The Edinburgh Seer Complete Trilogy

by Alisha Klapheke

  Nathair’s throat moved in a swallow and his eyes were coals. “Of course.” He lifted the leather strap, then paused. “But shouldn’t we keep this safe here, just in case?”

  “In case of what exactly?” Aini kept her hand out. “We are fully allied. We share the same goal.” She parroted the words he’d used during Thane’s presentation as Heir.

  “Is there a problem?” Lady Darnwell tilted her chin and studied Nathair.

  Jack smiled at her, firing all the good-looks guns he had. Aini was almost sure Lady Darnwell sighed. He was far too fine for a devil. “A protective father is still a protective father,” Jack said, “even when the son is set to be king.”

  Lady Darnwell smiled sadly. “Ah, that is true, I’m sure.”

  Nathair glanced at Jack, then removed the necklace and set it in Aini’s palm.

  She curtseyed to the lady, then led Thane out of Nathair’s hold and into relative freedom.

  Chapter 16

  Reunion

  The sun had dropped well below its zenith while Bran waited outside Gilmerton Cove in the icy cold, wet grass for Viola. She emerged from the trees where she’d been listening for the ghost who’d given them the news that Aini wasn’t dead.

  “Any luck?” he asked.

  “No.” She stopped and picked something off Bran’s shoulder. “No visitors at all. It’s odd, really. Normally I hear them off and on all day. But now, now there’s not a voice out there.”

  Viola was a stranger. He had no business appreciating the way the day’s light played over her long nose and smooth cheeks. But the fact that he’d only just met her didn’t seem to matter. A powerful longing to hold this woman and chase the shiver out of his bones poured over him. Fighting the pull, he crossed his arms.

  “Could it have anything to do with Thane and the stone?”

  She shrugged. The afternoon light caught in her pale hair like sun on snow. “Why are you staring at me?”

  “I’m sorry. It’s because you’re beautiful.”

  “I’m not.”

  He laughed. “Aye, you are.”

  “I’m pale and skinny. I don’t exactly have men lined up.”

  “You’ve got one.”

  She blushed and looked away. “Are you going to be part of the elders’ talk?”

  Taking a step back so he wasn’t coming on too strong, he nodded and breathed in the chilly air. He felt a little bit like a man who’d thought he would die yesterday, but had been granted a reprieve. The whole world was more lovely than it ever had been.

  “I will be in on that talk. Whether they want me or not. They need to know every detail of that message our Heir sent when we were in town.”

  “Telling on me, are you, you wee clipe?” A very familiar voice echoed from the forest.

  Bran thought he was seeing things. “Thane? Aini?”

  The two walked out of the dappled shadows like they’d simply been on a nice stroll instead of being held captive in a prison. Three of Nathair’s corbies skulked in their wake.

  Bran’s heart soared as he and Viola ran to meet them. Bran grabbed Thane and hugged him tightly. “My friend. My dear, good friend.” He wasn’t even ashamed of the tears leaking from his eyes. “I’m so glad to see you, lad.”

  Thane slapped Bran’s shoulder. “And I, you.”

  The lad’s smile was something to behold, Aini’s too. She hugged Bran, then shook Viola’s hand.

  “I’m the Ghost Talker who caught the message from the spirit you sent,” Viola said.

  “Bathilda is that spirit’s name. She is a mighty soul.”

  “I haven’t heard a ghost at all in over an hour. Maybe more. Have you?”

  A wrinkle appeared between Aini’s black eyebrows. “No, come to think of it. Maybe it’s because of this somehow.” She held up the Coronation Stone necklace that they’d made for Thane.

  Bran raised an eyebrow at Thane. “She holds all your power now, aye? There is a joke in there somewhere.”

  “Shut your gob, man.” Thane shoved Bran gently. “The thing hums like madness when it’s near to touching me. I can’t stand it really. I’ll wear it in battle, but for now, she is welcome to it.”

  In battle. The phrase made Bran’s stomach roil. “How did you get out of there?” He had to be dreaming. This changed everything.

  Aini glanced at the mouth of the cave behind Bran. “Bathilda and Lady Margaret—she is another ghost that helped me—found the larger piece of the Coronation Stone in Nathair’s office. They told Thane and me about it and we both managed to sneak into the office.”

