Cruel Fortunes Omnibus: Volumes One to Four

by RAE STAPLETON

  “Hold yer lyin’ tongue. Do ye really expect me to believe yer a witch like Saundra, when ye loathed her so?”

  “Ye’re the one who said I bewitch people, but no, I don’t claim to be a witch. Please just listen to me and you’ll understand. The man who owns the castle in the twenty-first century—he found journals and he asked me to study them, to try to find out how ye all died. I think that’s why I’ve come here now, to save ye. Ye see, ye lose yer castle today and many die alongside ye.”

  “Well, that’s no a big revelation, now, is it? Considerin’ we’re under attack, thanks to the likes of ye.”

  “No, I had nothing to do with that.”

  “Ye had everythin’ to do with it. Ye’ve always been nothing but trouble, Sive, and now ye’ve brought war upon our heads. I should have locked ye away long ago.”

  His hands were trembling and his face was red as he took a deep breath and turned away. He threw the door shut and locked it in place, leaving me shaking and gasping as I tried to stop sobbing.

  Lassya caught fleeting glimpses of her surroundings. Endless castle walls. She moved as fast as she could from room to room—listening for any signs that they were being followed. Sweat rolled down her grandson’s face as he helped her to walk. His breathing rasped through his throat when at last he scooped her up into his arms. Her side burned from the cut the Witch had inflicted.

  “We’re running out of time, and this movement hurts so much. I feel like I’m falling.”

  “Just hang on. You’re slipping, that’s all,” Rochus replied, hoisting her up again. The jostling thrust her stomach into her throat. She moaned. His arms tightened around her. “Why don’t I take you to the woods where it’s safe and I can come back on my own and search?”

  She opened her eyes and let out a startled gasp. Leaning against a wall, she looked down at her wound. “There’s no time. Besides, I’m not going to make it,” she mumbled as she looked at the blood now transferred to her hand.

  “Don’t say that. You will make it. Now, where is this book?” Rochus asked harshly.

  Lassya pressed her palms into her eyes. The pain was getting worse. Her stomach rolled.

  Gingerly, she tested her balance. “It’s where we’re headed. Somewhere I’d much rather avoid, but we haven’t the choice. The Witch’s Lair.”

  Shouts came from behind them. Rochus’s grip tightened as he twisted toward the sound. They hurried across a room and entered a set of stairs leading into a basement. Lassya was hunched like a withered old woman in his arms. No sooner were they out of sight than she heard the unmistakable sounds of running guards. Carefully, Rochus carried Lassya deeper down the stairwell into the shadows. The two of them held their breath until the footsteps faded into the distance.

  Rochus gently set her down, his arm hovering around her shoulders as if to make sure she didn’t tip over. Lassya glanced around.

  “Where are we?” Rochus shivered.

  The basement smelled of strong herbs. “We’ve found it, Rochus. It’s down here,” she said in disbelief. The stairwell twirled around her.

  “Is she here—Alexandra, the Witch of Dunlace?”

  “I don’t sense her, but I’m sure she’ll be along as soon as she wakes from that spell we cast on her so let’s hurry. It must be at the end of this hall.”

  THIRTY-TWO

  Northern Ireland, November 1551

  I sat on the step and cried for several minutes before I was able to get hold of myself. Uilliam wasn’t returning and Cullen or Conal—whatever his name was—wasn’t coming to save me, if he was even still alive.

  There had to be a way out. I picked up the bottom portion of the massive wedding dress and headed down the stone steps. There was a wall just ahead; it looked like the stairs changed direction. If only I could see better … The lighting grew worse, the deeper I went. It only took one misstep to lose my footing and I stumbled down the last three steps, hitting the stone wall with a thud. The wall which had looked solid gave way, and I landed on my face inside a small chamber.

  I pushed myself up off the ground and brushed the dirt away. Light streamed in from a small window in the far corner. I’d never been so happy to see light in all my life. I waited for my eyes to adjust and then scanned the space. So, the room had been here all along.

