“They wouldn’t have crossed the sea.” Alanna frowned. “All that lies that way is the Isle of Mann, then Eire.”
But a shudder of premonition told Darrick that might be exactly where Morfran’s men had taken her son.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The child smelled of sweetness. Holding her made Alanna feel like a mother again, and eased somewhat the awful ache of her empty arms. Though she knew Darrick and Sarina worried for her sanity, she truly did not view this small girl child as a substitute for her son. No one could replace Caradoc, and the sooner she found him the better.
But neither could she abandon this child to Morfran’s men, or to the indifferent caretaker who seemed so eager to desert her. Ellette, like Caradoc, was destined for better things. Alanna sensed something bright within her, and whatever this shining thing was, it resonated with Alanna like a well-tuned harp.
More importantly, she believed that Ellette was essential to her son’s future. How, she could not say. Perhaps this too was a piece of the legendary riddle. Though she’d done little but consider it while she rode, she still had not figured out the puzzle’s meaning.
Pairs of Pairs. Caradoc and this little girl?
It was entirely possible. Nay, more than likely, since Morfran and Gorsedd wanted Ellette. For some reason they sought to keep her separate from Caradoc. Timing? Whatever the motive, `twas cause enough to keep her.
The other reason, a mother’s tenderness, Alanna would not try to hide, no matter what the others might believe of her.
“Now what?” Geoffrey asked again. “How much time do we waste while Morfran’s men gain distance? We need to ride as fast and hard as our mounts are able, if we mean to overtake them before they reach their destination.”
A few of the men mumbled agreement.
“How? If we turn and go west, we will run into the group from the inn.” Sarina, the voice of reason, watched only Geoffrey as she spoke. She thought Alanna was too distracted to see the hunger in her eyes when she looked at him.
Through all of this, Darrick remained conspicuously silent, staring at Alanna with a hooded gaze as she rocked little Ellette. Alanna wondered if he saw another child in his mind’s eye, a child never born, who might have been had they married.
“Is there not another road?” Directing this question to Darrick, Alanna was pleased to see a half smile curve one side of his mouth.
“Of course there is.” He gestured towards the village. “There always are two paths. The one that leads back to the inn might be more direct and safer, but I’m sure there is another we can take.”
Again the local woman spoke. “The other route winds south, then west. It has fallen into disuse, and only bandits and brigands travel it now.”
Darrick shrugged. “Then we shall be a fine match.” He spurred his horse forward. “We’ll head for the village and ride through it. Once we find the other road, we’ll cross as much ground as we can before seeking a place to rest.”
One of the men spoke up. “Will we again ride under cover of darkness? I like it not. `Tis dangerous.”
“Aye, for now `tis necessary. How else can we elude our pursuers and hope to overtake Morfran’s men?”
Geoffrey cast a disparaging look Alanna’s way. “If she would but leave the child, none would pursue us.”
“No.” Darrick must have sensed her resolve. “The child stays.”
After that, even Geoffrey fell silent. The sound of the horses’ hooves was the only thing that broke the quiet of the night.
In short time they reached the village. Unchallenged and unnoted; at this late hour, most were in their beds. The streets appeared deserted.
Like most small villages in the country, this one appeared unremarkable. One small main street, a few shops – all closed – and the unpretentious homes of the townspeople.
Once they’d proceeded into the heart of the village, Ellette’s former nursemaid bade them halt, her voice quavering. She slid to the ground without assistance. Dusting off her stained skirt, she looked from Darrick to Alanna and her small burden. Alanna saw no hint of remorse or even fondness in her gaze.
“I must warn you again, this Gorsedd and Lord Mortimer seem to place a high value on these children. He will spare no resources to find out where you have gone.”
“How will he learn of it?” This from Darrick. He watched the woman the way a hawk might watch a mouse.
She glanced about her before she spoke again, and Alanna thought she detected fear in her gaze. “He has a way of knowing things, though how I can not say. Some whisper that Gorsedd can reach into other men’s minds and read their thoughts.”
