The voice inside her mind gaggled. "It is normal, ever since I moved in. It's been a long time, and my appetite has grown. So has that of my brothers and sisters. I believe you have met one of them. He doesn't enjoy memories though; his taste is a little different."
"You don't mean the Voice? You can't, no. He's not like you, he's real."
"Who's saying I'm not real? Just because I'm talking to you in your head doesn't mean I don't exist outside of it. I'm only using the dark side of your mind as a host, nothing more, nothing less. I'm giving it a body, just like my brother personifies the Mahoun. The devil. He's a dramatic one, he had to choose the evilest person known to humans."
Macey was having a hard time keeping up. "So, he isn't the devil, he's just impersonating him?"
"Silly Macey. There is no devil, but as long as people believe in one, there's an empty space to be filled. A vacuum that aches for a host. So, my brother took it for himself, taking on some of its perceived traits and looks. It's why he doesn't go outside much. The devil is too hideous to be seen, and he's a vain one."
"How many of you are there?"
The voice - her voice - laughed. "Now that would be telling. I'm not going to endanger my siblings just to satisfy your curiosity. It's time for you to give up."
"Wait, if your brother personifies the devil, whose shape do you take?"
"Haven't you figured it out yet? I'm Self-Doubt. I'm the evil little voice inside everyone's head. And believe me, everybody has it. Especially people travelling through the Staran. People who are travelling always have doubts. Am I going in the right direction? Did I forget something? Am I making the right decision? Should I have brought my sword? Will the journey hurt? You get the picture."
Macey was beginning to wonder why sludge-Macey... Self-Doubt was still talking to her. Why would it freely give up all this information? It didn't seem difficult enough. Unless it was trying to distract her from something important.
She'd learned enough for now. What she really needed to focus on was getting out of the Staran and taking the black blob with her. Then she could go back to the other Wardens and make plans on how to get rid of the other impersonators. Starting with the Voice. And maybe she could celebrate her success with some alone time with her men. She'd not even kissed them properly since they'd been reunited. She missed their touch.
There she was, getting distracted again. Focus, Macey.
She needed to get out of here. But why was thinking getting so difficult? And breathing? Why wasn't she breathing?
Something had to be wrong in the real world.
"Finally figuring it out?" Self-Doubt was whispering. "It may be too late for you."
Panicked, Macey looked around. How did she get out of the Staran? She took a step back, but once again bumped into the barrier. She carefully walked forwards, her arms outstretched. She didn't want to crash into an invisible wall for a second time.
Not far from where the black circle had been on the floor, she found the barrier. So, she couldn't go back into the direction she'd come from either.
Trapped.
Not enough air.
"Nobody has ever died in here before," the voice in her mind said cheerily. "I'm going to enjoy the experience."
"No, you're not," Macey growled. "I'm getting out of here."
But she wasn't all that confident anymore. Black spots were beginning to dance in front of her eyes. Less and less oxygen reached her lungs which were screaming for air.
Air.
Air!
She sent out a cry for help, hoping that her seventh Warden would hear it. All she needed was some air to breathe so she could concentrate and think. Then she'd figure out a way to get out of this place. And to defeat Self-Doubt.
Was this what drowning felt like? If so, she felt particularly sorry for all the sailors in tales of old who died at sea.
And no wonder people hated kelpies, if this is what they were rumoured to do to people.
The black spots intensified, and she clutched at her throat, clawing it with her nails.
Shift.
She needed to shift.
The thought fled the moment she had it, and she struggled to pull it back.
How had she forgotten how to shift? That shouldn't be possible, should it?
Why hadn't her body taken over the moment she hit the water?
Where was her natural instinct?
The panic grew worse with each unanswered question, and her vision swam all the more.
Another moment passed, and she did the only thing she could think of. She opened her mouth and gulped down the water which was suddenly surrounding her.
Selkie
16
Water spurted from Macey's mouth as coughs wracked her entire body.
Wait...coughs? That meant...
She opened her eyes and blinked furiously. The sting of the salt water making them ache and urging her to rub them. She just about refrained, knowing it would only make them worse, and not better.
"You're lucky to be alive, kelpie," a haunting male voice said.
She flipped over onto her back, trying to ignore the fact she was naked and there was a man in front of her.
While her vision was still swimming, she could just about make out the silhouette of a short, lithe man with what could probably only be described as a swimmer's body, standing over her.
He was naked too.
Macey blinked again, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. What were the chances of the person who saved her being naked too?
"Who are you?" Macey croaked, her voice a mere echo of its normal strength. She wouldn't even have recognised it as her own. Well, other than the fact she was the one speaking.
She briefly wondered if Self-Doubt was still with her, but from the lack of persistent taunting in her head, she guessed that the answer was no. Hopefully it would stay away, though she knew she'd probably have to face it again.
At least they knew what it was that was destroying the Staran now. That piece of knowledge was going to be invaluable going forward.
"I'm Rónán," he replied.
Macey sat up suddenly. "You're a selkie."
"Last I checked. Unfortunately, my mother was rather inventive in naming me, so I got stuck with a name that screams what I am to the world." He chuckled slightly.
