“Don’t fret so entirely, Alainn! I will be cunning and skillful and use the many years of soldiering and battle training to compete this day. And in only days’ time we will begin our journey to our land, to our castle.”
“And we’ll live happily ever after,” she mumbled more to herself than to him.
“You utter the oddest phrases at times, Alainn, but aye, we’ll be happy, I can sense it as surely as if I was a seer as well. We deserve a long life of happiness, you and me, aye?”
She nodded and then kissed him firmly and attempted not to let the thought enter her mind that this may be the last time they embraced, the very last time she ever felt his warm lips upon her own.
He stepped away from her and he gazed at her intently and lovingly as though memorizing every detail. He looked as the pink glow from the glorious sunrise framed her lustrously beautiful hair and shining blue eyes. He observed her full, rosy lips and her soft perfect skin. He took in the shape of her lovely body and slightly rounded belly where their child grew.
She realized all too well what he was doing and she held her head high, hoping to still the tears that threatened to fall. He was planning to hold this vision within his mind so if he should meet with death this day, he could summon this sight so she would be the last thought, the last memory he would take with him to the beyond. It made her heart ache with the possibility and soar with pride at the knowledge that he loved her so entirely he would desire her image to be the last he ever saw.
Alainn had sat at the deathbed of enough people to recognize the importance of a person’s last images and their final thoughts as their soul left to go to the beyond. She swallowed hard and attempted a smile for Killian. Her eyes filled with love and adoration for this young man, her beloved husband whom she’d loved since she was only a child.
A loud pounding on the door to the bedchamber broke the silence and the tender moment, and Killian looked down at her with a pained expression surely knowing that would be a guard coming to escort him to the games field.
“ ’Tis time. I must leave, Lainna.”
“Keep you safe, Killian. Come back to me, husband, for you well know how much I need you, and our son will need his father!”
He kissed her once more, a thorough all-consuming kiss, knelt down and placed a soft kiss upon her slightly swollen stomach before he turned to go. As he was leaving, Rory met him at the door to the bedchamber.
“Rory will capably see to it you are kept safe this day should anyone think to cause you harm.” Killian stated.
Before she’d had time to respond or disagree and without daring to look upon her again, he was gone. She felt her tears stinging her eyes and her heart aching as she listened as the footsteps grew faint and then could be heard no longer. She glanced up at Rory and she noticed the deep empathy in his eyes.
“I am not yet donned in day garments, Rory, and sure I’ll be safe from harm here within Killian’s chamber.”
“Nay.” He shook his head determinedly. “Killian has asked that I take you somewhere that it is unlikely anyone would think to search for you, and I’ve given my word on it; therefore I will do just that. Now get yourself dressed, Alainn. I’ll wait outside the door.”
She reasoned there was little use arguing with Rory, although he was of a much kinder disposition than his twin brother and perhaps not as strong-willed as Killian, he was honorable and trustworthy, and he would never break a promise made.
Alainn finally carried on with washing and dressing. It seemed to take an unusually long time to do any task for she had to fairly will herself to make her body move. In truth, she felt almost numb with fear and fretfulness. Her stomach was most unsettled and several times she was overcome with the need to retch. She managed to finish brushing her hair and tie it back. She’d barely finished when she heard a knock upon the door.
“Are you nearly ready then, Alainn? ’Tis time I took you to where you’ll be safer.”
She opened the door, nodded her head, and located her shawl. Rory took her arm, guiding her down the corridor toward the castle’s steep, winding stairs. As they began the descent, they met two of the castle’s guards.
“Under the chieftain’s orders, we are to take the young healer to the dungeon where she shall be detained for the entirety of the challenges.”
Alainn hadn’t been startled by this announcement and in truth she had possibly expected it. She knew the chieftain and the priest believed she would summon her powers to assist Killian in the bouts. And, in actuality, they were perhaps correct. Even though she’d promised Killian she would not interfere, she wasn’t certain that was truly within her capability. However, Rory sternly objected.
“My cousin’s wife, Lady O’Brien, shall be accompanying me this day, there’s no need to take her to the dungeon; I assure you.”
“But the chieftain has insisted and we must abide his orders!”
“I will speak with my father regarding this matter so leave Alainn with me, I give you my word neither of you shall meet ill will because of this. I will inform my father you were admirably conducting your duties accordingly.”
The pair seemed not willing to be dismissed so easily from their pledge to the chieftain.
“Rory, ’tis fine, I’ll go with the guards, ’tis only for a short time.”
“But there is no need of you to be held in such a despicable location. I won’t have it!”
He regained Alainn’s arm and was displeased to see the two guards followed them, intent on carrying out their orders.
“She must be taken to the dungeon! Both your father and the priest have demanded it be so!”
“What does the priest have to do with any of this?” Rory demanded to know, his hackles now fully raised along with his suspicions.
The two guards glanced at each other as though they were keeping something concealed.
Alainn felt a sudden sharp pain in her head and a deep all-encompassing feeling of dread began to overcome her, filling her senses. These were telling signs of an ominous premonition.
