by Unknown
Gideon made a movement to join the fight. “Ah, ah, ah,” Rowena said wriggling her finger, “I don’t think so.” Abruptly, Rowena raised her hands and Gideon disappeared into thin air, his sword dropping to the ground. “He won’t be bothering us again,” she said satisfied, “ever.”
“What did you do to him!” Kaelyn demanded.
“Let’s just say…he’s in a safe place.” Kaelyn turned, just as Alexander backed up against her from a strong push by Cain.
“Are ye alright,” Alexander quickly asked her. Kaelyn nodded. Both hastily looked up as Cain mumbled something over Alexander’s serpent dagger. Rowena grinned from behind.
Cain opened his eyes and looked up at Kaelyn and Alexander with an evil grin. “I believe ye have a choice to make, my Immortal brother,” Cain said.
Alexander spit. “I’m nay brother of yours,” he said with disgust.
Cain shrugged his shoulders. “Still, ye need to make a decision. Go, let Kaelyn be mine and we’ll fight another day.”
“Or,” Alexander sneered.
“Die now,” Cain said as his face transformed into pure hate.
“I choose neither,” Alexander said. “Unless, sliding my blade through your black heart is an option!”
Cain abruptly pulled off his long black cape, dropping it to the floor. He tore his tunic apart throwing the pieces to the floor, baring his black and red tattooed covered torso and arms. Holding his hands up over his head, he began to chant, “Druids of long ago, bring me power, bring me strength to defeat my enemy!” His battle cry echoed through the cavern as he ran forward with Alexander running to meet him.
Their swords collided as they came clashing together. Rowena clapped her hands in excitement. Alexander held his own against Cain. They both seemed equal, until Cain used his black magic. Cain mumbled something as Rowena joined the incantation. Cain struck out, plunging the dagger into Alexander’s side.
Abruptly, Alexander favored his side, but continued to fight, thrusting his sword forward to meet every attack from Cain. Cain pushed Alexander back again and again until he stumbled into Kaelyn’s arms. Kaelyn caught him as she fell back against the iron door from his weight. She noticed he sweated and breathed hard. The cut on his side continued to bleed.
Panicked, Kaelyn looked into his gaze with worry. “What’s happening? Why aren’t you healing?”
“Because,” Rowena chimed in, looking pleased with herself, “my brilliant son has finally found a druid spell of old to make Immortals turn into mortal humans.” She smiled to Kaelyn. “You should thanks us,” she purred. “Isn’t that what you wanted?” Rowena’s expression turned to one of pity. “It’s too bad he won’t enjoy his new life for very long.”
Kaelyn, exhausted from holding Alexander up, sank to her knees as he grew more weary. “You bitch!” she yelled. “You cheated!” Furious, Kaelyn lightly let go of Alexander as he leaned up against the door grabbing his side and sweating profusely. “I’ll kill you!” she screamed. Without wondering what to do, Kaelyn flung her arms out and Cain and Rowena went flying back into the stone wall, getting the air knocked out of them. As Rowena and Cain struggled to catch their breath, Kaelyn rushed back to Alexander. She knelt down. “We’ll fix it somehow, it’s not that bad,” she said as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Then why are ye crying, lass,” Alexander said with a weak smile.
* * * * *
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Kaelyn held back a sob as she placed her hands on his side trying to stop the steady flow of blood. How was she supposed to fix him? He bled profusely and he needed medical attention, twenty-first century medical attention.
Without warning, Kaelyn went flying back into the wall as if someone pushed her. “Give me the orb!” Cain roared as his eyes darkened and evil consumed his body. He stood, towering above her. He pointed the dagger at her. “Give me the orb and ye can still be my queen. If I have to take it…ye can join your husband in the afterlife!” he sneered.
“No!” Alexander roared, springing forward with his sword drawn. Cain jumped and spun in the air only to land next to Alexander’s body on one knee. In a split second, Cain brought Alexander’s serpent dagger down and plunged it into his chest directly over his heart.
Kaelyn scrambled up from the floor, only to see Cain with the dagger piercing Alexander. Alexander grabbed at the dagger as Cain rose, smiling. Rowena walked up behind Cain admiring his work. Kaelyn couldn’t hear anything. Every sound had disappeared. She knew she must have been screaming, for her mouth was open. She rushed over to Alexander on her hands and knees.
