* * * *
Raena sat beside the hearth as night fell. She rocked the baby in her arms till he was soundly asleep and placed him in a cradle in the main living area.
"Better he sleeps in the same room as we do, as they stole the others from right in the next bedroom,” said Ellena, as she rolled out her blanket on the hearth rug.
Bella remained isolated from Finn, because she still was running a low temperature. Rae surmised it had been a viral infection, since she was slowly improving. If it had been a bacterial infection, as Rae had feared; without antibiotics, Bella would not be getting better.
Rae laid her head down on the blanket in front of the fire and had just closed her eyes when she heard, “Rae? Where are you?"
Rae raised up and proceeded to head toward the bedroom in which her sister was quarantined.
"I'm here, Bella. Are you alright?"
"Rae, how did you get here? The portals have been closed for months."
Rae sat down on the bed and held her sister's hand.
"Do you remember Gran Moira's stories about the circle of crows?"
"How could I not? I used to have nightmares about it. Why?"
"Well, one appeared right outside my bedroom window, just like she had described. I knew we had to find you, so I jumped into it."
"The old hag wasn't just being evil. All these years, I thought she just enjoyed scaring the pants off of us as children."
"How are we going to get back?"
Raena attempted to hide her discomfort at being asked this question. “I don't know. But perhaps Colin will have some insight after he finds the queen and figures out what she's been planning."
"You fancy him, don't you? You do! I don't believe I've ever seen you blush before."
"Rae, how is Sam faring without me?” Bella asked, as her blue-green eyes filled with tears.
"I won't lie ... he's lost. But having Eva to take care of has helped him considerably. He's doing a marvelous job as a father, and Eva fits right into out lives, just as if she has been there all the time; kind of like her mother."
Isabella wiped the tears from her reddened face and shifted in her bed. “I have to get Finn home, Rae, no matter what the cost."
"You've suffered quite a bit in your life. Just bear in mind, you won't be tested ‘beyond what you can bear.’ We'll find a way."
She placed a hand to Bella's forehead. “You must be feeling better to be teasing me about your host. Let's see if we can get you up into a chair for a spell."
* * * *
Rachael sat in her rocking chair, staring at the cottage across the courtyard. The lights were out as Sam was away at his brother's, and the absence of another adult was palpable. She did not feel the same gnawing, gaping hole as she did when her daughter had been missing, but she now realized just how much living with her sisters had helped her cope with the death of her husband and parents.
Indeed, many months could pass when they were all together before she would feel the familiar sadness, but now with them all gone, she found herself thinking of them almost daily.
She rose from the chair and Chloe whined when she was forced to jump to the floor. She went over to the girls’ rooms and peeked in through the crack. Predictably, Eva had crawled into bed with Morgana. Each night, Rachael put Eva to bed in her own room, and still, Eva would leave it and find Morgana.
Turning on her heel, Rachael went into the kitchen and out the door. The moonlight was so bright tonight, there was no need for lights. She was pulling weeds that had poked up from the landscaping cloth they had all laid the spring before when she saw it. A flashlight? She wheeled her head around so fast, her neck began to burn and she stood up, scanning the yard.
Again, a flash—was it heat lightening?
One more flash. It was coming through a window on the second floor of the inn; the Autumn Room, of course.
She bolted for the kitchen door and flung it wide open, then made her way to the old staircase in the kitchen to save time.
She opened the door to the Autumn Room in time to see the mirror churning, and images flickering in and out like a badly tuned television.
The first image was of birds—a black sea of creatures ferociously pecking and clawing one another near the mouth of a cave. Rachael rubbed her eyes and walked tentatively toward the mirror. It swirled silver again and became still for a moment. Then the view was as if from underwater, and looking at the surface from the underneath. A large woman was bathing a beautiful baby. She gently poured water over his scalp while he was serene and still. She squinted her eyes and above them in the air was something black. Her pulse immediately quickened and she went to stand directly in front of the mirror.
The black mass came lower and Rachael could make out that it was too large to be a magpie ... Rachael was torn. Desperately wanting to warn the woman, Rachael was afraid to touch the mirror, remembering how Bella had fallen through and what effort it had taken to remove her.
The baby had started to cry.
She reached up to touch the mirror as it started to turn black so Rachael was now staring at her own reflection in the moonlit room.
Chapter 30
Ellena held the baby over the pond's surface, gently rinsing his hair and taking care not to get the soap in his tiny eyes. Being a pleasant babe, he did not squirm or fuss at the feeling of the cold water upon his scalp.
It was a perfect, clear day, and under better circumstances, would have been a great one to take the child for a carriage ride. She moved her hand toward the water to scoop another cupful, when she froze.
Fangs bared, talons extended, the Sepulchar's reflection was perfectly visible in the still, clear water. “Raena! Raena, help me!” was all she was able to utter before the creature was upon her.
Rae's eyes flew open and for a moment, she was disoriented. Then she heard Ellena's cry for help. She leaped out of the bedroll and looked around wildly for a weapon. The only object within reach was the metal bedwarmer, which was sitting atop the fire. She grabbed it and threw open the back door of the cabin.
