“I see colors in my mind when I feel things, but I always thought it was a weird kind of synesthesia. When I saw the Cŵn Annwn’s magic, I knew I was wrong, or at least, not all right. I took its power somehow—I’m not sure how. Peter and I found paw prints and a bathtub full of seaweed on his property, but I don’t know if it has anything to do with the Cŵn Annwn.” Sinking back down into the chair, I fingered the wheel charm on the bracelet under my sleeve as I stared at a spot on the floor.
“I thought I would be the one providing illumination today.” Taliesin’s voice sounded amused, but when I glanced up, his face was stern. “You and I will talk on this further, but for now I will be as succinct as you have been.” He considered each one of us until he was sure he had our attention. “Parallel to our world, there exists a place of magic—the Grey Lands of Avalon. The lord of that land was called Cernunnos the horned god by the Celts, though both he and his land are known by different names in all the cultures of the world. His three sisters reigned with him: Morgana, Morgause, and Viviane.”
Shocked pink striated with orange alarm ran across my sight.
Taliesin raised his hand before I could speak. “I know you have many questions. Let me finish and perhaps some will be answered. The abilities of Greylanders are heightened in this world of light and dark so different from their twilight home. They found their way here and became the creatures of our myths and legends. Morgause and Viviane were goddesses in many lands. Morgause was a seer. Cassandra of Troy was one incarnation; Andraste of the Celts was the last before her current one as the Seer of New York. Viviane chose the moon and water as her symbols—Diana, Hecate, Tethys—she was all of these and more.” His face was sympathetic. “It was fitting for she was known to be cold and barren. When she appeared among the Celts—my people—she named herself the Lady of the Lake.”
“The ancient tales of gods falling in love with mortals were based on truth. The mating of Greylanders and humans sometimes produced children of unprecedented skill. Our abilities may vary, but we call ourselves earth magicians for we are loyal to it. But one was born who was gifted by the earth with pure magic sprung directly from it—the Earth King—and his power rivaled that of the Lord of the Grey Lands. Cernunnos sent Morgana, his most beloved sister, to destroy the King.”
Morgana. Morgan.
Taliesin sighed. “It is a sad story of all too human betrayal and suffering. Despite the Earth King being already married, he and Morgana fell in love at first meeting. They planned to conquer this world and the Grey Lands and rule both together. They almost succeeded. In the final battle, Cernunnos brought down the Earth King through treachery—not to death, but to an ageless sleep. The chaos that ensued led to the time we call the Dark Ages. Cernunnos created the Wall between our worlds to protect himself should the Earth King ever rise again.”
The lilting tones of the man’s voice sent a shiver down my spine. “I lead the earth magicians and those Greylanders stranded behind the Wall who have sworn loyalty to me. Together, we fight the ones who have no love for the world and have chosen to become monsters. We stand ready for the day the Earth King awakens, for he is a tyrant who cares nothing for the lives of those who follow him. And we stand ready to fight on a last front against Cernunnos, who will not be content to remain behind his Wall forever.”
Only Peter was brave enough to break the silence that followed. “Rowan called us ‘recruits’. If you expect us to fight against this ‘Earth King’, I think we deserve to know his name.’
Taliesin’s voice was soft but his eyes were hard.
“King Arthur of Camelot.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
A lot of shouting followed the announcement that the great enemy of the world was King Arthur. Peter had a hard time accepting that the character he’d identified with in movies and novels was a world-conquering dictator.
“Enough!” Taliesin’s shout brought immediate silence.
Wow. He could do Broadway with that thing.
“I understand this is difficult for you to believe. The legend of the great King Arthur and his noble knights of the round table is a powerful one. Indeed, much of it is true.” He turned away to gaze out the window. “Whatever the blindness of his vision, Arthur was a true believer. He saw Morgana and those of her kind as victims of an evil overlord who oppressed his people and kept them in twilight. He was not entirely wrong. Arthur believed his power was a sign from God that he was to be the liberator of both Avalon and this world, whether the people in it wanted his liberation or not. I have set my life in opposition to his quest. I was a bard—a singer of songs and writer of poetry—and I was a warrior too, but I never expected to be anything but human. Yet the earth magic claimed me and so I must continue in life until it frees me.”