"Why did you help me?" she asked, her head swimming slightly from the effects of a lack of air.
"Why wouldn't I? Just because there are rumours of your people, doesn't mean I have to believe them. In fact, I think it gives me more reasons to ignore them. After all, don't your people have the same tales about mine?"
"Yes, I believe so," Macey answered, her voice still rough and achy. "But, if I'm honest, I'd have expected those rumours to be a big enough influence to stop any selkies from helping me."
"Maybe it would have, for some of the younger ones. Especially those influenced by the old ways. But my herd isn't the kind to take those things seriously. And we never have been. Plus, I didn't know you were a kelpie until I got you onto land. And what were my options then? Re-drown you?"
"So, I did actually drown?" Macey attempted to clarify.
"I believe so, yes. That's normally what happens when you open your human mouth under water," he said, clearly unimpressed.
"I had no choice," she pointed out, knowing it was true, but not knowing how she could convince anyone else of that.
"I didn't think you did. Otherwise it's a rather silly thing to do unless you're heartbroken."
"No, definitely not that," she replied. "Are there any others about?" she asked nervously, thinking of how he'd mentioned that his herd weren't bothered by the rumours about kelpies, but some of the others might be.
If one of those others was about, then she could be in serious trouble.
"Not that I'm aware of, I didn't sense anyone else out in the water, and I'm normally able to. But don't worry, if you're under my protection, then most selkies will leave you alone anyway. Unless th
ey're trying to prove something."
"Reassuring," Macey answered.
"Isn't it just."
They lapsed into silence for a moment. Macey wasn't sure quite what to say to the man. Except...
"Thank you for saving me," she croaked.
"You're very welcome. I'm not in the habit of letting anyone drown."
"That's good to know," she replied.
Slowly, she climbed to her feet, wobbling slightly as she reached them. Whatever had happened down there had severely weakened her human body. And it hadn't been in the best of shapes to start with. Exhausted and malnourished were more the terms that came to mind when she considered her health. Hopefully, after they healed the Staran here, they'd be able to rest.
She turned around, and looked back inland, trying to work out whereabouts on the island she was, and how she could get back to her men, but coming up with nothing. She really should have studied the maps closer.
Then again, she hadn't planned to become stranded on one of the coasts.
The selkie coughed. "Are you aware you have six marks on your back?" he asked.
"Ye...six?" She spun around to face him. "Did you say six?"
"Yes, there's six. Five smaller ones in an almost circle, with the sixth larger in the middle. There appears to be a gap though."
"Six..." she repeated, realising that must have meant she'd gained her own mark. Just Izban's left to collect then. That was a start, even if she wasn't aware of just how to actually manage that.
Then again, this whole adventure had been a mystery from start to finish. She didn't see why now would be any different.
"Do you know where we are?" she asked the selkie.
"Of course," Rónán replied.
"How far is it to Village Bay?"
"Maybe fifteen minutes' walk? Are you cold, by the way?"
She blushed a little, reminded that both of them were still naked. She hoped her men wouldn't see her like that, they might get jealous. Waves, she'd get jealous if she saw them naked with another girl.
"I'm fine, but I need to get there quickly. Just point me in the direction and I'm sure I'll find it."
He frowned. "Trying to get rid of me?"
"Not at all, but don't you have better things to do?"
Rónán chuckled. "Now that I saved you, I'd quite like to know you're continuing to be safe. Do you have friends here on the island?"
Macey nodded. "Yes, several of them. We're only here to do... a task. Something I tried to do and almost drowned. We'll leave as soon as we're done with that."
"Pity, it's rare that we get visitors here who aren't humans. There's been too many tourists recently that we have to hide from. And divers, exploring the sea caves. There were none today though, so I took the chance to go for a dive in my favourite cave - that's where I found you. Were you exploring them as well?"
"Something like that," Macey muttered, but then had an idea. "Have you ever noticed the crystal in that cave? On the pedestal?"
"Of course. It's been there as long as I can remember. Generations of selkies have tried to lift if off its stand, but none have succeeded. It's become a bit of a tradition for young selkies to try, like King Arthur's sword. Why are you asking?"
"Just wondering, it looked so pretty," Macey evaded the question. "But shall we walk back to the village? I may be getting a little cold after all."
Her men spotted her before Macey could see them. They ran up the hill the kelpie and the selkie were descending from and before she knew it, Macey was wrapped in Flint's warm arms.
"You're freezing. Here, let me warm you."
Hot air enveloped Macey and her goosebumps slowly disappeared. She hugged Flint back, reveling in his touch and warmth. Right now, the Fire Warden was exactly what she needed.
"Who are you?" Cam asked Rónán with barely hidden hostility. The selkie was standing behind Macey, looking a little uncomfortable. Not because of his nakedness, but because the three men were glaring at him.
"I'm the selkie who saved your girlfriend's life."
That shut up Cam and Macey was glad about it. She didn't need them start a testosterone-induced fight.
"What happened?" Flint asked Macey, still holding her tight in his arms.
