Ghost Clan

by Heather Walker

  The truth dawned on them both at the same moment. At some unknown signal, they unwound their arms and legs, stood up, and set to work putting their clothes on. Carmen brushed as much water off her skin as she could and squeezed out her hair. She slipped into her clothes. By the time she zipped up her vest, Angus had his clothes on, too. He wrapped the long swath of plaid from his shoulder to surround his upper body in an extra layer.

  He noticed her watching him and smiled. When had he smiled like that? She could hardly remember him smiling at all. Usually that terrible brooding scowl shadowed his face. Questions over the future still lingered, but a long-forgotten peace hung around him.

  He hugged her close and kissed her one more time. “I missed ye, lass.”

  She snuggled her eyes against his neck. “I missed you, too. You don’t know how glad I am to be back with you.”

  He pushed her back to gaze into her eyes. “Do ye really believe ye ken get across the river again?”

  “I don’t see why not? The witch doesn’t seem to have the same power over me as she does you. It must be because I’m not from this country.”

  He took her hand, and they started back toward the camp. “We’ll try it. We cinnae do any worse than yesterday.”

  When they got back, they settled down in their old place and curled in each other’s arms. Carmen blinked into the dark. A few brief moments of sexual gratification did wonders for both of them. They both relaxed into the uncertainty of whatever tomorrow might bring.

  It wasn’t the sex that did it, though. Just being together made all the difference. They were in this thing together now, for good and all.

  Angus’s breathing deepened under her head. She listened to his heart beating through the woolen wrap. He was solid man all the way down to his bones. If anybody belonged on the Phoenix Throne, he did.

  All of a sudden, her head shot up. She stared at his profile in the dark and whispered low. “Angus.”

  He didn’t move. “What is it, lass?”

  “If we break this curse and put you on the Throne….”

  He waited. “Yes, lass?”

  “If we break this curse, I’ll go home. We won’t be together.”

  His eyes snapped open, and he stared up at the stars. He hadn’t thought of that, either. They couldn’t win. They could only be together out here, under the curse, hemmed in by the witch’s forces from all sides.

  He let out a sigh and closed his eyes. His arm tightened around her shoulders to draw her down next to him. “Ne’er ye mind that. We’ll cross that bridge when we came tae it—if we came tae it—which we mayn’t yet. Go tae sleep now, lass. I’ll want ye rested in the mornin’.”

  She put her head down, but she lay awake a long time. She fought the witch in the castle to free Angus from the curse, but that was before she had sex with him. That was before she gave her heart to him.

  She didn’t want to leave, and if she broke the curse, she would leave. She would never see him again. She closed her eyes against the pain of it and buried her face in his plaid. She breathed a deep lungful of his manly scent.

  She never clung to any man like this before. She didn’t want to ever let him go. To blazes with the curse and the witch and all these guys who risked their lives to get him here.

  If she could keep him by leaving the curse where it was, she would do it. The sad truth was that she couldn’t leave the curse where it was. If they turned around and walked away right now, if they roamed these Highlands forever, the wraiths would dog their footsteps every inch of the way. They would hunt and peck at the Cameron brothers until not one remained alive.

  If Angus and Carmen walked away right now, their lives could end only one way. She would have to watch him die a violent death, or he would have to watch her die, one or the other. They would never know a night’s peace, but at least they would be together.

  She couldn’t put him through that, and she cared enough about the other brothers and Ewan and Brody and Connal now not to put them through it, either. They had to face the witch and break this curse. They had to cross the river, even if it ended in her losing Angus forever.

  She clamped her eyes shut tight against the sting of tears. Her heart overflowed with love for him—for all these guys. She would sacrifice her love for Angus to give him what he really needed most—a life of peace and prosperity. He would grieve for her, and then he would take a different Queen.

  She could never be his Queen, anyway. She was too much of a tomboy. She belonged back home with her cop buddies and her Alsatian and her Jeep. She had a good time with Angus, but it couldn’t last. She understood that now, even if it hurt.

  When the early dawn light woke the party the next day, the men busied themselves getting ready for the morning’s assault. Callum hunted up a partridge or two, and Carmen helped him dress and cook them to divide between the eight of them. It wasn’t much, but it was better than storming the castle on an empty stomach.

