I pulled away from him. This was a lot to absorb; I needed some space, time to think. I turned and stepped down off the porch and headed towards the beach.
He called after me. “I love you, Diamond. Please don’t leave.”
I hesitated.
What was I doing?
I stood for a second, unsure.
I turn back and saw him standing there, so forlorn. Our eyes met and all the uncertainties I harbored fell away. Right or wrong, I loved this man and I wasn’t going to lose him because of my own stubborn pride.
I ran back, flinging myself into his open arms. He lifted me high in the air, twirling me around, just as they did in the movies.
Then he was kissing me, a long, lingering kiss that sent jolts of electricity tingling through my bones, down to the very tips of my toes.
I leaned back. “Ghosts, huh? What a weirdo.”
He grinned. “Aye, that I am.”
We sat out there, Daisy at our feet, watching as the sun set over the dunes. The smell of roses wafted up over the porch and tangled with the slats. I gave a sigh of contentment, I was home.
I had found my own Soul of the Sun. It was here, inside of me, in this secret place where the magic had all begun.
69
Another dream.
I was standing near the edge of the cliff again amongst the white heather that Tristan loved so much. I knew without even looking around that I was on the cliffs of Slieve League. I felt alive and carefree, feeling none of the gloom that had plagued me recently. The winds whipped at my dress, catching it up with abandon into a blue gauzy swirl. I gazed down at the flowing fabric; it was the most beautiful dress I had ever laid eyes upon.
The cliffs were no longer menacing. This time I was at home on its craggy rock face. I looked out at the vast blue sky. There was no storm, no man chasing me. I was no longer fighting for my life.
Why was I here? I glanced around and saw not a soul in sight. Was I the only person here in Ireland’s northwest corner? I had done some research about these cliffs after talking to Tristan. They were said to be the highest sea cliffs in Europe and plunged 300 meters into the roaring ocean below.
Gazing out over the churning waters, I believed it. I knew now that it was a miracle I was alive. There was no way you could plunge down that far and escape only with a broken leg. For the first time I was in awe of the magic. And if I was right my dreams had brought me here for something more important than my belief in the unseen.
“Hello! Hello! Is anybody there? Can you hear me?” My voice echoed out and off the waves into the vast soaring blue sky.
“Oh for goodness sake girl, stop waffling about over the scenery and pull yourself together. You have work to do,” a voice said in a brisk tone.
“Who’s there?” I said, swinging round in the direction of the sound.
“Hrrmph.” A loud snort erupted from a hazy fog, then an exasperated voice bellowed, “It’s your Great Aunt Bette here. Land sakes child what does a woman have to do to get some attention?”
“Granna’s Aunt Bette?” I asked, more than a little shaken.
“Of course your Granna’s Aunt, who did you think it was the Mother Mary?”
With a loud swish she literally erupted out of the haze wearing a bright purple dress that was so tight it was squeezing her bosom up to her chin. She frowned at me in disapproval.
Behind her Aunt Abby appeared giggling. Abby looked positively angelic in a loose flowing white satin gown. “Aunty certainly knows how to make an entrance doesn’t she Emma?”
Before I could say another word a lady with long black hair stepped forward in front of her. I almost felt as if they were competing for my attention. My curiosity was rising.
“I’m Athena, the lady that you met at the sanctuary. I wrote the letter you found and gave you the amulet?” She smiled reassuringly at me, then said, “we’ve come to see you for a very important reason.”
She must have noticed I was in shock as I was standing stock still with my mouth gaping open unable to form words. To think I was standing here with a lovely, ancient Greek goddess was unbelievable. It just didn’t get any stranger.
She spoke again, “I know it’s a lot to take in, but it’s alright we’re here to help,” she turned to Aunt Bette. “We must be kind to Emma; she is the reason we are all here. We need to protect her now.”
Aunt Bette muttered something incorrigibly rude but I wasn’t paying attention. My eyes were riveted on Granna who had moved to the forefront. She was decked out in a bright red dress with a jaunty matching hat perched precariously atop her head. And of course being Granna she had her vivid red lipstick painted on her lips. Oh how I missed that face. She looked so young, so breathtakingly beautiful.
Before she could even speak, I felt her name escape from my lips. “Granna? Is that really you?” Tears welled up in my eyes.
“Yes Diamond it’s me. It’s wonderful to see you darling. I want you to know I’m so proud of you.”
I reached out to touch her but my hand fell through the misty body. I looked at her, “What’s happening? Why are you all here?” I asked confused.
Aunt Bette interjected, “Oh for goodness sake Margaret this girl isn’t going to be in dream state all day. Get to the point child. You know this is the easiest way for us to communicate.” She glared at Granna, “And why on earth are you wearing that ridiculous red hat? Makes you look like a peacock. Just because you’re dead doesn’t mean you can pull off that kind of thing.” She was clearly annoyed with the entire situation.
“Oh Aunt Bette you’re just jealous of my hat. When did you get to be so terribly old-fashioned? Now, if you don’t mind I’d like to speak to my granddaughter.” Granna turned her back on Aunt Bette’s sourpuss expression and smiled at me, pushing her way forward.
