Worthy of Magic (The Ancient Magic Series Book 4)

by Stephany Wallace

  "Irish Draft horses," Art said in my ear, correcting me. I rolled my eyes, and he chuckled.

  "Whoa, they are beautiful…" Bri sounded astounded, and I couldn't blame her. So was I.

  My eyes fell on the horse at the front of the line. Cathair sat on it looking regal, and even sexier if that was even possible. There was something about him that called to me every time I saw him. Maybe it was just his sex appeal, although I couldn't really put my finger on it, but I wanted to. I wanted to put my finger all over that. He was hot in every way a man should be, and his eyes... His penetrating gaze locked with mine and a lazy smile graced his lips. His hips rocked back and forth with every step of his horse as it slowly strutted towards us.

  "Sweet mother of all things sexy…" Bri said, taking the words right out of my suddenly dry mouth. Yet, she never finished her statement, and the moment I looked at her, I realized why. She was smiling innocently at a not-so-pleased Cyn that stood beside her.

  “Oh, give it up. She’s with you now, but she’s not blind.”

  Cyn's brow crinkled, and I could swear he was pouting. I repressed a chuckle. These brothers were truly something. When my gaze returned to Cathair my breath caught. He had stopped about ten feet from us, and just as our eyes locked again, he smirked at me and dismounted his horse.

  Holy guacamole.

  CHAPTER 6. LORD OF HORSES

  Lia

  * * *

  “That’s what I call an entrance.”

  Bri's voice barely registered. My attention was centered on Cathair, as he sensually swaggered towards me in what seemed like slow-motion.

  “Save a horse, ride a Druid…” I said absentmindedly.

  Bri gasped, but I could hear Cyn's laughter from behind her. Art groaned next to me. That brought my attention away from Cathair. I gazed at him and frowned. Art was looking at Cathair with a less than pleased expression. I disregarded it and turned to Bri instead.

  “Oh, please. Stop the act. You are already riding one. Let the rest of us have some fun too.”

  Her eyes widened, but she had no time for a comeback as Cyn wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her discreetly against his chest. “You certainly did this morning, my Goddess.”

  He whispered, not low enough though. I grinned as Bri's cheeks turned bright red. Cyn kissed her chuckling and winked at me. My heart warmed. Being in love and sharing yourself with the one that would do anything for you was one of the most amazing gifts in this life. Bri had that with Cyn, and I was genuinely happy he was in her life… especially now. There was no doubt in my mind that he loved her more than anything, and would give his life for her without a single thought.

  Art's hand suddenly went to my lower back protectively, as another one gripped my hand. When I looked ahead once again, Cathair was standing right in front of me. He had a lazy grin on his lips while he brought my hand to them and kissed it. Without a single word, he began to tug me forwards. I chuckled and let him pull me along. Art's touch disappeared as Cathair, and I walked towards his horse.

  The thing about Cathair was he looked like the epitome of a bad boy. He was tall, had a rock hard body, abs to die for, a sinful smile and of course, tattoos. Except he wasn't much of one, or at least he didn't strike me as one. Maybe I needed to get to know him a bit better, but for what I'd seen he was more like the ‘jokester' of the group. He flirted with me every chance he got, which was perfect for me because I pretty much flirted with anyone with a pulse. I also kind of wondered what he would be like in a relationship. Not that I should be thinking about having a relationship with any of the guys here. I was going to leave soon for God's sake! Then again, how was I supposed to not flirt with these guys? They were so freaking delicious and so attentive. Being among the Warriors, was like being in an ice cream shop, where each flavor was more decadent than the last, and they all wanted to be licked by you.

  I quietly chuckled at my analogy just as we stopped walking. Right on cue, Cathair's lips stretched in a lopsided smirk, and he nodded towards the horse.

  "Holy Cannoli!" I blurted out while my neck strained to look at the horse's head. "Aren't these supposed to be small?"

  “These are the purest of Irish breeds.”

  Cyn's voice came from my left, and I realized that Cathair and I weren't alone. Everyone had followed us to the horses. My eyes roamed the area, and I saw the other Warriors gravitating to the ones I could only assume belonged to them.

