by Teri Barnett
Be strong my love. We’ll get through this.
“Didn’t Michael give you a new one?” Connor said in a bland tone.
“He didn’t live long enough.”
“The ashes from the dig,” Bethany whispered. “They must have been his…”
Elizabeth gave a deep sigh. “Dear Michael. I had to kill him. He wasn’t interested in joining me in overthrowing the old high priestess and I couldn’t have him working against me.” She flicked a glance at Bethany. “You must have been part of the expedition that found my little treasure. You didn’t really think the remains were mine, did you?”
Bethany and Connor turned at the sound of heavy footsteps behind them.
“Ian!” Bethany screamed, running to him. He smiled weakly and dropped to the floor. His shirt was torn and bloody, his body covered with cuts and bruises. Bethany knelt at his side. Slowly, she turned back to face Elizabeth. “What did you do to him?”
“Just looking for some information. And this.” She displayed the silver box Ian had found not so long ago. “Seems he’s been taking care of it for me.”
Bethany turned back to Ian. She took a deep breath and shifted into the Knowing. Raising her hands, she placed them on his shoulders and began to knead them, easing the soreness away.
“What’s she doing?” Elizabeth called in a sharp tone.
“She’s a Healer, my Priestess,” Esther explained.
“A Healer? Make her stop!”
Esther gave Bethany a shove and broke her concentration. She shook her head to clear it, then turned back to Elizabeth. “You evil woman.”
Elizabeth threw her head back and laughed. “A healer. I could use the soul of a healer,” she murmured. “Come, stand before me.”
Bethany stayed where she was.
Elizabeth continued to eye her. “I said come here!” One of the sentries gave Bethany a rough shove from behind, sending her sprawling to the floor. Connor growled and moved to go to her but two of the guards flanked him, shoving their bows into his sides.
“It’s all right,” Bethany said to Connor as she stood. The sentry pushed her forward again, forcing her to stand directly in front of Elizabeth.
“You’re quite beautiful and still reasonably young,” Elizabeth observed.
Bethany’s eyes narrowed. “What have you done with the children of Paran? Where’s my daughter?”
“Daughter?” Elizabeth tapped her fingers on her cheek, thinking. “Oh yes, that explains why you look so familiar. The cherub does favor her mother, I see.” Elizabeth smiled.
Bethany lunged for her, screaming, “I want Sarah! Give her to me!”
Connor took advantage of Bethany’s attack to turn on the two guards flanking him. Before they could react, he threw two punches and they toppled to the floor, unconscious.
“Here, my Priestess!” Esther yelled, pulling the gun out of her sling and tossing it to Elizabeth. “It’s a weapon.”
Connor made a grab for her, but it was too late. Elizabeth caught the gun. Connor punched Esther in the jaw, sending the woman reeling to the ground.
“I know what it is,” Elizabeth replied through gritted teeth as she fought Bethany. She kicked Bethany and scrambled for the gun where it had landed on the floor. Sitting up she pointed the gun at Bethany.
“No!” Ian screamed, making a dive for Elizabeth. Before Bethany could react, Elizabeth turned the gun on Ian and shot him in the chest. He dropped to the ground in a broken heap, blood pooling beneath him.
Connor and Bethany rushed to his side. Bethany laid her hands on his chest and tried to heal him, but it was too late. His spirit had departed.
Connor stood and turned to his wife. “Why, Elizabeth? Why did you come here?”
“After Michael presented me with the Book of Eitel, I discovered a power unsurpassed. A power so great it has made me immortal. I’ll live forever here.” She spread her arms wide. “Look at me, Connor. I’ve hardly aged. And look at my hair.” She lifted the tresses and let them fall back down. “It flows with the life of all the souls I’ve taken.”
“I always knew you were a little crazy, but I never thought you were capable of murder.”
Bethany slowly rose, extracting the needle from inside of her blouse at the same time. With three quick downward thrusts, it grew into a sword. The sword she’d use to kill this woman.