“You go discuss the matter with the captain, or perhaps your father or our grandfather, Rory.” She urgently suggested.
He looked at her with concern in his eyes, but she went on attempting to convince him.
“Sure if you talk to them it will all be sorted directly and I will be required to spend little time in the dungeon. Go now, Rory!”
She slowly lowered herself to the step and Rory, knowing of her condition surely recognized she suffered from an expectant woman’s dilemma. He did not insist she accompany him to take audience with his father. Instead, he took her arm and slowly led her back to the corridor to a seat by an open window where she’d be allowed fresh air. The two guards followed close behind.
“Aye, I’ll go now, and I’ll make haste, but the two of you must wait here with Lady O’Brien until my return. If you dare to take her down into the dungeon, you’ll have me to answer to as well as Killian, and Chieftain O’Rorke. They’ll not take kindly to having her spend but even a moment in that damnable dungeon. Now stay put while I go get this matter sorted!” he ordered.
Alainn breathed a huge sigh of relief as Rory left them for she’d felt almost certain great harm would come to him if he remained here.
One guard held tight to her arm as if he believed she’d make a run for it, and they whispered to each other trying to keep their words from Alainn. They obviously decided against waiting for the chieftain’s son’s return, for they swiftly and purposefully started steering her back down toward the dungeon.
She did not resist for her dizziness and nausea did not allow for her to put up any fight. She was thankful this castle’s dungeon had steps to the very bottom, for she had heard tell of many dungeons that had a very long drop to the bottom. The unfortunate souls who were forcefully thrown into those pits were surely never removed from them while they still lived.
The dungeon was considerably emptier than when last she’d been here. She reasoned either many
of the prisoners had been freed to take part in or watch the games. Or perhaps they had been allowed freedom to act as entertainment for the nobles. Many times the prisoners were taken to a secluded area and made to fight each other for the pure enjoyment and entertainment of the lords. They would place bets on them and take much pleasure in seeing wretched destitute men inflict pain and suffering upon each other often for a mere crust of bread.
The thought made her shiver and she looked up at the one small window in the dungeon. The guards were about to place her in a cell with a handful of prisoners when she heard several displeased voices at the top of the winding stairs. She recognized Rory’s voice once more and her heart lurched with fear. Her head ached and her mind was filled with an unimaginably tragic premonition. Like the one she’d experienced when she was only a child, Rory would soon meet his death from a fall. At that very moment there seemed to be many angry, heated words and much debate and then it was clear an altercation was taking place there on the steep stone steps.
She tried to pull from the guard’s grasp, but he held tight. She attempted to employ her magic to prevent the misfortune as she’d done years earlier, to ensure the happenings in her dreaded premonition did not unfold. But Killian was not here this time to assist in saving Rory, and it was happening too fast. She felt the ground around her shake and reasoned that would be of no assistance in protecting Rory. She screamed out Rory’s name and the two guards held her tight and roughly pushed her to the ground when she resisted them. She remained lying on the cold stone floor, feeling it quaking beneath her. Her head spun, and the pain within felt as though it were splitting wide open. She was horrified when she saw Rory being forcefully pushed from high above and come careening down hitting the floor with a sickening thud.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Even in the dimly lit chamber, Alainn could see Rory’s neck was bent at an unnatural angle and an immense pool of blood was forming by his head. She screamed in outraged terror and grief. Her stomach lurched and retched as she tried to crawl to him, even knowing no amount of healing or magic could undo a broken neck or a head wound that severe.
The guards appeared stunned and all stood there motionless, clearly uncertain what must be done. She cried out loudly and continued to try to reach her valued friend and cousin, the man she’d loved like a brother since they were children. The guards finally let go of her arm and allowed her to go to him. She gently placed her hand to his forehead and pushed his light blond hair from his open eyes. She tenderly closed them as she continued to sob.
She was momentarily pulled from her deep misery when she heard footsteps descending the stairs. She squinted to try to allow her eyes to become accustomed to the darkness. When she realized who the man was, she was disturbed and even more fearful. The small, squat figure of the priest in his dark hassock was followed by two more guards.
“You have killed the chieftain’s son!” The guard still holding tight to Alainn’s arm declared in an agitated tone.
“Father, what are we to do now?” one of the others asked nervously.
The priest seemed strangely calm about the entire situation. “We will tell the chieftain, it was the healer, that she placed a malevolent spell of madness upon his son and caused him to jump to his death straightaway. The chieftain rightly distrusts her. He will surely believe it to be truth, especially if the entire lot of you agrees to confirm my account of what transpired!”
Alainn felt as though she was in a wretched nightmare and as she was roughly pulled away from Rory’s lifeless body, she felt the warm wetness of his blood upon her hand. Her stomach reeled and she felt it lurch yet again. The priest calmly ordered the guards to have Rory’s body taken away and then he turned his attention to the guards with Alainn.
“I will reward you well if you place the woman where I desire,” the priest said.
“Sure it makes no difference to me now where she’s placed,” the younger of the two guards admitted in an emotionless voice, indicating he remained greatly disturbed at what had just happened to the chieftain’s son.
