Shadow Dreams (Oracle Dreams Trilogy Book 2)

by Teri Barnett

  He caught sight of Bethany where she lay near the smoldering fire. Curled up tight, she looked more like a girl than the angel he had taken her for.

  He walked over to her and knelt down.

  I’ll be damned. My joints don’t ache.

  He shook his head. This truly was a miracle. Gently, Connor pushed back the long strands of golden hair covering Bethany’s face. He studied the spray of brown lashes that brushed her cheek and the small, slightly upturned nose. He sucked in his breath. He could clearly see her now for what she was and, though as beautiful as any angel he would have imagined, she wasn’t a spirit, but flesh and blood. He reached out and caressed her cheek with his fingertips and, as he touched her, something stirred deep inside and Connor remembered.

  “Thank you, Bethany,” he murmured.

  Chapter 18

  The smell of roasting meat filled the kiyolo, invading Bethany’s sleep. She opened her eyes and tried to ask Connor what he was cooking, but the words wouldn’t come. Pushing herself up on one arm, she fell back down, still exhausted from last night’s healing.

  “I shot a rabbit,” Connor explained from the other side of the fire where he was roasting the animal. “At least, that’s what it looked like, except its ears were bobbed.” He grinned. “It’s hard telling just exactly what kind of critter I’m cookin’, I just hope it’s edible.”

  Bethany managed a weak smile. “Could I have a drink, please?” she asked, her voice raspy. Connor hurried to the fountain and returned with a cupful of the cool liquid. He supported her head as she took a sip. “Thank you.”

  “Are you going to be all right?” Connor’s face was lined with concern. “Is there anything I can do?”

  She shook her head, closing her eyes. “No, I’ll be fine.” This was the worst she had ever felt after a healing. Usually she might be a bit dizzy or nauseous. Then, she’d never dealt with someone as distressed as Connor Jessup. Although it warmed her spirit to know she’d succeeded, it had taken all of her strength to see him through the healing.

  “I’ll be fine,” she said again with a smile and drifted off to sleep.

  “Bethany?”

  She opened her eyes.

  “You’ve been asleep a few hours.” Connor was crouched beside her. “I was getting worried.”

  “Mmm, I think I’m feeling better. Really,” she added quickly when Connor shot her a skeptical look. “I always have a reaction when I do a healing. This one was just more intense than what I’m used to.” She rubbed her eyes.

  “I’m sorry I put you through this.”

  “It’s all right, Connor. I had to help you. It’s what I do.” She smiled. “It’s what I am.” Pushing herself up, Bethany propped her back against the wall of the altar room. “How late is it?”

  “Well, I was outside a few minutes ago and it’s starting to get dark. The sun was about halfway down.”

  “It’s sundown already?” She’d slept the entire day. Frustrated, Bethany let her head fall back and stared at the ceiling. “Why did you let me sleep so long? You know we needed to be going.” She leveled her gaze on him.

  “I understand you want to find your daughter as soon as possible, but you were in no condition to travel today.” He took her hand and squeezed it gently. “I’m sorry for causing you this delay. It’s all my fault. Please forgive me. If I do nothing else with my remaining time in this life, I’ll seek redemption by helping you find Sarah.”

  “Thank you, Connor,” she whispered, squeezing his hand in return. “We’ll stay one more night, then be on our way at sunrise. We’ll need daylight for the journey to the next kiyolo anyway.”

  “Are we going to another of these places?”

  Bethany nodded. “When you were resting, I discovered that the answer to destroying the Priestess lies in another structure, the Kiyolo of the Night.” She explained the information she had gleaned from the statue. “It’s not far from here, but the terrain is difficult to cross.”

  “You lead the way and I’ll be right behind you.” He laughed, shaking his head.

  “What’s the matter?” Bethany asked.

  “Don’t get mad, but I’m not used to having a woman make all the decisions for me.”

  “I beg your pardon?” Bethany squared her shoulders, getting angry anyway.

