by Anne, Meg
Her eyes grew distant, and her voice thoughtful. “Giovanni. I know that name.”
“My Gran once helped you and Giles.”
“How do ye know about that?”
“I have visions.”
“Yer a Gypsy like your Gran.”
Skye nodded. “Giles helped me figure out how to get here.”
Maggie’s eyes softened. “He’s alive?”
“Yes, but…the Druid—Oliver—escaped.”
“I know, bastard made me watch him leave. I’d feared he was going back to kill Giles.”
“Not Giles. He went after Lucas and Lizzie.”
Maggie covered her mouth with a hand. “Did he—are they alive?”
“They are, but Lucas is trapped here. I came hoping he’d find me and read this.” She pulled a note from her pocket and held it out to Maggie.
“Escaping requires a soul price,” she read aloud. “How did ye find this out?”
Skye’s smile turned smug. “I tricked the Druid—Oliver—into telling me.”
“I can’t imagine he gave that information freely.” Maggie reached forward and brushed the hair back from Skye’s bandaged ear. “Did he do that?”
Covering it with her hair again, Skye nodded. “I told him I Saw his death.”
Maggie chuckled. “And why would he believe that? Oliver was never daft…or has he changed?”
“You’re familiar with my Gran’s gift?”
Maggie nodded.
“I’m a Seer just like she was.”
“Ah, yes, that would do it then.” Maggie studied Skye. “You say my grandson is here?”
“Yes.”
“How long has he been here?”
“Just over a week.”
Unwinding the wrap from her head, she shifted until she was sitting beside Skye. Sighing, she said, “I felt a surge of power; even without having magic of my own, I can sense it in here. It’s why I have been wandering. I was waiting to see if perhaps Giles found a way to send Oliver back.” She looked up at the sun. “We need to find Lucas, and soon. If he’s been here over a week, he doesn’t have much time left.”
“What do you mean?”
“This place absorbs power, Skye. ‘Tis why it is such a horrid place for a Druid to be trapped. It takes decades for the deterioration to begin, but mere weeks for insanity to set in. If Lucas is here, ‘tis possible he’s already too far gone to save. Although, I hope his brand will help buy him time.”
“His brand? You mean that rune on his side? You know about that?”
“Who do ye think gave it to him?” she asked.
“I thought you said you didn’t have power?”
“No, but my son does.”
Skye stood, brushing sand off her back and legs. Holding out a hand to help Maggie stand, she said, “Lucas is strong. I don’t believe it’s too late to save him.”
“I pray ye’re right, dear.”
Not looking where she was going, Skye stumbled in the sand, but managed to recover before falling. Maggie was more used to navigating through the dunes, and Skye did her best to keep up with her quick pace.
“My son used to take my grandchildren camping. Lucas would know to seek shelter. I know a place where he might be.”
“You’ve been here for decades. How have you not gone insane?”
“Who says I haven’t?” Maggie asked with a smile.
Skye grinned. “You seem so much like the woman I Saw in my vision.”
“I am not magical; this place only draws on power.”
“I don’t understand how you’re alive—how I’m alive.”
“Ye were healed by the gateway. It’s not yer life that this place wants, Skye, ‘tis your soul.”
A soul price. A soul sacrifice. “A permanent prison.”
“Aye.”
They continued walking, and while Maggie was not much of a talker, Skye kept stealing glances at the woman every chance she got. Lizzie favored her grandmother immensely, bright blue eyes and beautiful golden hair, although Maggie’s was liberally streaked with gray. Even the shape of their noses was identical.
“How is my son?”
Skye winced. Of course she wouldn’t have known. “I’m afraid he passed away.”
Maggie stopped, spinning to face her. “Oliver?”
“No, car accident. He and his wife both died.”
Maggie pressed a hand to her heart, tears filling her blue eyes. “I know they’ve thought me dead a long time, but I’d always imagined them alive and happy.”
“I’m so sorry, Maggie. From what Lizzie and Lucas have told me, they were very happy up until the end.”
Maggie squeezed her hand. Skye returned the grasp while Maggie cleared her throat and wiped her cheeks. “We need to focus on Lucas now. I’ll have plenty of time to grieve them later.”
They started walking again, and Skye practically jogged to keep up. Her short legs were no match for Maggie’s long stride.
“How far is this place?” Skye asked.
“Depends on whether the Wasteland wants to mess with yer mind or not. When it's draining power, it prefers ye to be in the open, making ye an easier target for its sandstorms and hallucinations.”
“And if it doesn't?”
“If it doesn’t, we should be coming up on the cave shortly.”
They continued their walk in silence, and Skye couldn’t fight back her growing excitement. Being trapped in the Wasteland aside, she was closer to Lucas than she’d been in weeks. Ever since the day the Druid had kidnapped her.
To see him again—even if it was only for a moment before he had to leave—it would be more than enough to make her sacrifice worth it.
Then he could go on to kill the Druid and save Lizzie and James. There would be no more suffering for her friends, and she could live the rest of eternity in this place knowing she’d done all she could for them.
“So, what are ye to my grandson?” Maggie asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You sacrificed your life for him”—the woman raised her eyebrows—“I’m assuming there’s a reason.”