Darrick looked to Alanna while she pondered this. If such a thing were true, then Gorsedd had been able to amass more power than even the mighty Fae of old. How he could have done so, when all the rest of the Fae suffered from the loss of theirs, she wanted to know.
“Good.” Darrick’s next words startled her. “If he can read my thoughts, then he will know I will not rest until I have found him and his ally Morfran. I want vengeance.”
“Vengeance?” The woman looked surprised. “Because he has taken her child?”
“Aye, that too. He will pay for his actions against both my betrothed and my lady mother.”
Betrothed. Still he so named Alanna.
Sarina flashed Alanna a smile, even as Geoffrey’s frown deepened. The six men who rode with them whispered, their words unintelligible to Alanna.
Though she wanted to contradict him, she did not. His allegiance now was too important. Rather, she focused on the woman, who had gathered her skirts in one hand and appeared ready to run.
The nursemaid dipped her chin. “You place yourselves in grave danger.”
“We will take that chance.” Alanna leaned forward, resting the still slumbering Ellette on her mount’s shoulders. “Before you go, I would speak with you of this one. Do you know why they wanted her? Or what they planned to do with her?”
She shook her head. “No, my lady. I only know that they wished to separate her from the boy. I heard they were inseparable.”
Inseparable. Again, the riddle. Pairs of pairs must join and bind.
Alanna’s pulse quickened. “Did you see him? The little boy?”
Again she gave a negative shake of her head. “I only heard. They had been keeping them apart for weeks before they brought me to tend to Ellette. I came after the first fire.”
“Fire?” Alanna went still. All eyes were upon the woman now, after this last statement. “What fire?”
Swallowing, her gaze darted left to right. “I wasn’t there, so only heard of it. They say the boy commanded a bolt of lightning from the cloudless sky, even though the sun shone bright.”
Geoffrey snorted. Sarina lowered her head. Mouth dry, Alanna could not look at Darrick, for fear she would cry out. Instead, she took a deep breath, then another. When she thought she could speak normally, she forced a cold smile.
“Likely `twas not my son’s doing, but Gorsedd’s.”
“I’ve seen this Gorsedd.” The woman’s gaze seemed full of fear. “He is not one to take lightly.”
“No, I’m beginning to see that.”
“Who is he? Is he a powerful warlock then? Or a mage?”
Alanna continued to smile her frozen smile. “Once he was of my home land, of my people. Now, I know not what he has become.”
The woman opened her mouth, then closed it. One more quick look at Alanna and she took off, running away without a backward glance. Once she turned the corner she disappeared from view.
Geoffrey’s horse whickered, skittered sideways.
“Let her go.” Even though `twas Alanna that gave the order, Geoffrey obeyed, reining his mount in.
“Come on.” Grim-faced, Darrick took charge. “Let’s find this other road. There is nothing for us in this village and I want to leave it as quickly as we can. We’ll have to ride hard and fast to stay ahead of the soldiers.”
“Wait.”
“`Tis not the soldiers I fear.” She spoke clearly, so that all assembled might know what they faced. “If this Gorsedd has done as I fear, then he has harnessed powers long left chained, dark things that can wreak great evil upon the human world.”
Geoffrey and several of the men crossed themselves. Geoffrey reached into his tunic and pulled forth his silver cross, so that the medallion glinted on his chest.
“What basis have you to think this?”
She recited the verse. “When all that’s bright and shining has dulled and faded, pairs of pairs must join and bind. For when ancient evil from below rises, a soul torn asunder must be made whole. Poet and nobility, of both worlds and of neither, only then can such power be restored.”
Darrick stared at her, his face haunted. “The legend?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you not tell me of this before?”
“I told you of the legend.”
“But not the riddle. You know my name Tadhg - means poet.”
“And Reagan means nobility. Yes, I knew. They believed you and I were the answer to their prayers.”
