Worthy of Magic (The Ancient Magic Series Book 4)

by Stephany Wallace

  He shook his head again. “Does she love you, Brother? Have you two bonded, become one?”

  "We are getting to know each other differently. This is new for us. It takes time." He nodded not convinced by my answer. Neither was I. "You are not happy for me?"

  He sighed, and his hand rested on my shoulder. "Of course I am." He lied. "If Eisha is who you truly want. If she is the one that fills the other half of your soul, then I am. I have always wanted for you to be happy, brother. Are you?"

  “I am,” I lied.

  He smiled, not fooled by my answer and hugged me. I wrapped my arms around him accepting the gesture. "I love you, brother. I hope you know that no matter what happens, I shall always be here for you." He pulled back and looked into my eyes, placing his palm on my cheek. "You can trust me with all your truths. We are brothers. I will always support you even when I cannot understand you, and will never judge you for the mistakes you make."

  I frowned at the way he had chosen to phrase his last sentence. What mistake was I making? He glanced at Lia, and when his gaze returned to me, he smiled. "I love you too, Brother," I answered, still confused by his words.

  "We should be going now." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I shall meet Ronan soon to check on Felix, and I will have him advise you on Felix's mental state. He has not been doing well since he awoke."

  “Do not mention that name here,” my blood instantly boiled. “The last thing I want is Lia hearing it and having another episode.”

  Cyn looked at me concerned. "How are her nightmares?" He questioned, keeping his voice low so only I could hear him.

  I looked over my shoulder at Lia and brought Cyn farther away from her. We stood by the partition to make sure the girls couldn't hear us. "They are still strong, brother. She has them at least once a week."

  "Has she hurt herself again?"

  "Not since we cut her nails, but her reaction is always the same. Lia rubs her thighs every time she is reliving the horror."

  "I thought she had begun therapy with Ronan."

  "She has, and it has helped her tremendously, but Ronan says Felix's name is her trigger. Ronan is working to help her let go, but Felix is the root of her trauma." Cyn frowned. "Ronan says that the torture she suffered marked her mind, as expected, but it was not that alone that traumatized her. What created the scars in her soul was knowing that there was someone there she had trusted, who allowed them to torture her." My fists trembled at my sides as the anger rushed through me. "I'm sorry brother, but I am not like you. I cannot forgive that easily, and I can't expect her or ask her to. You have no idea how many nights she has woken up screaming Felix's name. Begging him to help her, to stop those bastards from slicing her skin and beating up Briana. She pleads, Brother. That is all she does. She asks him for help, and I hold her in my arms, while her scars go through her and into my heart, because I can't do anything to help her except hold her. And then I beg too. I ask her to come back to me. To realize that it is all a dream, and she is no longer there with him, but here… safe, in my arms."

  "Art... I understand how difficult it is, yet she must find a way to forgive, and you must too."

  "No, brother. You do not understand." I said resilient. "I know you want me to forgive, because that is what we were taught as the Druid way, but I cannot forgive Felix for what he did to Lia." My eyes looked for her one last time, and I found her laughing with Bri. "Have you forgiven Felix for what he did to Bri?"

  Cyn took a strained breath. "No yet. Nevertheless, I am willing to do what is needed. To find a way to forgive him."

  I shook my head. "I am not. I'm sorry, brother. I have always tried to follow your example, and I did whatever it took not to hate the Romans even after everything they put us through, but I can't do that this time. Not after what Felix did to her. I hate him."

  After filling up Eisha's food baskets with the fish, meat and vegetables I had gotten for her, I picked up the sacks with the remaining portions and stepped out of her hut.

  Eisha was training the Warriors, but I would see her tonight. I needed to pick up Lia, she was in therapy with Ronan but considering the amount of flirting she did even with him and Eghan, I wasn't exactly sure there was enough therapy going on. I chuckled. She had become so attached to those two. She flirted as much with them as she did with me, which should be alarming but that was just Lia being Lia. I wasn't sure she realized how much she meant to them.

