Archdruid

by Tiffany Shand

  Why, of all people, did it have to be him? He would have preferred an attack by Gliss or even by Urien himself to this.

  “We were attacked by banelings too,” Ann said. “Urien must have sent them to track me.”

  “So why are you here?” Ed demanded of Jerome, crossing his arms.

  Jerome didn’t react to Ed’s outward hostility. “We sensed the power of the archdruid.” He smiled and kissed the back of Ann’s hand. “I knew we would see each other again.”

  Ann blushed, and Ed felt about ready to kill the other man. Ann never blushed over anything. What was wrong with her? She never acted like this around men. She would’ve slapped any other man who dared touch her like that.

  “It’s good to see you.” Ann smiled. “It’s been a long time. We’d be happy to have you escort us to Trewa.”

  “We should get moving,” Ceara said. “The banelings could still come back. I’d rather not have to fight more of them of today.” Ed noticed the Gliss had dark circles under her eyes, and her usually pale skin looked almost translucent.

  “Ceara, are you alright?” Ed asked in a low voice.

  Ceara arched an eyebrow at him. “I’m surprised you’d care, wolfy.”

  “I still don’t trust you,” he lowered his voice so the other druids wouldn’t hear him. “If you’re going to drop dead on us, I’d like to know beforehand.”

  Ceara’s eyes narrowed and she scowled at him. “I’m fine. No need to fuss over me. I’m not going to drop dead on anyone.”

  “We’d be honoured to escort you to Trewa,” Jerome said to Ann.

  “Ah, thank the spirits. I’m weary of all this travelling.” Sage sighed with relief.

  Jerome glanced at Ceara, frowning. “You can’t bring the Gliss there, though. Is she a prisoner?”

  “Do I look like a prisoner?” Ceara crossed her arms and raised her chin.

  “She’s coming with us,” Ann said. “She’s one of my rogues.”

  Ed’s eyes widened. Rogues was a term for Magickind who didn’t have any affiliation or loyalty to the other races. They were outcasts, unwanted by others. Ceara was a rogue herself, after betraying Urien and her fellow Gliss, but that didn’t make her one of Ann’s rogues. She still couldn’t be trusted.

  Jerome had a point. But Ann wouldn’t be swayed on the matter, and he’d given up trying to convince her otherwise. She had to see Ceara’s true nature for herself.

  Still, Ed was surprised when Ann told him how Ceara helped her fight off the banelings. He’d expected Ceara to have run off by now. What was she up to? The Gliss must be after something, he just hadn’t figured out what yet. Or else she would have gone running back to Urien by now.

  The druids walked ahead, whilst Ann, Ed, and the others followed on horseback. The grasslands gave way to dense forests. The air filled with the smell of earth, leaves and pine cones as they moved deeper into the trees.

  “I told you the druids wouldn’t be very welcoming toward a Gliss,” Sage said to Ann. “You can’t afford to have them turn against you.”

  “I trust her. She hasn’t done anything wrong,” Ann hissed. “You shouldn’t judge someone just because you think she’s evil.”

  “Gliss aren’t good, are they?” Sage snapped. “You’re the archdruid. You need to start acting like it.”

  Ed had to silently agree, and Sage gave him a look. Talk to her. She listens to you, she said.

  Sure, she does. When she feels like it. Ed bit back a laugh.

  “Ann, she’s right. We need the druids on our side or Urien may—” Ed said to her instead.

  “Ceara stays and that’s final.” Ann raised her chin and urged her horse ahead of them.

  “She has Darius’s stubbornness,” Sage muttered.

  Ceara moved on ahead, following close behind Ann. Ed scowled at that. His place was by her side. Ceara had never joined the Black.

  “Did she do anything to hurt Ann during that baneling attack?” Ed asked.

  Sage shook her head. “No, but that doesn’t mean she won’t turn on us. She’s done it before. I remember when she was a teenager. Ceara was besotted with Urien even then. She wouldn’t have turned against him.”

  “Don’t be so sure. Nothing like a woman scorned,” Jax remarked.

