The Witch's Journey
Page 37
“I apologize, Angel. Did I…”
“I’m so sorry, Angie,” Danhoul said.
“It’s okay,” she said, dizzily standing with Cal’s assistance.
“It’s not bloody well okay,” Cal said getting an ice pack from the freezer. “Christ, you two large, powerful men could have killed Angelique with your tempers.”
“Cal, it was my fault!” Angelique stressed. “I made the stupidest move in the history of time, stepping in between two enraged men in testosterone overload.”
“That doesn’t even begin to excuse this. By God, Angelique’s pregnant.”
“Cal; you promised,” Angelique furiously scolded.
“Is that true?” Faolan questioned.
She looked away.
“Angelique?” Faolan asked.
“Yes,” she whispered.
Faolan looked like he’d been gut-punched. Danhoul seemed equally stunned so obviously hadn’t sensed it.
“You carry his child?” Faolan said with vehemence.
She couldn’t mislead him, had to admit the truth.
“Actually—it’s called superfecundation,” Angelique quietly said.
“What is? I don’t understand,” Faolan said brushing himself off as he stood.
“Not many would,” Angelique replied. “Well other than Cal. Even the word sounds—I don’t know—dirty.”
“Please explain.” Faolan looked at Cal as did Danhoul who stood now, too.
“Hyper ovulation’s when a woman’s body releases two ova simultaneously, which causes fraternal twins,” Cal explained, “and superfecundation is when those two eggs are fertilized by sperm from two different men.”
Everyone was completely silent. Angelique thought about wishing herself to anywhere but here.
Faolan stared at her, the pain in his eyes so evident, she wanted to wither away.
“Who…?” Danhoul started but Faolan interrupted.
“Who’s the other man you lay with, then, besides him?” Faolan finally asked glaring at Danhoul.
“You,” Angelique replied.
“That’s not amusin’; I’d remember that, especially since I pined for you for over thirty years.”
“I don’t know why you don’t remember that day when you clearly remembered me for decades following. Maybe it’s because I used dark magic to go back to your time. But we did spend an afternoon together in bed at The New Hatch.”
He shook his head. “I’d not forget that.”
“Fine! Don’t believe me.”
“Maybe you should tell him the whole truth,” Cal suggested.
“Aye. I want the feckin’ truth,” Faolan agreed.
“Okay,” Angelique said.
She opened her locket and pulled out two triskelion coins. He stared.
“I’m not sure why I kept these. Because every time I look at them it breaks my heart. You paid me for sex believing I was a just another whore.”
Faolan looked ashamed. Obviously he knew she wouldn’t cruelly make that up. Danhoul stepped closer, likely wanting to console her, but Faolan tensed.
“I’d like to heal Angelique’s injuries,” Danhoul said.
“I’ll put my wrist in water,” she argued.
“Your eye then,” Danhoul replied.
When the other three witches came to the open door, Angelique presumed they felt the palpable tension or heard the commotion and hoped to intercede with magic. She motioned them in.
“Alainn could heal you,” Danhoul suggested and Alainn went straight to Angelique, placing her healing hands on her eye and her wrist.
Everyone stood so silent, Angelique wanted to scream. Ainsley looked questioningly at Cal and Angelique finally nodded for him to just tell them.
Before he could, Wolf materialized. Angelique almost hugged him. His appearance took some of the focus from her, for the others hadn’t met him yet. Tristan came in the door then, too.
“Jeez, you could hear a bloody pin drop here.”
“The suspense is killin’ us; someone please explain what’s goin’ on,” Arianna finally said.
Faolan looked at Angelique and stepped closer. Danhoul must have thought he was upset. He drew nearer, too.
“You two stay away from each other and Angelique,” Cal strictly warned.
“Let’s have the other men hear this, too,” Angelique said. “Ainsley, would you?”
Ainsley complied, summoning Killian, Darius, Timothy and Newt. None of them seemed surprised to just be magically brought here, which proved how bizarre their lives had become.
Cal explained everything again, thankfully not mentioning her heart issues. Everyone looked as stunned as Angelique felt.
“The fourth witch is relevant in many ways,” Wolf said. “But it’s not entirely her doing.”
“Clearly, two men have somethin’ to do with this,” Arianna sarcastically said.
Wolf summoned the magical book with the triquetra cover, turned to a page apparently none had seen.
“When a transcendent witch carries one child by a Druid descendant of Odhran and another by a man with Fomorian lineage, it will set into motion the final events before the battle fought between those with light and dark magic,” Alainn read.
“There you have it,” Wolf added.
Angelique met Faolan’s expressive blue eyes. There was worry and uncertainty, but also love. Would any love be strong enough to endure this?
“There’s more news,” Alainn said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. “Lugh’s just come to inform me, we’ll all be travelin’ to sixteenth-century Ireland. That’s where we’ll train and learn more of the upcomin’ battle. We’re goin’ back to our time and our castle. Killian, we’re goin’ home!”
Killian smiled, taking Alainn in his arms, their happiness evident.
Cal looked at Angelique with concern. Darius and Arianna, who was soon to give birth, were likely as apprehensive as Angelique, Faolan and Danhoul.
Yet, Angelique believed Ireland, during any century, was sure to be magical. They could definitely use some Irish luck and powerful magic now.
The End
Want more? Check out Ainsley and Caldwell’s story in The Witch’s Compromise!
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If you enjoyed The Witch’s Journey, you’ll love the next book in….
The Witches of Time series
Book 1: The Witch’s Awakening
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Book 2: The Witch’s Compromise
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Book 3: The Witch’s Journey
View the series here!
Book 4: The Witch’s Reckoning
Coming October 2021!
More books by Leigh Ann Edwards
The Irish Witch Series
Book 1: The Farrier’s Daughter
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Book 2: The Witch’s Daughter
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Book 3: The Chieftain’s Daughter
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Book 4: A Chieftain’s Wife
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Book 5: A Witch’s Life
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Book 6: A Witch’s Quest
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The Vikings of Highgard Series
Book 1: The Norse Protector
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Book 2: The Norse Sorcerer
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Book 3: The Norse Explorer
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Book 4: The Norse Conqueror
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About
the Author
Leigh Ann Edwards has always been fascinated by history, magic, romance, witches and Ireland which all inspired her first series, The Irish Witch Series. Growing up in a very small Manitoba town on the Canadian prairies allowed lots of time to create stories and let her imagination soar. Now writing her third series with Tule Publishing, Leigh Ann also loves reading, traveling, spending time with her four grandchildren, doing intuitive readings and reiki.
Leigh Ann lives with her husband, their two very large dogs and two cats near Edmonton Alberta, Canada.
Visit Leigh Ann at LeighAnnEdwards.com
Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @laedwards15
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