  They loved her.

  I walked towards Ronan's hut but didn't stop. There was still one more thing I needed to do before meeting up with Lia. Walking towards the last hut in the village, I lifted my fist and firmly knocked on the door.

  “Blessed day, Aigneis. It is me, Art.”

  I stood back and waited patiently. It usually took her a few minutes to get to the door. I smiled when her face came into view. She clasped her hands together and pressed them to her heart while her light green eyes filled with joy.

  “My child. I have been waiting for you. I knew you were coming.”

  I smiled and kneeled for her to greet me. Aigneis was one of the few elderly people in our village. She became immortal on the beach, the day we had left Anglesey two thousand years ago. She was ninety-eight years old at the time, and I took it up on myself to care for her, making her part of my clan when we boarded the boats that night. I’d been taking care of her ever since.

  Her hair was long and silvery white, the remnants of her once bright red strands. Her skin was wrinkled, the evidence of her years lived, and her eyes were filled with wisdom. One that was only achieved with the lessons she had learned. Her body was petite and hunched forward from the weight she had carried for so many years. Her smile was gentle, her voice always filled with joy, and her touch tender and sweet.

  She cupped my cheeks and pressed her lips to my forehead, whispering an old Irish blessing, the same way she always did. She placed a kiss on my skin, and I smiled standing up.

  “Thank you, Aigneis. May I come in?”

  “Of course, my child. My humble home is your home.”

  I walked in and glanced around. My chest constricted, her home always looked as though no one lived here. She wasn't able to clean or do much with how weak she had gotten over the years. Even being an immortal time didn’t go by unnoticed. Her husband had died in the Roman attack, so it had always been her. I hated the fact that she was here alone. I always made sure to visit her, but I couldn't be here every day.

  "Do not worry about me, my child. I am well,” she said, as though answering my thoughts.

  I nodded, set the sacks on the table and got to work. After I had filled her food baskets, I set out to clean her hut. Walking to the bed, I took off the sheets from the small mattress I had gotten for her, and placed a fresh set on it. When I finished, I looked all around me wishing there was something else I could do for her. The warmth of her skin reached my hand, and I looked down at her smiling. I brought her hand to my lips and kissed it.

  “Is there anything else you would like for me to help you with, Aigneis? Do you wish for me to cook for you?”

  She nodded and slowly walked to the table, struggling to sit on the chair. She was so petite, even smaller than Lia.

  “Would you stay and eat with me, my child? I have missed you.”

  I smiled, gazing at her. As my chest filled with warmth from her words, it also filled with disappointed. I always had dinner with Lia, and I wanted to be there for her.

  "It will be my pleasure."

  "How is the young lady that came to the village with the High Priestess?"

  She asked while I began to prepare a fish stew for her. "Amelia, She is well. She..."

  “Is under your care,” Aigneis said certainly. "I know." She smiled when I looked at her.

  “Yes, she is under my care.”

  “Those poor souls went through so much. Amelia suffered such pain.”

  My gaze returned to her at the sadness in her voice. "She did," I confirmed seeing a tear escape her eyes. They
reflected grief and compassion.

  “The Mother Goddess suffered with them. Every moment.” She wiped another tear that fell on her cheek. “Nevertheless, sometimes these things must happen, my child. It is the only way to learn.”

  I took a deep breath understanding the meaning behind her words. "The question then becomes, why must we learn such harsh lessons."

  She nodded and clasped her hands together once more. "Indeed it does."

  I placed the bowl in front of her and sat at the table. We ate in silence as I thought over her words. Why did Lia have to go through that? No one deserved that. What lesson was there for her to learn from all of this?

  Or was the lesson for me?

  CHAPTER 8. SECRETS

  ART

  * * *

  Day 128…

  The softness of Lia's skin caressed my fingers as they stroked her face. She wiggled her nose making me chuckle, but I didn't relent. I was too excited to let her sleep in today. The time I had spent away from her while being with Eisha had taken its toll. I'd gotten so used to always having Lia beside me, I missed her, and I had planned a few things for us to do today.