  The great standing stones marked the entrance to Trewa. The ancient stones stood in a great double circle. From the bluestones to the great sarsen stones that formed the outer circle. The stones stood like silent sentinels, grey and weathered from standing for many millennia. Ed always wondered what they would have looked like in the early days. Ann had created a spell once to show him, it had shown a double ring of stones. No one really knew what they had been meant for. Some of the earliest history in the five lands held theories on what they had been meant for. The druids had been using them for as long as anyone could remember.

  Ed felt the crackle of power against his skin. Energy radiated from the ancient circle. Once they had been a monument for ancient man. Now they protected the way to the town.

  Ahead, houses sat gathered beneath the trees. Each house was made from wood, mud bricks, and had a thatched roof and shuttered windows. Some of the walls had even been painted to make them look more attractive. It looked just as Ed remembered when staying here as a child. Flo and Sage had often travelled here for Sage’s role as an adviser to the archdruid.

  Children and animals ran around, whilst other people moved about carrying firewood or digging earth. Woodsmoke billowed out from the houses and the sweet scent of broth filled the air, reminding him of home.

  All eyes turned to them as people stopped what they were doing and threw curious glances their way.

  Ed urged his stallion forward so he, not Ceara, rode alongside Ann. Just as he always had when she’d been the archdruid’s daughter and he one of the Black. Jax came up on Ann’s other side. It almost felt like the old days as knights of the Black Guard. Except now, Ann, not Darius, came to Trewa as the archdruid.

  The archdruid had once been the ruler of all the five lands. An avatar to the gods themselves in the days of old. Darius’ position had given him a very different role. He’d been a monarch in his own right in Caselhelm and ruled over the lands with an iron fist. He’d worked with the council of elders to create laws and try to bring peace to the lands for the first time in centuries.

  Ann still had his title and his power, yet as an outcast, she had none of the lands, armies, or responsibilities that her father had had.

  Ed heard Ann’s heartbeat quicken. He guessed she’d be nervous. Just be yourself, he told her.

  She gave him a grateful smile then shook her head. I’m not ready for this.

  I doubt your father was either the first time he came here as the archdruid. He reached over and squeezed her hand. Jerome glanced back at them, frowning.

  I doubt my father was ever afraid of anything. Ann laughed.

  They rode past the standing stones, and Ed felt static charge against his skin. His inner beast recoiled at the sensation. Too bad, he thought. The druids are my family too. At least Flo and Sage are.

  The druids might be one of the most tolerant races, but he didn’t know how they would react to him now. He wouldn’t be surprised if they cast him out or refused him entry as they had tried to do with Ceara. After all, they might consider him a danger to them.

  Not pack, a low, guttural voice replied.

  His eyes widened in shock. Could the beast talk now? Well, shit. That had been unexpected. Ed didn’t know what it meant either. The thought disturbed him. He couldn’t afford to worry about this.

  People came running out of their houses, and more appeared as a crowd formed to stare at them. The sight of so many people made him uneasy. They didn’t appear threatening, but they set his beast on edge.

  Stay calm, he told himself. They’re not threatening you. I won’t lose control again.

  “Have they come to gawp or declare war on us?” Ceara remarked, rubbing the back of her neck. He’d seen her doing th
at earlier. Were her wounds recovering already?

  “They haven’t seen an archdruid in years,” Sage said. “People will be curious.”

  Jerome and even more warriors came and surrounded them. A blonde-haired man stepped forward. “No Gliss are permitted here,” he said. “We’ll take this woman into custody and—”

  Here we go. Ed’s hand went to his sword. Spirits, am I really considering defending her of all people? She’s still our enemy.

  Jax, be ready, he told his brother. I have a feeling this won’t end well.

  Ann jumped down from her horse, pushing back her hood, her long leather coat billowing behind her. “I’m Rhiannon Valeran…the archdruid,” she said. “This Gliss is my friend, and will not be harmed by anyone here, are we clear? She’s not a threat.”

  “She’s a Gliss. She has killed—” the other man protested.