He pulled the dagger out as blood gushed out of the wound. The dagger fell out of his hand to the ground. Kaelyn reached him, pressing her hand over the wound in earnest, trying to stop the bleeding. Her chin trembled. She could hardly see through her blurry eyes. “No, no, no,” she sobbed. “I was supposed to die, not you! You can’t go, Alexander!” she yelled, placing her hands on both sides of his head as his eyes rolled back.
Alexander blinked rapidly when she patted his cheeks. He looked up at Kaelyn as she held his head in her hands. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered. He moved his hand up to touch her face but it fell back down halfway from its mark.
Kaelyn shook her head. “You can’t go,” she cried. “We’ve only just begun, remember?”
“Lass-“ Alexander choked as blood ran out the corner of his mouth. “I’m mortal…if only for a few moments…but I’m mortal with…my soul mate. I feel more now…than I ever have. Ye gave me that gift Kaelyn…ye gave me love.” Alexander reached up once more, making it to her cheek this time. Kaelyn frantically covered his hand with hers as she sobbed for the greatest loss she’d ever known. Alexander’s head lolled back.
He was gone.
Kaelyn’s entire body shook. She didn’t know if it was from fury or grief. She heard Rowena and Cain laughing over her plight. Kaelyn gritted her teeth as she inhaled a deep breath. Slowly, she lowered Alexander’s head and ran her hand over his eyes, closing them. She laid his hand across his chest resting on his heart. “You will always have my love,” she choked out.
Kaelyn remained crouched over him with her back still toward Cain and Rowena. She wiped her eyes and ran her hands over her face. Slowly, she turned facing “them”. Rowena batted her eyes. “So touching,” she said with a smirk.
“Just so we’re clear on one thing, Rowena,” Kaelyn said through her clenched teeth. “Your life will end here today, soon. And I’ll be the one to take it. I’m taking it for all the helpless, innocent people you killed, for Alexander, and for my descendents…the Fae.”
Rowena snarled. A cruel smile curved Kaelyn’s mouth, glad she struck a nerve.
Rowena stepped toward Kaelyn. Cain’s arm shot out. “No mother, I’ll take care of her,” he said pushing Rowena behind him.
“You know why he wants to get to me first, don’t you, Rowena,” Kaelyn asked sweetly. “He wants the orb for himself.”
Rowena narrowed her eyes at Kaelyn and then glanced uncertain at Cain. Cain ground his teeth together. “That’s ridiculous,” he seethed.
“If you think it’s so ridiculous son, then you won’t mind if I take care of her.” Rowena pushed Cain aside. Rowena made a choking sound as Cain grabbed the back of her cloak, stopping her in mid step.
“Tell you what,” Kaelyn said, pulling the orb out of her satchel. “The first monster to get to me, can have it!” Kaelyn held the brightly glowing orb in her palm. Both Cain and Rowena paused to admire the mystical ball of light. Their faces were that of awe and quickly turned vindictive.
Cain abruptly struck out with his foot, flinging Rowena’s legs out from under her. She screamed falling, but immediately righted herself. She flung her hand out. “You’ll pay for that, son!” she snarled as her face materialized to that of a beast. Large fangs protruded as she opened her mouth and screamed a ghastly screech. Her eyes turned into two furious storming spheres.
Abruptly, Cain flew across the cavern
hitting the side wall with a thud. With the air knocked out of him, he leaned up against the wall holding his ribs. Rowena strode over snarling.
Cain flung his hand up, but Rowena laughed. “You always thought you were more powerful, didn’t you? You thought I was just going along with our charade. But the truth is son, I’m the most powerful. That orb was always meant to be mine!” Cain mumbled something, but Rowena continued to laugh. “Are you missing something?” she asked innocently.
Cain raised his hand again, but immediately grabbed his ribs in pain. “What did you do to me!” he roared.
“You really thought that spell we cast was just for the dagger?” she said smiling, her face now back to normal.
“It was supposed to make who ever got cut by it turn mortal,” Cain gasped out.
Rowena tsked. “No,” she said placing her hand on the side of his cheek. “It makes any Immortal within hearing turn human.”
“Then you should be human, too,” he wheezed, trying to grab hold of her cloak.