  Connor held up a hand. “Calm down, now. I don’t want to get into an argument. I understand this is a different place and I just need to learn your ways.”

  Well, at least he was receptive to change, she’d give him that. Deciding to drop the matter for the time being, Bethany spied what remained of the bob-ear skewered on a stick across the fire. “Could I have some of that? I’m famished.”

  Connor laughed. “Well, then, you must be feeling better.”

  Bethany smiled her thanks as he handed her a slice of the juicy dark meat. Connor sat by her side as she ate. “Thank you for taking care of me,” she said.

  “I’m the one who should be thanking you. When you offered to heal me, I had no idea.” He shook his head. “Absolutely no idea how it would be. Here, take a look.” He held out his hands in front of him. “I can’t believe they don’t shake anymore. And I don’t crave whiskey.”

  “I’m glad you’re feeling better.” Bethany took another bite of the tender meat and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He must have cleaned himself up while she was sleeping. It was the first time she’d seen him without a layer of grime on his person. “If nothing else, your looks have certainly improved since the healing,” she teased.

  “Yeah, well, when you drink the amount I did you don’t worry about much else except where the next bottle’s coming from.” He ran a hand through his thick black hair and it shone a midnight blue in the firelight. “I found a stream near here and bathed. It was cold but it did the trick. I hope that was all right. I don’t know the rules you play by in this world.”

  So, he had indeed accepted the fact he was on another plane and not in that Hell place of his he was so anxious to visit. “Are you disappointed, then, that you’re not dead? You seemed so intent on it.”

  “Not in the least, Angel.”

  He leaned closer and Bethany caught her breath. Connor’s spirit had returned—he now exuded a strength that had been buried under self-loathing and drink.

  She let her gaze wander over his dark brown eyes, straight nose, and slightly parted lips. Again, she realized just how affected she was by his presence.

  Why am I so attracted to this man?

  She didn’t know the answer to that. Where matters of the heart were concerned, she was better off trusting her instincts rather than searching for reasons.

  Connor reached out and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. “So soft,” he murmured.

  Bethany’s eyes held his as he leaned even closer. She licked her lips without thinking and watched the reflection of the fire in his eyes. His lips touched hers and Bethany closed her eyes and let her head fall back as he traced a damp trail of kisses along her throat. Kisses as light as a butterfly’s touch, stirred feelings she’d thought had departed forever after Joseph’s death.

  It’s been so long…

  Bethany slipped her hand behind Connor’s head and brought his mouth to hers, hungrily meeting his need with her own.

  Don’t do this! He loves another. He’s only being grateful for the healing. And you are far too vulnerable and exhausted because of what you did for him.

  Bethany struggled to push the thoughts away. She was exhausted. The healing had taken its toll on her and cost her a day.

  Remember your quest to find Sarah.

  Tears sprang to her eyes. How could she even think of making love with Connor, knowing that her daughter was out there, somewhere, afraid and possibly hurt…

  “We can’t do this, Connor.”

  “Why not? I care for you, Angel.” He
held out his hand. “Let me show you.”

  Bethany shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. “What about Elizabeth? After all, she’s the reason you agreed to come with me.” Her eyes met his. “You still love her.”

  Connor frowned as he let his hand drop. “That was true before. But everything about her became clear when I woke up after the healing. I loved a memory, Angel, and mourned a future that might have been. That’s all.”

  “Please, understand. I need to rest. I need your help to find Sarah.”

  He took Bethany in his arms and brushed the tears away. She lay with her head against his chest for a long time, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

  “I understand, and it’s all right. I promise, we’ll find Sarah. I promise.”

  Chapter 19

  The next morning ushered in the first of the winter ice storms to hit Paran, awakening both Bethany and Connor with the sounds of hail pounding against rock.

  Bethany jumped up and rushed to the entrance of the cave, worried they would have to lose another day in their search. Peering outside, she saw the worst of it was almost over. Good. It wouldn’t impede their progress to the Kiyolo of the Night.

