The Wolf’s Bane Saga
Midnight
Sky
M. KATHERINE CLARK
Copyright © 2017 by M. Katherine Clark
Editing by Ashton Clark
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Author or representatives.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locals is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved.
Other Works by M. Katherine Clark
The Greene and Shields Files:
Blood is Thicker Than Water
Once Upon a Midnight Dreary
Old Sins Cast Long Shadows – Coming 2017
Soundless Silence a Sherlock Holmes Novel
Love Among the Shamrocks Collection:
Under the Irish Sky
Across the Irish Sea – Coming Soon
In Dublin Fair City – Coming Soon
The Wolf’s Bane Saga:
Wolf’s Bane
Lonely Moon
Midnight Sky
Star Crossed – Coming 2017
Moon Rise – Coming 2018
Silent Whispers a Scottish Ghost Story – Coming 2017
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Part Two
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Acknowledgements
Star Crossed
To those who asked for the story to continue.
My fans, thank you!
Prologue
Weylyn looked up from his manuscript as Tristan entered the hut. Smiling a greeting to his student, Weylyn took a deep, quiet breath. A foreign scent clung to Tristan’s clothing.
“Where were you?” Weylyn asked as if in passing.
“Out for a walk,” Tristan answered, shuffling to his cot.
“In the village?” Weylyn asked taking a sip of mead.
“In the woods,” Tristan replied pulling off his cloak causing Weylyn to smell the same scent but much stronger.
“Alone?” he asked.
“Aye,” Tristan replied.
Weylyn chuckled silently. All beings gave a very pungent odor when they lied, but none more so than wolves and Tristan had clearly lied to him.
“Are you certain of that?” Weylyn asked.
“Aye,” Tristan answered.
Weylyn said no more and went back to his manuscript until Tristan moved to the fireplace to stoke the flames.
“Human,” Weylyn finally stated.
“What?” Tristan whirled around, but still crouching low, fell to his back looking up at his mentor.
“She is human, is she no’?” Weylyn asked not lifting his eyes from the story he read. After a moment of silence, he finally looked up. Tristan’s eyes showed how petrified he was. Setting aside the manuscript, Weylyn leaned forward. “Talk to me, lad. I am here.”
“My father…” he started then swallowed as if his mouth had gone dry.
“Is no’ here,” Weylyn said softly. “But I am.”
Tristan eventually stood, went over to Weylyn’s chair, knelt on the floor and finally spoke.
“I met a lass,” he admitted. “Her name is Alexina.”
Chapter
One
Wolf’s Bane Field, Scotland – 652 A.D.
Alexina held Tristan’s hand as he lay unconscious on the blanket before the fire. His transition into immortality was excruciatingly slow and knowing without it, her husband would surely be dead did not help her. Three days had passed since the druid sisters had rammed the stone into Tristan’s chest and poured the potion into his heart.
With an aching back and a weary mind, Alexina gave in to her need for sleep and lay beside her husband, moving his arm to rest in the crook of his shoulder. Facing away from him and toward their infant daughter, Giorsal, Alexina watched Isla standing over Aedan’s still form and another, younger druid woman beside Weylyn. Tears formed in her eyes as all three men she had grown to love, fought for life. Clutching Tristan’s hand to her chest, she whispered softly.
“Come back to me, my love. I need you.”
Giorsal moved in her sleep and Alexina reached out a hand to her makeshift bed soothing her child. Before she fell asleep, her eyes drifted once more to Isla as she stroked Aedan’s hair and then placed her hand on her stomach. Alexina smiled slightly. Life was growing before her eyes, even as the three men fought for theirs.
***
Isla stroked Aedan’s dark brown hair as he lay unconscious. Soothing him as his body shuddered once, she immediately whispered a reminder to him not to change anything in his past no matter how difficult it would be. If he did, he would surely die.
When another shudder overtook him, she gazed up pleadingly with her elder sister, Labhaoise who came up beside her.
“Any change?” Labhaoise asked.
“Nay, apart from his shudders. I fear for him greatly,” Isla replied. “He is no’ a man to stand by and wait.”
“He will be strong for you and the child’s sake,” she answered. “I will sit with him, if you would like. You should rest.”
“I cannae rest until he awakens,” Isla replied.
“For your child’s sake you must,” she argued.
“If it were Bowdyn lying here, would you allow me to take over for you, Labhaoise?” Isla asked.
Labhaoise looked down and shook her head. “Nay, I would no’. But my husband has gone through the transition before and I recall how it felt to watch him,” she replied. “Allow me to at least give you something to eat.”
