Erin stared into the fire, she could not look at him. “You told me your parents were dead. But in truth your father is very much alive and working for Heinrekh.”
“My father is dead to me, Erin. The day he turned traitor and joined Heinrekh’s camp was the day he died to me.”
“But he is still alive. You should have told me.”
“It has no effect on how I guard you.”
“I would disagree. If your father held me hostage with a knife to my throat, how would you react?”
“I’d kill him without a second thought,” Magnus replied with alarming bluntness.
“You’d kill your own father?” Erin was appalled.
“The creature that inhabits my father’s body is not the man who brought me up. All traces of the father I loved and respected have long gone.”
“You might change your mind if you were to meet him again. Perhaps there was some reason for him turning to Heinrekh that you were unaware of.” She was not sure why, but Erin felt she should at least try and defend his father.
“Our family was well respected in King Olav’s court. My father was one of his closest advisors. The day he turned traitor, our family all but become outcasts.”
“You did not go with him to Vasmaar?”
Magnus gave a loud snort. “No.” He stared into the fire, but not before Erin saw the pain in his eyes. “I was betrothed to the King’s niece, Ingrid, at the time. We’d known each other since childhood. Olav ended our betrothal and married Ingrid to one of his warriors.”
“I’m sorry. But Olav couldn’t have mistrusted you completely if you were assigned to be my guardian?”
“I think it was more of a test, putting me within reach of the one that my father and Heinrekh were searching for.”
“A test which you must have passed with flying colours.”
Magnus shrugged. “They are still not entirely sure.”
“I’d be only too happy to enlighten them. What of your mother?”
“She died when I was ten years old. Luckily she did not have to see her husband betray her homeland.”
“Is there anything else I should know?”
Magnus knelt down in front of her and took hold of her cold hands. “There are many things which I am sure you should probably be aware of but it is not my place to say. Believe me when I say I would lay down my life for you, Erin.”
One look into those dark pleading eyes and Erin was lost. She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him. “I’m sorry,” she sniffed. “I was wrong to doubt you.”
He kissed her cheek. “You were right, I should have told you before you heard it from someone else. I presume it was that dick McBride?”
Erin nodded. “I thought you’d betrayed me.”
“I could never do that, Erin. I love you.” He felt her stiffened immediately. “Like a sister, before you get any weird ideas,” he added quickly.
She sat back with a grin on her face. “I’m glad you amended that declaration. I was wondering how I was going to let you down gently.”
He looked at her with mock indignation. “But I’m devastatingly handsome, how could you not fall for such a magnificent specimen?”
Erin giggled, her Magnus was back. “I’ve missed your ego.”
Birdie heard the sound of laughter and slipped back into the morning room, dropping another large leather bound book on Erin’s lap.
“Your homework for the next few days.”
Erin looked at the dusty old volume. “What’s this one on?”
“Valkarin and blue energy,” Birdie responded. “By some miracle you appear to have it.”
“Is it unusual for Priestesses of the Circle?”
“The only other person to have such power is Heinrekh himself. Your father had gifts, but he could only produce an energy field strong enough to act as a shield.”
“What does it do?” she asked softly.
“You’re seen what it can do. It can take down a full grown man, several actually. You can immobilise creatures with it. So many things. Even kill.”
Magnus took hold of her hand. “I’ll train you to harness its power, to use it when needed.”
“I’m sorry,” Erin mumbled. “Did it hurt?”
“Like you’d zapped with me several hundred volts,” he replied honestly. “Luckily the leathers absorbed most of the charge.”
“But you can teach me to summon it?”
“Yes. We’ll start training on that tomorrow when you’re feeling stronger.”
Erin took the book and headed into her father’s study, curling up in the huge armchair next to the fire. Mid-July and fires were still being lit, the joys of living in the Highlands. She lost herself in the book, it was fascinating not knowing what was fact or fiction. It was just so alien to her. She studied it from cover to cover, not wanting to miss anything. Something in it could possibly save her life.
It gave her a greater insight into Valkarin himself. He was the second son of King Brimir’s closest advisor. His family held an exalted position in the Royal Court and he lived a very privileged life. His elder brother, Dragmir, was trained to fight with the King’s elite warriors whilst he was selected to serve in Odin’s temple, a position which suited him well as he was not a natural with the sword. He was rumoured to have been a favourite of Odin and as his standing within the temple rose, so did it seem his powers. He was a master at controlling energy in its purest form and quickly ascended to Head Priest.