  Hundreds of books lined the wall at the back. I moved closer to look at them.

  Spellbooks.

  Fascinated, I rummaged through the pages, finding instructions on how to cast spells and cure various ailments. A journal lay on the desk so I flipped it open.

  Saundra Cuza.

  Hmm. This must be her room?

  I stopped at the journal entry from two weeks ago. My eyes focused in on Sive’s name. This woman had set her up to cause a war. She encouraged her father to marry her off to Conal only to call off the wedding, knowing it would anger him so. Then she had her betrothed to her lover’s cousin but why? I sped read my way through. She was obsessed with the idea of Sive and Conal having a baby. I flipped a few pages.

  The girl will be cursed—intensifying Uilliam’s need to possess her and the stone so much that he will eventually murder her.

  Another book lay open on the floor close to where I’d first landed, and as I lifted the page I felt a chill move down my spine.

  Who did this belong to? As I bent to retrieve it, light reflected off an object near it—something shiny. I scooped it up and my blood ran cold. It was the Delhi Sapphire. It had not yet been cut and made into a jewelry set—that would happen later, in 1920. What was it doing here?

  Hope swelled inside of me. Maybe I could use the jewel to get home? With shaky fingers, I reached forward and held my hand over the book. The pages fluttered just as they had in the past. The pages continued to flip and I could smell the smoke from the fire getting stronger. At last the leaves slowed and finally stopped.

  I looked down. There were only three words but I didn’t recognize them. Latin, perhaps? As I worked through the sounds, a strange energy began to build in the room. I could almost hear the walls humming. Curiosity piqued my interest and I continued to sound out the inscription.

  I began to chant the words and they came out more smoothly as I repeated them. Finally an unbearable pain shot through my head. Gripping the edge of the table, I glimpsed someone coming down the stairs.

  THIRTY-FOUR

  Northern Ireland, November 1551

  “We have lost the battle, but not the war.”

  Lassya did her best to sit up straight against the old beech tree as she watched her grandson enter the woods. She would impart her final wish upon him. The thought of her eldest grandson seeing her in such a weakened state pained her almost as much as the knife to the ribs that forced her breath to come in short rasps. She was a High Priestess, built strong like the witches before her. She found it difficult to believe that her own niece, Saundra, or rather Alexandra, had bested her, but she supposed that was the truth of it. Alexandra was clairvoyant, like Lassya, and she must have begun having the dreams twelve years ago as well. Only Alexandra had come here and ingratiated herself in the McQuillan and MacDonnell clans. They trusted her and she manipulated them into acting out her revenge.

  Lassya had ignored the visions until it was too late; at least she had stolen the sapphire and the book. There was no way she could make the journey now—not in this condition—it would have to be Rochus. She only hoped he was up to the task. He was still so young and not finished his training.

  She pushed thoughts of her friend away and how she’d failed to protect her daughter, Sive, from Alexandra’s curse. She’d accidently set fire to the castlegrounds while battling Alexandra, and the chaos had backfired. The only thing she could do now was hide the sapphire and try again the next time around. As Rochus sat down beside her, Lassya allowed her thoughts to drift to the burden she knew she must place upon his shoulders.

  “I’m sorry it took me so long. The fighting has finally stopped. The men of Dunlace Castle are putting
out the fire now. I suspect the rain will help with that.”

  “Rochus,” Lassya’s chest began to weigh down on itself, begging her not to say anymore, but she refused to let her body fail before she said her peace. “There is so much I need to tell you, but I am not long for this world.” She took the bag she’d protected with her life and pushed it into her grandson’s lap. “Take this book and guard it. Never let Alexandra near it. Right now the magic is too strong for her but in time her powers will strengthen and who knows what her evil mind will do with it. When I die, you will receive several of my gifts.”

  “No, Bunica. I won’t hear another word about that. Just get some rest, and you’ll feel much better come morning. I’ll mix a potion to temporarily heal you, and we’ll get you home to Romania. The family will heal you completely.”