Skye swallowed hard. “I love him. I can’t think of a better reason than that.”
“No, I don’t imagine there is one.” Maggie stopped. “Loving a Druid ‘tis not an easy task, is it?”
“It certainly hasn’t been so far. Then again, we’ve been running from Oliver since day one.”
“I’m sorry, Skye. For all the suffering Oliver has caused ye.”
“No need to apologize. It wasn’t your fault.” Skye started walking again, desperate to find Lucas.
They crested the top of a sandy hill, and just below, Skye saw the opening to a cave.
“Is that it?”
“Aye. ‘Tis where Oliver sought refuge as well.”
Skye started down the hill, heart pounding in her chest with each sliding step. As she reached the bottom, she broke into a run, stopping just before she walked inside to look back at Maggie. The woman made her way down more slowly, and gestured for Skye to go ahead.
Grateful the older woman wouldn’t make her wait even a few minutes longer, Skye took a deep breath and crossed the threshold into the inky darkness of the cave. “Lucas?”
“Fuck off and die!” he yelled, and all trace of her excitement dissipated as if someone had popped a giant balloon.
“Lucas, it’s Skye.” She walked further inside and spotted him sitting in a corner, his back against the damp stone.
He didn’t bother looking up. “I’m sure it is. Here to torture me some more?”
Since she knew what a dagger to the heart felt like now, it was an accurate description for the pain his words caused. Only Maggie’s warning that the Wasteland liked to play tricks kept her moving forward.
“I’m not here to torture you, I came to save you.”
Lucas lifted his head, and his eyes glared at her with blue fire. Skye offered him a tentative smile. He was dirty, and currently looked like he wanted to rip he
r head off, but he was whole, and the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.
He got to his feet, stalking toward her.
“I’ve missed you,” Skye stammered.
“Have you? Couldn’t have been more than ten minutes since I saw you last. You were telling me all about what a fuck up I was. How I let you down and left you at the mercy of that bastard. How you were spreading your legs for him now because he was so much more powerful than I am.”
Skye backed up, the chilling hatred in his eyes sending panic through her veins. Was he already gone?
“Lucas, look at me. It’s me. Twyla.” Her back hit the stone, and Lucas wrapped his fingers around her throat.
Her use of the nickname only seemed to enrage him further. His nostrils flared, and his eyes narrowed on her face. “You know what, I’m getting to the point where I really don’t fucking care whether you’re real or not. How about we fuck? That’s what you want from me, right? Will that get you to finally leave me the fuck alone?”
He crushed his mouth to hers, and Skye groaned. Angry or not, feeling his body pressed up against hers was a gift. Skye couldn’t get enough. She melted into him, wrapping her body around his, trying to pull him closer. She threaded her fingers through his hair, while her other hand cradled his cheek.
Lucas froze at her tender caress, pulling away to really look at her for the first time. “Skye?” The hatred that had burned in his eyes was gone. “Is it really you?” he asked, his voice breaking as his eyes filled with tears.
She nodded, unable to speak.
Lucas removed his hand and pushed the hair back from the bandage on the side of her head. Her heart stammered in her chest as she held her breath. Would he think she was ugly now? Would he hate what she’d become?
“It really is you,” he whispered, his grief-stricken eyes breaking her heart as he gently stroked the edges of her bandage.
Lucas pulled her against his body and wrapped his arms around her. Skye held on, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed against his chest.
“Fuck, Skye. How did you get here? Why did you come?” He pulled back just far enough to look down at her face, still holding onto her arms.
“I—”
“She sacrificed herself to save ye.”
Maggie stepped into the cavern, and Lucas’ jaw dropped.
“Nan?”
“‘Tis wonderful to see you again, Lucas. ‘Tis been a long time.”
Chapter 23
Lucas
Still gripping Skye’s arms, Lucas stared into the eyes of a dead woman. Or at least, a woman he’d long believed dead. Crystal blue eyes stared back at him, crinkling in the corners as a slight grin spread on her face.
“Nan?” he asked again, still unsure she was real. Had this fucking place found another way to screw with him?
“Aye, Lucas.” Her eyes filled with tears.
Lucas released Skye, taking a lurching step toward his grandmother. “How is this possible? How are you even here?”
“I never left.”
The words cut through the remaining pieces of disbelief, and Lucas rushed toward her, pulling the old woman against him in a tight embrace. They clung to each other, tears streaming down both of their faces while memories of childhood visits filled his mind. Lucas released her, stepping back so that he could see her face.
“I-I can’t believe it. It’s so good to see you, Nan. We hoped that you somehow survived the trip, that maybe the Druid—I mean Pop—would have saved you.”
She shook her head, a shadow crossing her otherwise bright eyes. “He did not.”
“Then how?”
“The gateway did. ‘Tis pure magic. I was healed by the time I woke up. Much like your Skye, it would seem.”
Lucas shot Skye a look, but she wouldn’t meet his gaze. Leaving that conversation for another time, Lucas turned back to his Nan. “The horrible things he must have put you through while you were trapped here together.”
