The MacLomain Series: A New Beginning Boxed Set (Books 1-4)

by Purington, Sky

  Bryce might not trust her, but it was troubling to think of any child living such a life.

  “What about your living arrangements after that?” Bryce asked. “Did you have enough money saved to rebuild?”

  Or did she just use magic? He decided not to ask that though, curious to see how much she would actually reveal on her own. So far she was surprising him with her forthrightness. Assuming, of course, that what she said was true. For all he knew she could simply be spinning a tale to gain their trust and sympathy.

  “Mama had enough in the bank to have some men come out and clear away the wreckage,” she said. “Then we started over.”

  Based on the way she said it, he knew times had been especially difficult.

  “What of the warlocks as you started over and grew older?” Bryce asked. “They must have been alarmed when you became friends with Milly, Lindsay, and Christina, aye?”

  “No,” she murmured. “Not when I was the one that made sure we met...not when they thought I was just making sure everything went as planned.”

  “Why would the warlocks not kill your friends immediately?” Sven countered. “Would that not have fulfilled the curse right away? Because how could Scotland’s history be saved without the connections they made with the MacLomains?”

  “It could not have, and that’s why we should all be very grateful that Grant and Adlin created the rings,” she replied. “Creating the rings helped control this curse from the very beginning. Flat out killing my friends at the start was not an option. Even without the gem igniting, the rings were powerful. MacLomain, Broun connections were once again a possibility. Then, as you know, it was a matter of each couple finding true love and harnessing the power of their ring.”

  “How many warlocks were there?” Bryce asked.

  “Six, some more powerful than others,” she replied. “To go up against four men of MacLomain blood.” Her eyes went between them. “In the end, though you don’t know it yet, Christina and Graham battled two warlocks. That leaves just two more.” She inhaled deeply. “Neither of which will be easy to destroy.”

  Before Bryce could say more, she continued answering his questions. “As I said, opening that book unleashed a curse. One that gave me control over my grandfather’s minions but only to a degree. They were still able to influence the creation of the rings and put all of this in motion. All I could do was try to stay one step ahead.” She took another sip of water. “That meant casting a spell that made sure I met Milly, Lindsay, and Christina.” She pressed her lips together. “That meant starting the most important friendships of my life on a complete lie.”

  “Did you force them to like you then?” Bryce murmured before he could stop himself. “Were they under the influence of magic as you became friends?”

  “No, magic just nudged them in the right direction,” she said. “One step closer to creatures that wanted to destroy them and their one true love.”

  “You say you were there when the rings were made,” Sven said. “And that you knew you were meant for...Bryce?”

  “I was there through my connection to my...the warlocks,” Jessie said, white-knuckling the skin as her voice grew even softer. “Based on my connection to fire above all else, I knew the strongest possibility lay with a dragon.”

  He noticed that she seemed a little less disgusted by the notion of a dragon now and surmised she must have been on the defense before. He scowled when he felt pleased by her change of attitude. But then what dragon wanted to be so disliked?

  “So you never knew for sure if you were meant for me,” Bryce said, not sure if he was relieved or not. Why wouldn’t he be? The lass could be lying through her teeth. But something about her, mayhap the vulnerable look in her eyes when they met his, told him otherwise.

  Could it be she was telling the truth? That she had seen such horrors and lived such an unfortunate life because of one man’s dark nature? More than that, was she so courageous that she forfeited her life to fix his mistake no matter how terrifying it had to have been?

  “No, I never knew for sure if we were meant to be together.” Her eyes flickered over the ring and landed on the fire. “But as I got to know my friends then felt the essence of your cousins, I had less and less doubt.”

  “The essence of my cousins?”

  She nodded. “Even before they were born their spirits had an essence.” Her eyes returned to his. “That, without Grant and Adlin knowing it, was part of what poured into the creation of the rings.” Her eyes dropped to her ring again. “The other part was ours. We Brouns.”