  “The Irish Cob you have in your world is a crossbreed between our Irish draft horse and the English horse, that has in turn changed and adapted through the centuries. It is no longer what it once was,” Cyn continued. “Furthermore, the magic here is strong. Ensuring that their environment is precisely what they require in order to survive and thrive.”

  “The creepy fog?” Bri asked.

  He smiled kissing her cheek. “Yes, my Goddess. The creepy fog turned this terrain into the perfect environment for them, and it protects them from the weather of the rainforest, as well as it does from predators. Only we can cross it.”

  “They are descendants of my Father’s horse,” Art added making me look at him.

  He was standing a few steps away with Seima next to him, she offered me a smile, and I returned it, yet I couldn't help but notice how close to Art she stood. My gaze followed the movement of his arm as he absentmindedly caressed her hand with the back of his fingers. It had been a small gesture, one he didn't even seem aware he was making as he continued to speak, but something in my chest tightened in protest. My gaze returned to his eyes, and his words became clear.

  "Wait. These horses are the descendants of your father's horse?" I asked perplexed, and he chuckled nodding. "How many generations is that?"

  “Too many to reckon,” Cyn answered amused.

  “When we left Anglesey, we placed the only three horses that survived the attack on the boats with us. Our father’s Stallion was among them,” Art added. “Once our clans reunited here, my brother created this new home for them. The conditions are just as they were back in Ireland.”

  “After we settled, we began the breeding between our Stallion and the two Mares,” Cyn said finishing Art’s story.

  “Who bred them? Who has done it all this time?” Bri asked, taking the question right out of my lips.

  “Aye, why The Lord of Horses, wee hen. His family has bred the horses, and taken care of them for generations on end.” Jarvis said from behind me.

  I looked over my shoulder at him. “The Lord of Horses??”

  “At your service, my lady.” Cathair said, kissing my hand once again.

  I gasped looking at him. "You've done all this?? Take care of the horses, I mean? Breed them?" He nodded. Well, color me impressed. "Wow," I said taking a step closer to the gorgeous ebony horse in front of me.

  His coat was a brilliant black, with a long mane that fell to his shoulder. The lustrous hair made me want to chop mine off. His body was firm and muscular, and it had beautiful feathered legs all the way to its hooves. It was absolutely beautiful. I extended my arm to caress its head, and I swear I had never felt as small as I did then. My hand stroked its shoulder instead.

  “Do you not plan to greet the lady, Ciaran?”

  A second after Cathair spoke the horse looked straight at me and bowed. Its left knee gracefully touched the ground while it lowered its head. It was such a kind act. My heart instantly melted.

  “Is it a she or a he?” I asked raising my hands to Ciaran’s muscle and caressing it. I briefly noticed Cyn, Bri and the others leave our side walking towards the horses behind the ebony beauty. Art walked with Seima. My gaze returned to Cathair.

  “He is a Stallion.”

  "Of course you are. You are such a gentleman." I said to Ciaran as he lowered his head, even more, enjoying my attention. I chuckled and kissed his forehead while my hands stroked his neck. "I'm in love." Cathair chuckled. "I should have known you were a stallion. You have such a powerful stance."

  “Would you like
to ride him?”

  I peered at him wearily. My gaze returned to Ciaran, and I noticed there was no saddle on his back. When I looked at the other horses, I realized none of them had one.

  "You guys ride bareback?" Cathair nodded, frowning. "Well, considering I've never been on a horse before, and there is not even a saddle, I'm going to have to say thanks, but no thanks."

  “You have never ridden before?” Cathair asked perplexed.

  I gave him a one-shoulder shrug. “Oh, I’ve ridden many times. I’ve just never been on a horse before.”

  A dangerous grin stretched Cathair's lips, and my eyebrow rose challenging him to a response. He chuckled, but his gaze briefly connected with Art's then returned to me. I frowned, following his gaze but Art looked away and continued to talk to Seima, who was already mounting a white horse with black spots all over.

  Cathair’s sexy smile returned. “Then it would be my pleasure to see how well you ride.”

  “I bet it would.”