Taliesin bowed his head. “We were friends once, brothers. I would have followed him to the steps of hell. I suppose I did. I was with him and his army when he attempted to invade the Grey Lands. Only eight of us returned. I saw then that the lives of men, especially those of no magic, meant little to Arthur. I chose a different path after that day.”
“Sir, are you saying you’re a couple of thousand years old?” Lacey’s voice was respectful but disbelieving.
An unreadable expression flickered over Taliesin’s face. “Most accounts of my birth give it as 534 B.C., but I was born a couple of hundred years before. I changed my name when it became clear I would not age and die naturally with the rest of my kin. Taliesin is the name under which I gained the notoriety I bear now, but last August the third was the two thousand, five hundred and twenty-second birthday of a Welsh baby named Gwion Bach.”
“As to what you believe, Miss McInnis, after today it will be none of my concern. I am gathering an army. The hint of magic in your blood will be useful to you in all your pursuits. You are not, however, useful to me. Rowan will give you something we call a fith-fath which will allow you to mask your supernatural side if you feel threatened. There are also herbs and charms you can place around your home as a protection. We will give you the instructions, and as long as you are vigilant, you will be as safe as anyone else is in this world and I will have discharged my duty towards you.”
“That’s it?” she squeaked. “You expect me to go home, scatter a few herbs around, and just forget about everything?” Peter and I looked at each other. We knew Lacey wouldn’t accept being so low on the food chain easily.
Taliesin sat back down behind the desk. “What would you have from me? Your abilities are slight and I need warriors not schoolgirls.”
Lacey folded her arms across her chest. “Miko said I could become a witch.”
Miko rolled her eyes. “I thought you didn’t believe any of this?”
“Of course I do.” Lacey looked around the room. “OK, do you honestly think I’m so stupid that I can’t see what’s right in front of my face?”
I shook my head. “You ran away before the Cŵn Annwn showed itself.”
“I came back. Not all the way, but I could still see what happened. Just like I can always see you. I figured out a long time ago there was something weird about how no one except me ever seemed to notice you. I didn’t know it was magic, but I knew it was something. It was another good reason to try to keep you away from . . .” she broke off and flushed as she glanced at Peter.
Taliesin’s voice hardened. “I am sorry, Miss McInnis, but I have nothing else to offer you. I have enough blood on my hands. I will not add yours.”
“What about me and Rhi?” Peter asked.
It was Daley who answered. “Being a Protector makes you a born warrior which is why you’ve always been so good at sports. If you join us, we can train you to access physical and mental abilities you can’t even imagine now.”
For a moment, Peter looked interested, but then he frowned. “What about college? My parents? I can’t just leave them and take off.”
Daley glanced at his father and they shared a moment of silent communication before he continued. “We can wo
rk around that for now. Taliesin is the hub, but the spokes of his army spread out over the entire earth. You will need to spend some time training with us, but then you can go home. All we ask is that if Arthur is awakened, you’ll join us when we call.”
I felt a chill as Peter crossed his arms and ran his thumbnail up and down the groove between his teeth. He was considering it. The comic book loving, wannabe superhero inside him could never turn down such an opportunity.
“And me?” I asked.
“You are a mystery that we must get to the bottom of,” Taliesin replied. “Mr. Larsen and Miss McInnis may return to their homes, but for the moment, you will stay here with us.”
I stood in alarm, but no colors answered my call. “What do you mean ‘stay here’?”
“You will be our guest until I can determine the nature of your abilities and if you are a threat to our cause.”
Peter was on his feet now too. “That’s ridiculous! How could Rhi possibly be any kind of a threat?”
“Really?” Miko drawled. “And I suppose she didn’t suck the power out of a supernatural watchdog? She’s a mystery and mysteries are always dangerous.”
“You can’t keep me here against my will,” I said.
Tynan spoke up. “Untrained abilities are dangerous. Our father can help you. When he found me, I had no memories of my past and my abilities were erratic.”