  Carmen studied the men around her. In spite of their hardened exterior, she understood each and every one of them so much better now. They didn’t try to hide the strain of this journey, and she let them show her. She could love any one of them the way she loved Angus, and she grieved leaving them behind as much as him.

  After they picked the last scrap of meat off the partridges’ bones, Angus kicked the embers apart. “All ye lads, come around here an’ hear me. We’re going across the river today, come hell or high water. Any mon a’ ye that wishes ken stay back, and I’ll no think the worse t’ye. I wisht I could stay back along o’ ye, but I see it’s me way across the river. Rob, I see ye mean to stay wi’ Brody, an’ I gi’e ye leave. I’ll miss yer blade when it comes to that, but I see where yer heart lies.”

  “Nae, mon,” Robbie answered. “I’ll come wi’ ye. I wouldnae send ye across that river wi’out me.”

  Angus’s head shot up. “Nae? But I thought….”

  “Ye go wi’ yer brother, mon,” Brody told Robbie. “I’ll no be wanting any broken-hearted maiden keepin’ watch o’er me these lang nichts.”

  Angus looked back and forth between the two friends. Robbie’s eyes misted over gazing down on Brody. “Ye’ll be sobbin’ in yer pillow the instant I’m gang, and no mistake.”

  Brody bit back a smile and looked away. “I ken tak’ care o’ meself. Ye gang alang wi’ yer brothers.”

  Connal Baird got to his feet and addressed Angus. “I’ve stood wi’ ye allus time, mon, but me heart is sore broken, now me brother’s gang. I’m going hame tae me auld mother tae tell her how I lost Connor on ‘er. I dinnae ken how I’ll break it tae her….” His voice cracked with emotion.

  Angus clapped him on the shoulder. “Ye and yer brother ga’e t’me the best service I could ask for. I’ll no begrudge ye this. Go hame, and tak’ me blessing wi’ ye.”

  “I’ll tak’ Brody hame wi’ me,” Connal went on. “I’ll mak’ me a drag litter. I’ll no leave him here tae fend for himself.”

  Robbie’s head swung around. “Why, mon!”

  “I been studyin’ on’t all last nicht. I could see ye wanted tae stay wi’ yer friend, but yer brother needs ye more. Ye go on across the river and leave Brody tae me. I’ll look after him and see he gets tae his own hame safe.”

  Robbie threw his arms around the young Highlander, and the two embraced. When they parted, Connal wiped his eyes across his shoulder. “Get on wi’ ye.”

  Angus seized his hand. “Ye ha’e me eternal thanks. I dinnae think I could face the river wi’out Rob.”

  Connal pushed him away. “Get awa’! Ye’re wastin’ precious daylicht.”

  Angus turned away. His cheeks glowed. “All richt! Come on, all ye.”

  He led the way out of camp, up the low hill and down the long slope toward the river. The others followed him one by one, first Carmen, then the brothers in order of age, and finally Ewan bringing up the rear. Every one of them turned back to wave to Connal and Brody until the camp disappeared from sight.

  Chapt
er 14

  Carmen came up behind Angus waiting near the river. He surveyed the castle in the distance. Its gleaming white towers and turrets glistened in the sunshine, and the colored flags whipped in the wind.

  He murmured under his breath. “The black stone mak’s it look ten times more dangerous than i’tis. I realize that now.”

  Carmen stared at him. “Black stone! It’s white.”

  His eyes darted to her face, but he didn’t answer. They both knew better than to try to explain any of this.

  The others took their places. The group formed a line in front of the river: the five brothers and Ewan. That’s all that remained of fifty men who set out from the Camerons’ home castle.

  The men drew their weapons, but Carmen couldn’t feel fear or anxiety about this. The river posed no danger to her. Of that she was certain. She took a step forward. “Come on. Let’s try to cross it.”

  The men hesitated, but when she didn’t stop, they trailed on her heels. She approached the spot where she crossed the stepping stones. She didn’t see any sign of Sadie today, but she wasn’t expecting to. The witch wouldn’t try the same trick twice.

