You may think yourself a man of power because you instill fear in all those around you, but you are not as powerful as you might believe. Your greatest noteworthiness will simply be the number of wives you choose and your unholy break with the church of Rome. And I will tell you this now, and believe me when I say it brings me great joy and satisfaction to inform you of your dismal future. You will die an ineffectual, fat, impotent, diseased man with no one left behind who could admit to ever actually having loved you!”
His eyes filled with fear, but certain anger as well.
“You are right to suspect those around you for much deception and trickery is at hand. Many plot your downfall even now and the deceptive Cromwell is behind much of the treasonous deeds. Be most suspicious and wisely wary of him. I would suggest you might find a way to dispose of him as quickly as you can. In truth you must trust no one and fear all!”
She watched him squirm uncomfortably and look around the room as though even now he was filled with dread of what the future would bring.
“And should you think to learn of my identity or to come after me or anyone close to me know this and heed me well. My own mother placed a curse upon a bloodline that caused the death of many. I curse you now Henry VIII, yet I will not cause even one death by my hand, for I choose to believe my powers are not born of an evil origin or given to evil. But, I will tell you this truth, no other children shall your wives bear, not but the ones already born or conceived. Your son will be stricken with many ills and ailments and barely live to reach adulthood; one daughter will be bitter and ruthless and, she too will not live a long nor happy life. Only one of your children shall live in reasonably good and prosperous years because she was saved from misfortune as a child, but even she shall never know actual contentedness or ever produce an heir. The Tudor line will die out after the generation already here. That certain bleak knowledge is my curse for all the pain you have caused me and those dear to me.”
Alainn felt her powers surging wildly, nearly uncontrollably throughout her body as she fed on the satisfaction she was receiving from watching the king grow more and more fearful and uncomfortable. She was beginning to sense she would soon be entirely incapable of controlling her magical powers if she didn’t soon make her way from the castle. She spoke once more.
“You will remember all that I have told you regarding the future. Only my name, my face and my identity will forever escape you entirely. But my words will capably haunt and torment you all the rest of your life and you will know only discontent and despair. You shall never know even one complete day of true happiness ever again. As I seal my spell by these words spoken by me, as I’ve sworn it, so shall it be!”
She reached over and touched her hand to his fat ruddy cheek and the fear in his eyes caused her great elation. By way of her magic, she pulled a sword from its place on the wall and it flew to her hands where she grasped it tightly and walked toward the king. Instilling great fear within him, she momentarily placed it first to his throat, then his stomach and finally his ballocks where she allowed it to linger for some time. She fought the urge to kill him or to capably maim him at the very least so he would never defile another woman by threat or against her will, but then her thoughts went to Killian and her urgent need to go to him. She dropped the sword straightaway, and the loud resonation of the clanging weapon on the stone floor startled her and capably brought her back to reality.
Apparently the sound broke the spell holding the king as well, for as he found himself capable of movement once more he saw an unusual bright flash before his eyes and then found himself in a state of disorientation and confusion standing alone in his chambers with only an odd sense of overwhelming dread and deep utter sadness encompassing him.
Alainn felt her heart pounding erratically for she had barely been capable of pulling herself from the king’s chambers. She had undeniably wanted him dead and she knew if she’d stayed a moment longer she might have simply caused his death either by the sword, or by way of her powerful surging magic. As it was, she knew she had left a chill in his heart and a severe pain in his leg from an old injury. Even now as she thought of that wound she sent out a magical ripple that reached the man even from her far off position and she heard him scream out in pain. She smiled wickedly as she continued to cause him much pain and once more it left her undeniably satisfied.
Alainn hurried toward the docks knowing she would need to hasten her pace if she was to make it in time. She had hoped to use her magic when she had fled the castle, but she found herself in the presence of many guards and an endless wall of enraged and terror stricken people. She decided against openly using her witchcraft to simply disappear. She inconspicuously placed her cloak over her head as she did not want to draw any attention to herself and slowly headed toward an alleyway where she intended to employ her magical powers to take her to the docks. But in the middle of the frenzied crowded street, she was overcome with a vision of Maisie and Giles Andrews and their inn being looted and burned.
She could not see Lily in her vision and became exceedingly fearful for her. She knew she must search for her and finally fled to a darkened alleyway and used her magic to be taken to the inn. Upon arriving, she was deeply disturbed to see her many Irish clansmen, and her friends Giles and Maisie, all lying dead on the grass outside the inn. She felt a profound sadness and a simmering anger at seeing they had been murdered so viciously. She couldn’t sense Lily anywhere near this location and she knew she must continue to search for the girl, for if she lived she was sure to be terrified if she’d witnessed her parents’ murder. Alainn was about to go to the wooded area beyond the inn to see if she was perhaps hiding within the trees, when she saw the spirit of Maisie Andrews clearly materialize before her.
Alainn felt her face contort in sadness and she embraced the spirit woman.
“I am regretful I could not prevent this, Maisie. Perhaps if I had not been in the castle and so consumed with my own fears and worries, I might have seen this was to come to pass. I may have been capable of averting this horrid tragedy!”