  “How could the warlocks even be there when Grant and Adlin did such a thing?” Bryce asked, still trying to comprehend it. “It seems far-fetched even by wizardly MacLomain standards.”

  “Because my grandfather created the curse that birthed them. The very curse that prompted Adlin and Grant to do what they did,” she said. “That’s all it took.” She shook her head. “After that, it gave them access to everything interconnected.”

  “Including you,” Sven said, clearly putting all the pieces together. “But it didn’t matter because you had already seized control. You were already plotting with them so that they would not plot alone.”

  Jessie nodded and looked at Sven. “That’s right.” Then her eyes met Bryce’s. “I’m sorry I couldn’t warn you and your family...that I couldn’t warn anyone. They would’ve known...”

  “That you were never on their side,” Bryce finished her sentence when she trailed off. “That you were always opposed to both your grandfather and his curse.”

  She nodded but said nothing.

  Bryce handed her his skin of water as well then resumed flipping through the little book. What would it have been like to be ruled by this? Better yet, so connected to the creatures that came from it? “It had to have been hard...” his eyes rose to hers, “not just controlling them but not becoming connected to them after so many years. Your childhood, adolescence then adulthood.”

  “I did become connected to them,” she said more bluntly than he anticipated. “I still am in a way that’s hard to understand let alone explain.”

  When her eyes fell to the fire again, he realized that was the only way she knew how to express herself. Actual expressions relaying how she felt were foreign. So she hid her gaze in the flames rather than embrace something she had been living without for so long. Something she had long repressed.

  Simple emotions.

  “But as each warlock perishes,” she continued, “I feel different. Lighter.” Her eyes met his again. “And I find hope in that...hope that it’s not too late for me.”

  While he appreciated her honesty and felt a protective response to her he had not anticipated, he still found himself unable to trust her. “These warlocks have been trying to kill me and mine.” He cocked his head. “And they have claimed to do so on your orders. That is, assuming, you’re the wee witch Conall and Lindsay’s warlock talked about then Christina and Graham’s as well.”

  “I am,” she said softly. “And he, the first warlock, was obeying my orders. The second one as well...somewhat.”

  “He,” Sven murmured. “As though the warlock was worthy of being called a man.”

  Bryce didn’t miss Jessie’s slight flinch though her expression smoothed almost immediately.

  “When you spend nearly two thirds of your life with manifestations that are masculine,” she murmured, “you tend to forget that they should be referred to as it.”

  He nearly narrowed his eyes but stopped himself. Had he detected a slight bite to her voice?

  “Tell us more about these final warlocks,” he said. “Why will they be more difficult than the others to destroy?”

  “Both are strong but one, upon its birth, captured something the other lacked,” she murmured. “The power of my grandfather’s essence.”

  He frowned. “That doesnae sound good.”

  “It’s not,” she replied. “Actually, nothing could be worse.”

  “Becau
se he was so powerful?” Sven supplied.

  “Yes.” Her eyes flickered between them again. “Not only that but he’s more connected to me because of it. Connected as only kin can be to kin.”

  Bryce considered that. “What does that mean exactly?”

  “It means there’s a tether between us that goes beyond what I shared with the other five,” she explained. “He can sense me easier. Especially if I’m not surrounded by rock and near fire.”

  “Why rock and fire?” Sven asked.

  “Because fire is my most powerful element,” she replied. “And stone is of the Earth which is difficult for the spirit realm to see through...or sense through in this case.”

  “So these warlocks are more spirit than mortal?” Bryce asked.

  “Yes, but only because they’re part of a curse.”

  Neither of them missed how she trembled slightly and how pale she had become.

  “Your magic has drained you, yes?” Sven asked.

  “It has,” she murmured, her eyes still on the fire. “Very much so.”

  When Sven glanced at him in question, Bryce nodded. His new friend was wondering if they trusted her enough now for Sven to leave.

  “I will go hunt so you can eat.” Sven stood. “Then you will rest and tell us more, yes?”