  He laughed. “I am certain of it. I doubt there is something you could do that I would not find pleasurable. ” I chuckled and stepped back as Ciaran stood to his full height once again. “The offer stands. If you would like to ride my stallion, I will personally teach you after the practice today.”

  Before I could respond, I heard a slow, but strong tapping of hooves on the slate and my head turned towards the noise. A Majestic beauty strutted towards me slowly, as though it was making an entrance. It was huge just like Ciaran, but unlike him, it was pure white everywhere except on the sides of the head, the center of the chest and the hips. It had the most stunning honey-colored patches I had ever seen. Its light, golden mane, was longer than any of the other horses, falling straight to the knees where it mixed with its feathered cannons and hooves. My eyes admired every inch of its regal form, and the way it held its head high above the others. I instantly knew. It was a she, and she was fabulous. She stood in front of me and as though to answer my silent remark turned her head, letting her hair fall to the side.

  “Oh, you are a Diva aren’t you?” I wanted to caress her too. She looked over at Ciaran but only briefly, and I could swear she rolled her eyes at him. Ciaran made a grunting noise and shook his head.

  “Manners,” Cathair said in a firm, admonishing tone and began caressing Ciaran’s head. There was no doubt of who was in charge.

  I chuckled but stopped when Cathair swore under his breath and gripped his mane, leading him away. I gasped when I finally realized what had happened. My gaze returned to the Diva. "It looks like somebody got a little ‘over excited' by your presence. That's right girl. You make him suffer." She lowered her head, and I took it as an agreement. I chuckled again, caressing her shoulder, which was all I could reach. She was stunning. I searched for Cathair and found him a few yards away, talking to Ciaran and calming him down.

  “You like her?” Art’s voice surprised me. He was walking towards me.

  I smiled. “I adore her. She is fabulous.” He smiled, dimples flashing. “Who’s is she?”

  Art’s hand reached for her lustrous mane, and he caressed the length of it, combing it with his fingers the same way he did with my hair at night. The Diva lowered her head and closed her eyes, enjoying his attention. “Mine,” he answered kissing the side of her head. “Her name is Deanna.”

  “What a beautiful name. Does it mean something?”

  He nodded. “Eminent Queen.”

  Deanna lowered her head to him, and he pressed his forehead to hers, just the way he did with me. His fingers stroked her neck. I smiled. His caring nature couldn't be denied. I looked at her as she lowered her head to my level, and did the same to me. I gladly pressed my forehead to hers, accepting her loving gesture.

  "She likes you."

  "Ditto."

  "Deanna came all the way here to seek your attention. That means a lot coming from her."

  His gaze went over to Cathair, and he chuckled. When he looked at me, he sighed. "It's mating season." He said simply. I frowned. I needed a bit more explanation. He stood closer. "We have been trying to mate Ciaran and Deanna for about two years now, but she won't let him mount her." He shook his head, much like Ciaran had done. "She likes him. He courted her, and she has even shown herself to him, but when he tries to mount her, she stops him. She is making him wait."

  I laughed. “She’s playing hard to get.”

  He nodded and looked over my shoulder. "Come, you shouldn't miss this." He began to walk with Deanna by his side expecting me to follow. I rolled my eyes and walked towards the others. Bri gasped just as we arrived.

  “Are you serious??” She asked, cupping her mouth.

  “Yes, my Goddess. It is my gift to you.” Bri jumped and hugged Cyn, kissing him in front of everyone with a bit more fervor than she should have. Everyone clapped then laughed when Cyn stepped back, his cheeks red as an apple.

  “Look, Lia!” Bri squealed the second she saw me. “I have a horse!!”

  My eyes widened when I saw the gorgeous soft honey horse that stood a few feet from her. Holy guacamole, did Cyn just gift her a horse? The horse looked remarkably like Deanna, but its coat was soft honey all over, and it had a white star mark on its forehead. It reminded me of a Barbie horse I use to have as a child. The hair was as long as Deanna's but even a lighter blonde. It was a mare too.

  "It's gorgeous," I said, admiring the gentle beauty before me.

  “It’s Deanna’s sister.” Art whispered, caressing her hair again, as she stood at his other side.