Elizabeth eyed Bethany as she approached the throne. “You can’t kill me with your toy. Don’t you know I’m immortal?”
“Save it for the worshippers, Elizabeth. I’ve seen the writings. I know you can die.” She aimed the point at her, then raised it. As she did so, Elizabeth leveled the gun.
“No!” Connor yelled, rushing forward. Just as he reached Bethany, Elizabeth fired. He shoved Bethany out of the way and caught the bullet in his thigh. He hit the hard floor with a thud as the bullet passed through, tearing the muscle.
“Connor,” Bethany cried running to his side.
“Give me the sword,” he ground out.
Bethany opened her mouth to argue as Connor stood unsteadily. “I’ll see this through. It’s my battle, Bethany.”
“It’s both of ours, Connor. She has Sarah.” Bethany raised the sword once more and approached Elizabeth. She took two steps before the other woman fired the gun again.
The force of the bullet as it hit her shoulder knocked Bethany to the ground. She dropped the sword with a loud clatter.
“Bethany!” Connor went to her and checked the wound. Groaning with relief he whispered to her to stay down. He reached for the sword and limped toward Elizabeth.
“This is ridiculous, Connor.” Elizabeth chuckled.
He gripped the sword tightly in his hands.
I can’t believe I ever thought I loved this woman.
His thoughts shifted to Bethany, so loving, so brave. Her beauty shone from within.
“Why not join me here. You can be immortal, too,” she purred.
“Not at the expense of other’s lives,” he stated flatly. Connor lifted the sword.
“You won’t do it,” she taunted. She raised the gun once more and fired, catching Connor in the forearm. He stumbled slightly and almost dropped the sword. But the sight of Bethany, where she lay in her own blood, spurred him on. In one swift motion, before Elizabeth could shoot the gun again, the sword flew through the air and sliced through her fine-boned neck, sending her head tumbling down the steps of the throne.
Her body twitched and a sudden rush of air flew out of her open neck, carrying all the souls she had taken. Glowing golden in the torchlight, they rushed and squealed, circling the room, delighting in their newfound freedom. He watched in amazed silence as they slipped, one after another, through a small opening in the floor behind the throne. He started to follow them, but Bethany moaned, and he returned his attention to her.
“Heal yourself, Bethany. You did it before. You can do it again,” he urged as he tied his kerchief around his wounded thigh.
“I’m so tired,” she murmured.
“I’m here. Use my strength.” Connor took her hand. “Please, Angel, I need you. I love you.”
Bethany closed her eyes and Connor watched as a warm pink glow began to emanate from her body. It enveloped the wound, stopping the blood flow and making the skin new again. She slowly sat up, holding her head until she felt able to move. “You’re hurt, too. Let me—” she reached for him, but he brushed her hand away.
“I’ll be fine. They’re only flesh wounds.”
She touched his cheek and nodded. “Did you hear something?” she asked, looking around the room.
Connor shook his head. “What did it sound like?”
Bethany didn’t answer but stood shakily and followed the noises. Reaching the back of the throne, she gave it a hard shove. It slid forward. Standing on the stairs were several small forms, scrambli
ng toward the light. One in particular stood out, her long silver-blonde hair illuminated by the fire of the torches.
“Momma!” Sarah cried, rushing into her mother’s outstretched arms.
“Oh, baby.” Bethany fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face, and embraced her child. “Don’t ever leave me again.”
Chapter 30
Connor was silent as he and Bethany approached the portal between the planes. “Penny for your thoughts,” Bethany echoed his words.
He smiled. “I was just thinking about Abraham when he saw Sarah. I’ve never seen a man as happy as he was.”
“Papa spoils her too much.” She sighed. “I used to scold him about it, but I think I’ll let him be from now on.” She kicked at a rock as they crossed the almost barren land. With winter upon them, the trees and bushes were dormant for the season, their branches laid bare. It was cold enough now for the ice to stay on the ground and they stepped carefully. Bethany shivered and pulled her heavy shawl more tightly around her.
