“There must be a conjunction of second moons within a month’s span. A conjunction within three worlds.”
She stroked his long, elegant fingers, lost for a moment in the texture of his skin. Desire sparkled between them. Gold and crimson. She gasped. “Can you see this?”
Gowthaman leaned to touch his forehead to hers while they stared at the colors dancing about their hands. “Yes. I see our soulfire.”
“The colors?”
There was a smile in his voice. “It would appear Chance was correct. Even the gray of the world between worlds cannot dampen the colors of love.”
“I remember.” Morghan’s soft spoken words drew Bree’s reluctant attention. He tapped his temple. “Here in the world between worlds, ’tis too easy to forget, an’ even easier to forget to care. But, with my thanks to ye, I remember.”
After a moment of silence, he began singing quietly. “Once from water, once in air, again for land, challenge an’ dare. Dance to sing. Sing to close. Forever bind, forever hold. Air an’ land, deep water too, now we sing this dance for you.”
Coralie began nodding part way through Morghan’s song. When he finished, she wrapped her arms about his neck and kissed him full on the mouth.
Heat crawled up Bree’s neck to fill her cheeks. She stared at her feet. Why should a kiss between two people she cared for embarrass her? She was delighted Coralie and Morghan were finally together. A gentle finger lifted her chin and she met Gowthaman’s tender, knowing gaze. A slight pressure drew her closer. The warmth of his breath flowed past her cheek. Her eyelids drifted closed.
“Hey Sis, what’s up?”
Dust from Chance dropping to the ground filled her nostrils. She sneezed, rubbed her nose and opened her eyes, turning from Gowthaman’s resigned expression.
Obviously well pleased with himself, Chance grinned. “What have you guys been up to?”
“Singin’ the songs of children,” Morghan answered.
“Uh, sure. Yep. Looked like it to me. Uh-huh, more like you were all thinking about making children.”
Face burning, Bree slapped his shoulder. For all the teasing in his tone, he was close to the truth. And he knew it.
“Geez, Bree. Just kidding. Sorta,” he finished under his breath.
Before she found a proper retort, Morghan asked, “Did ye discover anythin’ of interest on yer walk?”
Guilt flashed through Chance’s expression and he shook his head. “Nothing but a lot of gray.”
Studying the tic just below her brother’s ear, Bree bit back the need to call Chance on his lie. From the corner of her eye she saw Gowthaman give a barely perceptible head shake. So, he detected the falsehood as well.
“An’ ye’ll ne’er find more than that here.” Morghan waved a hand toward the ground at Chance’s feet. “As ye have returned, an’ ruined my drawin’, mayhap ye can assist us in findin’ the meanin’ of the children’s rhyme.”
Chance glanced at the partial circles remaining sketched in the dirt and scuttled back a few inches, further obliterating the drawing. “Oops. Sorry.”
Slipping the scabbard from his back, Chance laid both swords behind him then stretched and crossed his legs at the ankles. He wiggled his feet up and down reminding Bree of when he was a little boy, innocent and mischievous at the same time. What would she ever do without him to brighten her life?
“So, what’s all this about kid’s songs?”
Gowthaman answered. “We were discussing the importance of three, attempting to determine how best to insure our escape.”
“Okay, nothing new about that. What’s up with the songs then?”
Gowthaman shrugged and Bree frowned at the odd reaction. But then he smiled. “I have heard it said the things we remember best are the songs and games of childhood.”
“Sure, that makes sense. So, you’re thinking that there may be a clue to help us get home in some children’s song?”
“Yes.”
Chance thought for a moment then glanced at Morghan. “And the drawing?”
“Somethin’ I remembered from an old book. Here, I shall show you. An’ we have no’ determined if there be a relationship between the song and the drawin’.”
“But there might be?” Chance arched his eyebrows and waited for Morghan to answer.
“Mayhap.”
“Cool. Let me see.”
