold?” Patrick asked.

  Luke shook his head to clear it, his ears still echoing with the sound of wind and time. He eased up from where he’d landed after his time jump and brushed his hands on his thighs.

  He glanced up at Patrick. What was his brother was doing in the clearing at this ungodly hour? That was beyond him at the moment, so he dismissed Patrick’s rumpled appearance and faced him.

  “Nay, Patrick,” he said. “This be the vile Leprechaun who told me the Pixies took the gold.”

  Patrick’s lip curled. “Ulster, I wager?”

  “Aye.”

  Patrick ran his eyes over Luke. “What you be wearin’?”

  Luke looked down and saw he still wore the clothes of Brianna’s time. In his haste to get Daniel O’Shey as far from Brianna and Violet as possible, he hadn’t even given a thought to leaving his clothes and boots in Indianapolis.

  O’Shey groaned as he came awake, sending those inconsequential
thoughts from Luke’s mind. The fat Leprechaun opened his eyes. He cringed as he saw Luke standing above him.

  “Nay, MacDonald!” Daniel cried. “I gave up the little lass!”

  “What’s he talkin’ about, Luke?” Patrick asked.

  Anger filled Luke as he hadn’t allowed back at the train yard. The bastard had touched Brianna, had taken Violet! He grabbed Daniel and hauled him to his feet.

  “Shut up, O’Shey!” Luke growled. “Or I’ll do what I should have done back in the train yard.”

  Daniel’s lips closed tight and his eyes went round.

  Luke gave a snort and turned to his brother. “This piece of filth kidnapped the Pixie’s little sister, Patrick. And sick she was, too.”

  Patrick blinked in surprise before glaring at Daniel. “Bastard.”

  “I couldn’t be gettin’ yer gold,” Daniel whined. “The bitch hid it from me.”

  Luke saw red. “Watch that vile mouth of yours, O’Shey!” He gave Daniel a

  violent shake. “And no more excuses, you worthless sot.” He faced Patrick again. “I will take him back to Ulster, Patrick. He’ll dare not trouble the MacDonalds again.” He gave Daniel another shake. “Will you, O’Shey?”

  “Nay, nay!” Daniel’s nose ran as he began to shake. “The Pixie be havin’ yer gold now.”

  “The Pixie?” Patrick asked. “Still, Luke?”

  Luke didn’t have time to explain, not now. “Later, Patrick,” Luke said. “I’ve a disagreeable task ahead of me and ‘tis almost morning.”

  Patrick scowled but asked nothing more as he followed behind Luke. Luke

  dragged Daniel to the stables and bound his hands with a rope, leaving him crouched in the straw.

  “Pray, watch him while I change,” Luke said.

  “The Leprechaun wouldn’t dare make a move while a MacDonald watches him,

  Luke.” Patrick crossed his arms, mirroring his brother’s stance as Daniel cowered. “Will you, O’Shey?”

  “N-nay,” Daniel whispered.

  Luke gave a nod. He strode quickly to the tack room and withdrew a spare set of clothes he kept there. He stashed the clothes from the future away, carefully folding the comfortable clothes before setting them atop the fine leather sneakers. He wished he

  could set aside his memories as easily. That he could tuck them neatly away to look at another day.

  He had to focus on the task ahead. To give thought to his wishes now… Nay. He didn’t have that luxury.

  Returning to the stables, he nodded to Patrick. “Thank you, brother.”

  He dragged out the cart and he and Patrick harnessed their sturdy gray horse.

  Luke settled his captive on the boards, and not too gently. Daniel moaned and groaned over his position but the brothers ignored him.

  Luke climbed up on the seat, clenched his teeth and gave the reins a tug. “I’m off.”

  “‘Twill be a long ride, Luke,” Patrick said.

  Luke simply nodded.

  As Luke finally reached Ulster, the sun was coming up behind him. He rolled his shoulders, rocking a bit to ease his sore backside. Thankfully for the past hour or so Daniel had dozed, snoring loud enough to wake the birds in the trees overhead. Luke preferred the snoring, however. Daniel’s incessant wheedling and cajoling and whining and begging had done little to improve Luke’s mood. Foul imp.

  Much weighed on Luke, more than the task immediately before him. Soon Daniel wouldn’t be his concern any longer. There was still the matter of the gold, though.

  He knew it was safe in Brianna’s care. What of his uncle? Patrick didn’t have to tell Luke; he knew in his heart Seamus was still sick in his mind. Luke’s heart ached. It wasn’t the loss of the gold or even the prospect of losing his uncle that caused him so much pain. Aye, he knew the reason. He loved Brianna and now he’d lost her forever.

  Luke slowed the cart as they came into the square. “Get up, O’Shey.”

  The little village was waking. Smoke curled from chimneys and he could see

  farmers out in their fields to the south. Luke trusted the Ulster clan to see to Daniel’s justice. A greedy lot, nevertheless they were rumored to possess a kernel of honor Daniel never showed. Luke set his shoulders. ‘Twould be to the MacDonalds they would answer if they dared not see Daniel punished.