  “I didn’t sneak. I simply stayed when my father left and slammed the door on one of Jack Shaw’s unsuspecting men.”

  Bran kept an eye on Jack’s men. They were keeping their distance, thankfully. “I’m surprised one of Nathair’s new hires could be surprised. The man I met was nothing short of a professional gang member.” The man in the room at the Signet Library had shot the floor at his feet and told him to run along. Not an amateur maneuver.

  “They are that,” Thane said. “He found Jack Shaw running one whole side of Birmingham and wanting more. Nathair provided the opportunity for some real purpose and more money and Jackie jumped on it. They also rounded up some roughs from Glasgow. The lot of them make quite an imposing unit. Their fighting skills are fine-tuned and pure deadly.”

  Thane did have several new bruises. He was favoring one side too. What had he gone through there? Poor lad.

  Aini touched Thane’s shoulder gently. “We were both in Nathair’s office when someone knocked on the door. It was Jack Shaw escorting Lady Darnwell.” She looked at Viola.

  “She’s kin to the French queen,” Thane added.

  “And a kind friend of my father’s.”

  Viola’s eyes widened. “Nice friends.”

  Aini smiled. “Thane and I wanted to see if the stone’s curse would work on Jack and Nathair and the rest, but with the lady there and ready to support us, we held back.”

  “I don’t understand,” Viola said.

  “The French don’t realize we’re a rebellion split into two groups who want to kill one another.” Thane’s eyebrows knitted. “And we don’t think that would be a selling point.”

  “If we killed everyone around Lady Darnwell, she might tell her fellow French that this rebellion is doomed. In truth, if we don’t stick together for now, we are doomed. King John is almost here.”

  Bran fisted his hands. “When?”

  “Tomorrow.” Thane rubbed his lip with a thumb, a habit he shared with Nathair.

  The necklace hanging near Aini’s throat caught the sun. “With that,” he nodded at the tiny stone, “and the altered sweets we have, I hope we’ll have a chance.”

  Viola’s gaze strayed to the cave’s mouth. “We need to tell Vera.”

  Viola needed to tell Thane she was his half-sister. But that wasn’t his business. It didn’t actually hurt Thane not to know. Bran would leave it alone. Viola could tell him when she felt the time was right.

  “The French sent anti-aircraft weapons and more,” Thane said. “They are also sending ships—coming down from the North to avoid capture—to support us from the water, but I doubt they’ll arrive soon enough to be of help.”

  Whistling preceded Myles out of the cave. He jerked to a stop, then bounded over like a big, silly dog. Hugging Thane and Aini with an arm each, he shouted, “This is the best day ever. Neve! Get your adorable self out here. I have two presents for you.”

  “Less shouting might be a good idea,” Aini said into Myles’s arm, but the happy tears in her eyes lessened the sting of her bossy tone.

  “It’s so great to see you both alive.” Myles broke away and shook his head. “It’s a shame though, Lord of the Highlands. I was getting used to being the best looking guy in the cave.”

  Viola laughed, light and airy at Myles. “Oh, I like him.”

  Thane narrowed his eyes at Myles. “Then you’ve more patience than me.”

  Nev
e came running out. “What is the—Aini!” The two ladies embraced and Bran’s heart squeezed. “Och, I never thought I’d see you again, friend.” Neve hugged her again, tears freely flowing.

  Aini whispered something to Neve that made her laugh. Neve wiped her tears on her sleeve.

  Thane greeted Neve with a hug and Neve’s cheeks went red. “I’m hugging the Heir,” she whispered to Myles over his shoulder.

  Myles grinned. “I know, sweetie. Try to remember I exist, okay?

  Neve shooed him away, smiling.

  Thane turned to Viola. “What did you say your name was?”

  She stuck out a hand. “I’m Viola Campbell. I’m your half-sister.”

  Well, guess it was time. Bran had to smile at her unexpected revelation.

  Thane blinked.

  Aini looked from Viola to Bran and back again. “Really?”