She brushed off his grip. “Technically,” she said, “but I’m of Fae blood. Our blood is one of the most powerful, purist forms of magic. It takes more than a simple spell to do us in.”
“Ye bitch,” Cain spat trying to stand, but unable to.
“Is that any way to talk to your mother?” she sneered. “I think you’ve become the third wheel,” she said as an evil grin passed over her face. “And you know what they say….” Rowena’s hand shot out and Alexander’s forgotten dagger flew across the cavern, straight into her grasp.
Cain quickly recited an ancient druid spell, squeezing his eyes tightly shut. Rowena brought the dagger above her head with both hands and immediately thrust it down.
But it wasn’t the sounds of Cain in agony, but a loud “clink” as the dagger hit stone. Rowena looked around furiously. Cain had vanished. His centuries of studying the druid craft had paid off. He escaped with his now mortal life.
Rowena collected herself and spun around. “He never did listen,” she sneered at Kaelyn. “It doesn’t matter. When I have the orb, everyone will bow down to me! I’ll get him sooner or later.”
“Looks like it’s just you and me,” Kaelyn said, tossing the orb back and forth in her hands. “Before I kill you,” Kaelyn began, “answer me one question. Why did you have Alexander hunt down Cain if you were working together all this time? He didn’t have to die.”
Rowena smiled. “Oh, you silly girl,” she sneered. “To tell you the truth, Alexander’s mission was to hunt Cain for us. I only recently learned Cain searched for the orb, same as me. I paid him a visit. We decided to work together.”
“You meant to kill Cain all along.”
Rowena laughed a deep throaty laugh. “Guilty as charged.” Her smile changed to one of disgust. “But now, back to business.” Rowena threw the dagger, but Kaelyn shot her hand up and the dagger stopped in mid-air, dropping to the ground. “I think I’m getting the hang of this,” Kaelyn smirked.
Rowena’s eyes narrowed and she charged Kaelyn. Kaelyn dropped the orb in her satchel and ran toward Rowena. When Kaelyn would have reached Rowena, she jumped up and shifted to the right, using the wall as a step. Springing up in the air, Kaelyn landed behind an infuriated Rowena.
“Maybe, you’ve met your match,” Kaelyn taunted at Rowena’s back.
Rowena slowly turned around. Her features resembled the beast once more. Saliva dripped from her snarling mouth and her fingers curled as long, sharp, blue claws protruded. “The-orb-is-mine!” she roared, spinning around and jumping at Kaelyn. Kaelyn went to jump, but Rowena reached out, digging her claws into Kaelyn’s ankle.
Kaelyn screamed out in pain as she fell to the ground. The orb rolled out, stopping next to Rowena’s feet. Rowena grinned. She smiled down at the orb and then back at a shocked Kaelyn. Rowena bent down to get it, but Kaelyn shot her hand out causing the orb to fly into her arms.
Rowena roared savagely. She pounced into the air above a motionless Kaelyn. Memories of all the pain this woman had caused raced through Kaelyn. Kaelyn glanced up holding the orb tight as Rowena landed crouched over her. Rowena grabbed Kaelyn’s neck with one gnarled hand and raised the other to bring down for the final blow.
“It’s over,” Kaelyn choked out. Without warning, Rowena burst up to the cavern ceiling. A horrible screech sounded and Kaelyn looked up. One of the stalactites on the ceiling pierced Rowena’s chest. Black ooze dripped down off the tip of the formation.
Rowena growled, breaking free from the stalactite, landing with a thud on the floor as foul blackness oozed from her wound. Rowena glanced down at her black covered fingers. “You can’t kill me!” she thundered.
“Oh, but I can,” Kaelyn said, now standing. “Goodbye, Rowena.” Rowena growled and ran toward Kaelyn. Kaelyn thrusted the orb out, in both hands directing it toward Rowena. Kaelyn visualized all the power from her mind and pushed it outward through the orb.
A bright, white stream of light shot out of the orb and straight into Rowena’s chest. A loud, unbearable screech echoed through the caverns. Kaelyn was positive the entire hills of Scotland heard. Rowena, still snarling, continued to grab at Kaelyn, but the power was too much and Rowena began breaking apart bit-by-bit. As pieces of her clothing and skin broke away like a china doll, bright, white light shown from underneath, until only a human form made up of entirely white light remained.