  One round man, his head barely covered with white hair, exited the nearest building.

  “Ho, there!” Luke called.

  The Leprechaun bustled over to the cart. He blinked small eyes up at Luke.

  Recognition crossed his face. “MacDonald?”

  “Aye. Luke MacDonald.”

  The little man glanced at the petulant Daniel curled up on the floor of the cart.

  “Daniel O’Shey? Ye be a miserable excuse for a Leprechaun.”

  “Aye,” Luke said again. “And you can have him.”

  The old Leprechaun clicked his tongue. “What mischief he be gettin’ into,

  MacDonald?”

  “He kidnapped a child.”

  Luke knew the simplest statement of Daniel’s crimes would be the most effective.

  All Faery folk valued children, be they fey or mortal. He need not mention she was a Pixie.

  The man gave a grave nod. “He’ll not be troublin’ anyone for a long time, Luke MacDonald.” he said. “Ye have me word.”

  Luke took the man’s offered hand and stilled. He fixed a glare on the Leprechaun, who trembled under his gaze. When he nodded again Luke gave one strong shake and released him.

  “Aye,” he said.

  He dumped his cargo on the muddy road and didn’t spare Daniel another glance.

  “Daniel O’Shey, you piece of offal,” he heard the old Leprechaun begin. “Ye be payin’ for yer crimes, ya miserable…”

  Letting out a breath, Luke turned the cart around and headed for home.

  Home. How odd he had come to think of Indianapolis as home over the past

  weeks. Nay, he corrected himself. He had come to think of Brianna as home. She was where he belonged. And now she was gone from him. Centuries away. And he was here.

  “’Tis foolish to think on it,” he muttered.

  He drove the horse on toward Meath and the troubles ahead of him. The luxury of thinking of other matters—Brianna, Violet, love—was far from him now.

  * * *

  “Luke will come back, Brianna.”

  Brianna fingered the woven blanket covering the back of the couch. The worn fringe flowed through her fingers. She couldn’t give voice to the hope Violet’s words put in her heart. She released the threads.

  She shook her head at her little sister. “No, Violet. He has responsibilities back home in his own time.”

  Violet crossed her arms, her lips pursed. “But Grandmother said—” She snapped her mouth closed. “Never mind.” She peered down at the open book in her lap. “You’ll see.”

  Brianna studied Violet’s bowed head. The little girl couldn’t fool her for a moment. The edges of several pages fluttered as if of their own accord but the child wasn’t reading.

  “What did Grandmother say, Violet?”

  “What? Oh, nothing I can recall.” Violet looked up with a pretty little pout on her

  lips. “I was quite sick when we left, Brianna.”

  Brianna clicked her tongue. “Never mind. Why don’t you read that book you’ve been studying so hard, love.”

  Violet blushed as she laughed, the pages of the book fluttering as she lost herself in the pages. It was funny that the child took such delight in a book about a boy wizard.

  Brianna sat beside Violet, close for her own comfort. She was uncomfortable to be away from her sister even for a little while. The ordeal of the last night still weighed on her, the drain on her power, the heart-stopping fear when she’d awoken to find Violet gone. Perhaps if she’d been stronger, the imp wouldn’t have been able to take her sister away with him. Never had she felt such terror. If not for Luke…

  When she’d awoken in his arm
s, before the blinding panic had struck, she’d been filled with a sense of rightness. She wouldn’t think about him. Not now. He was home, and no wishing or casting of spells would bring him back by her side.

  Violet had another treatment on Monday, and Brianna had another payment to make. Guilt gnawed at her. She still had Luke’s stolen gold, and he still needed it back.

  She prayed, evoking a power stronger than Pixie magic, to ease Luke’s way and heal his uncle. She doubted her powers could stretch two hundred years in the past.

  She closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the couch. Lord, she missed him. His laughing eyes and charming looks; the strength of his honor and the depth of his passion. The way he held his own passion in check until she’d found heaven in his arms.

  She loved him. And there was nothing to bridge the distance between them now that the gold would soon be gone. How could he ever forgive her for taking his uncle’s chance while giving Violet hers?

  It took plenty of her power to right the house once they’d come back from the train yard. Books were on shelves, lamps righted, windows fixed. The place was neat and

  clean but it felt so empty. Even with her sister snuggled so close beside her, Brianna still felt so very lonely.

  Violet had slept through much of the car ride to Jim’s apartment, a relief to Brianna as the child couldn’t see how much her hands shook on the steering wheel. He had driven them back to the little house, all the while peppering her with questions about Luke. The brief answers she’d given him had done little to ease his curiosity. No doubt Lori would pester her for answers when she saw her at the coffee shop on Monday morning. At least she had time to concoct some story to appease her friend. She wouldn’t use a glimmer, not on someone who’d proven loyal and trusting with little information except for what Luke and Brianna had given them.