He got seduced by power and began to meddle in the dark arts. It is believed he was trained by Loki himself and it did not take long for him to be won over completely. The turning point came when he fell for the daughter of a visiting dignitary. Juna was beautiful and brave, the perfect Viking woman. He was besotted with her but despite his best efforts, she did not return his feelings. Instead she married his brother, Dragmir. Incensed that she would choose a mere warrior over a powerful High Priest, he killed both of them in a fit of jealous rage. That was when he crossed completely over to sorcery and set himself up in Vasmaar, claiming the territory as his.
Worried about his increasing power, the local clans tried to defeat him but failed. Their attacks only made him stronger. The only person in Lokranor who was capable of defeating Valkarin was the young High Priestess. Determined not to be outdone by a mere slip of a girl, Valkarin cast a spell so powerful which he hoped would enslave several kingdoms. The Priestess managed only to contain the enchantment and it turned in on itself, quite literally ripping the land from the sea and trapping it in another dimension. With his powers severely damaged, Valkarin swore revenge on Lokranor and abducted the King’s daughter, Aria. He had a child with her, a son, thereby leaving his legacy to the world. A sorcerer of royal blood, one who could contest the crown.
Erin put the book down and stretched out her cramped legs. Just your usual man meets woman, woman falls for someone else, man kills woman and turns into super-evil sorcerer story, Erin thought to herself. Now at least she knew where it had all started. And Valkarin was one hell of a jealous guy who liked to bear a grudge. She also knew why Heinrekh was after Lokranor now. He was descended from royal blood too and under Viking law, had every right to contest the throne.
CHAPTER 14
The next day, Erin was up early and ready for training. She was keen to get a handle on this new power of hers. She had to before she injured someone by accident. Magnus noticed her eagerness.
“Practice will be outside. The last thing I want is to face Birdie after you destroy half the house.”
“Is it that powerful?”
“Yes, it can be when used correctly.” He rubbed his chest. “Now outside.”
“I haven’t got my midge repellent on,” Erin groaned.
“If you harness the energy right, you’ll kill all midges within a hundred yard radius.”
“There’s an incentive,” she muttered.
Once in the garden, Magnus stood behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. “First, we’re going to try
and just harness the energy.” He turned her palms up to face the sky. “Shut your eyes and try to imagine you are pulling energy down from the atmosphere. See the blue energy in your mind, feel its force flow through your body, you want to collect it in your hands.”
A short while later, Erin opened her eyes. “I don’t think this is working.”
“Try harder.”
Erin gave it another half-hearted attempt. “Still not working.”
“It takes time to harness such a power,” Magnus conceded. “Perhaps you are not ready yet.”
“Or perhaps I can do it another way.” She called her sword by using its name. Maybe the same rules applied to blue energy. She’d discovered its name in the book she’d read yesterday.
She held out her palms toward the heavens. “Loxhadrin,” she said with force.
Magnus took a few steps back as a ball of blue energy appeared in each of her hands.
“Select a target and throw the balls,” he instructed.
Erin selected a rather tired looking bush and threw the energy in her left hand towards it, just like tossing a ball. The bush exploded into flames. Next the ball in her right hand was tossed towards a pile of stones; they exploded into dust.
“Good girl. Now just hold up your hand as you did yesterday.”
Another burst of blue energy shot from her hand and took out Birdie’s favourite flowerbed. Erin winced, she needed to work on her aim.
“That’s probably enough for today, Erin. Just relax, clear your mind and it will disappear from you.”
Erin felt a tingling sensation as all traces of the energy dissipated. “That was seriously cool,” she grinned.
Magnus shook his head, it was actually quite awesome but he was never going to admit it. “Perhaps now you will believe that research plays an important part in your future.”
“What I can’t understand is why I have the gift. No-one outside of Lokranor has even been able to harness Loxhadrin. So why me?”
“High priestesses inherit a whole range of varying gifts and powers. Much of it depends on their temperament. You have to be extremely strong to summon it.”
“And I got the power,” she sung and did a little dance. “Yeah baby.”
Magnus rolled his eyes and headed back inside. She was impossible to try and control.
Having been able to harness Loxhadrin, Erin was feeling full of confidence. There was something she wanted to try out. She’d read about the Baldoren crystal in the latest volume Birdie had given her and she keen to give it a go. According to the book, the crystal could be used to contact the spirits in the underworld, kind of an alternative to a séance.
Standing before the crystal in the concealed chamber, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes and grasped it with both hands. This time she did not release it when her father’s image came into view in her mind. His smile sent a warm tingle down her spine. God she had missed him.