When Isla nodded and Labhaoise left to get some stew, Eithne, the youngest sister, though she was over one hundred years old, looked up from Weylyn and locked eyes with her. Isla watched as she wiped tears from her cheeks and looked back to the wolf-man she was protecting.
“Eithne?” Isl
a gently called to her. Eithne looked up; her big light brown eyes anxious. “Are you well, love?”
“Who is he, Isla?” Eithne asked.
“Weylyn?” Isla questioned. At Eithne’s nod, she continued. “He is a great and courageous man. He is my husband’s father.”
“I feel… drawn to him,” Eithne’s voice trailed off. Isla watched her sister as she stroked Weylyn’s dark brown hair. “He will be all right, aye?” Eithne asked.
Isla stood from kneeling beside Aedan, wincing when her back protested the movement and went over to the table. Pulling the furs down to reveal his chest, she saw that the arrow wound Maelogan had inflicted was still black with wolf’s bane and the veins in Weylyn’s chest showed the poison had not retracted fully from his body. Isla felt Eithne’s eyes on her as she studied Weylyn and she forced a smile.
“He is still breathing,” she answered. “That is something.” Eithne held a hand under Weylyn’s nose and sagged in relief. “There now, allow Geileis to take over for you, hmm?” Isla offered. “You need your rest.”
“Nay,” Eithne replied vehemently. “I will nae leave him.”
Isla’s eyes narrowed slightly watching her sister’s uncharacteristic behavior. Fortunately, Labhaoise came back with a bowl of stew and a plate of bread for both Isla and Eithne to eat. How could she tell her sister Weylyn lacked the will to live? Without Brietta, he would not wish to survive, even for Aedan’s sake. The thought made Isla’s heart ache, not for Eithne but for herself. Despite their rocky start, she had grown rather fond of Aedan’s father and wanted him to see his grandchildren.
Chapter
Two
Just as the sun was rising on the fourth day, Tristan groaned. Alexina woke from beside him and gripped her husband’s hand. Labhaoise strode over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, easing Alexina’s fears. Both women watched Tristan take a deep breath and release it. For a moment, they held their breath, waiting for him to breathe again.
“His transition is almost complete,” Labhaoise whispered. “He has died and will now be reborn into an immortal.”
Alexina stared at her husband willing him to breathe again. At long last, Tristan gulped in a large breath and Labhaoise reached for his hand to check that life pulsed strong and steady through him. The wolf’s bane poison was gone. His tortured body was healed and he looked healthy for the first time since they rescued him from his father’s clutches. His breathing steadied and grew stronger. Eventually, he opened his eyes.
“Alex,” he breathed seeing his wife beside him. She let out a small cry and threw her arms around him.
***
Nearly half a day later as Isla stood and headed to the kitchen to see about boiling some tea to calm her stomach, she heard Aedan scream her name. Rushing over to him, Geileis moved out of her way as he sat up from the stone table. She stroked his hair and wiped the sweat from his brow.
“’Tis all right, my love,” she soothed.
“Isla,” he panted, looking over at her. “Isla?”
“I am here,” she answered.
“What happened?” He asked.
“You made it back,” she replied.
“Back? Where?” He questioned.
“Here, with me, in Wolf’s Bane Field,” she explained.
“My father?” He asked. Her eyes trailed over to Weylyn lying unconscious on the other stone table, with Eithne beside him. Aedan’s eyes followed.
“He is still in transition,” Isla explained.
“How long has it been?”
“Four days.”
“It only felt like moments,” he said. “Are you well?”
“Me? Aye, my love, I am. Are you?”
“Aye, I think so,” he answered and pulled her closer to him.
His eyes searched hers and, without another word, he clutched her to him and kissed her, his hand exploring her body and resting on her stomach. Pulling away from kissing her, he looked down as he felt the small knot in her abdomen. His face lit with an indescribable joy as his eyes fixed on the spot. “Hello,” he whispered. “I am your father.” Leaning forward he kissed the tiny swell and looked up at his wife. “I love ye.”
“I love you, Aedan,” she answered tears in her eyes. “I am so thankful you returned to me.”
“Exactly where I want to be,” he replied.
“Do you think you can stand?” she asked.
“That was no’ exactly what I wanted to hear from you,” he winked. Isla laughed and patted his cheek.
“Later,” she whispered. His boyish smirk lit her heart. Staring into his dark brown eyes she saw them turn questioning. “There was a time where I thought I would never see your smile again.”
“That will never happen, my love,” he said.
