The Realms Unite (Realms Gate)
Page 18
“They were raised by their uncle and learnt from him hatred for the McBrides who robbed them of their father and mother.”
“Somewhere along the line the feud must have died.”
“That was a few hundred years ago.” Birdie pulled up in front of an ivy clad ruin. “This is what’s left of Tobin Hall.”
Erin slid out the Landrover just as a voice barked in her ear.
Where the hell are you, Erin?
With Birdie and Jasper at the ruins of Tobin Hall.
You’ve just had a bloody attack on your life and you’re out without your guardian. Are you out of your tiny mind?
Calm down. If you’re so het up, get on your bike and meet us here. We could probably do with a little help.
I’m on my way. When I get there I’m going to hand you your butt.
Yeah, yeah grumpy pants.
“Was that Magnus?” Birdie asked.
“He’s having a bit of a strop that we left him behind,” Erin shrugged.
“He has a point,” Jasper defended him. “He is your guardian and I’m not that great with a sword.”
“But pretty nifty with a crossbow I seem to recall,” Erin grinned. “Now let’s get exploring before it gets too dark.”
Erin was quite captivated by the ruins, they seemed to exude such a serene atmosphere. Tobin Hall would have been pretty grand in its day, the ruins stretched quite far. Most of the stonework had been taken over by ivy and young trees were sprouting up. It was beautiful.
“What are we looking for?” Birdie asked.
“The McLomard dragon. It would be etched into the brickwork.”
They searched for the next hour, stopping only to appease an angry Magnus, until it was almost dark.
“We should get going, Erin, there is not much daylight left,” Bridie was the voice of reason.
Erin wasn’t listening, she was staring at a wall of ivy; something was drawing her to it. “Severig,” she murmured, parting the ivy. Behind it was a small wooden door. She zapped the lock with Loxhadrin and it sprung open. Not being totally foolhardy, she called her Talmar before descending the stone steps. Magnus was close behind her.
“It looks like a mausoleum,” Magnus murmured.
Erin’s heart was thumping, could they have found it? From the stale air, it was apparent no-one had been there for hundreds of years. There were two chambers. One contained a grey stone tomb. Her legs felt like jelly as she approached it. Was this Aria? Running her hand along the dusty stone, an engraving caught her eye.
“My God, child, you’ve found her,” Birdie’s voice echoed in the stone room.
“Her, yes. But it’s Isobel McLomard not Aria.”
“At least that is one mystery solved,” Birdie sighed.
“Damon brought her here because not only was it the place where they found each other, they too could feel the secret the ruins hold.” Next to the tomb was a dusty portrait. Erin wiped about the centuries of dust to reveal the woman underneath. She too had green eyes, but her hair was slightly redder.
“You can see the family resemblance,” Birdie took the painting from her.
Erin turned her attention back to the stone tomb. How on earth had Damon moved such a thing a few hundred years ago? She circled the McLomard crest on the lid, a spark shot through her before a soft voice spoke in her head.
Find my love. Reunite us so we can slumber together in eternity.
She jumped back a little shocked; it appeared she shared a connection with Isobel as well.
Erin wandered into the second chamber which contained a small marble statue on a plinth. She recognised the face immediately, it was of Aria. Touching the statue, Erin felt a huge wave of dizziness spread over her as she was suddenly transported back close to two millennia.
“You have done well, Erin McLomard, and succeeded where others have failed. No-one since Tobin has touched my statue, not even Damon.” Aria walked around in her ethereal world, her purple flowing robes draped around her. “Not many people know my true story, I will tell it to you now. As you are aware, I was abducted from Lokranor Castle by Valkarin and forced into a marriage with him, the sole purpose of which was to bear him a son who could legitimately challenge Lokranor for the crown. Valkarin was a cold, hard man, his sole interest was in taking the throne of Lokranor. Having born Valkarin a son, he rarely bothered me again. A Vokteren guard was assigned to watch me and over the years we grew rather close. His name was Tobin Lomard. In fact we became lovers.”
Aria fell silent as if trying to get her emotions under control. “We had a child together, a daughter. Obviously I could not keep her as Valkarin would have not only killed me, but Tobin and his entire family. Tobin agreed to raise our daughter in the First Realm, in this house to be precise. I was a naïve young girl when Valkarin abducted me, but I started to learn about the dark arts. In fact I became rather good, if I do say so myself. I wanted to safeguard against any other poor maiden being subjected to what I had been, so started my plan to rid the world of my husband. Sadly I never got to finish what I started out to achieve. That task now falls to you, Erin McLomard. I know you are probably asking yourself why you? Why do you alone have all this power? The answer is actually very simple. Your blood is unique. Your list of ancestors include a Lokranor princess, a head Vokteren, a descendant of Valkarin and a Priestess of Lokranor. Your ancestors span all three realms.”