Coralie handed Morghan the short stick while Chance scooted back a bit further then rose to his hands and knees to watch Morghan draw. Bree studied her brother in silence. In spite of his lie, he appeared more relaxed and focused than he had before he went on his walk-about. Something had changed within him. Something important. And she needed to know. “Chance?”
“Shush. Let me think about this.” He waved one hand before leaning forward, intent on the tip of Morghan’s stick. “Can you sing the song for me too?”
Coralie’s light alto filled the small camp while Morghan completed the crude drawing. At the end of the simple tune, everyone turned to watch Chance. Proud of her brother’s interest, Bree held her breath waiting for his first comment.
He leaned back and settled cross-legged again. “You’re messing with me, right?”
“Messin’ with ye?” Morghan asked.
“Sure. Seeing if the kid can figure this out. A test.”
“No, Chance,” Gowthaman said. “Here we present a true conundrum to you. As of yet, we do not understand either the song or the drawing.”
Chance laughed. “You’re kidding, right?” After a moment of stunned silence while he looked at each of them in turn, he asked, “Want to hear what the kid thinks?”
Bree nudged his foot with hers. “Of course we do.”
“May I?” Chance held out his hand for the stick. In a showy move learned from their dad, he waved the stick like a magic wand over the three circles then touched the thick bar. “This is keeping the single circle from the others. Easy.” He tapped the single circle. “Brandr Ur.”
“But what about—”
“Shush. Let’s leave the drawing for a moment and study the song.”
Thinking that her brother sounded a bit like Gowthaman in a lecturing mode, she explained, “Actually, Coralie said it was a game. Like Ring around the Rosie or London Bridge.”
His grin spread. “Even better. Now it make’s complete sense.”
“What does?”
“Look Sis, there’s three things mentioned in the song. Air, water and land. Also the words forever bind.” He paused and looked at them expectantly, eyebrows arched high. When no one spoke, he shook his head and continued. “You must be too close to the problem. Air. Water. Land.” He touched the three circles then made the mark of a letter as he indicated each again. “Sindhu. Andras. And... I keep forgetting the name of your earth-dwelling cousins.” He glanced at Morghan.
“Domovoii.”
“Right. Domovoii. So. There’s your three. The drawing and the song both tell us it took all three Alfar races to bind the elemental and hold him in the world between worlds.”
Grinning, Chance leaned back on his elbows. “Simple.”
Twenty-four
“And while I was in the library, I heard children playing in the gardens,” Tori said after she spread the sheet with a simple drawing on the patio table. “Normally I wouldn’t think much about it, but they were playing a singing game that called to me as though I had heard it before. A long time ago.”
Nightshade nodded. “The games of children are pretty much the same no matter where or when you go, honey.”
She leveled her gaze on him. “I know. But this was different. I don’t remember words, but I’m almost positive my adoptive grandmother hummed the tune when she put me to bed. Then... then I took a couple of minutes to glance through the book after I copied the drawing and found this.” She slipped a second sheet from the waterproof carrier and unrolled the page, laying it over the drawing.
Nightshade angled the page to read in the dim, early evening light. The day
had been long, and their discussions fruitless. He’d sent Jayse and Lucidea off to rest an hour ago. He snorted softly to himself. At least he hoped they were resting.
He read the short poem twice, then letting his questions show in his expression, glanced up at Tori. She’d grabbed a snack from the chest inside the workroom door and joined him at the table. She pointed with a tiny wedge of cheese. “Those words, that’s the song the children sang while they played.”
“Once from water, once in air, again for land, challenge and dare. Dance to sing. Sing to close. Forever bind, forever hold.” The words triggered his own memories. Of being tossed back and forth while trying to escape the circle of his brother and cousins. “Air and land, deep water too, now we sing this dance for you.”
After swallowing her bite of cheese, Tori nodded. “I looked out the window to watch. There were four children. Three held hands and circled around the fourth who tried to break through their circle. Nightshade, I think this is what we’ve been looking for. I think this is how we keep Brandr Ur contained while the rest get home.”