  Angus described the many-headed dragon monster to her in enough detail, so she wasn’t surprised when it burst out of the stream bed. Water showered all around her, and the men backed off to a safe distance.

  Carmen kept walking straight toward it. She went over this moment in her mind last night, and she resolved what to do. She waved the men forward. “Keep going! Don’t stop. Whatever happens, just keep moving forward.”

  The others didn’t move. They raised their weapons to fight the beast. Angus alone responded to her command. He hung back a moment. Then he strode forward to follow her.

  The others waited longer, but one by one, they came, too. Carmen never hesitated. She set off for the stepping stones with a firm stride. She simply couldn’t bring herself to believe this thing could harm her—or that anything the witch could throw at her could harm her.

  She was invincible. Ross brought her here to defeat the witch, and that’s what she would do. She strode up to the river. The dragon heads lashed back and forth. They snapped their fangs in her face. She blinked and cringed at the noise, but she didn’t stop walking.

  She crossed the grass. The water splashed around her feet and soaked her clothes, but even that existed far beyond her awareness. This monster—whatever it was—was nothing more than a ghost, just like Sadie.

  She arrived at the level ground leading to the river bank. Angus walked right behind her. When the others saw that the dragon couldn’t hurt her, they quickened their pace to stick close to her.

  All at once, one of the heads whipped down and snapped its teeth close to Jamie’s leg. On instinct, he swung his sword around to stab the head. It darted in one more time, and the jaws clapped shut on his arm, sword and all.

  Jamie screamed out loud. He fought to free himself, but he couldn’t get his arm out of the thing’s mouth. The head jerked back and tugged him off his feet.

  He flailed his free arm. “Angus! Help me!”

  The whole party whirled around to confront the threat. The men raised their weapons to slash the demon to pieces. At that moment, a thunderous roar pealed across the valley. Carmen and her friends wheeled the other way and saw a brown-clad figure rise out of the ground on the upper slopes below the castle. Nothing but a brown beard showed under the broad hood.

  Before anyone could react, Ross lifted his arms above his head. His gnarled fingers raked the sky, and he let out the loudest roar Carmen ever heard. The sound shook the trees to their roots.

  The monster let go of Jamie to confront Ross, but the wizard kept up his deafening roar. The heads lashed the sky and churned the river to mud, but they didn’t attack. In one rumbling implosion, they collapsed into the river and the water closed over them.

  A few tepid ripples rocked the water while the stream settled back into its bed, but the fight was over. Angus turned to Jamie. “Are ye awricht, lad?”

  Jamie hugged his arm close to his body. “It’s naught.”

  “Bind up yer wound, lad,” Angus told him. “We’ve a lang way tae go before we’re through.”

  Carmen tapped Angus’s elbow. “Look. He’s coming.”

  The party turned around to face Ross. He strode down the hill and over the stepping stones to where they waited for him. Angus drew himself up to his full height. “Where ha’e ye been, wizard? As ye ken see, we’re a mite smaller number since ye chose to desert us.”

  “Numbers mean naught in this fight, lad,” Ross returned. “I tell ye that again and again, but ye’ll no listen tae me. Ye’ve come this far, and ye’ll go the rest o’ the way, I’ll wager.”

  “Ken ye tell us ought about this fight?” Angus asked.

  “Ye ken all ye need tae know in that there book o’ yers,” Ross replied. “Do ye think the Queen ga’e ye the book fer a bedtime story? She ga’e it tae ye tae help ye, to help ye defeat the witch and gain yer Throne, but ye’ll take no advice from anybody. Ye’ll do it yer ain way or none a’tall, as usual.”

  “The Queen!” Carmen exclaimed. “Was the old woman the Queen?”

  “Not the auld woman,” Ross explained. “That’s not the Queen. It’s Gahkra.”

  “Are you telling me,” Angus growled, “the witch ga’e me the book to defeat her? Ye’re daft, auld man!”

  “Gahkra is no the witch,” Ross told him. “Gahkra led ye to the cottage, and Gahkra sent those wraiths tae attack ye on the road, but Gahkra is no the witch. Ye mun’ see beyond Gahkra to the source.”

  “So what is Gahkra?” Carmen asked. “If she’s not the witch, what is she?”