Granna’s face hovered inches in front of me. She was so close I felt cocooned in her love. It was like a balm. How difficult it was not to be able to touch her. The light of her spirit illuminated me in a warm glow.
“Emma love, you feel it too don’t you? This place feels like a piece of home. Close your eyes and breathe deep, let your lungs expand. Your body is telling you something. You feel alive. There is something here for you, love.”
I closed my eyes. Every cell in my body was on the move coursing with energy; my blood pulsated through my veins like a raging river. I felt like I was aglow from within. It was incredible. It was an adrenaline rush a thrill seeker might have.
I opened my eyes. “What was that Granna?”
“That’s destiny my love. You keep being pulled here to Slieve League because Tristan’s fate and yours are intertwined. There is a part of his life that he left behind. But you know my darling, better than anyone, that when it comes to magic it finds you no matter where you go. What he fails to understand is this thing he left behind wasn’t for him it was for you. And without it, you won’t have all the pieces of the puzzle.”
“The puzzle?” I asked.
Athena interjected. Her beautiful dark hair floated around her in a halo, her high cheekbones flushed. “Emma, when I wrote you that letter, I had a vision about what you needed and what you must learn about the amulet. But I was missing one piece of the puzzle. We didn’t see it all until your Mama, Aunts, Granna and I came together,” she smiled warmly at me. “On the other side our family is the spiritual protector of the world. And that’s because we were blessed with the Soul of the Sun being born unto us. Now that you and Tristan are together we have begun to see the big picture. You would not have been born to us if good and evil had not united to create Astrid, and through Astrid, you. There was a reason for this. Good cannot exist without evil. And as such, the amulet works in tandem with its darker self. We all love and support you but you must listen to your heart and hear what it says, and do your part.”
My eyebrows furrowed and I frowned at Athena. “I don’t understand. What is my part exactly?”
Aunt Abby floated down next to me. “Emma I’m the
one that has been sending Tristan those dreams, I demanded he paint you. I had to. We had to make him find you so we could keep evil from succeeding. It was imperative to show him that you needed him. But we thought he would bring the ring with him. The ring of the amulet. The ring is the dark side that the amulet needs to be complete. It fits perfectly around its center. You see, the amulet is not just in two pieces. It is in three. We should have remembered that everything works in threes. We learned the ring of the amulet was stolen before it was ever placed around the amulet. It was taken by an ancient Irish clan long, long ago. They had somehow heard of its legend. It’s not by coincidence that Tristan was born into his Irish family.”
“What are you saying? That both Tristan and I are partly evil just because he was born into this clan, and I am a descendent of rape by a madman? That’s insane.”
In that moment another figure appeared from below the cliff. I stared. It couldn’t be. My heart leapt. It was Mom I was sure of it. I barely remembered her she had died when I was so young.
She spoke very softly, “Emma my darling child, I have watched you grow from a mischievous girl into a beautiful young woman and I am so proud of you. I have never left your side. Of course you are not evil, but you must listen. I’ll admit my conception was not ideal. But it was all for a reason Diamond. There are no mistakes. And we all know that your spirit is strong and true, just as mine is. With every generation the power gets stronger. You were born the Soul of the Sun because you have a special mission to complete. The earth can no longer wait; the dark ones are closing in. More importantly you were chosen because of your amazing courageous spirit my love. Plus the fact that you are a natural healer just adds to your strength. Your inner healing power is one of the reasons why you are so intent on becoming a doctor. We will assist you in bringing the ring home to its rightful place. Know that we will be with you every step of the way and you will never walk alone. I promise.”
I sighed, I knew I needed to accept the magic; it was time to truly take responsibility. If all my family was fighting for good who was I to walk away? “Okay you win,” I conceded, “where do I find this ring?”
Granna stepped up. “Well that’s the tricky bit Love. It’s actually still in the ancestral home of Tristan’s family. It’s now owned by his paternal grandparents.”
“What! Tristan has never even met these people Granna, he doesn’t want to know them, they abandoned his father.”
“We know all this Diamond, but you must convince him it’s time to put old grudges aside. If his father had not been estranged from the family, Tristan would already be in possession of the ring. That’s what we assumed when we brought Tristan to South Carolina. You need to convince him of the importance of this ring. You must.”
Aunt Bette interrupted rudely, her lips pursed in a sour expression. “Margaret, aren’t we going to tell her exactly what Tristan isn’t doing? Men! They’re all the same. Think they know better than everyone else. Emma let me tell you…”
Before Aunt Bette could finish her tirade, I was fully awake and sitting bolt right in the bed. I was shaking from head to foot and my hair was plastered damply to my forehead. I turned to look at Tristan who was sleeping so peacefully. What else was he keeping from me? And why would he do that after we had been through so much together? What did Aunt Bette want to tell me?
I slipped out of bed and padded over to the window. The stars were twinkling brightly in the dark night sky. The dream was so real.