Pausing for a moment to get her thoughts in order, Aria continued. “You are the only one who can avenge my murder and put Valkarin back where he belongs. In his cold, black tomb. The only time my husband ever showed any true emotion towards me was when he ran me through with his sword. I would like that favour to be reciprocated. The Talmar you carry is the one Damon McBride was given by Borodin; it was created by sorcery in Vasmaar so is quite toxic to Valkarin and any descendant.” An enigmatic smiled crossed Aria’s face. “I wish you luck, Erin. You and the Viking Prince who would never let you fall through the ice.”
Erin felt a huge wave of dizziness wash over her as she let go of the statue. Magnus caught her before she hit the ground.
“Erin, wake up,” he tapped her face gently. “We need you back in the room.”
Her eyes snapped open suddenly. “Whoa, that was seriously weird. I think I just heard Aria’s life story.”
“You and me both,” he admitted guiltily. “Birdie was concerned when you went into a trace, so I needed to double check who was probing your mind.”
“At least I know I wasn’t hallucinating.”
“It certainly answers the question as to why you are all powerful.”
“It does?” Birdie spoke up. “Jasper and I weren’t privy to whatever Aria was saying.”
“To paraphrase quickly, Aria and Tobin had an affair, resulting in one daughter who was the first official McLomard. Mix into that Damon and Isobel’s child and we have a sprinkling of Valkarin blood. The cherry on the top is a Priestess for a mother.”
“And the Talmar she carries is the one Borodin forged for Damon,” Magnus added.
“She didn’t tell you anything useful like where the book was or her tomb?” Jasper rolled his eyes. “How like a woman to get sentimental and miss the pertinent facts.”
Erin poked her tongue at Jasper. “I have a feeling the book is in this room. It was Tobin’s shrine to Aria.” Then she saw the crest. “There it is,” she squealed excitedly, pointing to a space on the wall.
“Where’s what?” Magnus grunted.
“The crest.”
“There’s nothing there,” he looked at her cautiously.
“Of course there is. You must be losing your sight, old man.” She strode over the pressed the crest. A few seconds later a panel in the stonework popped open. Inside was a package wrapped in an ancient linen cloth.
Birdie touched the stone panel. “The crest must only be visible to those she chooses to fight her cause.”
Jasper was restless. “Come on, take it out.”
Erin removed the p
ackage and slowly unwrapped it. It was indeed Aria’s spell book. “Finally,” she gave a weary sigh. “We now have three out of the four items to defeat Valkarin with.”
“Might I suggest we head home and study this in the safety of the house? I’m starting to think we might have a host of Vokteren come charging through the door,” Birdie was looking around nervously.
“Agreed,” Magnus grunted and propelled a reluctant Erin towards to the doorway.
She wanted to stay, there was such a serene atmosphere to the mausoleum considering the sadness it actually housed. The body and spirit of two murdered women. One thing she had picked up on, the McLomard family were key to the millennia long battles, they were the one constant. Perhaps now it was time to put the fighting, feuds and killings to bed and unite the realms.
CHAPTER 21
“You will take me back to Muirhead right now,” Sasha shouted at Valkarin. She was fuming.
“Your place is here, my dear, so please stop shouting. It is most unbecoming for a woman.”
“I don’t give a shit. I’m going home right now,” Sasha barked back, hands on her hips.
“This is your home.”
“Muirhead is my home and no jumped up sorcerer is going to tell me otherwise.” She squared up to him.
“You will hold your tongue in front of me,” Valkarin hissed.
“Go to hell,” Sasha grunted, heading for the door out the Royal Quarters.
Valkarin glanced at Lars. “Please retrieve and subdue her. I will not tolerate disrespect under my roof.”
“Put me down,” Sasha struggled as Lars swept her up and carried her into her suite of rooms.
“If you don’t shut up,” he muttered, “Valkarin will vaporise us both.” He plonked her down on a sofa. “Engage your brain before your mouth.”
“I’m going home with or without you, Voktere,” she glowered.
“Will you sit and put your hormones and injured pride to one side. Valkarin will only allow you to push him so far.”
“He abducted me and you’re siding with him?”
“I’m not siding with anyone. But I’m paid to protect you and the baby, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.”
“By keeping me hostage?”
“No, by keeping you from shooting your mouth off.” He ran a hand through his black hair. “Take a moment to think things through logically. Do you think Erin will let your removal from Muirhead go without challenge?”
“I guess not,” Sasha flopped back on the sofa.
“Then sit and wait to be rescued like last time,” he growled.
“I don’t want to be. Have you any idea how mortifying it is to continually be abducted and rescued? I don’t do the damsel in distress routine very well. I’m a Scottish Highlander, we’re born to be tough and resilient.”
“You were born into a noble family, Sasha. Your role is to be loved and bear children, not to fight.”
“In this Realm maybe, but I wanted to carve out a career for myself.”