  “I’m three-hundred-and-fifty years old, boy, and my body may be weak, but my mind is sharp. You know as well as I do that I am dying. I need you to make peace with that as well, for I expect you to journey to India as if nothing has happened. You will take my place as the guardian of the book. It falls to you to watch over not only my grimoire, but the cursed sapphire as well. By placing it in Indra’s protection, you will save Sophia in the next life—as I’ve failed to do in this one. You will live to protect Sophia. She will be born again in 100 years.”

  “But the girl, Sive, is not yet dead. It’s not too late. We can still rescue her.”

  “No, my boy, she’s touched the sapphire. It is too late. Her death is now inevitable. I can foresee it. So, heed my words: I do not know where, but in the ten years before she is re-born you will have dreams. This is one of the gifts you will gain upon my death. The only downside is that my niece is a clairvoyant like me as we discovered here. She will have the same dreams. You must protect the girl from her. Do not make the same mistake I did. Do not wait until the last moment to go to her. If you can keep Sophia from the cursed sapphire her whole life then the curse will be broken. Time will revert and we will return to the moment before Alexandra wrote the curse. If you fail, then there is nothing I can do unless and until you die and I am reborn. Once I am reborn my powers will grow as I age and I will hopefully find a way to stop her. Until that time, you mustn't tell Sophia the truth. It would only fracture her spirit to know how controlled her fate is. The human spirit needs hope. Tell her whatever she needs to hear—lie if you must. There is one other thing: In addition to the dreams Alexandra may be able to use her powers to glimpse the future. The thing you must know is that the future is never certain. There are always several possibilities. So, the future we sometimes see is naught but a lie.”

  THIRTY-FIVE

  Blood Moon, Southern India, Present Day

  Y our husband said you have something you must leave here.” Mani said, walking back into the room.

  “Huh?”

  “Your husband, ma’ am, he said you needed to leave something here.”

  I looked around the dusty chamber. I was once again in India—back in my present life. I remembered the jewels inside the bag and let go of the dagger.

  “Sophia, love, are ye feelin’ alright?”

  I looked to my side. Cullen had bent down beside me. It was all I could do not to leap into his arms.

  “I’m fine.” I got to my feet and leaned into Cullen. “I hate small spaces. It’s getting to me but I’m okay now.”

  Cullen gave me a funny look and I knew he didn’t buy it but he was willing to play along.

  I turned to face Mani, keeping my hand out of sight in case it was bleeding. “I do have something to leave, but if there is an excavation crew working here than perhaps it’s not a good idea.”

  “They ran out of money. No more people come here. Only I know of the statue.”

  It seemed most convenient that we’d met the one man in all of India who knew where to find this sacred statue. I swallowed, feeling a sense of dread. Saraswati hadn’t trusted this man and neither did I.

  “What about your cousin?”

  “Dead. He died a month ago. Most unsafe, working conditions in India.”

  That was a lie about his cousin. I pretended to check my bag. “I just realized I left it back at the hotel. Perhaps we could come back Monday.”

  Cullen turned to me and motioned to my bag. In an almost inaudible voice, he whispered. “What are ye up to, Aeval?”

  I gave him a ‘trust me’ look and we turned back around to face Mani.

  “I think...” The man’s large, dark brown eyes were now studying my face with open hostility, and I felt my scalp tightening with an unaccountable dread. “I think you don’t trust me. You thought I would murder you, and you would now be dead.”

  “No.” The sense of dread I'd felt a moment before was suddenly a full-blown alarm.

  “Yes,” he said, not smiling. “Yes, I think you are right to be cautious. If what you have is valuable, then many would steal and murder for it. And this is the perfect place to get away with it. You were right to be wary but today is a most fortunate day for you—that I am your guide and I would never hurt you, myself.”

  “I honestly don’t have it.”

  Cullen stepped in between us. “I don’t think she meant any disrespect, lad,” he said and leaned into the man’s face. “All the same, ye got paid and we’ll be after headin’ back up to the surface now.”