  The hands of the other warriors went to their weapons as they prepared to fight. Ed jumped down from his own horse and drew his sword, the blade glittering in the sunlight. The hilt still had the emblem of the Black on it. Jax did the same and drew his fighting staff.

  Ann crossed her arms. “She serves me. If anyone tries to harm her, they will suffer my wrath.”

  “With all due respect, my lady, you can’t ask us to allow an enemy to stay here.”

  Ann’s eyes flashed with light. The air crackled with electricity as the stones glowed with lightning. A true sign of the archdruid’s power. Ed bit back a smile.

  The men backed away. Someone clapped, and they all turned to stare at a dark-haired man dressed in long blue druid robes. Blaise Valeran. “The Gliss can stay,” he said, then stormed off without saying another word.

  Chapter 9

  Well, that went even worse than I expected, Ann thought. But she’d be damned if she let anyone hurt Ceara. By the spirits, why did Blaise have to appear and disappear like that? The Gliss hadn’t done anything to them.

  “So much for good terms,” Sage muttered. “Ann, I told you—”

  Ann held up her hand. “Not now, Sage.”

  Ed and Jax both lowered their weapons. The druid warriors dispersed and moved out of their way.

  “Phew,” Jax breathed. “I’m glad we don’t have another battle on our hands.”

  Ann told Jax to make sure no one harmed Ceara. She hurried after her uncle with Ed trailing behind her. He seemed to have slipped back into his role as one of the Black.

  Blaise’s own house was a whitewashed thatched cottage that appeared larger than some of the other buildings around it. To her relief, Jerome didn’t try to follow them. Good; she would talk to him more later.

  Why did Blaise have to clap his hands and make a scene like that? Sure, he might allow Ceara to stay, but he’d undermined her in front of the other druids.

  Blaise looked more or less as she remembered. Where Darius had been golden blonde, Blaise had dark blonde hair, but he still had the same clear blue eyes as his brother. Wrinkles lined the corners of his eyes. His hands were worn and calloused from years of working with herbs and plants.

  “Is that it?” Ann demanded as she followed her uncle into his house. “Is that all you have to say to me after all these years?” To her surprise, Ed stayed outside. She didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed by that.

  She moved through the hallway, stopping in a larger room. Herbs hung from the rafters. A couple of chairs surrounded the stone fireplace. A rug made from reeds covered the flagstone floor and the heady scent of incense filled the air. The walls were grey stone, not whitewashed like the outside. Shelves lined one side of the room, filled with jars, coloured bottles, and small vials. It looked just as she remembered. Blaise always had kept everything neat and organised in his own particular order.

  Blaise glared at her. “I’ve kept these people safe for years, and you come waltzing in like you’re the archdruid.”

  “I am,” Ann said through gritted teeth. She might not like the title or rank—a lot of good it did her—but she couldn’t deny she had the power.

  “That doesn’t mean everyone here will just fall in line to follow you,” Blaise said. “The world has changed since your father’s reign. How dare you storm into my town and threaten my men, all to protect a damned Gliss no less!” He clapped again. “Bravo, niece. You certainly inherited your father’s arrogance.”

  “Your men threatened one of my people. You can’t expect me to stand back when Ceara hasn’t done anything wrong.” She should’ve known Blaise wouldn’t give her a warm welcome, yet part of her had hoped her father’s death would’ve changed things between them. Wasn’t death supposed to bring people closer together?

  “The Gliss killed more than a dozen of my best warriors last month. They’ve spent the past few years hunting our people to extinction,” Blaise said, his jaw tightening. “Yet you protect one of them. You can’t expect me to welcome her. They’re our enemy. Orla declared war on us after your father’s death. It’s her mission to wipe out the entire druid race.”