“Are erratic,” Miko muttered under her breath.
My breath caught at the hostile expression that flickered over his features. “I knew I needed to earn his trust. Dad is the only one standing between the world and scarier things than the Cŵn Annwn.”
Daley’s eyes seemed to flash with light. “Not to mention you were raised by the high priestess of our enemy. Viviane was as cold-hearted as her moon and either she was lying, or you’re lying about being her daughter. That’s enough reason for us to be careful.”
“Enough.” Taliesin’s tone was mild, but Daley looked down and was silent. Taliesin’s power was in the beautiful tones of his voice and the way everyone listened and obeyed. I could feel it when he turned his attention back to me.
“Viviane’s purposes were always unfathomable. She gave Excalibur to Arthur. Later, she took it from him and aided his betrayer, yet she never returned to her place by her brother’s side. Whatever her true aim, by abandoning Arthur and his people, she lost the worship which her power had become tied to and at last died a mortal death, as you were witness to. I admit that I neither liked nor trusted Viviane. There seemed to be no love in her for either humankind or Greylanders so why would she take you in, a human child?”
I couldn’t answer that, but I didn’t want to stay here. I wondered if I could see Taliesin’s power and maybe do something about it. I closed my eyes and tried, but oily indigo lapped at the edges of my mind like waves at the shore.
It’s some kind of spell.
I opened my eyes in shock. “What have you done to me?” Peter jumped to my side, but I pushed past him to confront Taliesin. “You’ve done something to me! I can see it!”
Tynan stood and moved towards me, but Peter stepped between us with his fists raised. Daley edged closer to his father in case Peter decided to strike in that direction.
“Careful,” Miko murmured. “Protector, remember?”
“I’m not going to hurt Rhiannon,” Daley said. “None of us are.”
I was shaking. “What are you doing to me right now then?”
When Taliesin spoke, his voice was soothing and I could see the muscles in Peter’s shoulders relax a little. “This is one of my abilities: to bind power temporarily. I am holding yours, whatever their true nature, just out of your reach. No lasting harm will come of it.”
“All I can see is indigo blue trying to cover me.”
He raised an eyebrow. “How interesting. Just as with the Cŵn Annwn, you are seeing the manifestation of my power as color.” Taliesin sat back with a sigh. “Give me a show of good faith. Help me to trust you and you will be free to leave and never return if you so wish.”
“And if I don’t co-operate?”
His smile was wintry. “Then I may be forced to conclude that you are not to be trusted.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Taliesin’s message was clear: stay and submit or else.
I shared a look with Peter and he stepped back and was in control of himself again. “OK, I’ll do it, but I’m going to need some stuff if you want me to stay here tonight.”
“Great,” Tynan said eagerly. “I’ll go with Peter to your place. He can get what you need.”
“Thanks, but I need some personal items in my purse now, actually. It’s in my car.” Tynan blushed as I gave him the keys from my jeans pocket. Even barely alluding to feminine products was enough to psych out a teenage boy. I knew Daley was watching so I kept my face blank and innocent.
“It is settled then,” Taliesin declared. “Miss McInnis will wait in the dining room for the fith-fath to be prepared for her and Daley will give Mr. Larsen a greater introduction to our history and methods. Rowan will escort Miss Lynne to her room.” He turned to contemplate the view out the window. It was our cue to go.
Rowan had appeared at the doorway as if summoned by silent command. He gave me a rueful smile. “OK there, kiddo?”
“Just peachy,” I said under my breath as I followed him out of the room and down the hall. Daley gave me a look that promised he would find out all my secrets as he ushered Lacey and Peter back into the dining room.
“It’s going to be all right,” Rowan assured me. He’d known all along how this was going to play out and I hated him a little for making me like him so much at lunch.
I paused on the first step of the staircase. “What’s ‘all right’ about being kept here against my will?”
The man grimaced. “Don’t think of it like that. Taliesin needs to be careful, that’s all. He carries the weight and responsibility of protecting countless lives.”