With new determination I turned to the bedside table and pulled open the drawer. The amulet lay just as I’d left it. I lifted it up and gazed at it. It winked at me in the moonlight. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine my family shining their light down on me and prayed that the ring would be found.
70
The Watcher, the Boúrda
There was only time.
Time to see what had been lost. Time to see all that I had done wrong.
Emma had given me a fate more punishable than death; she had banished my greatest ability. The ability to take over another human form, make it my own. She had taken away the tool I used to gather my power.
She thought she had destroyed me, that I no longer existed. I think that would have been more humane. But instead I had to watch myself wither away. I was a spirit that would one day have no magic at all.
I stood in the back of the boúrda, watching the sacred table, awaiting the verdict of the circle to see what my punishment would be. I had not been successful in accessing the Soul of the Sun. I had no time travel ability. I had brought shame upon my world.
The pain I felt was almost physical. The humiliation was real, the horror of it overwhelming. I was losing touch with the others. The link was weakening. If I’d been in a body I imagined a heart that would have been racing, palms sweating.
There was silence from the director and a hush fell among the other circle seekers. They had called me here for a reason.
They had made their decision.
I hovered in the corner waiting for them to give me a signal.
I watched as they stretched out their arms and joined hands. They began to chant a slow melodic sound, as quiet as a heartbeat.
As quickly as they started they suddenly stopped. Aniketos summoned me closer. I skirted close to the edge of the table. I couldn’t look anyone of them in the eye.
“You have failed us. Time and time again you have had the opportunity to do what was needed, yet even with all of us behind you, you became cocky.
“We were there for you, but you thought you could do it yourself. You tried to be the hero. It was stupid and very human of you.”
He paused and came very close to me. “You will do as I say,” the director said his voice deadly and lethal as a sword. “Your fate has been decided.
“Your little dalliance as The Watcher has resulted in a problem bigger than any that we have ever faced. Your human sexual need led to the Soul of the Sun, being a part of us, it enabled her to have access to our abilities. You have connected good and evil for all time.
“Do you realize what THIS MEANS YOU IDIOT!!! It means that she is almost unstoppable. She may truly be more powerful than all of us put together!”
As he angered his spirit glowed from gold to red. Steam rose out of his hood, the walls shook so hard I thought they might crumble.
“I was going to banish you forever to the infernal realm, but I think it will hurt you more to stay and watch your power wither away until you are nothing and no one. The circle has agreed. You are no longer needed here. Do you understand?”
“…I can make this right sir, just give me another chance, let me prove to you that all is not lost…”
“SILENCE!” he yelled. “You’ve had your chance. Did you think that we would not find out that Astrid was marked? That we would not learn that the tale was true? How dare you keep such things from us! It was vital information!” He pointed to two of the circle seekers. “Disrobe him now.”
Instinctively, I moved back from them but they caught me and pulled the robe away. I was just a tiny little ball of light, my flaming orb was dimming.
Aniketos roared with laughter. “Look how puny he is. Good. It will be amusing to watch you shrivel. Seekers we have much work to do to see if this mess can be fixed. Let us get to work.”
With that they all disappeared into a puff of smoke, leaving me alone.
This couldn’t be the end.
I wouldn’t give up, not yet.
I would keep watching. Emma would mess up and I would be waiting.
Tristan, One month later
I woke with a start; I must have dozed off waiting for the perfect moment. I glanced over at the alarm clock, it was well past midnight and Diamond lay asleep nestled in the crook of my arm. I ran a finger down her sun-kissed cheek. She looked so peaceful. It was time.
I hadn’t told her about my connection with the painting, or what Granna thought would happen to me if I pressed my hands against it. I had evaded her quest
ions thus far, but I could only avoid answering for so long. Who was I to shatter her serenity?
I had deliberately omitted telling her my plan to visit the hidden room; I knew it had to be tonight. I’d slept very little. I’d lain in the dark, listening to Diamond’s soft breathing. It seemed she had finally drifted off to sleep.
I slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb her and pulled on some jeans over my boxers. I put on my slippers and turned to see if Emma had stirred. Satisfied she was still asleep I tiptoed out of the room.
I had to investigate. If truth be told, I was hell bent on destroying any malevolent force that remained there. Anything that would mar our happiness together had to be eliminated.
I hurried down the hallway to the office and descended into the darkness of the passageway. My small flashlight just barely gave out enough light. When I could stand upright in the room I searched it thoroughly but came up empty. Frustrated, I turned to stare at the painting.
I ran a finger along the gilt frame. Suddenly, there was an explosion, and I found myself catapulted into the air like a live firecracker. Sparks flew as my body jerked and twisted until I finally crashed to the floor at a peculiar, kinked angle.
My body lay twitching in that strange zigzag for a few seconds, then stilled. I was too stunned to move. The smell of singed flesh reached my nostrils and I became aware of an eerie light. Sitting bolt upright, I immediately vomited.
“God almighty,” I muttered. What the devil was going on?
Determined, I pushed myself up to a standing position.
The Soul of the Sun (The Argos Dynasty) Page 24