  “Fine. We can come back tomorrow.”

  “We have plans tomorrow. Perhaps Monday,” I said.

  Cullen backed away and motioned for the guide to go first, I imagined so he could see what he was up to. Cullen was no dummy.

  Our tuk-tuks were waiting just as promised when we emerged from the temple walls. Sam and Leslie took off first and we followed, leaving a disgruntled Mani behind.

  “This is for you,” the driver said, handing me a piece of paper as I climbed into the back of the tin can.

  “What is this?” Cullen asked, clearly confused by the situation. An address.

  The driver gave me a smile, and with one arm raised, he waved at someone and said, “she is my aunt you know and she thinks you are in danger. You should listen to her; she is a very wise woman.”

  I looked up and glimpsed Saraswati as she disappeared inside the gates.

  THIRTY-SIX

  A hush fell over the grove as night settled in. Most of the tourists had disappeared with the sun, settling into their chicken tikka masala and palak paneer, making it the perfect time for a private discussion. I watched Cullen from our bunkie’s porch as leaned against the trunk of one of the many mango trees that spread their broad, rounded canopy over the resort. Ribbons of green leaves drooped down from almost a hundred feet overhead. His face rotated still between anger and concern, but last he came back inside. He knew what I said was true and he also knew logically that it wasn’t my choice or doing. This wasn’t the first time I’d fallen through time and I didn’t exactly control it. In the past I’d kept it from him and that had only caused problems. This time I’d thought it best to get it out and over with, like ripping off a band aid.

  Finding myself in another body and century was overwhelming but right now I wondered who it was more traumatic for. Whether it was the fact that I’d been intimate with a man—even if that man had been him—or that I’d been mistreated by another, Cullen was furious.

  I wanted to reach for him, to have him pull me against him and into an embrace so that his fingers could stroke my hair as they sometimes did but I knew his feelings couldn’t be rushed. He needed time to process everything I was telling him.

  He walked to the sliding glass door of the porch and yanked it open, but instead of leaving the room, he closed it again just as suddenly and turned back to me.

  “I apologize, Aeval, I don’t mean to treat ye poorly. I’m behavin’ like a brute.” He extended his hand to me.

  I looked up at him and said his name so that he’d look into my eyes.

  “Cullen, I don’t blame you, not at all. I’d feel the same way if you kissed another,
but if it’s any consolation, it was you. There was never any doubt in my mind.” I reached a hand up to gently brush my thumb across his cheek. “Anyway, I’m glad to be back in the present. I like the modern-day you best of all. “

  That was all it took for his mouth to sink down, consuming my neck and lips as he cupped my breast and moved his other hand to my backside. I relaxed against him, allowing him to feel and touch me over the fabric of my dress, and I moaned as his teeth grazed against my earlobe.

  He shook with need, and I wrapped my legs around him as he lifted me and carried me over to the bed. He lay me down and followed me, rolling onto his side next to me as he kissed me once more, slipping his hand underneath the flimsy fabric to feel my bare skin. I shrugged out of the loose neck of the gown, pushing my breasts out the top, exposing them to the air for a brief moment as he bent down.

  Everything was an exquisite sensation. Then he stopped and rested his forehead against my own, kissing me gently as he struggled to catch his breath. Slowly, he rolled to his side and pulled me against his chest.

  “I’m sorry, lass, but I can’t do this yet, not when your story is so fresh in my head. I don’t want to do this out of anger but part of me wants to claim ye like a dog with a bone—it isn’t right.”

  I understood and respected him for it, no matter how desperately I wanted to be claimed.

  “Okay.” I nodded against him, and we lay together, both catching our breath as we tried to subdue our need for each other.

  After a time, I turned and smiled up at him.

  “Do you want to talk instead?”

  He grinned and bent his head to kiss me. My whole body tingled once more.

  “I’m not upset with ye but I don’t think I can talk tonight.”

  He reached to brush the hair from my face.

  “Could I simply hold ye instead, Aeval? Would it bother ye for me to fall asleep?”