Connor removed his own jacket and draped it around her shoulders as they walked. Abruptly, he stopped and doubled over, a grimace crossing his face.
“What is it?” Bethany asked, her brow wrinkled with worry.
Connor took a deep breath and straightened. “It’s nothing.”
Bethany eyed him. “Don’t lie to me, Connor Jessup. Let me help you.” She pushed the long sleeves of the coat out of her way and raised her arms to him.
“I said I’m all right, Bethany.” He winced again. “Really.”
“Promise me you’ll say something if it gets any worse.”
“Cross my heart.”
“I wish you didn’t have to leave.”
“I won’t be gone long but I’ve got to let Elizabeth’s and Michael’s families know what’s become of them—in a round-about way that is.” He stopped as they reached the wall of shale. “I feel I owe it to them. Besides, I need to say good-bye to Jimmy.”
“I understand,” Bethany replied softly. “Zachariah?” she called out, searching the wall. Ah, there it was—the blue glow.
“I’m not telling any fortunes today,” Zachariah boomed from within the mountain.
Bethany laughed. “I seek no fortunes, Sir, only a moment of your time for two weary travelers.”
The ground vibrated as the crack in the side of the mountain slowly opened, allowing entry to the portal. Hand in hand, Bethany and Connor passed through the opalescent haze. There, on the other side, Zachariah waited, his arms outstretched.
“Bethany M’Doro and Connor Jessup!” he greeted them. “I didn’t expect to see you two again so soon.”
“We did it, Zachariah. We found Sarah.”
Zachariah clapped his hands together. “Wonderful! I told you your mission was blessed. Come, sit by the fire. I have someone here who’d love to hear your tale.”
Bethany and Connor walked toward the fire. Sitting with her back to them was the slight, bent form of a woman. She turned around, her eyes dancing. “Maud!” Bethany exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”
“Visiting an old friend.” She smiled at Zachariah. “He told me of your journey as a shadow.” She patted the chair next to her. “Sit, child, and tell me your story. I need some new tales to weave.”
Connor whispered to Bethany. “Who is she?”
“Maud Hekate, this is Connor Jessup.” She beamed at the man beside her. “My husband.”
“Husband! Well, well, much has happened,” Zachariah observed with a sly smile.
And so, Bethany and Connor sat near the fire. Sipping a cup of bitters, Bethany told them about the search for the Eitellans, the destruction of Liazar, and the release of the souls. More importantly, she told them of Sarah’s homecoming and her wedding to Connor. It was a simple ceremony in the woods near her home. Abraham and Sarah were there to witness the declaration of their love and commitment to each other.
As Bethany spoke, Maud strummed the air, creating and refining the fabric of color she’d use to relate the story to others later. Connor sat, transfixed. “How do you do that?”
“It’s a gift I received from my father. He received it from his mother before him and so on.”
“Fascinating,” he whispered.
“There’s one thing, though, that I still haven’t been able to figure out about all of this,” Bethany began. “How did the Book of Eitel come to be on the Earth plane in the first place?”
Maud finished her weaving and inspected the texture and construction of the display before her then turned back to Bethany. “When I was young, my father told me a story about his grandmother. She was an Eitellan who lived in fear of the day the High Priestess would demand her children. She stole the Book and hid it on the island where I now live. Do you remember when I told you my mother was from Earth?”
Bethany nodded.
“When she heard the stories, she feared the sect would become active again. It was she who took the Book and left it on Earth.”
“And Elizabeth found it.” Bethany shook her head, amazed at the chain of events that had brought her to this point.
Connor put down his cup. “It’s time I left.”
“Where’s he going?” Zachariah asked.
“He’s returning to Earth for a time. He needs to mend the fabric of his old life before he begins anew,” she explained.
Connor stood and pulled her to her feet. They embraced. “Be sure and listen for him, Zachariah. He’ll be back soon,” she said, tears streaming down her face.