  “Aye,” Thane answered for her. “I’ve heard of you. This is…wow. It’s great to finally meet. I have to say I’m glad you don’t look a thing like our father.” He held his arms out, asking for an embrace rather than a handshake. It made Bran proud.

  Viola took him up on it and hugged her brother. “You’re tall.”

  “I am,” Thane said, a laugh in his voice. “I want to learn all about you, but I think you’d agree we need to deal with emergency matter first.”

  “Agreed.” Viola smiled at Aini and Bran led them all into the cave.

  Nathair’s men hung back and talked stiffly to the Dionadair guards at the entrance.

  Inside, the rebels were of course thrilled to see their leaders. There were chants of “Scotland’s saviors! Our Heir and Seer!” and “We will rise!” as Thane and Aini wove through the crowd to reach Vera, Rob, and the others gathered to hear the news and make some decisions on what to do next. Aini filled them in on the situation in the city, Thane adding details.

  “This is where they cut me.” Aini pushed her sock lower to show lines of reddened skin.

  Thane tensed and Bran put a hand on his shoulder. “We’re going to get them for that, friend.”

  Thane nodded and gave Bran a grateful look.

  Aini pulled her sock back up and straightened. “I’m not telling you this to get sympathy or fire your need for vengeance—although vengeance is just fine with me—you need to know the possible advantages of working with ghosts. They can heal. Immediately. That’s no small thing.”

  “Will they heal any of us?” Vera asked. “Or just you because you’re the Seer?”

  “I should’ve asked them that.”

  Viola stepped forward. “Why don’t you ask now?” She held out a piece of the Cone5 taffy. “If they can heal us all as we fight, that would be a game changer.”

  Neve joined Viola. “We have plenty of altered sweets, Aini. So don’t worry about using them up. Because of the work we did at Inveraray, we have enough to supply this whole force and then some.”

  “We must be careful not to double dose.” Thane pushed his glasses higher on his nose. “Or to eat the candies too often. It could turn your fine brains to mush, friends.”

  “We need to clean up first. I can’t possibly do anything when I’m like this.” Aini gestured to her torn clothes and the dried blood on her legs.

  “Agreed. We have time to gather ourselves a bit first, aye?” Thane’s eyebrows rose.

  They certainly deserved that. Bran herded the crowd away and led the couple toward the side room the rebels had been using for cleaning and washing.

  The poor things couldn’t keep their eyes off one another as they removed all but their underthings to rinse off with wooden buckets and rough cloths. The old woman running the wash area, keeping fresh water stocked and what not, barked at them several times, reminding them not to linger because the rebellion was underway. She didn’t realize who they were and Thane and Aini didn’t seem to want to tell her and embarrass her despite the way she hounded them. Bran didn’t want to leave them alone with the woman. Finally, the old woman put up two screens—only God Himself knew where she found those in the middle of a revolution—and Seer and Heir finished their bathing quite separate.

  After Bran made sure they’d had time to down some bread, cheese, and tea, he brought them back to the crowd.

  Neve met them and handed Aini a piece of taffy. Aini chewed it demurely. It was obvious this girl had grown up around nobility. She had the manners of a duchess when she wasn’t fighting off kingsmen. Bran had to smile.

  “So the king is on his way,” Thane said too casually. “He will arrive tomorrow. We must prepare for our big brawl.” He cracked his knuckles and glanced at Bran. “You ready for a fight?”

  “Very.” Since the day Bran met Nathair, he was ready for this damn fight.

  “The king is on his way? Already?” Rob looked panicked.

  Vera glanced at him, frowning. “Course he is. This is what we want. He comes to us and we do with him as we please. With our altered sweets and the Coronation Stone, we will give him a fight to end all fights. He’ll leave our land in a wooden box.”

  Shouts of agreement went up.

  Blinking, Aini raised her hands. “Hello, spirits.” She cocked her wee head, listening to words and sounds Bran couldn’t hear. She asked them about the healing, then waited, nodding. Facing Thane, she explained. “They can only heal me. I have…something in my blood. I’m not sure how it works.”

  “You are chosen. Fated. It is a special thing,” Vera said reverently.

  Several Dionadair raised their crossed thumbs over their heads.