  “Yes, thank you,” she said softly.

  After Sven left, silence settled between them as he continued to eye her.

  “Christina mentioned that before she traveled back in time, you said something curious about dragons,” he remarked. “You asked if another was coming that would destroy all hope of Scotland’s history. More so, destroy all hope of any of us surviving. Shortly after that, Sven arrived at MacLomain Castle. By the sounds of it, you knew he was coming.” He tilted his head in question. “How?” He frowned. “And why say such an ominous thing about my ancestor?”

  “I believe I sensed he was coming through you.” Her eyes rose to his. “Because of your dragon connection.” She shrugged. “And I said it because I could never be certain when my...the warlocks were listening in. Saying such a thing seemed logical and made Sven less of a threat to them.”

  He supposed that made sense, but it still didn’t sit all that well. Any more than most of what she said. It was an awful lot to believe considering up until mere hours ago, it very much seemed like she might be the enemy.

  “You’re having trouble believing all this,” she whispered as her eyes returned to the flames. “And I don’t blame you.”

  “I am,” he conceded as he watched her. “Though I’ll admit I hope ‘tis true you’re on our side. For your friends’ sake if nothing else.”

  His eyes went to the clear gem in her ring. A gem that might very well end up matching his eyes. He frowned and glanced away. Ring or no ring, he had made an obligation to his family, and it was past time he honored it.

  He was meant to marry another.

  Yet despite his noble intentions, his gaze returned to Jessie's lovely face with its even features, finely arched brows and lips made for pure sin. She really was stunning with her fine-boned beauty. He scowled and eyed the fire instead. If he had figured out nothing else about her, it was that she was a virgin. Whether her story about her upbringing with the warlocks was true or not, he knew these things about lasses.

  When she shifted and cleared her throat as if uncomfortable his eyes returned to her. If he wasn’t mistaken, based on the pink staining her cheeks, she had caught his thoughts.

  “Are you reading my mind, lass?” he asked.

  “Not on purpose,” she murmured. “But yes, it seems certain thoughts come through clearer than others.”

  He nodded, unsure whether or not he should apologize. Mainly because he still had no idea what to make of her. In the end, though, he felt remiss saying nothing at all. “My apologies then.”

  What he didn’t add was that he wasn’t all that sorry really. Not for his thoughts about her chastity anyway. While he typically preferred his lasses experienced, something about knowing the bonny little lass across from him was innocent and untouched by another man appealed to his inner dragon.

  Sven returned in short time, and they set to skinning and cooking his game. Meanwhile, though she tried to hold her own, it became more and more obvious that Jessie needed rest.

  Bryce might not entirely trust her, but he refused to see her uncomfortable. So he removed his fur cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders. “’Twill not only warm you but offer comfort when you rest.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered, her eyes glassy with exhaustion by the time Sven handed her the meat. Little was said as they ate, then soon after she curled onto her side, wrapped his fur tighter around her and continued staring at the fire.

  Sven, a man of little words, pulled a small piece of wood from his pocket and began whittling. Bryce sensed heavy thoughts weighed on his mind that had nothing to do with their current adventure.

  “Are you carving that for her then?” Jessie whispered.

  Sven’s hands froze on the wood as his eyes narrowed slightly on her. “Who?”

  She blinked. “I don’t know.” Then she frowned. “Or do I?...”

  Before Sven could question her further, her eyelids fluttered then slid shut, and her breathing evened.

  When Sven went to speak to her again, Bryce shook his head, far more aware of the lass than he should be. “Dinnae bother. She is well and truly asleep.” His eyes went to the Viking. “Is it true? Are ye carving that for a lass?”

  Sven offered no response but went back to whittling. Bryce knew better than to continue the conversation. When Sven was done talking, that was it. He resumed thinking deep thoughts that remained a mystery.

  Bryce sighed, finished his food then lay down as well.