  “The sky’s starting to clear,” she called over her shoulder. “We’re lucky we’re not traveling any later in the year—the first storms are usually the shortest and mildest.”

  Connor walked up behind her as the sun came up over the horizon, breaking through the dark cloud cover. The light reflected on the ice shards and they glittered like prisms, each with its own rainbow of color. The ground was fast becoming saturated as the ice began to melt. “Your world is beautiful, Angel,” he whispered in her ear. He pulled her back against his chest. “Just like you.”

  “Thank you,” she murmured, enjoying the warmth of his embrace against the wind’s chill. “We need to get going. I can’t waste any more time.” Bethany shook her head. “It’s been so long since Sarah disappeared, I’m beginning to lose count of the days. It seems like forever to me. I’ve got to find her.”

  Connor turned Bethany around to face him. “We will, Bethany. I promise.”

  “And what about Elizabeth? Tell me, Connor, what are you going to do if we find her in the process?” Bethany asked, not sure she really wanted to know the answer.

  “I’m not afraid of seeing her, if she’s still alive. As a matter of fact, I look forward to the opportunity so I can tell her good-bye once and for all.”

  Bethany reached up on her tiptoes and placed a light kiss on his cheek. “Thank you.”

  “Whoa, what was that?” An eyebrow shot up. “I seem to remember sharing less chaste kisses last night.”

  “And you would discuss this in the light of day?” Bethany teased.

  “I’ve spent far too long living in a gray cloud of my own dark thoughts. From now on, I’m going to speak my mind,” Connor replied with a wink.

  Bethany chuckled as she made her way back into the cave to retrieve her belongings. Connor followed closely behind.

  Bethany wrapped her shawl tightly around her arms, knotting it in front.

  “Don’t you have anything heavier to wear?” he asked, scooping up his jacket.

  “No.” She shook her head. “When I left home, I wasn’t planning on being gone so long. This is all I brought with me, but I’ll be fine.”

  Connor walked over to her and untied the knot. “What do you think you’re doing?” she asked. “You know we need to get out of here.”

  “And you need to keep warm.” He slipped his coat over her and placed the shawl on top of it.

  “I couldn’t. You’ll need it.”

  “My shirt is heavy, and I’m used to being out when the weather’s bad.” He grinned. “You think I had a nice cozy jacket every time I wandered off drunk?” He snorted. “I spent more nights on the cold hard ground than I can remember. So, this little ice storm and wintry wind should be easy to handle.”

  Bethany eyed him skeptically. “Well, all right. But promise me you’ll say something if you need it back.”

  Connor made a cross on his chest with a forefinger. “Cross my heart.”

  “What was that you just did?”

  “Made a promise. That’s how we do it sometimes.”

  Bethany repeated the motion on her own chest, then looked up at Connor, smiling. “I like that.”

  “Well, feel free to use it anytime you need to,” he offered with a grin. “Now, shall we go?”

  Bethany nodded. “After you.” She made a sweeping motion with her arm toward the entry.

  Connor rubbed the heavy stubble covering his chin. “Wait a minute. First you want to be the adventurous one, now you want me to lead the way. I just don’t know. Is there some danger out there I need to be warned about?”

  “No, not particularly. I just figured you would appreciate taking the lead,” she teased. “You don’t have to, though, if you don’t want to.”

  Connor chuckled. “I wouldn’t be a man if I didn’t prefer leading to following. Just nudge me in the right direction and I’ll get us there.”

  Bethany pointed Connor to the south as they made their way through the thick tree line outside of the kiyolo. The sharp conifer needles dragged at their skin, the sap stinging the scratches. Connor took hold of a heavy branch, keeping it out of Bethany’s way as she followed behind. Then, just as she was in its path, the smaller branch he was using for a handle snapped off, sending the larger one into Bethany’s face. She screamed as it knocked her to the ground.