She shrugged. “Honestly, it was worth it knowing he wasn’t out there to hurt ye and yer dad.”
Lucas inwardly groaned. He was going to have to tell her sooner or later. “Nan, about dad—”
Her smile was sad. “It’s okay, Lucas. I already know.” His confusion must have shown because she added, “Skye told me.”
Lucas looked back at Skye, who stood with her arms wrapped around her body. She looked so slight standing there, more doll than grown woman. Her cheeks were gaunt, and her body was more angles than curves. She’d clearly lost a lot of weight—weight she couldn’t afford to lose in the first place. Her hair had lost most of its luster, and her eyes were darker now, filled with the shadows of all she’d been through. She looked unwell, like she should be in a hospital bed hooked up to a number of beeping machines, a fact he’d somehow overlooked in his shock that she was really here.
What the hell had she gone through those weeks they were apart?
“I’m going to step outside and give you two a few moments.” Patting his shoulder, his Nan wrapped her shawl over her face and stepped outside.
Silence stretched between them as he stared at the woman who’d ripped his heart to shreds. Even with the lost time, the pain was still so raw and fresh that she could have left the note for him only days ago.
Was it unfair that a part of him was still angry about the words she’d written?
“What happened to your hand?” she asked, gesturing to his bruised and swollen knuckles. He looked down; he’d completely forgotten about it in the shock of seeing her again.
“Got into a fight with a rock.”
“A rock?”
Lucas nodded. “You should see the other guy.”
Skye snorted, a small smile playing at her lips. After a few moments of silence, it disappeared.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly, looking down at her hands before shifting her eyes back to his face.
“For?”
“The note.”
Lucas folded his arms. They were going to have to have this conversation sooner or later. Better they got everything out on the table now. “So, he didn’t force you to write it, then?”
Skye shook her head, a tear slipping down her cheek. Staring over his shoulder, she sucked in a shaky breath before turning those amber eyes back on him. “I Saw my death.”
“And decided to run away to try and avoid it?” The anger he’d managed to keep from his voice so far finally slipped in. Had she really tried to run away because she was scared?
Skye flinched. “No, it wasn’t like that. The Druid killed me in front of you, knowing what it would do to you. Watching me die changed you, Lucas. It turned you into someone—something—else. You murdered James, Lucas. I couldn’t let that happen.”
Disbelief cut through him. “You know I would never do anything to hurt him.”
Skye took a step toward him, her voice pleading for him to understand. “I know you wouldn’t. But after Seeing that, after knowing that my visions always come true…I had to try”—her voice broke on the word—“I had to keep it from happening, even if it meant destroying myself in the process.”
“Destroying you? What the hell do you think it did to me, Skye? To think you left me behind? That you threw what we had away…”
More tears slipped down her cheeks. Skye hastily brushed them away, her voice trembling as she asked, “Had?”
Lucas stared at her. Hearing the truth behind her note and why she’d tried to leave made it easier to deal with the anger eating him from the inside, but it only made his guilt grow. She’d left to protect them and suffered greatly for it. He couldn’t bear to watch her suffer further.
“Have,” he whispered, taking a step toward her.
When she smiled, a piece of himself slipped back into place. Lucas’ heart ached; his next words would wipe her smile away again. But he had to know.
“What did he do to you?” he asked softly, brushing her hair back to reveal the bandage covering the side of her head.
Skye closed
her eyes and shook her head. “Lucas, please. I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Skye, look at me.”
Her chest rose and fell several times before she opened her eyes and looked up at him.
“I’m so fucking sorry for what you went through.”
“I know.” It was all she could manage to say before her face crumpled and her tears broke free.
Lucas wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly as her entire body shook. If the amount of tears she wept held any relation to the depth of her pain, then the fact that she was still alive was a fucking miracle. If it was too soon for her to say the words out loud and relive those nightmares, then he would wait until she was ready.
Burying his face in her hair, Lucas breathed her in, the scent of lavender and honey filling his lungs. He lost track of time as he held her, neither one of them ready to let go of the other. Finally, her tears stopped, and she pulled away to wipe her face on the sleeves of her sweatshirt.
When she met his gaze again, her lashes were spiked from her tears and her eyes practically glowed. Her face was blotchy and red, but she couldn’t have looked more beautiful. She was here. She was his.
“I love you, Skye.” Lucas tilted her head up and pressed his lips to hers, a gentle caress promising to make up for all the horrors she’d suffered at the hands of their enemy.
“I love you, too,” she whispered when he pulled away.
“Now,” Lucas said, releasing her, “tell me how you got here.”
Skye batted the order away. “How about I tell you how we’re going to get you out?”
Hope flared to life in his chest, and Lucas grinned. “Seriously?”
Skye nodded.
“Hell yes!” Lifting her, Lucas spun her in a circle before setting her back down. “I’ve been trying—and failing—to get out of this hellhole for what feels like forever.”
“It requires a sacrifice, well, a soul sacrifice.” She pulled a small piece of paper from her back pocket and handed it to him.
Lucas unfolded it and read the words she’d just said to him scrawled in her familiar handwriting. They still didn’t make sense.
“Can I come back in?”