  "Does she have a name?" Bri asked Cyn, and he smiled.

  “Heddwyn, it means Queen of Peace.”

  “Awe, even her name is beautiful,” I said, watching Bri’s eyes tear up. She caressed her mare’s neck and kissed Cyn again.

  He turned and looked at the Warriors. “Let us begin!”

  Bri and I sat back on the fallen trunk, munching on the strawberries Art had brought for us. Our eyes were wide, and I think we were barely blinking afraid we would miss a second of the practice. The horses ran in a wide circle while the Warriors pretended to fight both within and outside of it. Cyn ran, shooting several arrows within a second. His hands moved in a blur as he shot on both sides of the path. One by one they punctured the wooden targets along the way. He then jumped, flipping backwards in the air and releasing two arrows in the process. As his body fell, a magnificent white horse ran right under him catching his fall. It was Elwyn, Cyn's horse. It got to him so effortlessly, as though it was expecting Cyn to fall in that exact place at that exact time. Cyn gripped Elwyn’s mane and released a war cry that the other Warriors mimicked. The two arrows had pierced the center of a white "x" on one of the trees surrounding them. The thing was, he hadn't even had a chance to look for the mark. He jumped, flipped and shot the arrows almost as an instinct.

  “How the hell did he do that?” I asked with wide eyes. “He was freaking upside down, and in mid air, for God’s sake!”

  Bri shook her head amazed without batting an eye as Cathair extended his arm gripping the mane of the passing horse and jumping on it without missing a beat. Jarvis repeated the move going after him, but Cathair was faster. He stood on the horse as it ran and jumped to the next one, then the next one until he got to Ciaran.

  "These Warriors are insane," I said popping another strawberry in my mouth, and watched Seima. She jumped and turned in the air falling on a red headed horse with white spots on it. She shot three daggers into the trees on her right, which got embedded in their trunk, on of each tree on an ascending pattern that looked like stairs. She suddenly stood on the horse and jumped towards the trees. Placing her foot on the iron handles, she quickly stepped over the first one, propelling herself forward to the next, and the next then jumped back towards the circle. She fell on her black and white spotted horse just as it passed her, and released the same war cry Cyn had.

  Bri and I looked at each other finally realizing that it was some sort of signal between them to either let the next one know
their turn was up, or that they had succeeded in their stunt. I realized then that as they completed their war cry, each Warrior remained on their horse, continuing to ride the circle. Except for Cathair, who was still being chased by Jarvis. He laughed as Jarvis got a grip on his shirt, but he quickly shed it and jumped on the passing horse. Jarvis got on it too, but Cathair slid off the other side at the same time. Jarvis cursed, but I could see how much fun they were having. Cathair got on a new horse yet this time Jarvis was smarter. He hopped on the one right behind him, and a leather lasso materialized on his arm. He quickly brought it back and shot it forwards. My eyes widened when the lasso shimmered, wrapping around Cathair's waist and pulled him off the horse. Cathair fell on the ground, rolling towards the center of the circle. I gasped standing up, afraid he was hurt, but he rose to his feet right away, while Jarvis raised his arms in victory and let out a roaring battle cry.

  “I will kill you!” Cathair yelled, laughing and runing towards him.

  “First you must catch me!” Jarvis yelled and got down from the horse running towards the trees.

  I laughed when Cathair crossed the circle, running after Jarvis.

  “They are worse than kids,” Bri said reaching for another strawberry.

  I shook my head. "They need to be spanked. I volunteer." We laughed, looking towards the clearing once again.

  My eyes fell on Ronan and Eghan as they fought back-to-back protecting each other. Each move seemed coordinated down to every muscle of their bodies. Ronan swung his mace, while Eghan used his spear with ultimate precision. They moved almost in unison, each blocking their opponents blows and counter attacking while protecting the other. They suddenly turned, changing places and catching their opponent off guard. It was as though no matter what happened they wouldn't allow anything to come between them, and take one away from the other. My eyes watered as the deeper meaning behind their simple tactic reached my heart. Everyone here had been through so much, and even though I didn't know their particular stories, I was sure they weren't the exception.