“Hold no blame on this count, and think not of this now, milady! Your guilty conscience will serve no purpose, but to cause further unhappiness and discord. Go to the docks for it is there you will find Lily with your friend Conner, the brave Scot. He came back and discovered Lily hidden within the concealed compartment in the cupboard. Giles created it after she was harmed last time and told her to hide there if ever she was fearful. She wouldn’t come out when the others called, but when she heard Conner’s voice, she recognized it and she came out for him. Go meet them now before the ship sails. Lily told me you prevented her from being harmed the other day when she ventured to the castle. I will be forever thankful to you milady for that. You must promise me you will watch over my dear Lily and keep her safe as long as you are able!”
“I will, Maisie. You have my solemn word!” Alainn whispered and clung tight to the spirit of the woman she had come to care for deeply.
“It was because of us that this happened, wasn’t it? Because you harbored Irish citizens it cost you your life?”
“It is not a certainty, milady! They came asking no questions, but simply looted, burned, and heartlessly ended the lives of everyone who remained here at the inn. They came without warning almost out of nowhere, and there were so many of them even several of the clansmen were taken off guard and killed with little resistance. I am ever grateful Lily remained concealed in the hidden compartment in the cupboard and that Conner came back when he did and courageously killed the guards who remained. He searched for Lily and carried her away from here.”
“Forgive us, if it was our doin!” Alainn spoke once more, but the spirit woman simply insisted she go and see to the wellness of her only child.
Alainn cast one more morose glance at Maisie’s spirit and snapped her fingers to find herself amidst the disorderly crowds that gathered at the docks. Many ships seemed to fill the bay, so many more than usual. The air was filled wit
h smoke that stung her eyes and burned her lungs. Alainn attempted to search for Killian, but knowing it would take far too long, she closed her eyes to envision Killian’s location. When she opened them she was startled to see Brendan O’Leary standing beside her.
“How did you manage to be set free?” he asked, and she noted he wore an unusually odd and demented expression. It was immediately off-putting and left her wary.
“The king had clearly tired of my presence and thought he would not risk having the Irish chieftains at war with England over one simple woman.”
When Alainn looked beyond the man she knew why he seemed so markedly changed. Thomas Cromwell and the demon-man were close by and the demon wore an undeniably evil, satisfied smile.
“Do it! I command you to do it now!” the demon, now in human form, called out in a disturbingly deep and cryptically inhuman voice.
Alainn turned to where the man’s eyes were staring and saw that Brendan O’Leary had a dagger in his hand, but something about the blade made her exceedingly filled with apprehension and unease. It appeared to emit a disturbing aura or malevolent substance, not a magical presence, but rather a pulsing darkness that caused Alainn to be ever fearful. The blade was surely cursed with a powerful dark magic. Her amulet began to glow brightly in response and she placed her hands to it, hoping to steal away from the threat of the blade.
She attempted to move or disappear by way of her magic, but instead, the demon’s own powerful dark magic, surely intensified by the chaos and palpable panic surrounding them, sent her hurtling straight toward O’Leary. He roughly pulled Alainn to him and didn’t hesitate, but forcefully pushed the dagger into her back. She felt the hot pierce of the blade, but at that precise second she instinctively employed her magic and this time she disappeared before their eyes.
When she became aware of her surroundings again, she felt a sharp burning hot pain in her back and shoulder and warm blood trickling down her back. She heard a woman beside her scream, and in her mind she called out to Killian and to Danhoul, and then she crumpled to the ground at the wharf where a crowd soon gathered around her.
Chapter Seventeen
“The captain says we must sail now, milord!” the first mate called out to Killian from where he stood on the ship’s deck looking out toward the sea. “If we are to make it to Ireland in daylight we must leave now!”
“And are we not able to sail in darkness?” Killian asked in a voice filled with little hope of that possibility.
“The sea is right dangerous at night. It can be treacherous enough in daylight. The captain has assured me he would not risk the souls of all aboard to ensure one woman finds safe passage no matter how much coin you offer him for his trouble!”
Killian glanced at Danhoul who remained standing on shore. He asked him without words, the question that tore at his heart. Danhoul shook his head seriously and then something in his expression changed and frightened Killian. Danhoul set off running and Killian raced off the ship following close behind him. As he passed Conner MacLain, he hurriedly called out to the large Scot.
“The bag of coin you’ve been holding for me...offer the entire lot to the captain and promise him considerably more. Offer him my land, my damnable castle or whatever he demands to hold the ship till we return!”
Conner nodded though he clearly didn’t know what had transpired to make Killian and Danhoul set off in such haste. He was thankful in returning to the inn to retrieve the gold, he had been able to find young Lily hiding in the cupboard. Now as he was speaking with the captain regarding the matter of holding the ship he was considering that he may need to state his name, the name of a dreaded Scottish outlaw, believing fear and not bribery, might offer more inducement to the man. All the while he watched Killian and Danhoul heading further down the docks. He tried to keep his eyes on them so he would learn where they could be off to. He cussed loudly when he lost them in the crowd.