“A game?” Even as he said the words, he knew she was right. A heavy shadow surrounded his heart. There was no turning back now, whatever decisions he’d made in his life had brought him to this point in time. To this family and their quests. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply.
“Is something wrong, Nightshade?”
“No, honey. Nightshade’s fine.”
“Hmm, I don’t think so. You didn’t rest today, did you?”
He swung his arm in an expansive gesture and tried for a flippant grin. “Who needs rest when there’s a puzzle to solve?”
“Doesn’t work with me, honey.”
“Tori...” He leaned forward and pressed his hands flat over the papers. “Do you think you could contact our travelers during a dreamwalk?”
Her eyes widened at his request and she sat back with a soft release of breath. “Not what I expected,” she muttered.
Satisfied he’d thrown her off his case, at least for a short while, Nightshade continued. “If I remember correctly, and of course Nightshade always remembers, when Morghan first disappeared he was able to communicate with Lucidea and Coralie as long as he could find water. They assumed that when he no longer visited their dreams, he could find no water. Coralie packed extra bottles of loch water with her in hopes of communicating with us should a need arise.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“You didn’t take a look at her bulging pack, did you?” Nightshade chuckled. “But even though they could hear Morghan, Coralie doesn’t believe he could ever hear them. So it was only a one way conversation. Maybe if we initiate the contact here—”
“Great idea. And in a dreamwalk, I’ll have more control. Maybe the drumming will get their attention faster.”
“So I’m hoping. When will be the best time for you to try?”
“At moonrise. What am I going to tell them?”
He held the silence for a long moment before speaking. “That instead of reciting the spell three times, we believe three voices are needed to simultaneously create the magic to keep the elemental contained.”
“If you’re going to try something like that...” came a soft voice from the doorway. Nightshade turned to face Lucidea and she continued. “I think the best place to try is at the water wall in the cave below the manor.”
“Chance, I would like to speak with you.” Leaving the others arguing over whether Breanna had the strength to heal the wound on Morghan’s arm, Gowthaman followed the young man a short distance from the campfire.
Chance’s shoulders stiffened, then with a deep breath he rolled one then the other, looked back over his shoulder and said, “Sure. Let’s wander this way just a bit further, okay?”
Holding back a smile at the young man’s nervousness, Gowthaman nodded. He watched Chance’s back as they moved away, noticing the rapid shifts from tense to relaxed. Something bothered Breanna’s brother. Perhaps if given the opportunity, he would confide. Realizing he would accept and relish the fact someone could again confide in him, Gowthaman paused.
Chance stopped in the shadows of a tall rock and looked out over the distant plain. He gave a satisfied nod then motioned Gowthaman nearer and leaned against the stone. “So, what did you want to talk about?”
Matching the casual pose, Gowthaman considered the cold stone at his back. No sun shone in the gray world to heat the stone, but the heavy, arid air burned his nostrils. This was a place of sameness, with many contradictions.
His first visit had taken him to a place of mist, gray and impenetrable. A place of judgment, yet the Watchers who resided there had not judged him. He had judged himself, allowing himself to exist in a world he knew, yet had allowed to become as colorless as the landscape surrounding them. Just as Breanna brought color to the world between worlds, she had gifted him with the colors of their soulfire. Now there were as many contradictions in him as in the world between worlds. There would be much for him to remember, much to study when he returned home. If he returned.
Ruthlessly shoving away his concerns, he bent one knee to plant his foot flat against the stone behind him. “I am impressed with your deductions and solution to the song and diagram.”
Chance gave a start, then chuckled. “Thanks. I really thought you were testing me. I can’t believe any of you, especially you, didn’t figure that out a long time ago.”
“Sometimes the simplest answers are the most difficult to find.”
“I guess so.”
“You have a sharp mind—”
“That I don’t use often enough, as my sister likes to remind me. I’m really glad you two finally got together. Teasing aside, Gowthaman, it’s about time.”