  “She’s a ghost, just lik’ all the others,” Ross replied. “The witch attacked this castle and turned everyone in it intae ghosts. She turned the King and Queen intae ghosts. She turned the servants and the princesses and princes intae ghosts, and she turned Gahkra intae a ghost, too. Now Gahkra does the witch’s bidding, just like all the others.”

  “So why did she lead Angus to that cottage?” Carmen asked.

  Ross whirled around, and his hands flew up. “How should I ken? Maybe she managed tae do one thing for herself instead of allus commanding the wraiths tae do the witch’s bidding. Ye’ll have to ask Gahkra about her work, for I cinnea tell ye more. All ye need to ken is in that book the Queen ga’e ye.”

  He turned to walk away, but Angus called after him. “Wait, auld man! Ye cinnae come along and drop a bludgeon lik’ that and walk awa’ wi’out a word. Ye’re coming wi’ us. Ye’re fighting wi’ us, or we’ll no stand a chance in there.”

  “Ye’ve got all ye need to find,” Ross returned. “I would only get in yer way.”

  He walked a few paces and sank back into the ground before their eyes.

  Angus sighed and turned away. “I shouldnae even asked. He’ll do as he pleases, and the rest o’ us tae the de’il.”

  “So the witch attacked the castle,” Carmen remarked. “Her vendetta was against the Phoenix Throne, not against the Camerons themselves. Your father must have stood to inherit the Throne, too, but he probably never knew it. He never knew why she killed him in the first place.”

  Angus bent over Jamie’s arm to bind it up in a piece of cloth. “I dinnae want this Throne me-ainself. She ken ha’e it all, for all I care.”

  “The Queen said Gahkra would ascend the throne if you didn’t,” Carmen reminded him, “and that would be a disaster. If there’s a way we can get it back, we have to do it.”

  “How could Gahkra ascend the throne?” Angus shot back. “It’s the witch who’ll get it, no Gahkra. That fool wizard wouldnae even explain who Gahkra is.”

  “Well, from what he said,” Carmen replied, “it sounds like she can act of her own free will, regardless of what the witch wants her to do. Maybe if we see her again, we can turn her over to our side.”

  Angus’s mouth fell open. “Ye want tae turn Gahkra? Ye’re mad, ye ken that, don’t ye? She’s been tryi
ng tae kill us all this time. How do ye thing ye’re goin’ tae ask her tae step o’er to our side, just lik’ that?”

  Carmen narrowed her eyes at him. “You don’t have to get sarcastic about it. Ross just said she was under the witch’s sway, just like everyone else in the castle. Gahkra already went out of her way to help you once. Maybe she’ll do it again. That’s all I’m saying.”

  “She’ll ga’e out o’ her way tae wring me neck. That’s ought she’ll do. She already killed forty men and tried tae kill the rest o’ us, so dinnae let me hear no more talk about turning her o’er to our side.”

  “If we succeed and you ascend the Phoenix Throne,” Carmen shot back, “you’ll have to deal with her and a lot more people the witch made to do things for her. Have a little mercy. That’s a quality befitting a King, and you wouldn’t stand a chance if Gahkra hadn’t allowed the Queen to give you that book.”

  Angus glared at her, but she refused to back down.

  Robbie cleared his throat. “Angus, mon, the wizard seemed tae think that book would help us. Why don’t ye tak’ a look and see if it says ought about getting intae the castle.”

  “We won’t have any trouble getting into the castle,” Carmen replied. “Look. The drawbridge is down, the same way it was when I went in. It’s what happens after that we need to worry about.”

  Chapter 15

  The party lined up in front of the drawbridge. Angus got out the book of the Fire Trilogy, but no matter what page he looked at, he couldn’t find anything that made any sense.

  The fourth winding leads to the forgotten fields

  Wherein dwells the fire demons under the seventh standing stone.

  Knock seven times on the last door for an answer.

  If the enchanted mirror should fall and break,

  Take the seventh winding to the bell tower croft.

  Under the bell ringer’s bed lies the treasure unforetold in lore.

  “What does it all mean?” Carmen asked.

  Angus stuffed the book back in his sporran. “Who kens? Who cares? We’ve our blades. That’s the ainly thing the witch understands.”