  “They said…” Aini rolled her mother’s ring around her finger. “They said I can maybe heal someone else. But only if it is meant to be? Or if I’m tied to them? Something like that. The ghosts I’m talking to—”

  “They aren’t even speaking English,” Viola said, interrupting. She watched what Bran presumed were the spirits, her head going side to side. “How can you understand them?”

  “They are speaking English.” Aini frowned.

  “No, they’re not, my Seer.” Viola’s tone held respect despite the disagreement. “I believe that young man with the axe is speaking in maybe Old Norse? And that woman with the thumb-sucking child is clearly speaking in Latin. Do you know those languages?”

  “There were Viking forces in this area during the ninth century,” Neve added. “And most people don’t know that a wall older than Hadrian’s—Antonine’s to be exact—extended past this area and included many lowland tribes that were friendly with the Romans.”

  The woman knew her history, Bran would give her that.

  Aini gave Neve another hug. “You are amazing. I didn’t know that. Nor do I know either of those languages.” She extended her arms, eyes wide. “And I seriously doubt anyone here does either, unfortunately, or we could get an exact translation. Bizarre.” She studied the air around her, then shut her eyes. “I can hear sounds from their time periods too. That happened with Bathilda and Lady Margaret—the ghosts I told you about, from the Signet building.” Pointing to the right, she said, “When I focus on him, I hear the wind in the trees and shouts that might be battle commands or sailing orders. With her and the child,” she said, gesturing left, “cart wheels on stone and braying cattle echo in my ears.”

  She inclined her head as if the ghost speaking Latin was saying something. “Oh, I know. I won’t waste it. I promise.” Her cheeks reddened.

  “I am so jealous right now,” Neve said.

  Thane rubbed his face, shoving his glasses into his hair. “This is mad.” His hands fell to show a stunned smile. “My Seer. You are a wonder.”

  “What did that Roman ghost just say to make you blush red as a cherry drop, sweetheart?” Myles elbowed Aini.

  Aini’s eyebrow slanted like a spear about to be thrown. “It’s none of your business, Myles.”

  Myles held out his hands and laughed. “Yes, ma’am.” He hid behind Neve who snorted and grinned. “Don’t sic the MacGregor eyebrow on me!”

  Neve pinched Myles
backside. “Incorrigible.”

  “The king isn’t the only one headed our way,” Thane said. “Nathair is set to arrive here at sundown for the meeting.”

  “Here?” Myles dramatically pulled at his collar. “Yikes. Will he bring that super scary Jackie Shaw you mentioned, Seer?”

  “Definitely.” Aini shuddered. Bran didn’t blame her. Not after he’d seen those cuts on her ankles.

  The light coming in from the outside was waning. “It’s nearly sundown now,” Bran said. “What are we going to say at the meeting? Are we making any demands? Any assurances? Because you know that man will have all his ducks in a row. We need to know what we refuse to bend on and how we can handle this. We can’t trust that he won’t turn on us. Even if it makes little sense to do so. I’ve seen that man turn on everyone he loves. Seen him pull off the most clever political moves, then shoot himself in the foot just out of arrogance and rage. Callum was the one who could calm him and we don’t have him here.”

  “He’s right.” Thane crossed his arms. “Nathair is unpredictable. Especially now. If we seem to be winning against John, Nathair might turn on us to gain the upper hand when he’s finished using us. We must be prepared for that.” He began pacing a line.

  Aini clasped her hands behind her back and talked strategy as she walked back and forth in front of the rebel leaders.

  Did she get these ideas from ghost generals of the past? Bran didn’t think so. This was all her. Seer and general. Merlin and friend. A wonder to behold.

  “That sounds like a fine plan,” a voice said from closer to the front of the cave.

  In his typical tweed and owlish glasses, Owen—this generation’s Dionadair leader—broke through the crowd. “Is it all right for me to join back up, sister?”

  Vera ran at him. “Brother!”

  Dodie came up beside him, smiling for once. “We brought a couple other fighters too.”

  Owen returned Vera’s violent hug, then held out a hand. “Senga and Lewis couldn’t stand being cooped up in that shambles of a home you have up there, my Heir.”

  Thane’s face lit up, and he went to his mother and the man who was for all purposes his adoptive father.