“Yes, it is. I was too proud.”
“Hey man, I understand. At least you finally came to your senses. I got tired of her moping around over you.”
“Moping?”
“Yeah, you know...” Chance slouched to one side, opened his eyes wide and stared at the sky. He heaved a huge, noisy sigh. Then he grinned and stood straight. “Like that.”
“She did not.”
“Not when you would see, no. But when she was alone, when she didn’t think anyone was around.” His grin faded. “I hated seeing her like that... loving you when you didn’t seem to care. Or simply even notice her. If your idiocy would have gone on much longer I was considering forcing a man to man talk with you.” He dropped his gaze to his clenched fist. “She would have kicked my ass if I did, though.”
“I do not doubt she would, and done a thorough job. I thank you now for your concern, for the love you bear your sister.”
“Hell, Gowthaman. I like you. You’re the best man for Bree, no question about it. Just took you long enough.”
No response needed, they fell silent. How he’d earned the right to be a part of such a family, Gowthaman was unsure. Days ago he would have denied the existence of that right. Today he was the luckiest of all Faerie, for Breanna loved him. Him... despite his failings and denials. She loved him. Here in this loveless, colorless place he had found love and acceptance. Miracles.
Chance fidgeted, scraping his foot in the dirt. He squirmed, rubbing his back against the stone creating a dry, rasping that set Gowthaman’s teeth on edge. “Gowthaman, I lied.”
“I know.”
“Not about you and Bree, about when I was scouting.”
“Yes, I know. As does your sister. I am sure she will corner you and wish to discuss it with you later.”
“Can you talk to her for me?” He sounded as young as he was, pleading for a champion. But his eyes shone with age and hidden wisdom. Like the world between worlds that held them, Chance was full of contradictions.
“Tell me your lie.” Gowthaman wouldn’t make a promise without knowing the stakes. Standing between Breanna and her brother would not be wise.
“I went to see Brandr Ur.”
“You what?”
Chance made hushing motions
with his hands then peered around Gowthaman to see if the others had heard the outburst. Gowthaman stared at him, unable to believe the seriousness—the foolishness—the utter... “Chance, explain.”
“It’s kind of a long story.”
“We have time.” He straightened to block Chance’s view of the others—and his escape. Folding his arms over his chest, Gowthaman waited.
“Hey, for a librarian you’re pretty formidable when you want to be.”
“No stalling. Explain.”
Chance lifted his hands in surrender then sank back against the stone. His face settled into serious lines. “Even before anyone talked about this being the time to rescue Morghan, there was this voice in my head. Whispering just beyond what I could hear most of the time, but there. It reminded me of my bio dad, of how Fiedhlim repeatedly tried to invade my mind when I was a baby. Before Jayse killed him. Eventually, I did some research.”
Gowthaman arched his eyebrows.
“Okay, so maybe it was more like snooping. Anyway, I heard about how the elemental had invaded minds when he tried before to escape. Then I knew what was in my head. Like that was a key I started hearing and understanding what he had to say.”
“What—”
“I don’t want to get into that now. Let it suffice to say it wasn’t pretty. Oh, he offers a good deal, but I’m not stupid enough to believe him. That’s why I wanted to come along. Had to come here. That’s why I went off on my own today. To confront him.”
“You were successful in your confrontation?”
A half-smile lightened Chance’s expression. “Yeah. I was. I forced him from my mind. I don’t think he was happy about it. I challenged him, too, but he said he’d made a promise to the prince—I guess he means Morghan—not to fight until tomorrow night.”
“You believe him to be a creature of his word?”
“Yeah, strangely enough, I do. What I need to tell you is that when I encountered him, he had a stick and was drawing in the dirt. Like Morghan. And, Gowthaman, he’d drawn the same bar and circles.”
“You are positive the drawing was the same?”
Blue Keltic Moon (Children of the Keltic Triad) Page 21