He was further disconcerted when he saw the young English lass, Lily Andrews, take off as well. He was to be seeing to her safety. She was off the ship before he could hope to get to her through the many people on board. He cussed aloud yet again, uncertain how he could make good on his promise to a dying Maisie Andrews of keeping her daughter safe and also ensure he follow Killian’s instructions and see to it the captain held the ship for them. He couldn’t for the life of him understand why these people continued to put their faith in him, a known outlaw, someone who had spent years in prison for killing his own brother. He knew he first must ensure the ship remained in port for it would do no good to go after young Lily if there was no way to escape this damnable city when he did locate her. He also firmly decided he would rather risk Maisie Andrew’s spirit haunting him than to deal with Killian O’Brien’s wrath and the guilt of putting so many in peril if there was no way for them to return to Ireland.
He was greatly relieved when he saw a handful of Irish soldiers arrive and board the ship. Yet he couldn’t determine why two English guards accompanied them as well as several young children, a woman great with child, an aged old woman, and a lame man who were all being helped aboard by the Irish soldiers. He deducted that somehow Killian with his persuasive manner had convinced these people to assist him and that he was indebted to them as well.
Conner was well pleased to see two Irish chieftains board the ship as well. He hurriedly made the necessary arrangements with the captain, thankfully without threat or drawing his sword, and then he hastily followed the young lass hoping he would be capable of seeing her safe in a world that at the moment appeared wrought with chaos and danger.
When Danhoul made it to Alainn she was already surrounded by a large crowd of curious onlookers. She lay on the dock in a widening pool of blood. He had only just turned her over to discover she remained alive and to assess her injury when Killian made it to them.
“Christ, Danhoul! What has happened to her?” Killian asked as he dropped to his knees beside them.
“She has suffered a blade to her back. But sure ’twas not just any blade, I am most certain it was a cursed blade!” he muttered lowly as he tore back the garment she wore.
“And how can you know this?” Killian asked as he effortlessly lifted Alainn in his arms and tenderly pulled her lengthy golden tresses from the wound so Danhoul could do what he might for her.
Danhoul pointed to the expanding black mark that encircled the wound. It appeared almost as though she had been burned near the area surrounding the gash.
“I must work a magic spell and attempt to heal her with my blood also!”
“Aye,” Killian agreed in a somber tone, as he gently lifted her. “Where would be best to take her so that you can manage this?”
Danhoul looked around the docks and could see nowhere that they could find any form of concealment in the pandemonium.
It was then they saw a wild-eyed Lily hurrying toward them with a surly looking Conner close behind. Lily cried out when she saw the blood on the ground and the wound upon Alainn’s back. Conner cussed once more as well. Alainn moaned lowly and she finally managed to open her eyes. She weakly smiled up at Killian and then winced as Danhoul touched her torn flesh.
“Take her to the ship!” Danhoul suggested. “This will need to be better accomplished on board the ship.”
Killian did not hesitate, but hastily made his way through the many crowds of people who had gathered to learn the fate of the young woman. He tried to keep a hopeful expression on his face for he knew Alainn watched his every move. When they finally had boarded the ship once more and the captain ordered the anchor lifted, Danhoul asked that the captain permit them to take Alainn to his own quarters to be attended to. The man allowed it without question and Killian was horrified when he looked upon the wound once more.
“The blackness surrounding the wound has more than doubled in size in mere moments.”
“Aye!” Danhoul agreed with unhidden fear in his eyes.
“It was a cursed dagger, then?” Alainn whispered we
akly as she winced and cried out every time Danhoul touched the wound.
“Aye!”
“Who did this to you, Alainn?” Killian asked with noticeable concern.
“It was Brendan O’Leary!” she managed and then gasped and screamed loudly as Danhoul touched the spot again.
“O’Leary? How...What...Why?”
“He was with the demon and his great malevolent aide Thomas Cromwell! I believe the demon has placed a spell on O’Leary, for the man did not seem himself. And his aura was black as mire. I think they have won him over entirely, for although I never trusted him completely, I have never before seen an aura change so rapidly or drastically in a man.”
“Do you know what can be done to rectify this?” Danhoul finally asked Alainn for he could see his efforts were making no improvements in her condition.
“I have no potions with me, and not sufficient time to create a spell powerful enough to cause this level of evil to be terminated. It is my belief the malevolence shall seep within me and soon cause me to turn to the dark side of my powers. You must allow the captain to have me sent out in one of the smaller boats, for I shall soon become a danger to all around me, Killian!”
“I’ll do no such thing!” he balked at the very suggestion.
“I will become evil, Killian, inherently and irreversibly evil, and possibly harm all aboard and that would be far worse than being set adrift in a boat.”
“Then I will go with you!” Killian reasoned.
“But you cannot, Killian, you must make it back to Ireland and tell the council of the clans that Brendan O’Leary is no longer to be trusted. If he gets back to Ireland and is allowed to keep his position on the council he will surely manage to convince the clansman to attack the English for I believe that is part of the demon’s scheme to cause war, turmoil and chaos. Wherever those conditions are present, hate multiplies rapidly and the evil grows to an uncontrollable level. If that happens many innocent people will die and the demon will have more death and destruction to feed upon, more souls to take to Odhran to ensure his power continues to grow.”
A Witch's Quest Page 19