“Then why did you never speak of it until now?” A simmering sort of fury darkened his tone. “Why did you not tell me of this in the days before we were to wed? Why did you not relate to me the high value your people might place upon our children?”
She glanced at the others, all watching with avid interest. “I wanted you to marry me because you cared for me. Not because of some ancient legend with an arcane meaning no one truly knows.”
A spark of anger flashed in his dark eyes. “We were betrothed, Alanna. I had the right to know.”
His anger was justified. She wanted to hang her head in shame. Instead, she lifted her chin and met his gaze directly.
“I’m sorry. I would have told you once we were wed.” Once she’d been certain of his love.
Though his expression seemed doubtful, he swallowed and nodded, a quick, angry jerk of his head.
“Riddles and legends!” Geoffrey sighed, his exasperation plain. “Nonsense. I prefer to deal in what’s before me, here and now.”
“I begin to agree with you.” Putting his horse into a brisk jog, Darrick did not look at Alanna again.
Riding at Alanna’s side, Sarina continued to sneak looks at Geoffrey, who now stayed up front with Darrick. In the dim light the two men were mere outlines, both broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted warriors on massive steeds.
Alanna felt a catch at her heart. “I want my son.”
“Do you now believe that old riddle is why Caradoc was taken?”
“No, I always thought Morfran had taken him because he learned Caradoc was his son.”
“But now you think differently?”
“Gorsedd does. For myself, I don’t know what to think. He is only a little boy and not of the two lines. He has no discernable power.” Some of her pent-up worry for her baby must have come out in her voice.
“He’ll be safe from harm.” Sarina reached to pat her arm. “They won’t hurt him. Especially if they think he carries power.”
“You’re most likely right.” Alanna glanced around them, feeling a wrongness in the chill of the night breeze. “What I’m worried about now is how they’ll attempt to stop us.”
“How could they know? They have no way of knowing that we come after them, unless like that woman claimed, Gorsedd can truly read minds.”
“I would not discount such a thing, not yet. `Twould seem they do know what we do, where we go. You felt that force, whatever it was, back there at Morfran’s Keep. It tried to hurt me and failing, turned instead to Bart.”
Sarina looked horrified. “Are you saying you know for certain that Gorsedd controlled that thing? One of our own people?”
“I grow positive that he did.”
“I felt its power. It was energy, pure black force, harnessed to do someone’s malevolent will. How could he have become so strong, when all the rest of us grow so weak?”
“I do not know. `Tis my hope that we will find out before he becomes strong enough to kill us.”
Again Alanna felt that skittering up her spine, that knowledge that something was not quite right.
With a shiver, Sarina looked to her left and then to her right. “Do you perceive--?” she whispered.
A nod was all Alanna could manage. She had to warn the others. “They come.”
Darrick’s sharp glance touched on her. “Who?”
“I know not. I sense them. They pursue us.” Scenting the air, she smelled sulpher, and again felt that faint prickle of evil.
Sarina did too, judging from the way she lifted her head and exclaimed out loud.
“They come,” Alanna repeated, her voice shivering with suppressed fear.
Long used to the sharp senses of their kind, Darrick took heed immediately. Half-turning in the saddle, he glanced from Alanna to Sarina and back again.
“What’s wrong? What do you sense?”
Beside him, Geoffrey grimaced. Would the man ever grow used to the idea that Sarina and she were more than human?
“Quiet,” Alanna hissed. “Listen.”
Hoofbeats. The rapid cadence was more than any flesh-and-blood horse could manage. These beasts – whatever they were - rushed upon them with the speed of thought.
“Riders.” Alanna spoke fast. “As yet they are far away. Not human, nor Fae. Different. And dangerous.”
“Violent.” Seconding her words, Sarina shuddered. “I sense single-minded intent to kill. Hatred.”
“Who are they? What are they?”