Hey, dad.
Erin, it’s been a while.
Ten years.
That long?
Yeah.
That will explain why you’ve turned from child to adult.
Why did you never tell me about the Circle?
You were just a child. You were not ready.
And now I have to figure things out by myself.
You are strong, you always were.
Am I in for any surprises on my eighteenth birthday?
A look of surprise crossed his face. You have not yet come of age?
No, not for another few weeks.
But you can use a Baldoren crystal?
Yes. It seems I’ve come into many of my powers a little early.
What other powers? He sounded concerned.
I can use your Talmar. And also have Loxhadrin.
He was too slow to hide the look of fear that crossed his face. I have no answers for you, my darling daughter. Perhaps a different destiny awaits you to the one we thought. We can never truly be certain of the future.
Erin saw the image start to fade. Her first reaction was to try and bring him back, but she clearly remembered the warning that came with using the crystal. Stay attached too long and the mind could be permanently caught in the spirit world. She reluctantly released the crystal and stepped back, feeling a little dizzy.
She could not contain the smile that spread over her face, she had talked to her father after all this time. Even in death he could not escape the burden of fatherhood. But in death, he was still not telling her the whole truth. For once a little honesty wouldn’t go amiss.
Birdie slipped out late that night, the Circle had called a meeting. She had a fair idea what it was about. Magnus has also been recalled to Lokranor. The news had travelled fast.
“Is it true, Birdie,” Aidan McDerrin asked as soon as she arrived. “She really has it?”
“Yes, she does.”
“This means we finally have a weapon against Heinrekh.”
Birdie turned on him in a flash. “My niece is not a weapon to be used for the Circle’s business.”
“She is, or rather will be, the High Priestess. It is her duty to serve the Circle.”
“She may not embrace her role for many years yet. Might I remind you of that fact? She will step into her late father’s shoes when she is ready and not a moment before.”
“We have waited ten long years, Birdie. The girl must be made to see sense.” Stewart Haldon added his view.
“She will not be made to see anything. Try and force Erin to do something and she will go in the opposite direction.”
Angus stepped into defuse the tension. “Is it just me who is curious as to why Erin has come in to her powers early? Does it signify that she will be at full strength on the day she turns eighteen?”
The Circle members stared at him blankly.
“It is a question Erin also asked,” Birdie responded. “Magnus is trying to find the answer in the Lokranor Archives.”
“Erin’s protection should be doubled. Heinrekh will no doubt find out sooner rather than later that she is gifted so his attacks will become heavier.” Angus gave Birdie a reassuring glance. “How long is Selvig gone for?”
“Hopefully not more than a day or so.”
“We will act as her guardians in the meantime.”
“Only if you stay out of sight. I will not have Erin feeling intimidated.”
“We will be discretion itself.”
Birdie headed back to the house feeling more than a little uneasy. The Circle were a bunch of fools who had no idea how to deal with a hormonal teenager. She was concerned they would try and pressure Erin into taking up her role and that she would in turn leave Muirhead. She was far too precious, not because she was the future Priestess, but because she was Birdie’s last surviving family member.
She was pleased that Angus was still showing an interest in Erin after their very public fight. She had heard all about that from the village busybodies. Apparently they gave a good floor show at the fair, the poor laird had been humiliated in front of his love rival. If only they knew the truth about Magnus, he only had eyes for one woman.
CHAPTER 15
Wilhelm decided to pay a visit to Odin’s temple. It was something he had not done in a while, but he so desperately needed guidance from the All Father. He was struggling to understand his destiny.
He headed to the temple which was located close to the castle. The central chamber was empty except for the priest, who was stoking the eternal flame.
Wilhelm nodded to him before kneeling before the huge statue of Odin.
“Help me, All Father, understand the path which you have chosen for me. I am lost as to what my purpose is. Does my destiny lie here or another realm? I can no longer see my future clearly at all.”
He stayed knelt in prayer for a long time trying to clear his mind, hoping Odin would show him his path. A while later, Odin’s priest touched his shoulder.
“Odin does not always give us the answers we seek right away. But he will reveal your p
ath before long.”
Wilhelm gave a deflated sigh. “I guess nothing in life is straight forward.”
“Knowing one’s future too clearly can often be a hindrance.”
He stood up, it seemed Odin was not going to oblige him with a vision. As he headed back to the castle, he began to think about his options. He could stay and continue to find the hidden gates for his father, or he could forge his own path, discover the gate to the Third Realm. Find his true ancestors.
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