  Connor rushed to her side, helping her up. “Are you all right?” She looked up at him, her left cheek covered with deep scratches. “Damn!” He pulled out his handkerchief and started wiping at the blood.

  “My face feels like it’s on fire. I’ve got to get the sap washed out of the cuts before they start to swell.”

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a flask. Popping the cork, he poured the contents onto the handkerchief. “Your drink won’t help, Connor,” Bethany protested.

  “It’s water, from the kiyolo. I filled the flasks before we left,” he said, holding the container up.

  Bethany grimaced as he cleaned the sap out of the cuts. “That should just about do it,” Connor examined the angry red welts on her delicate skin. “The swelling seems to be subsiding.”

  “Thank you,” Bethany said softly.

  He cleared his throat. “You’re welcome.”

  Beyond the tops of the trees, a soft shaft of sunlight made its way to the forest floor. “It’s almost midday,” Bethany said. “We’ve lost a lot of time.”

  “We’ll make it up.” He scanned the horizon to the south. “It looks like we’re almost to the edge of this forest. We should be fine after we get out of here.”

  “Don’t count on it,” Bethany stated flatly, starting to walk before Connor had a chance to ask what exactly she meant.

  It didn’t take long for Connor to realize what Bethany was talking about. Just past the tree line, the ground was made up of large boulders of black obsidian. Its glassy surface—enhanced by the melting ice—reflected the sun, blinding them after the darkness of the forest.

  Connor ran his hand through his hair. “Could be a bit difficult. Hey, look over there.”

  Bethany followed where he pointed and spied a break in the rocks. “Looks like a path.”

  “Uh-huh. That’s what I was thinking. I was also thinking maybe it’s just a little too easy. My guess is whoever is guarding the kiyolo created this path as a trap or a way to observe newcomers. Either way, I say it’s too dangerous to take.”

  She nodded. “If the Kiyolo of the Night held the secrets of vanquishing the High Priestess, it would be to her advantage to have it heavily guarded.”

  “We’ll need to find another way inside,” Connor said, scanning the area. “Over there. It looks like a natural break in the
stones. It’ll be more difficult to cross but should be safer.” He glanced down at the petite woman. “Are you feeling up to it?” He already knew what her answer would be, but he asked just the same.

  Bethany arched a delicate blonde eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest.

  Her fierce expression made him grin. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and kiss her with all the passion in his entire being.

  “There is nothing that will keep me from going into that cave,” she said.

  Connor nodded, his grin fading as he caught sight of a movement along the ridge.

  “What’s wrong?” Bethany asked. “Do you see something.”

  “I thought I did,” he replied, his eyes fixed on ridge. “Let’s keep moving. The sooner we reach the kiyolo, the sooner we can get out of here.”

  Chapter 20

  A guard dressed in a short black robe and leggings entered Liazar’s private chambers. Immediately, the sentry fell to her knees at the feet of her mistress.

  “There are two people, Ma’am. A man and a woman. They were last seen moving south through the obsidian fields. They’re coming toward the Kiyolo of the Night, toward us.”

  Liazar stopped combing her long red hair. She placed the bone implement carefully on the table next to her as she considered the importance of what she had just heard. “Do you know who they are? Are they familiar to you in any way?”

  The guard shook her head. “No, Ma’am. The man is tall, his hair dark, unlike anyone I’ve ever seen around Paran. His clothes are different, foreign.”

  “Foreign, you say? How so?”

  “His shirt and pants are constructed of a heavy looking blue fabric. We weren’t close enough to see much detail. It was the hair, though, that stood out the most. I’ve never seen anyone with such black hair.”

  “What about the woman? Did she appear different also?” Liazar asked, her curiosity aroused.

  “No, the woman looks native to Paran. She had a slight build and long blonde hair. But she was wearing a strange coat. It appeared to be some sort of animal skin with fringe around here.” She moved her hands across her chest.