  “Ugh, leave me alone,” she mumbled, smacking my hand away and hiding her face in the curve of my neck. “I need my beauty sleep.”

  I grinned and tightened my arms around her, giving into the feeling for just a second. I turned our bodies until her back rested on the bed.

  "You are already beautiful, and your sleeping buddy needs you to get up." I gave her a peck on the lips and got out of bed, leaving her alone.

  “You suck!” she complained sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

  I chuckled and walked to the other side of the partition, closing it. I took my pants off and stepped into the bathtub, pouring a bucket of cold water over me to help me finish waking up.

  "Get dressed in something casual. We don't have much time before we need to go."

  “Go, where?” She asked, stepping into the partition while I soaped up my body.

  “Excuse me. I need a little privacy here.” I said, hiding my amusement.

  It wasn’t the first time Lia had seen me naked, and I knew we had serious boundaries issues, but I honestly no longer cared. It was strange how comfortable I was with her. It was also weird that she had already seen me naked when Eisha hadn’t yet.

  “Oh, please. You have nothing I haven’t seen before. Especially from you, and furthermore Mr. conceded, I’m not looking at your fun-gun.” I laughed, unable to suppress it. “You liked that one, didn’t you?” She added with a grin. “Ok, now tell me where are we going?”

  “That is for me to know and for you to find out. Now step out unless you want to get wet.” I didn’t give her a chance to move as I poured the water over me. It splashed her head and stomach.

  "Aaah!" She squealed, jumping back. "Bad, Chewie!" She said, and walked to the dresser, grabbing a towel.

  I chuckled. “I’m almost done here. Do you want me to make a hot bath for you afterwards?”

  “Well, I guess now I have no option, do I? I’m half drenched already, thanks to you.”

  I smirked, and continued to wash my hair.

  * * *

  I sat on the bed looking at the clock as I waited for Lia to finish getting ready. My gaze went to the mirror as she walked around the room with one of my towels wrapped around her body. The edges reached her ankles. I shook my head chuckling and stared at her as she bent down to her suitcase, opening it.

  "I have told you a thousand times to put your clothes in my closet and the drawer I emptied out for you," I said exasperated by her stubbornness. "I don't understand why you refuse to do it!"

  She looked at me over her shoulder. "I'm not staying here forever, Chewie. This was always temporary, and you know that. Sooner or later I'm going to have to leave."

  Her voice changed at the last word, and I could physically feel her sadness at the prospect. My heart constricted, and my temper rose. I didn't care what the arrangement had been. Lia wasn't leaving. I needed her here. I wanted her safe, which meant being with me.

  “Over my dead body.”

  “Good,” she said, facing me and crossed her arms defiantly. “I’ve always wanted a Chewie rug.”

  I rose to my full height and walked to her, standing barely a foot away. She had to stretch her neck to hold my gaze. "I'm a Warrior, and I'm like three feet bigger than you. I could stop you with one finger." I answered repressing a smile. "Literally."

  She narrowed her eyes at me and excitement filled me. I loved getting her riled up.

  "You are walking a thin line. Art Bressall."

  I grinned, unable to stop it. “All I have to do is trap you in my pocket.”

  “I am not that little!" She yelled fists in the air, and I lost it.

  I wrapped my arms around her laughing so hard I snorted. She squirmed, trying to get away from me but I tightened my hold on her.

  “Let me go!”

  "Never," I said chuckling and turned her around. "You are not little. You are pocket sized." I gave her a peck on the lips, while she narrowed her eyes at me again. I grinned and sat on the bed. "I promise, I'll behave."

  She turned and returned to her task of looking through the suitcase. “What the hell is this doing here?” She asked more to herself. “I must have grabbed it by mistake.” She looked at me over her shoulder and smiled, but there was a wicked spark in her eyes. I frowned. I didn’t like that look.