  Though he didn’t expect it considering his current company, he slept so well he never sensed anyone approach first thing in the morning. Unfortunately, that made for a very rude awakening when he opened his eyes to a sizzling, impregnable wall of fire between him and Jessie.

  Chapter Three

  WHEN JESSIE AWOKE TO two strangers with flaming eyes staring down at her, she instinctively threw up a wall of fire.

  Fire, as it turned out, that no dragon could infiltrate.

  “’Tis all right,” Bryce exclaimed as he leapt to his feet. “They are my parents.”

  But of course they were, and she could see that now that her haze of slumber had cleared. Though younger, Bryce was the spitting image of his father.

  Embarrassed by her instinctual and revealing response, she dropped the firewall instantly and managed a weak explanation. “I’m so sorry. I’m afraid you startled me.”

  The man’s eyes narrowed on her as he rumbled, “What kind of magic was that, lass?”

  “’Tis her kind and I will better explain it in a moment.” Bryce made introductions. “Ma, Da, this is Jessie.” He glanced at her then his parents. “Jessie, meet my parents, Rònan and Erin MacLeod.”

  With dark, curly hair and intelligent eyes, Erin was a truly lovely woman. Only a few inches taller than Jessie, she had the presence of someone much taller. As though she allowed no one to look down at her, despite her small stature.

  “Nice to meet you,” Jessie murmured, not quite able to meet their eyes.

  They nodded at her in return, clearly wary, and she didn’t blame them. It wasn’t every day a dragon came across fire that they couldn’t penetrate.

  “Where have you been, Son?” Though Erin’s frown seemed more directed at Jessie, she spoke to Bryce. “You’ve been gone over two months!”

  “Two months?” Bryce met her frown then looked at Jessie. “How is that possible?”

  “I’m sorry.” She shook her head. “It likely happened because of my connection to Graham and Christina’s time loop.” Her eyes went to Erin. “I take it they returned home to MacLomain Castle recently?”

  “They did.” Erin’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know that?”

  “Have you spoken to Adli
n or Grant?” Bryce interrupted as he embraced his parents. “Have they caught you up on everything that’s been happening?”

  “We have,” came Grant’s voice as he and Adlin entered the cave, their eyes never leaving Jessie. She couldn’t blame them for their distrust either. Not based on what they knew of her.

  Thankfully, Bryce wasted no time on introductions but instead proceeded to tell them everything she had shared with him thus far. Meanwhile, Jessie did her best to remain composed and unaffected. Strong. Unafraid. Because after a good night’s sleep, she was more aware than ever of her disconnection from the warlocks. A weakening she knew was coming but still wasn’t prepared for.

  By the time Bryce was finished, Grant and Adlin’s expressions were a bit less distrustful and a little more speculative.

  “So all this,” Adlin said. “The reason we created the rings and are now trying to keep Scotland’s battles on track is because of an old man’s curse in the twenty-first century?”

  Jessie nodded. “Yes...a very powerful old man.”

  “Aye,” Grant murmured, considering her. “So you, an elemental witch, descend from him. Given that, what would you have called him considering his type of magic, lass?”

  She had pondered that often and only ever came to one conclusion. “I suppose, considering we shared the same gifts but his intentions were dark that he was, like his creations, a warlock...perhaps an elemental warlock?”

  “That is a sound assumption,” Grant agreed. “I have never come across such a creature.” He cocked his head. “But then I’ve never met an elemental witch the likes of you either.” His eyes went to Bryce as he extended his elbow to her. “Might I escort Jessie back to your castle?”

  While Jessie thought for sure Bryce would look to his parents or even Sven for their backing, or approval, he did not. Instead, his eyes met hers and held as he considered Grant’s request.

  She was caught unaware by the way his look stirred her blood. Though not a sensual connection, it invoked a lustful response. Something, quite frankly, she was surprised she was capable of at the moment. But she was and based on the way his brows lowered sharply, and his lips turned down ever-so-slightly, he felt it too.