“The chieftain did not specify where she was to be placed; only that she was to be taken to the dungeon and kept bound until the last of the bouts are completed.” The other guard managed to finally speak.
“I request she be placed in this cell then, if it is of no consequence to you. And, if I promise you both a gold coin, might you allow me the keys, and a time left alone with the woman.”
The guards seemed somewhat startled at the request and were fairly certain what the priest had in mind, but one tightly bound the woman’s hands and then they greedily held out their own hands as the priest rewarded them with a shiny gold coin he’d pulled from the pouch within his pocket. The older guard pushed her inside the cell for she had begun to fight him in earnest when she realized the priest would be accompanying her inside the dungeon cell. The guard was strong and with her hands secured he was able to easily push her inside. The priest hurriedly closed the door behind them and listened to be certain the guards had actually left them alone.
When Alainn turned to look around the dark room, she heard a movement behind her, and listened to the disturbing laugh beside her. She narrowed her eyes to make out the face of the man and was repulsed to learn it was Richard McGilvary.
She was alone in a dungeon with the two darkest souls she’d ever known, her dear friend and cousin, Rory, was dead and Killian was even now in battle and would not be coming to her aid this time. With difficulty, she put her bound hands to her amulet and tried to determine whether it would be an advantage or a detriment in this present situation. She’d always been told the amulet protected her from evil, but it also suppressed her own powers, so she was in a quandary and the two men wore satisfied sneers upon their faces as Alainn struggled with what was to be done.
She felt rather than saw a presence behind her and she turned to see a large, leering dark shadow upon the wall. A sensation of pure terror filled her heart and took her breath away. And when the shadow materialized into a figure she recognized it as one of the hideous creatures she’d seen that day so very long ago in boundaries of the fairy glade. This was surely the dark creature whose presence she had sensed when she’d attempted to enter the dungeon to locate her father’s family crest. It was almost certainly a being from the Unseelie Court and his evil sinister smile raised the hackles on Alainn’s neck. She placed her bound hands to her amulet once more and began chanting a spell to cast the creature back from where he’d come.
The priest also seemed fearful and he crossed himself, but the young man who had always been a demented soul, clearly reveled in the complete evil the being emitted. Alainn slowly stepped backward when she learned her words had no effect on the devilish creature. His lips curled back and revealed jagged fangs and when he drew nearer to her, she could smell the pungent rankness that permeated from the thing. His clawed hand grazed her face and she felt the cold clamminess of its scaly skin. She heard the scurrying of surely a hundred rodents and looked down to see the cell was overrun with vermin. On the walls, there appeared to be an infestation of crawling, squirming creatures. All things horrid and despicable were obviously drawn to the demon.
“What do you want of the woman?” It was the priest who spoke and his voice quaked with fear.
When the indescribably loathsome beast began speaking, his voice held an unusual raspy inhuman quality that frightened her to the very core. “To take her powers, her life, her soul.” His eerie voice and the casual way he spoke of ending her life disturbed Alainn far more than his actual words.
“Might I be allowed to take her life, milord!” the young man leered at her as he spoke, “But might I be allowed a time alone with her to aptly torture her first?”
The evil demon laughed a far more sinister and malevolent laugh than the man, and he praised the younger man. “You have always been a worthwhile servant, Richard McGilvary. Your soul has always been filled with unmistakable darkness and is why you came to me so ea
sily even as a child. Because of your loyalty, you will be rewarded this time with her. But only a short time, for there remains further deeds you must do for me. I shall soon return to instruct you further. Keep her hands bound.” He warned.
The demon left as quickly as he’d come through a now visible glowing portal on the wall, but before he disappeared completely she briefly saw him transform into a figure of a man. A man with dark hair, and an appealing form, and when he spoke again, this time she detected a charming velvety voice that spoke in a distinctly aristocratic English accent, though his face was entirely hidden from her view.
He called back as he entered the portal. “Be cautious, McGilvary, for she possesses a rare level of power and ability. Here, in the darkness, her capabilities will be lessened. Keep her within the shadows, surrounded by the darkness!”
When he was finally gone, all the loathsome crawling creatures apparently accompanied him. He left behind such an offensive odor that Alainn found her stomach grow queasy. She turned and retched, but nothing was emitted. She’d been unable to eat this morning, fearing for Killian as she did, and now she was equally fearful for herself and her child, for she was uncertain she knew how to deal with this measure of evil. Her thoughts returned to dear, sweet Rory and of his mother and what grief she would feel at the loss of her son. Alainn held her hands to her queasy stomach attempting to settle it and saw the two men watched her every movement.
Niall O’Rorke had told her the powers she had displayed during the drawing of the circle might have attracted dark forces. And when she’d removed both hers and Killian’s amulet, she had possibly allowed the demon to alert others in the Unseelie Court, which surely was a portal to hell. She had needed to get Killian to the glade to heal him and allow him a fair chance during the challenge, but now she was desperate to know what to do about the being and her present dire situation.
The Chieftain's Daughter Page 19