“Sure, I get it. The leader of a magical army that’s supposed to protect us from King Arthur is afraid of a seventeen year old girl.” Rowan was saved from replying by Tynan bounding up to us and delivering my purse.
“Thanks.” I took a quick look inside to make sure he hadn’t gone through it, but the contents were intact.
Tynan grabbed my hand and pulled me up the stairs. “Rhi’s a guest, not a prisoner. I’ll take her to her room.” I followed Tynan as Rowan watched us from the foyer.
“Here,” Tynan said, pushing open the door to the first room down the hall off the landing, “this is one of the nicest.” It was a bedroom. A bit of relief somewhere in all the cream on cream would have been nice, but a large window showed the forest behind the house and the king-sized bed looked soft enough to accidentally suffocate in.
“I’ll just be a minute.” I brandished my purse and Tynan blushed again.
The bathroom was luxurious. Dropping my purse on the marble vanity, I pulled out my phone and the card from Mom’s room.
Bingo.
Tynan was sitting on the bed waiting for me when I came out. “Isn’t the bathroom great? It’s almost as big as the one in Dad’s room. We’ve had to camp out and use outhouses and latrines before, so this place is great. And the beds are . . .”
“Great?” I interrupted, but I smiled to take the sting out of it.
Tynan laughed. “Yeah.” He threw himself back onto the bed. “C’mon, try it.” I’d almost forgotten how handsome he was behind those shaggy bangs.
Playing along, I climbed into the space beside him and sank deep into the soft covers. It really did feel . . . great.
Tynan propped himself up on one elbow. “Listen, I’ll talk to Dad. He’s not usually so cautious. We lost someone recently and he blames himself. We’ll sort it out and then you can go home, I promise.” I noticed how his voice had changed, how much older he sounded, and how the almost pathological shyness he’d exhibited was gone.
I was suddenly aware of how close we were. I
could see the faint line of gold around the brown of his eyes and he smelled like sugar and light sweat. His eyes widened and without warning, he leaned down to kiss me.
Whoa! Down boy!
Pushing myself away with my heels, I banged into the headboard as Tynan fumbled awkwardly to keep from falling on me. As I grabbed at the pillows to prop myself upright, a strange expression crossed his face, dark and ugly.
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Miko stood in the doorway, her leather bag under her arm and a grin on her face. Tynan got off the bed while I sat up quickly.
“Relax.” She closed the door and then bounced onto the bed in front of me. “Rowan didn’t like the idea of you two in here alone so I volunteered to act as chaperone, but don’t let me stop you. If Taliesin’s going to go all prison warden on you, you might as well have some fun.”
Watching him from the corner of my eye, I could see that Tynan now looked as embarrassed as I felt. He’d gone back to hanging his head and letting his hair hide his eyes, but his cheeks were red. The best thing to do was to not make a big deal out of it. I pointed at the bag I’d seen Miko carrying around school. “What’s that?”
She pulled out the harp. “I thought it was time you two were properly introduced. Rhi, meet the harp of Binnorie.” The instrument had twisted knots carved all over the sound box and was painted in gold.
Tynan sat back down beside me. “Did Dad say you could do this?”
Miko’s eyes narrowed. “I’m Binnorie’s keeper, not Taliesin. Here.” She pushed the harp into my hands.
Startled, I nearly dropped it; it was heavier than I expected.
“Close your eyes,” Miko said. Triggered by those familiar words, I obeyed.
Thunder shook the ground and my eyes flashed open, but the world around me had changed. I should have been frightened, but I felt calm and distant, as if I were half asleep. I was standing on the banks of a wide river surrounded by misty hills. I heard a sound and turned. Beside me, two girls in long, richly embroidered gowns were arguing. They were both beautiful; one with dark curls bouncing on her shoulders and the other with a cascade of bright hair falling to her waist. In a sudden violent movement, the dark haired girl pushed the other one into the river. She thrashed and struggled to stay afloat, but the weight of her gown and hair kept pulling her under. Sister, the drowning girl cried as she slipped under one last time and was gone.
Sword of Elements Series Boxed Set 2: Bound In Blue, Caught In Crimson & To Make A Witch Page 7