Together, arm in arm, they made their way to the point of crossing. Reluctantly Bethany released her hold on him. Passing through the portal, he turned and waved. “I love you,” Bethany called. She stared for a long time into the passageway after he had gone.
She finally turned around when Zachariah placed a hand on her shoulder. “Why didn’t you tell him about the child?” he asked, his voice low.
Bethany hugged her arms about her middle. “I didn’t want him to feel he couldn’t return to Earth if that’s what he wanted. But I will tell him, Zachariah.” She smiled sadly. “The next time he dreams.”
Epilogue
Bethany sat in front of the fire, contemplating the flames as they shifted about. Red, blue, orange—images formed, then disappeared again. She let her gaze wander around the dark room as the shadows reached out. A chill ran up her spine, a sense of foreboding filling her heart.
“Connor, my love, will you ever return?” she wondered aloud. Eight months had passed since he’d left and still there was no sign of him. Bethany had stayed on for a while at Zachariah’s after Connor returned to Earth. She spent the time visiting with him and Maud and using the portal to communicate with her husband. She would have liked to return again to see what was delaying Connor but was too far along in her pregnancy to travel the distance safely.
Don’t worry. He’ll be home as soon as he’s able…
Suddenly, Bethany clutched her stomach as a sharp pain tore through her, taking her breath away. She shifted in the chair, trying to find a comfortable position.
She stared back into the fire, welcoming its comfort, but longing for something more. Then, a dark image filled her mind. “No,” she whispered, fighting the vision that clouded her sight. “No!” She screamed the word this time, jumping from the chair.
Abraham threw open his bedroom door and hurried to her. “What is it, Daughter? Is it time for the child to come?”
Bethany fell to her knees, her eyes never leaving the hearth. She wrapped her arms around her shoulders, rocking back and forth as she sobbed. “Sweet Mother. He’s gone, Papa.” She looked up into his face, the tears streaming down her cheeks. “Connor’s dead.”
“How can that be? Are you certain?”
Bethany fell forward as another contraction wracked her body. Abraham helped her to her feet, guiding her into
the bedroom. “I saw him. He was in bed. His friend was at his side,” she cried. “I watched his last breath, Papa. I saw his soul as it drifted away. I knew he wasn’t well when he left. I shouldn’t have let him go. What am I going to do?”
Abraham hugged his daughter, tears welling in his eyes. “He needed to go to his home one last time. You couldn’t have prevented it, as much as I know you would’ve liked to.” He patted her stomach. “We’ll figure out what to do later. Right now, I think you need to concentrate on having this child.”
He looked over and found Sarah standing in the doorway, rubbing her eyes. “Is Mama all right?” she asked sleepily. “I heard her crying.”
Abraham went to her side and knelt down so his eyes were level with hers. “She’s going to be fine, Butterfly. But right now, she’s going to have your little brother or sister.” He placed his hands on her shoulders. “I need you to go to Cinda the Birther and let her know it’s your mama’s time to deliver. Can you do that for me?”
Sarah nodded, smiling. “Of course, I can.”
Bethany moaned as another contraction came upon her. “Please hurry, Sarah.” She held her breath for a moment. “The pains are coming more quickly now.”
For the remainder of the night, Bethany fought against the image of Connor’s death. Maybe she had misinterpreted it. Maybe he was fine and she was only seeing someone else who happened to look like her husband. But deep down, Bethany couldn’t deny it and knew what she had seen was true. She recalled Zachariah’s words from the hall of the Akashic Records. “He leaves the Earth plane in 1875.” 1875. That was the year she found him and the year he returned. Grief ripped through as deep as the pain of giving birth.
Bethany struggled to relax, knowing it would ease the babe’s delivery, but it was to no avail. With Cinda at her side, the cries of a new child finally echoed throughout the house in time to greet the rising sun. The Birther presented the baby to Bethany and fussed over it for a time, making certain all was well before she left.