  Ann crossed her arms. “I didn’t come here to argue about a Gliss. I came to—”

  “Oh, I know why you’ve come. I know that bastard brother of yours is back, ready to plunge the lands into chaos,” he said, moving around the table and picking up a pestle and mortar. “After all the years you spent in hiding whilst our people and the rest of the lands suffered, you—”

  “Urien killed my parents and Orla’s forces brought about the revolution. I stayed in hiding to make sure Orla didn’t get Urien back,” she snapped. “If I’d come here, I would have put everyone in even more danger. I stayed away to keep you and the other druids safe.”

  “Yes, now you come grovelling to me. But you’ll find no allies here, niece. It was Darius’ ambition that brought about the revolution,” he said, his eyes hard. “I won’t have you drag these people into another war. It would be better if you all died that night, and the Valeran name died with you.”

  Ann couldn’t believe it, and her mouth fell open. She hadn’t expected this much hostility. “I didn’t come here to beg for your help. I came because I thought it was time we mended the rift in our family,” she said. “You want to protect your people, I respect that. I’m not here to undermine your leadership.”

  Blaise laughed. “No, you’ve made it clear why you came. You need something from me — the support of the other druids,” he said. “That’s what your father used people for, too. He got what he needed, then he cast them aside once they served their purpose.” His grip tightened on the pestle and mortar so much his knuckles turned white. “You’re even worse than he was.”

  “You don’t know anything about him!” Ann cried. “He wasn’t perfect, but he was still my father, so don’t speak ill of him.”

  “Get out. You may be the archdruid, but I don’t want you here. Stay if you must, I don’t have the authority to cast you out,” he said. “And I don’t have to be welcoming.”

  Her fists clenched. “You haven’t changed either. You may hate Papa, but you are more like him than you think,” she spat. “I only came to warn you of Urien’s return—that’s done now.”

  “You came because you need allies.”

  “I don’t need anything from you,” she hissed. “I’ve been alone since the night I found my mother dead and watched Urien kill my father, who died in my arms. Part of me died that night, too. I’d be dead now if Papa hadn’t cast a spell. I spent the last five years trying to make sure Urien never came back. Now he’s inside the body of my other brother, and I don’t know how to save him.” Hot tears filled her eyes. “You’re lucky to have people here to help you. Xander and I fought Orla’s forces with only Ed by our side. You’re wrong, uncle. I don’t want anything from you.” She stormed off, horrified she’d started crying. Blaise was one of the few family members she had left. Ann had hoped he might have been a little more welcoming. She hadn’t meant to offend him, but she couldn’t let anyone hurt Ceara.

  Ann had thought about staying here amon
g the druids before now and had wanted to go to them after her parents died. But it hadn’t been an option. She hadn’t wanted to put their lives at risk, too.

  She wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve and pulled up her hood. “We are leaving,” she told Edward, who had been waiting for her outside. “Ask if they’ll give us new horses. Our old ones will be too tired to make another journey already.” She stormed off, wanting to get away from everyone.

  Some archdruid I am. Even my own uncle wants nothing to do with me. Part of her had felt like she was coming home when she’d seen the great stones again. It had reminded Ann of happier times, when she’d come here alongside Darius. He’d been feared and respected by their people. Ann didn’t want any of it. Fire flared in her hand; she wanted to hurl it at something. Watch it burn and smoulder.

  She moved out of the town through the tree line until she found the small secluded grove where Darius used to bring her.

  Ann stopped by the old oak tree where they had left offerings to their ancestors. You were wrong, Papa. I’m no archdruid.

  She didn’t hear him, but she felt Ed’s presence behind her. “I want to be alone,” she muttered. “Go tell the others we’re leaving.”

  “I’ve never seen you admit defeat so easily. Even when we were kids, you never gave up, Rhiannon.”

  Her eyes flashed as she spun around to glare at him. “I told you not call me that anymore.”

  “Ann, I know you like to think the old you is dead and gone, but we both know she’s still in there,” Ed said. “You proved that with the way you stood up for Ceara. You’re not going to just walk away because Blaise doesn’t want you here.”

  “I don’t want to be the archdruid. I only came here to find a way to save Xander.” Her hands tightened into fists. “What good would have having allies do anyway? I’m not going to war against Urien. I just want to save my brother.”