“Because it was for the best,” Chara replied. “Especially considering what Destiny came upon when she found me in the woods after the accident.”
Chapter Ten
“’TWOULD MAKE SENSE, Chara,” Marek said after he learned what Destiny had come upon the night of Chara’s accident. “Especially if you were a unicorn in your only other life.”
As it turned out, Destiny had found Chara thrown from her parent’s car lying in a patch of grass, completely surrounded by animals. Not just any animals either but prey and predator. Day creatures and night. Hundreds of them sitting and watching. Guarding her for lack of a better explanation. Even perhaps paying homage.
“I don’t think it was just for her, either.” Destiny looked at Marek. “I think they knew she was meeting you for the first time in a dream. I think they were paying homage to you as well.”
“Because I had once been a Fianna warrior,” he said softly, frowning.
He had learned he'd been an Irish immortal warrior on Ethyn and Ciara’s adventure. Under the leadership of god Fionn Mac Cumhail, Fianna were amongst the fiercest warriors of all time. They were also highly revered by woodland creatures.
Mysteriously, though Fionn had been a big part of MacLomain history, he seemed unaware of what had happened between Marek and Chara or Ethyn and Ciara. Though he delivered the first three Claddagh rings to Druidess Chiomara, they suspected he knew nothing about what had happened at the Irish Stonehenge before Adlin was conceived.
“Yes, I think the animals paid homage to you because you were a Fianna, Marek,” Destiny confirmed. “And, just as they had with Ethyn and Ciara, they paid homage to you because you went above and beyond. If I can tell you nothing else, it’s that you did something incredibly noble for the greater good, or Chara would not be here.” She shook her head. “I would not allow it.”
“Yet Chara found him in a dream before ye found her,” Adlin said gently, eyeing the goddess. “So could it not be said my MacLomain descendent would have found his way back to his Broun no matter what ye did?”
Though Destiny only tipped her cup at Adlin, conceding perhaps that was true, Chara knew her guardian would do anything in her power to keep her safe. Even, however impossible it may seem, keep her from Marek if need be.
“Destiny has been very good to me,” Chara clarified to all present, most especially to Marek, because he mattered most. She couldn't have him thinking her guardian wasn’t true. “She cared for me like a mother before our relationship turned to one of great friendship.” She looked at Destiny. “I’ll always be grateful she was there for me. That she cared for and watched over me all these years.”
“I can understand your gratefulness, Chara.” Clearly not willing to let up when it came to her mentor, Leviathan frowned. “Though it’s curious if not downright coincidental, ja?”
“What’s that?” Destiny replied dryly, not bothering to look the Viking’s way.
“That you, who was undoubtedly involved somehow in Marek and Chara’s ultimate demise,” Leviathan said, “just happened upon Chara in the woodland after her parent’s died.” His brows shot up. “In the twenty-first century, no less.”
“I’m a goddess,” she reminded, still not bothering to look his way. “Therefore, time has no meaning to me.”
“You’re a demi-goddess,” the Ancient corrected. “And while no, I don’t imagine time means much to you, the rebirth of Chara’s soul most certainly would have.”
“Are you implying I had something to do with her parent’s death?” This time, Destiny’s gaze whipped to him in accusation. “That I would have seen to their end so I could raise Chara?”
“Dear God, what?” Chara frowned at the Viking. “No, never!”
“Though I owe you no explanation when you’re not even of this earth, my homeworld,” Destiny’s eyes flashed angry turquoise at Leviathan, “I had no idea she’d returned until she made contact with Marek.” Her gaze softened on Marek and Chara. “How could I not know then? Their connection was every bit as strong at five and seven years old as it had been in their previous life. As it is at this very moment.”
“And you have my thanks for being there.” Chara met Destiny’s nostalgic look. “For seeing me through so much.”
“I would time and time again,” Destiny vowed.
“Perhaps because of a guilty conscience?” Leviathan theorized before Destiny shot him another dirty look. She went to cut back with what would no doubt be a scathing remark, but Adlin interrupted her.