  She got up, walked to the partition, and began to change. The towel flew over it, and I sighed picking it up and hanging it on the chair. Walking to the mirror, I made sure everything was still in place. I fixed my button down shirt, the hair, and splashed some baby cologne on my neck.

  "I'm ready," Lia's voice made me turn, and my eyes immediately widened in shock.

  I swallowed as my gaze roamed her body.

  This woman was going to kill me.

  LIA

  * * *

  I glanced at Chewie with the most innocent look I could muster, while I stood in front of him in my Daisy Dukes' Halloween costume. Of course, anyone knew the #1 rule of a woman's Halloween costume was it had to be slutty. Cut to Art having a heart attack while I stood in front of him in jean shorts so tiny, that half my butt was sticking out. I also wore a plaid shirt tied up just under my breasts, which by the way, were pushed up as high as they would go. Of course, it didn't help that I had purposefully left the shirt unbuttoned giving me some serious cleavage.

  His eyes involuntarily roamed every inch of my body while I tried not to smirk. Chewie was one of the most respectful guys I'd met, but he was after all a man. His hands unconsciously covered his crotch, and it took everything in me not to laugh. I turned around, giving him a full view of my half covered ass. I was only sorry I didn't bring my cowgirl boots with me. In retrospect, I guess I could see how I had mistaken my regular jean shorts and red plaid shirt for the costume, especially while packing in front of my mother while pretending not to be distressed. I mean, that was my go to outfit when I wanted to be comfy or just hang out, but this couldn't have been more perfect if I had planned it.

  Art's face was priceless.

  "You like it? I said, walking up to him. "You said casual, so figured I'd go for comfy since you don't want to tell me what we are going to do."

  I passed him, going to the mirror and fixed my hair. I was glad I had decided to blow dry it after the shower, with Art’s mini generator. I looked hot in this costume. I should totally wear it again this year.

  "You can't wear that." Art said, finally recovering his voice.

  I turned to face him. "What do you mean? It's jean shorts and a shirt, what could be wrong with this?”

  His eyes grew impossibly wider. “Your…” he began, pointing at my breasts, “and your…” his hand move lower, pointing towards my ass, then lower towards my legs. He shook his head adamantly. “You can’t wear that.”

  “Ugh. Why? I’m always hot here!” I whined.

  “Change!
” He roared pointing to the partition.

  “I don’t wanna,” I answered, crossing my arms and trying with everything inside me not to laugh.

  “Lia…” He warned and I did an internal happy dance.

  “You always complain about what I’m wearing, Chewie! Why won’t you leave me alone! So, I’m showing half my ass, who cares?”

  “Lia!”

  I couldn't hold it anymore. My laughter burst out surrounding us, and I had to hold myself to the dresser not to fall on my ass. I slapped my thigh while the tears ran down my face. Art's expression was pure gold. He dragged his hands down his face and mumbled something I couldn't understand, but I was sure he was cursing me out. I took a deep breath and stepped closer to him. Stepping on my toes, I puckered up and waited for him. He shook his head and bent down giving me a peck on the lips, then chuckled as I winked at him and walked away.

  After changing into dark jeans and a low cut white blouse, I put on black eyeliner, mascara, pink lip-gloss and held his hand.

  “Ok, Chewie. Where are we up to today?”

  He grinned and created the portal. “Remember how I said I didn’t like telling because I was a ‘show’ kind of guy?”

  I frowned trying to remember. “Yeah, that was when I was trying to get the rest of your secret out of you.”

  He nodded, caressing my cheek with the back of his fingers. “Well, it’s time I show you.”

  I gasped just as the hazy center of the portal became clear and what looked like a classroom appeared on the other side. My wide eyes returned to Art, and he smiled crossing the portal, and pulling me behind him. We entered the space and stood next to a desk. The place was empty, but I had been right before. It was a classroom, except it wasn't just any classroom. It was huge, easily over two thousand square feet and there were workstations everywhere with hard hats and safety glasses and even fire torches placed on top.