Alanna took a deep breath, knowing her next words would strike terror into all of their hearts. “I’m not certain. Some dark demons Gorsedd conjured, perhaps. Certainly not of this world, nor of mine. They’ll be here soon, in an hour or less.”
Cursing, Geoffrey crossed himself. Several of the men did the same.
“We should prepare for battle.” Several drew their swords.
“How does one battle a demon?”
“They ride in the darkness.”
“Yes. Darkness welcomes them.”
Darrick swore. “How do we fight them?”
“Our choices are not good.” Alanna exchanged a quick look with Sarina. The subtle shake of her head told meant she too had no idea what to do. “We do not have much time.”
“Can you fight them with magic?”
“I do not know.”
“Then we shall prepare for battle.”
“You mean to try and wage war against them?” Geoffrey sounded horrified.
“What choice do we have?”
“You can flee,” Sarina pointed out. “Or hide.”
Alanna was not surprised when Darrick laughed. “We are warriors, not cowards. We do not turn tail and run at the first hint of danger.”
“But these are not ordinary enemies.” Sarina pointed out, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. “Even those of us with magic are not entirely sure how to deal with them.”
“Magic. Demons. Evil.” Each word Geoffrey spoke dripped with venom. “We are Christian men, who follow God. We have nothing to fear from the likes of these.”
“You know not of what you speak.” Sarina chose to challenge him, ignoring his angry glare. “Have you ever faced down a denizen of another realm before?”
“Enough.” Darrick roared, before Geoffrey could reply. He looked to Alanna, who continued to cuddle the still sleeping child. “What course of action do you suggest?”
Alanna saw pain flash across Geoffrey’s face, followed by resignation. He liked it not that his liege lord turned to her for assistance, though he had no choice but to accept it.
“I do not advocate a battle.” With a dip of her chin Alanna indicated Ellette. “Nor do I think we can outrun them.”
“What are our choices?”
Sarina and Alanna exchanged another look. Alanna spoke slowly, knowing the rest of them would not lik
e what she had to say.
“Together, Sarina and I might be able to summon enough power to send you all to Rune. There you will be safe, for the time being.”
Of all the men, Darrick alone caught her omission.
Sheathing his sword, he glowered at her. “I have told you we are men, not cowards. What do you plan to do, while bidding us tuck our tails between our legs and run like frightened dogs?”
“I will stay and fight.”
“How? Do you possess some secret knowledge of our enemy, or some hidden weapon you have not revealed?”
“No.” Stubborn, she lifted her chin. “I do not. But I must try. Times runs quickly. I must fight and survive to ride on. I have to find my son. I would rescue your mother as well.”
“We will fight.” Darrick’s scowl dared her to say otherwise. The others muttered their agreement.
“Try to use your magic to help us.”
“If I can, I will.”
Geoffrey leaned forward. “What about finding your son? If you have such power, can you not use it to locate him?”
Alanna shook her head. “Would that I could. But I’ve tried. Others have as well. We have not enough magic to do such a thing. Gorsedd has many magical abilities, among them strong shields.”
“Listen.” Glancing over his shoulder, Darrick’s tension seemed palpable. “Can you still hear the sound of their coming?”
Alanna went still. The ghostly hoofbeats, while louder, still seemed far in the distance.
“They draw closer. They are moving fast.”
Sarina dipped her chin and sighed. “Have you enough magic to protect yourself?”
Alanna shrugged. “I know not. We have no choice but to try. I cannot risk my son.”
With a nod, Darrick rode forward. “Nor I my mother. Let us go forward. We must pick up our pace.”
“We dare not gallop, not in such darkness.”
Still, they urged the horses into a faster trot. Darrick cast frequent glances over his shoulder.
“There has to be a way to protect ourselves. Think. Do you remember any legends of things such as these?”
Grimacing, Alanna glanced back too. The awful wickedness that she’d sensed before grew stronger, fouling the air. The scent of sulphur more keen.
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