“Mayhap ‘tis time to eat and speak of other things?” He flicked his wrist only for the meat to vanish from over the fire. Seconds later, everyone held wooden plates with freshly cut meat and vegetables.
“You’ll find those carrots especially tasty,” Adlin remarked. “I grew them not far from here as well as the herbs I seasoned them with.”
“Thank you, Adlin,” Chara said kindly, truly grateful for the diversion. Of all the things she didn’t foresee, it was Destiny being at odds with a Viking who had tasked himself with keeping an eye on Marek. But then she had no idea her friend was even Norse or dragon for that matter.
As it turned out, magically prepared wizard food tasted just as amazing as it smelled. She took a bite and groaned with approval.
“I’m glad ye like it.” Adlin’s gaze went to Leviathan and Destiny when they glared at one another. “Dinnae be rude now. Eat the food I so painstakingly prepared.”
Marek chuckled at that, raising his mug in a toast. “Here’s to your first magically home-cooked meal in your new Defiance, Adlin.”
Adlin raised his mug in return. “Many thanks!”
After that, silence reigned as they ate. Eventually, when all were finished, Adlin announced that he needed to tend to things for the arrival of his people.
The wizard looked tentatively from Destiny to Leviathan, an all-too-familiar twinkle in his eyes. “Though I hate to ask, ‘twould be wonderful if ye two could help. Just with a few buildings.” Before they could reply, his devious gaze slid Chara and Marek’s way. “Meanwhile, mayhap ye’d enjoy exploring the land in the immediate vicinity. It might just be to yer liking.”
When they looked at him curiously, he only grinned and shooed them along. “Go on.” He chanted skins of whisky into their hands. “The sun will be setting soon. ‘Tis a fine sight in these parts.”
“Not too far,” Destiny cautioned when Marek thanked Adlin and pulled Chara after him. “There are borders here. You can only go so far before the Brotherhood might be able to sense you.”
“I know.” Chara squeezed her friend’s shoulder in passing. “We won’t go too far. Promise.”
She chuckled as they headed outside. “I feel like a teenager breaking the rules even though Destiny said it was okay.”
“Aye.” Marek suddenly appeared tentative. “Mayhap we should stay close to the building, after all, lass.” He frowned. “I know Destiny said it couldnae happen here, but what if the Brotherhood somehow possesses me whilst I amnae with Leviathan?”
“Honestly, I don’t think he would’ve let you step foot out the door if he thought that was possible.” She took his hands and walked backward, feeling a little less bashful and free if for but a moment. Free beyond dreams and gods watching over them. Free to be together alone for the first time in a long time. “I don’t think Destiny would’ve let us out of her sight either.”
“Nay,” he agreed reluctantly, clearly struggling to stay serious before he finally smiled. “’Twould be nice to be alone...like this. In reality.”
“It would.”
Chara sensed that he was glad when she fell in beside him but didn’t let go of his hand as they made their way into the woodland. Truthfully, she really was growing less bashful by the moment. Perhaps because of this place. Or simply because he was her Marek and switching from knowing him in a dream to real life would happen effortlessly.
“It seems like eons since I strolled through a Scottish forest.” She inhaled the cool aut
umn air. “And never in real life. It’s nice to know it smells the same.”
“Interesting how that works.” He eyed her curiously. “So the things you told me about, your life in the future, took place with Destiny, not actual kin?” He sighed. “Whilst I ken why you couldnae tell me about the goddess, why not tell me the truth about your parents? Especially when I asked you about them?”
“Because I wanted things to be as normal as possible between us.” She shrugged. “And, honestly, I had no memory of them, so there was little to say. Besides,” she gave him a look, knowing him too well, “even if I told you I couldn’t remember them, you would’ve worried about me, and there was no point. I had a good life with Destiny.”
“Aye,” he conceded, thinking about that. “I probably would have worried.”