“As long as you swear it.”
“I do.”
“Good. You must need some fresh air,” she replied.
“Tristan?” He finally asked after his alpha.
“He woke earlier today,” she explained. “He is outside with Alexina.”
“Outside?” Aedan asked. “But there is wolf’s bane out there.”
“Aye,” she answered. “But there is some here too.” She indicated the flower over the doorway and Aedan flinched away. “’Twill nae affect you.”
“Why?” He asked.
“Because you are immortal, my love,” she replied. “Nothing will ever harm you again.” When he did not speak for a moment, she took his hand and whispered, “come with me.”
***
Aedan squinted as the midday sunlight hit his eyes. Blinking away the shadows and flares, he saw two shapes standing before him.
“Aedan,” he heard Tristan’s voice and felt a hand on his shoulder. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he recognized his alpha standing in front of him. “’Tis glad I am you are awake.”
“Tristan,” Aedan smiled. “’Tis good to see you well.”
“Indeed, I feel better than I ever have,” he answered. Before Aedan could reply they heard the wolves howling and turned towards the woods surrounding them. “My father’s pack,” he went on. “Still trying to find a way in. ‘Tis refreshing no’ to have the sickening smell of wolf’s bane lingering in my nose but I do wish there was a way around my kin.”
“Is there no’?” Aedan asked.
“Even though we have granted Alexina the gift of immortality to stay with her husband as I am to stay with you,” Isla began. “She is still of human blood and would nae be allowed to travel through our druid portal to Skye. We are stranded here until we can safely find a way for us all to leave.”
Aedan turned to Alexina. “I did nae realize you were to endure the transition,” he said.
“’Tis to happen as soon as I am ready,” Alexina answered. “I was stealing a few moments with my mate before I am led to my fate.”
“All will be well, my love,” Tristan answered. “And I will watch over you and our lass.”
Leaning into him, her bravado weakening for a moment, she continued. “Aye, I ken that well, Tristan. I have nae fears.”
“From the short time I have kenned you, Alexina,” Aedan began. “I have found you to be a strong lass, as strong if not stronger than any man. You will be just fine.”
“I thank you, Aedan,” she answered. “I do worry for Weylyn.”
“Has there been any change?” Tristan asked.
“Nay,” Isla replied. “But Eithne will look after him. He is in nae danger with her. But she may be in danger from him.”
“Why is that?” Aedan asked.
“I do believe she is smitten with him,” she confided.
“Truly?” Tristan asked.
“I must confess I have seen evidence of that as well,” Alexina replied. “But she is a sweet lass and fiery from what I ken of her.”
“Da’ will nae ken how to handle that,” Aedan chuckled.
“Donnae underestimate your father, Aedan,” Tristan laughed. “He may surprise us all.”
***
“Weylyn,” she kept her voice low as everyone else was asleep. “You must wake. You must find your way back. Please…” She closed her eyes, so tired. Having slept when she could, she had not seen the sun for ten days. When Aedan offered to watch over him, she took to the bed near them and slept fitfully. Only when she was beside him did she find true peace. But would he know her when he woke? Her eyes grew heavy and her body gave in to the crushing pain of staying in one position for far too long. She closed her eyes just for a moment.
When next she knew, she opened her eyes and heard something different than the usual sounds in the cave. Rubbing her neck, unsure of how long she had slept, she heard the same sound again. Blinking away sleep, she looked down at Weylyn. His eyes remained closed but his forehead wrinkled imperceptibly and he groaned.
She held her cry when he took a deep breath and let it out. The cave was silent as she waited for him to breathe again. After far too long of a time, he gasped a deep breath and another. Eithne stood fully and leaned over him.
“Weylyn,” she called softly. “Weylyn, can you hear me?”
“Eithne,” her breath caught in her throat as he spoke her name.
“I am here, Weylyn,” she said more urgently. “I am right here. Open your eyes.”
“Aedan…” he said a little stronger before his breathing quickened and his brows furrowed. “Aedan…” his voice became urgent. He had yet to open his eyes.
“Aedan is here as well,” she looked over at where he and Isla slept. “’Tis all right. Please open your eyes.”
Weylyn did not speak. His fingers twitched and she grabbed his hand tightly. Subtly his fingers gripped hers and slowly his eyelids opened. Blinking sluggishly, he looked up at the ceiling of the cave. Eithne leaned further over him and watched as his eyes adjusted to the dim light in the cave. Finally, their eyes locked.
Midnight Sky (The Wolf's Bane Saga Book 3) Page 1