“You chose to sleep with Heinrekh, the consequences of which set off this chain of events.”
“Great, now I’m a slut. Thanks for the pep talk, Lars, you’re a real motivator.” She stalked into the bedroom and slammed the door loudly before locking it
She threw herself down on the bed, barely even acknowledging the grandeur of the room. She wanted to be home, to have her ordinary, unexciting life back, to never have met Heinrekh or had anything to do with Viking realms. All it had taken was one small act of curiosity to change the course of her life; had she not followed Angus into the barn that day, she would not have crossed into Vasmaar and met Heinrekh.
Angus, it was all his fault, she vented her anger towards him. Not only had be betrayed Muirhead and Erin, he was now betraying Heinrekh and siding with Valkarin. Her brother was reprehensible. She rubbed her hand over her swollen belly; only she could have three people fighting for the right to raise the child.
Sasha stared up at the canopy of the four poster bed, she knew it would be a while before Erin rescued her, if at all. She was not dealing with Olav or Heinrekh, Valkarin was all powerful and, impressive though Erin was, it was doubtful she could match him. Heinrekh had mentioned something about Erin searching for missing artefacts which could help destroy Valkarin, she wished her friend luck in her search. They all needed help right now.
Erin was curled up in the study, thumbing through Aria’s book. It was basically an ancient spell book, her first foray into the dark arts, consisting of incantations and potions, albeit made from natural ingredients. Not a cauldron or eye of newt in sight sadly.
She read up on how Aria cursed her dagger, medallion and wrist band, and learnt how to get the new pewter band she had had made to really drain Valkarin’s powers. A huge wave of sadness swept over her; she felt such pity for Aria having to give up her child. And for Tobin, to lose the woman he loved at the hands of the man he previously served. Then there was Isobel who was in much the same situation, in love with another man, and again killed by her husband. Perhaps when, or if, this was ever over with, she could reunite the two women with the men they loved so they could finally rest in peace for eternity together.
“What’s wrong?” Wilhelm knelt at her feet, looking up into her glassy eyes. She hadn’t even heard him come in the room.
“Nothing,” she brushed a stray tear away.
“I have seen you endure great pain and injury, yet never once have you cried. Tell me what is bothering you?” His voice was so soft, it touched her.
“The story of Aria and Tobin, and Isobel and Damon, they’re so sad, yet so similar. It seems we McLomards really are cursed to those that love us.”
“Tragedy has struck those poor lovers, but it will not happen to us. I do not believe in curses. Besides, we will not enter into arranged or forced marriages, we will only wed for love.” He took hold of her head and kissed her softly.
Erin’s mind soon turned to other matters, or rather her body had; one kiss from Wilhelm could do that. “I need to put this book away.” She slipped into her concealed chamber and hid the book in her vault.
Wilhelm took her hand and let her up the winding staircase to the South Tower. Was this the staircase Aidan had thrown Isobel down?
Lying on his bed, slowing removing each other’s clothes was heaven. He was being so very careful with her because of all the bruising on her body.
“I am going to give each and every bruise a kiss,” he murmured, running his mouth over arms and shoulders.
“You could be a while,” she moaned softly, “I have plenty.”
“I have nowhere else to be,” he grinned wickedly up at her.
Erin’s heart was racing, he was so tantalisingly gentle, it was like having a moth’s wing stroked over her body. Then just like that it came to her, Aria’s parting words. They had not meant much at the time but now she recalled them exactly.
“Holy shit,” she shouted sitting bolt upright “That’s it.”
Wilhelm leapt back in shock and fell off the bed. “What?” he groaned from the floor.
“The location of Aria’s tomb.” She slid off the bed and pulled her top back on. “Sorry, but I have to tell the others.”
She didn’t understand what Wilhelm muttered, but his face said it all. He was thoroughly unimpressed at being stopped part way through his seduction.
Erin waited until everyone was assembled around the kitchen table before speaking. “Aria’s last words to me were to wish me and Wilhelm luck. But she referred to him as the prince who would never let me fall through the ice.” She turned to look at Wilhelm. “Do you remember where that was?”
“Yes, at Lokborin Lake.”
“Aria said previously she was the opposite of Valkarin. Mirror opposite in this case. He was hidden beneath the waterfall in Vasmaar, she beneath the waterfall in Lokborin, close to her beloved Lokranor. And her reference to being surrounded by wolves rings true also, as when we visited there were a couple present.”
“Exactly. You would expect her to be somewhere like Iceland or Denmark, true Viking strongholds.”
“Without wanting to sound too practical, how do you plan on reaching Lokborin, which is well inside the Second Realm?” Birdie tried to be the voice of reason.
Erin dropped the Book of Gateways on the table. “I do believe we have an unmarked gateway close by in Mallin woods.” She pointed to the spot. “The entrance to which, unsurprisingly, is by Tobin Hall.”