“Most definitely.” She smiled at him, still floored that they were finally together beyond their dreams. That she was actually touching him. Feeling him so close. “From the moment you met me, you worried about me. How could you make me smile when I seemed sad for even a moment? What could you do to keep me happy? Keep me safe?” She shook her head. “And that outlook never changed.”
“Nay,” he agreed, rarely taking his eyes off of her. “Nor will it ever.”
She was about to reply when the woods ahead suddenly seemed familiar. “Is it me, or are things starting to look...”
“Like we’ve been here before,” Marek continued when she trailed off.
“It can’t be,” she murmured, slowing before she sped up. “These trees, the smell of the air, the sound in the distance.”
Almost the moment she said it, they came upon a familiar path.
One that led somewhere that truly stunned them.
Chapter Eleven
“’TIS OUR WATERFALL!” Marek was as shocked by what they came upon as Chara. He eyed the area. “Everything’s exactly the same.” He looked up. “Even the tree we jumped from is there.”
“I don’t understand.” Chara shook her head, smiling because they had so many good memories here. “How is this possible?”
“I dinnae know,” he replied. “Other than to say, we obviously dreamt of this area for a reason.”
“So my unicorn magic helped create a magical window portal that matched the shape of the cave ceiling in our dreams, and now it turns out it’s an actual place.” She shook her head. “That’s just crazy.”
“No crazier than you once being a unicorn and me an immortal Irish warrior.” He chuckled and pulled her after him. “Let’s go look things over.”
“This has to mean we’re heading in the right direction.” Chara kept grinning, clearly a little giddy. “Why else would we have dreamt of this place our whole lives?” Her eyes lit with curiosity. “Which means the other two locations must be equally important.”
He nodded in agreement and crouched at the pond’s edge. “Do you remember the first time we went swimming here?”
“Of course.” Chara crouched beside him and ran her hand through the cool water. “The temperature wasn’t all that different than it is now if I remember correctly.” She chuckled. “Not that it stopped us.”
“Nay.” He shook his head. “Though it was your first time swimming, you headed right in.”
“Because it was so darn cold!” She laughed and stood. “Best to get it over with right away.” She slid him a look. “Besides, I wasn’t about to let you know I’d never swam before.”
“Aye, I remember.” He scowled and stood as well. “I had to dive in after you when you sank to the bottom.”
She flinched. “Yeah, that was a little daunting.”
“Och,” he muttered, following her when she headed up the path leading to the cave ceiling. His brogue thickened with emotion. “Ye bloody damn near died, lass, and ye were underwater for but a moment!”
“I know.” She tossed a playful, albeit thankful look over her shoulder, feeling more and more like her ‘dream self’ with him. “Thankfully, you were there to save me.”
“Always.” He joined her at the top of the pathway. “You were definitely an adventurous one.”
“And sometimes, foolhardy.” She sighed. “But looking back on it, it almost felt like I was finally allowed to be, for lack of a better explanation. That I was free of responsibility and able to let loose.”
“Which would make sense if you were once a unicorn.” He joined her when she sat on the edge of the crevice opposite the waterfall. “For I get the sense, your sort, or mayhap you, in particular, carried the weight of the world on your shoulders. That you strove to protect woodland creatures and even, as I recently learned, brought true love together.”
“Sounds like your role wasn’t all that different.” She closed her eyes to the feather-light feel of waterfall spray. “Except maybe the matchmaking part. Then again, based on what I’ve heard and even caught of your thoughts, you went above and beyond when it came to Ethyn and Ciara.”
“Aye.” He remained disgruntled by the whole thing. “I just wish I could remember what I did leading up to it and then afterward.” Marek put his hand over hers on the ledge. “Whatever it was, it put you at risk above all.” He shook his head, fighting his emotions. “Hell, just ensuring Ethyn and Ciara had half a chance might have been the sole thing I did. And whilst I’m glad I did it, ‘tis hard to think it might have come at the cost of your life, lass.”