At the sight before her, she was filled with panic; Ellena was slumped on the ground over Finn, shielding the baby with her own body. Rae could hear Finn's muffled wailing from beneath Ellena. As Rae ran toward the pond, the Sepulchar sunk his talons through Ellena's back in an attempt to reach the bawling child, not even noticing Rae running full tilt toward it.
All the rage and fear Rae had experienced over the past ten years came flying to her mind, and for the first time in her life, Rae was not afraid. This creature would not live, and if that meant she had to die as well, then so be it.
There were things more terrifying than death. This child would not die.
Hitting the creature full in the skull, Rae heard the pan hiss as it charred the side of its face. It turned to look at her, and its yellow eyes narrowed as it howled in pain. The baby was momentarily forgotten as it rose into the air and began to swoop at her, trying to grab her head with its talons. She swung her makeshift weapon in the air to keep the Sepulchar away, when it grabbed onto the bedwarmer, which, by now, had cooled considerably. Beating its huge wings, it lifted Rae into the air. Caught unawares, she momentarily held onto it and was raised six feet.
Letting go, she dropped to the ground, unsure of how she would defend them now. She rose to kneeling when she felt talons rip her newly healed scalp. She remembered she had a small pocket knife and proceeded to plunge it into the creature's Achilles tendon in the leg holding her.
The creature screamed and released its grasp. Standing this time, it came at her again, and she fought futilely as its talons wrapped around her arms. She flailed and managed to free one of her hands. Then Rae hit it in the eye as hard as she dared. Bellowing in pain, the Sepulachar grabbed the offending hand. Suddenly feeling pain, Rae looked up to see blood streaming down her arm toward her shoulder.
Her index and middle finger were now missing from her right hand.
She began to swoon, and sa
ving the baby was uppermost in her mind as she fought the darkness threatening to overtake her. The world was turning dark, and she felt the creature release her, then she fell to the ground.
She forced her eyes open and saw a flaming arrow embed itself in the creature's torso as it attempted to take flight.
Rae heard her sister's voice say, “Not my child.” And the last sound she heard was the Sepulchar falling to the ground only feet from her.
* * * *
Rachael sat on the bed in her sister's room with one of the cats, which wound his way ‘round and ‘round her legs. Standing, Rachael went over to Rae's “tea” trolley and poured herself a drink, which contained her twin's odd alcoholic interests (as far as Rachael was concerned). Rae had first discovered absinthe on her trip to Europe during a holiday break from college. Having all the appropriate paraphernalia—a slotted spoon to place a sugar cube on—Rae poured water over it into her cup a million times as Rachael watched. It was actually quite vile without the sugar; Rachael drank it for the first time when Rae went to the other side in an effort to try and maintain some sort of bond with her twin.
Uncomfortably aware she was following in her sister's footsteps of near alcoholism, Rachael found herself coming up with excuses to visit to Rae's quarters during the day, where she would pour herself a drink and sit in Rae's rocking chair and stare at all of the photos. She never thought she would resort to turning to medication for any problems, but ever since Morgana's disappearance and the sequelae of events that followed, Rachael had felt as if the pressures of her life were almost too much to bear.
She stared at the photographs which littered every square inch of Rae's room. A picture of the two of them on Papa's pony; they were probably around eight years old with long plaits down their backs, grinning like fools for the camera. A picture of her holding a one day old Morgana in the hospital; and beside her bed on her nightstand, their mother and father in front of Rae's beachfront house taken the day they dropped Rae off in Massachusetts to begin college.
"I never even considered how much you gave up to come back to help me with Morgana, or to help support Bella,” she said, then sighed. She picked up a picture and stared at it. “I miss ya, Rae."
She downed the absinthe and was tempted to spend the night in Rae's room, sleeping in her bed to feel close to her, but Rachael knew the girls would be frightened if she wasn't in her own room when they woke. She took the photograph of Rae on her first day of college with her as she started out the door, then reached back in and grabbed the bottle of alcohol before closing it.
* * * *
Colin rode into camp, his mare covered in sweat as he had pushed her without letup since he learned of his children's abduction. He began to jog through the camp, holding up his hand to stay the many men who were anxious to speak to him regarding the pursuit of the regime.
"Where is Nathaniel?” he queried Quentin, a young officer, whom Colin did not believe he had ever spoken to before. Rummaging around in the central command tent, he grew uncharacteristically flustered and angry. “Private Quentin, where is Commander Nathaniel?"
"I do not know, sir. He has not been seen since he departed on his quest to return to the settlement."
"What of Oliver? Has he returned?"
"Yes, sir. I will go and fetch him."
Colin opened and closed trunks without really seeing anything. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He remembered what his father told him his first night in battle, Focus on the task at hand, and do not try to speculate on what tomorrow will bring.
He opened his eyes and looked in the trunk again. Lying in full view was the map for which he had been searching.
Setting it flat on the table, his dirty fingers traced the path that had eluded his memory. He nodded and folded it up, then put it into his pack.
Quentin returned and hastily opened the flap for Oliver.
Colin grasped his hand and pumped it. “Oliver, what news of Nathaniel?"