Kaelyn couldn’t hold the orb anymore and the power of it threw her back. The orb continued to shoot light into Rowena’s glowing form, until she burst into a million starbursts. The sparkling pieces rained down on the cavern floor, only to slowly fizzle out.
Silence. Complete silence filled the cave except for Kaelyn’s ragged breathing. She leaned up on her arm and looked to where Rowena should have been. She was gone. Kaelyn had destroyed her. She did it, but only after losing everything.
Kaelyn’s heart sank as she glanced across the cavern at Alexander’s body. Her chin quivered. Kaelyn crawled over to him as the orb continued to float in the center of the room above Kaelyn.
As she reached Alexander, her body shook and tears streamed down her face dropping to Alexander’s chest. The let down after such an intense moment made her stomach shudder and churn. Kaelyn twisted to the side losing all contents in her stomach. She wiped her mouth with her hand and stared down at Alexander.
He looked so peaceful. Dust sprinkled his thick, dark-brown hair. Kaelyn ran her hand through it, touching the soft locks. Stubble marred his chin and cheeks. She slowly ran her hand along the side as the prickles poked her hand. A sob racked her body as her emotions consumed her. She leaned her head down to his forehead and cried.
The vial, Heart of Warrior. Hunter’s grandfather’s voice echoed through her head. Kaelyn pulled back. The vial, his voice sounded once more.
With shaky hands, Kaelyn desperately dug into her satchel and pulled out the leather pouch. She exposed the vial. Still cold. Still glowing. She pulled the vial out of the pouch and uncorked it. Closing her eyes, she said a silent prayer and then spread Alexander’s lips so she could get the mouth of the vial between them. She wedged the tip in and tilted his head back with one hand as she poured the liquid down his throat.
She dropped the empty vial to the ground as she placed her hands on his face. She felt for a pulse. She lowered her head down to his chest to hear his heartbeat.
Nothing.
With her head still laying on his chest, she looked up at Alexander’s face. It was too late. He was gone.
“He was a gallant warrior,” a voice reverberated from behind. Kaelyn opened her eyes with her head still lying on Alexander’s chest. It was the Fae queen. Kaelyn slowly sat up and twisted around. The queen stood in the center of the cavern holding the glowing orb. It glowed more brilliantly than Kaelyn had ever seen. “You did magnificently,” the queen said.
Kaelyn choked out a laugh. “Magnificently? The only man I’ll ever love is dead, a good noble warrior is…God knows where, and I’m pretty sur
e a crazed maniac with druid powers is still out there somewhere running around!” Kaelyn rose. “How can it be magnificent! I’ve lost everything! Alexander wasn’t supposed to die,” she screamed, “I was!”
The queen’s mouth thinned as she glanced down at the orb. “The noble warrior, Gideon, the last of his kind…he’ll be fine. As for Cain,” she smiled, “his life is just beginning. He has a chance at goodness. We’ll have to see if he takes it. And as far as you dying. Neither you nor Alexander was supposed to die.”
“But Morna said-“
“Yes, I know what she told you. The Fae line would end with you…it does. A new line will begin. I told you, we all make sacrifices, but I think you’ve made more than enough.”
Kaelyn suddenly tried to open her eyes and clear the fog entering her mind. She stumbled back and went down on one knee as a heavy tiredness devoured her. She tried to rub her eyes but her hands weighed a hundred pounds. Kaelyn flopped over, landing across Alexander.
The queen’s voice floated through the cavern. “You’re a hero to our kind…and yours. Go, start the next bloodline.” The last thing Kaelyn saw was the orb floating over her and bursting into a thousand tiny pieces falling down around her.
* * * * *
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Kaelyn slowly rolled over inhaling deeply. She smelled familiar smells. She felt the familiar flannel sheets between her fingers. Kaelyn opened her eyes. She was in her bed. Her apartment. Her century, but how? Why did that create panic? Kaelyn slowly sat up, glancing around the darkened room.
Kaelyn ran a shaky hand through her hair. Was everything that happened a dream? Or nightmare? Kaelyn began going through her memories trying to sort out everything, when the phone rang. She reached over grabbing the bedside receiver.
“Hello,” she said with a croak.
“Kaelyn? Hey, honey.”
Kaelyn knew that raspy old voice. “TJ?” she said in a shaky voice. “Is it really you?”