“Whether it did or didn’t,” she replied, “you did what I would’ve wanted you to. The idea of you not doing all you could to keep Ciara out of the Brotherhood’s hands and she and Ethyn together just so I could live is awful. That’s not any sort of man I could love. Not then or now.” Her eyes met his. “And you’re not that sort of man, Marek. Not for a second.”
“I just hope I didnae let you down.” He frowned. “If darkness got ahold of me in the end and you were ultimately sacrificed, what does that say about me?”
“It says nothing other than you fought a losing battle for all you were worth,” she said. “Fought it so hard that you ended up at the heart of evil.” Chara's eyes grew a little strange, as though she suddenly understood something. “And you did fight it, Marek. Know that. In the end, you fought it.”
“In the end,” he murmured, confirming what Ethyn had discovered on his adventure. “So, at the start, I went to the Brotherhood willingly.” An odd feeling rolled over him. “I wasn’t strong enough though...I never had a chance once...”
“I know,” she whispered, evidently sensing what he did. “You never stood a chance once you helped Ethyn, your fellow Fianna brother. You sacrificed everything for him and Ciara, didn’t you?”
“I think so,” he said softly, as he followed newfound but very certain knowledge. “But in my arrogance, I thought I could still find a way.” He wished he could reach back in time and be better. Do better. “I thought I could save you.”
“One way or another, you did.” She cupped his cheek, her gaze tender. “Like I said, and I’m sure my former unicorn agrees, I wanted you to save Ciara before me, Marek. That’s the guy for me. Not the one who saves me and me alone when he can help others.”
He took her hand and kissed her palm, never looking away. “I can only be grateful you see things that way then. That you see me that way.”
“I’ll always see you that way.” Her eyes lingered on his for a moment before her gaze went to the horizon. “The sun’s nearly set.” She smiled at the tree limb above. “Do you remember what it looked like from up there at sunset?”
“Aye.” He shook his head when she stood and eyed the branch with childlike anticipation. “Nay, lass. Dinnae even think it.”
“Why not?” She grinned at him and continued up the path. “I’d say it’s just as chilly out now as it was the first time we did this.”
“Aye, but that was in a dream,” he muttered, following, “when we were considerably younger.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say considerably.” She chuckled. “Can you imagine what it feels like in real life?”
“I can imagine what a great number of things feel like in real life.” In truth, he was far more interested in trying out the other things. Namely, those that involved taking off their clothes. “Jumping from that branch isnae one of them, though.”
“Well, it should be.” She chanted herself into a bathing suit when they reached the base of the tree. Though she shivered a little, she pressed on. “Come on!”
“Och,” he muttered, though there were perks to this little escapade. He admired her arse and shapely legs as she climbed. Normally he would have simply chanted all his clothes off and swam in the nude but didn’t want her to feel pressured. As if he were rushing things. So he chanted a plaid around his waist like he’d always worn when they were together in their dreams.
“Oh!” She'd just caught wind of his new attire and stopped a few branches up. “You’re,” she cleared her throat and blushed, “just as I remember you...with even more tattoos.”
Charmed by her response, he started after her. “Well, lass, if you’re set to do this, then let’s do it.”
He could admit to a little rush of excitement as they climbed. A unique sense of feeling alive that only Chara had ever afforded him. A sense of living on the edge that he’d never allowed himself in real life because he knew he’d become laird someday. Then, the heavy weight of responsibility that came with running a clan would fall on his shoulders.
“Look at that,” Chara gasped when she reached their branch. She peered down at the crevice. “Though I’ve seen it at least a dozen times, even a few times at sunset, I don’t remember it ever looking quite so...magical.”
Marek pulled himself up behind her and leaned back against the trunk, stunned when he looked down.
“What is it?” She glanced at him over her shoulder, no doubt sensing his shock. “You recognize something about it, don’t you?”
“Aye,” he replied. “Though the crevice is clearly shaped like the Defiance window, the sun hitting it just now is similar to how the dying sun looks cutting through the portal at Bull Rock.” He shook his head. “Which makes no logical sense.”
A Scot's Retribution (The MacLomain Series: End of an Era Book 5) Page 7