"I underestimated the thing inside the Staran. But I know now why they're dying, and I know more about the Voice too. How about we return to the house and talk about it there? I'd love to put on some clothes too."
"Don't worry, I brought them with me," Jared said cheerily and produced the clothes Macey had shed before she'd shifted earlier. She quickly put them on, but handed her jacket to Rónán.
"You can bind it around your waist," she suggested. "You don't want to give Amber and Izban a heart attack."
Rónán laughed but did as she'd suggested. "Who are those two? Prudes?"
"No, but Amber is the youngest of us," Macey said. "It seems that I'm a bit protective of her virtue."
Jared laughed. "You don't want to know what they were doing when we came to look for you. I don't think there's much left of her virtue."
Macey cringed. "Stop it, I don't want to imagine them snogging."
"Didn't you encourage them to work out their sexual tension not long ago?"
"Yes, but..." Macey shook her head. She didn't know why she was suddenly thinking of Amber in that protective way. Like a big sister, even though there were only a few years between them.
"Let's go back," Cam suggested. "I can't wait to hear what's been going on in the cave and why you suddenly brought a selkie along. I thought your two kinds didn't get on."
Rónán and Macey sighed in unison.
"That animosity is based on a lot of nasty rumours on both sides," Rónán explained. "But the two of us seem to be mostly unaffected by those."
Macey cringed a little, remembering how anti-selkie she'd been in the past. She'd certainly become more tolerant in recent weeks, mainly because she'd not had any exposure to other kinds of supernaturals before. Now she was surrounded by them and she loved the variety.
It turned out they were only a few minutes away from Luch's house, but despite the short distance, Macey wished she was wearing shoes. The ground was full of pointy stones that hurt her bare feet. She almost debated a partial shift so she could have her webbed hooves, but that seemed too much of an effort. With all the adrenaline caused by almost drowning, she'd forgotten how tired she was, but now that she was safe with her men, the exhaustion returned.
"Macey!" Amber was standing in the doorway, waving as she saw them approach. "We were worried about you!"
"Everything's fine!" she called back. "More or less," she added under her breath. She was going to need some tea to get the strength to explain everything.
* * *
A few minutes later, she was wrapped in a blanket and had her hands curled around a warm mug of tea. Flint had dried her hair, although he'd managed to make it extraordinarily frizzy. Rónán had been given the same treatment - except for the hair. His short blond hair had been dried by the wind already.
Taking a long sip of tea to strengthen herself, Macey told the other Wardens about what had occured down in the sea cave. Somehow, she didn't mind Rónán hearing it all. It wasn't as if it was a secret, and if he wanted to stay along and be confused by her strange tale, that was fine. She liked the selkie, even though she'd only met him half an hour ago. She had a good feeling about him; maybe he'd be one of their future allies. They could certainly use having the selkies on their side. There were a lot of them, many more than kelpies.
"So, this thing inside the Staran is the same as the Voice?" Izban asked, summarising what Macey had told them.
"Yes, and it said that there are many more of them. If they can take on different shapes and purposes, they're going to be hard to find. I did see a tiny connection reaching out from this one though, so if we somehow managed to follow that, we'd be able to find them one by one. Maybe you have a spell for that?"
Izban nodded. "Possibly. I'd need to look
at it first."
"I might be able to help with that," Jared said, making them all look at the incubus. "You said there was a hole in the cave ceiling that let in light and air, right?"
"Yes, it was tiny though."
"Then you're lucky I'm Earth," Jared replied with a grin. "If we find that hole, I can get us all down there. Maybe together we'll be able to kill that Self-Doubt thing and heal the Staran - at least for now."
"If you don't mind, Bradaigh and I will stay here," Luch said with a cheeky smile. "We have some catching up to do."
Macey smiled back. "Of course. Now that all seven of us are united, it should be doable. This will be our first big test. Time to show the world that we really are the Wardens."
She just hoped that overconfidence wasn't yet another sibling of Self-Doubt.
17
With Rónán's help, it didn't take them long to find the hole. It was covered almost completely by bushes of sorrel, but thanks to Jared's Earth magic, he was able to spot it despite the plants.
"Clever, it almost looks like a puffin burrow," Cam remarked. "The perfect camouflage."
To Macey's disappointment, they'd not spotted any puffins yet. Maybe it was the wrong season. She loved those tiny, comical birds, even though she'd only seen them once before. But the grassy slope they were standing on was covered in burrows where they'd lay their eggs in the summer.
"The cave ceiling was stone, right, not earth?" Jared asked Macey and she nodded.
"Yes, beautiful smooth stone. No stalactites, strangely enough."
"Good, that will make it easier to find where the earth ends and the cave begins. You may all want to step back a little."
They did as he asked, watching curiously as he kneeled on the ground and put his hands on the wet grass. He closed his eyes and seemed to concentrate hard.
The ground began to rumble and shake, but it was only a gentle tremor, nothing as bad as what Macey had experienced down below in the cave. She was a little sad that she wasn't diving into it this time. It had been so beautiful to see the world beneath St Kilda, but she understood that the others had to take the boring route.
Into the Mists (Seven Wardens Book 2) Page 14