Oliver's face betrayed his thoughts. “I have not heard from him since we parted company. I was hoping he would return with you, sir."
"Let us not give up hope. I am leaving again. I know the militia needs me, but I have another duty at this time. You are the eldest and most experienced in camp, I am placing you in command. Christian will prove a great asset to you, he is..."
"Going with you, Colin. So I am afraid I must make a recommendation for Oliver's second. Corry MacMillan will do fine. He has been serving with me for two years."
"Absolutely not. I am going alone, Christian."
"Permission to speak in private, sir."
Colin eyed him furiously. “Granted. Could you excuse us for a moment, Oliver?"
As the tent flap fell shut, Christian was two inches from Colin's face, and with a fury that matched Colin's own, said, “Those children are my niece and nephew, Colin. I am going and you cannot stop me. I will desert and follow you if I must. Mari would want me to go with you."
Resigned, Colin sighed. “Alright. Quickly assemble your pack. We need to leave at once."
Christian raised his eyebrows and said, “I am assuming you have a plan."
"Yes. My father once told me of an ancient pass and showed me the map of the terrain. I have found it, and that is the route we will take. I do not know if it will be passable, but I feel it is our only chance at surprise. We cannot take them in hand-to-hand combat; there will be too many of them."
"I assume that is what Nathaniel would have done. What do you think happened to him?"
His eyes filled with tears and he wiped them away quickly. “If Nathaniel were successful, he would have been here by now."
Chapter 31
Bella gently cleansed the gashes in her sister's scalp. Rae winced and bit her lip as she tried not to cry out loud.
"I don't know, Rae. These look terrible. Inside the gashes it's all greenish-yellow, and they're still seeping blood everywhere."
"Bella, I have to find Colin, since now I know you and Finn are safe."
"I want to go, too. I love those babies as if they were my own, but I can't leave Finn, and I surely cannot take him, either. You, however, aren't going anywhere till we mend these wounds. I've been in this village almost a year, and I've learned quite a bit about this world from Colin and many of the townsfolk. The carrion crows and the beast, they can smell blood up to half a mile away, so if you go traipsing around looking to help Colin now, you're liable to get him killed. We have to fix your scalp first."
"Do you have anyone here who would know how to do that?"
"Well, I have been training with the midwives and healers for six months now. Kate and Ellena...” she broke off. “Ellena was rough, but she had a big heart. Kate is in the town. Why don't you rest a bit, then we'll go find her?"
"Alright. Bella, what was Mari like?"
"Very much a younger version of you—beautiful, headstrong, but good. We were very close. I promised her before she died that I would help Colin take care of the babies, or at least find someone who would. They used to tell me stories of what it was like here before the king died. It was a marvelous place back then."
Rae's eyelids began to droop at the sound of Bella's voice, and she never heard why it was a marvelous place to live.
* * * *
Rachael dreamt. In her dream, she was ten years old, in the kitchen, listening to Gran Moira spin another of her yarns, along with Rae. Rachael could hear her three year old sister running and slamming doors somewhere.
Gran was cooking, which seemed to be the only thing Rachael could ever remember her doing. She ladled the hot soup into each of their bowls, then sat at the table, looking ancient.
"I saw them today while you two were at school."
"Saw who, Gran?” came Raena's voice from beside her.
"The crows, they was circling the inn again, looking for children."
Rachael elbowed her sister under the table and they stifled their giggles.
"Gran, you just say that to s
care us into behaving,” said Rae.
"No, child. They want children; and the younger, the better. You two best watch out for that wee blond babe running around in the library. She would be the perfect age for taking."
No giggles now. Rae grabbed her sister's hand and squeezed it tightly.
"There was only one child who came back after the crows had taken her."
"Who, Gran? What happened to her?” asked Rachael earnestly.
"I'm too tired to tell ya of that tonight. You just keep an eye on yer sister."
She shuffled back over to the pot on the stove and began stirring again.
Rae silently got up from the table and walked to the library, where they both remained till bedtime, watching Bella play.
Rachael woke up and sat on the couch which had become her permanent sleeping spot since Morgana's disappearance. For some reason, her own bedroom felt aloof somehow.
She got up and peeked into the door of Morgana's room.
Morgana and Eva were both sandwiched into one of Morgana's twin beds with the Jack Russell terrier across the bottom of it.
Rachael went over to other twin bed and laid down. The only time she felt at ease was when she could see the girls before she slept. She laid facing them in the other bed till sleep overtook her once again.
* * * *
Colin halted his mount before the entrance to the narrow crevasse.
"How can you be sure this is the place she is taking the babies?” asked Christian, his usually jovial face etched with anxiety.
"Because I know Hyde is there. Since it is her goal is to gain control over him—to ensure her reign never ends—she will be found where Hyde is. She is still in possession of the book, which must be destroyed.” He looked straight ahead into the distance.
"She wants to completely destroy my father's line. She hated him. He scorned her advances once when the king was still alive. My father was in charge of the palace guards. She took it upon herself from that time forward to make his life as difficult as possible, and when the king died, she made sure Da's problems increased tenfold."
A Circle Of Crows Page 13