Eileen's shriek shrilled upward and all around the island so the eagles joined in with their raucous screams as they launched themselves into the air, bird after bird appearing from the hills all around. Melcorka flinched at the terrible noise, holding Defender up as if the sword could protect her. Tuath stepped backward and Duncan and the other survivors threw themselves onto the ground with their hands clasped over their ears.
The noise continued, seemingly for hours although it could only have been a few seconds. Only Bradan seemed unaffected as he pressed his staff remorselessly against Eileen's forehead.
And then Eileen vanished as if she had never been. One second she was writhing and screaming before Bradan, the next there was nothing there except empty heather, a slight whiff of smoke and a black scorch-mark against the rock.
The Caterans had vanished; live, dead and wounded, all had gone. The heather was not marked with blood or trampled with their footsteps.
'By Bel's holy fires,' Tuath looked around in wonder. 'Where are they? Even the ships have gone.'
Tuath was correct. The fleet had disappeared. The sea was now empty as far as Melcorka could seem with only a white rim of surf where the waves broke against a conventional coastline. The skerries had vanished, taking with them the ferocious surf and vicious currents.
'Tuath,' she said, quietly. 'Where is that calm sea-loch and where are the skerries that guarded this place?'
'They were never here,' Bradan walked toward them. 'We only thought they were.' He leaned on his staff. 'That creature we knew as Eileen brought them from within our heads and placed them where we did not want to see them. She created our worst fears and made them reality.'
'By Bel's fires,' Bradan shook his head. 'She was powerful.'
'The People of Peace are powerful in ways we can never imagine,' Bradan said.
'Then how did you kill her?' Melcorka slid Defender back inside her scabbard. There was no need to clean the blood from her blade; the sword glittered as if it had been made only that morning.
'It is not dead,' Bradan said. 'These creatures do not die. I only sent it away somewhere to recover its evil.' He touched the edge of his staff. 'If this was the staff of Columba, then it has already faced the Pictish druids and the monster of the Ness. I placed Columba's cross on Eileen's forehead and that, together with the power of the rowan, defeated her.'
'Where are we?' Tuath looked around. 'Even the landscape has changed.'
'We are on the same island, the Inch Iolaire,' Bradan said. 'We did not go through any magic gateway or any such thing. We are probably about fifty miles from Hector; no more.'
Melcorka nodded. 'The sea looks perfectly normal; choppy and cold but nothing more.' She looked around and breathed deeply of air that suddenly seemed clean, fresh with the salt tang of the sea.
'We'll make one of the birlinns seaworthy for Duncan and the rest, retrieve Catriona and leave this accursed island as soon as we can,' Tuath said. 'We have killed the Osprey; time to get home.' He grinned at Melcorka. 'I am glad I did not have to kill you and Bradan; I grew rather fond of you.'
'I am even gladder,' Bradan said solemnly. 'I have no wish to be killed.'
Melcorka smiled, touched the hilt of Defender and said nothing. 'We have work to do before we leave this island,' she said. 'It is a pity that somebody was so efficient in burning the boats.'
Chapter Seventeen
Alva ran through the sea to meet them, her smile broad and her feet kicking up a curtain of spray. 'Are you back, Bradan? Did you kill many Caterans, Melcorka?'
'Hundreds,' Melcorka said, smiling, 'far too many to count. How are you?'
'I am fine thank you,' Alva said with a little curtsey. 'I am living with Igraine now and she is far kinder than father ever was.' Her face was solemn. 'She makes me say please and thank you and wash my hands and face nearly every day.'
'Nearly every day?' Melcorka widened her eyes in horror. 'My goodness Alva, if you are not careful you will be all washed away until there is nothing left except your smile.'
Alva frowned for a moment and then laughed. 'No; that won't happen, Melcorka. You are being foolish now.'
'Melcorka is good at being foolish,' Bradan ruffled Alva's hair. 'It is one of her more endearing traits, when she is not being a major distraction to us all.'
'Leave my hair alone,' Alva pulled away with both hands to her head. 'It is my hair and not yours to spoil.'
Igraine waded through the water, lifted Alva and balanced her on her ample hip as if she had done it all her life. 'Don't you be cheeky to Bradan now, Alva,' she scolded as she leaned on the bulwark to talk to them. 'I am glad to see you all back; you have a fine bruise on your head, Tuath.'
'I have an even finer bruise elsewhere,' Tuath said. 'You will see it later.'
Igraine looked at Melcorka and raised her eyes. Melcorka smiled. 'It is not as bad as it may have been,' she said.
'I hope that you did not distract my man too much, Melcorka?' Igraine said.
Melcorka shook her head as she disembarked from Catriona. 'He was not distracted in the least.' She understood the gist of Igraine's words and they had nothing to do with his wound. 'He is your man, Igraine and nobody else will do for him.'
Igraine nodded. 'I am glad of that. We must talk sometime, Melcorka, out of the way of little ears.'
'But I want to hear!' Alva's little ears had heard and her little mouth opened in a large cry of protest.
'This is woman's talk, Alva,' Igraine told her.
'I am a woman!' Alva said.
'You very nearly are,' Igraine told her. 'And when you are full woman, then I shall include you in everything that I do,' she faced Melcorka. 'It is about that I wish to talk,' she said quietly.
'This is no time for women's talk!' Hector strode into the sea and helped drag Catriona to shore. 'Did you destroy the nest of Caterans?'
'We did, Hector,' Tuath was first on land, giving Igraine a brief hug and treating Hector to a broad grin that showed white through his black beard as he limped toward the beach. 'We killed them in their hundreds, burned their ships and Bradan here vanquished their pet Daoine Sidh.'
'The Daoine Sidh!' Hector made the sign of the sun. 'Bel's fires! No wonder they were so powerful.'
'Melcorka has a present for you,' Tuath said, still grinning.
'Here you are, Chief,' Melcorka lifted a canvas bag from the bottom of the boat and handed it over.
'What is it?' Hector opened it. 'Oh! A perfect present!' He lifted out the head of the Osprey by his long white hair and displayed it to all the people who were gathering. 'I shall mount this at the entrance to the harbour so all can see what happens to anybody who crosses Hector MacRae!'
'Indeed,' Melcorka kept any emotion from her face. 'Now that we have destroyed the nest of Caterans, you will release me from my promise and renounce your threat to Bradan and Alva.' That was a statement, not a question. Melcorka did not put her hand on the hilt of Defender although she was very aware of its presence across her back.
'Come into the broch and tell me all,' Hector was joviality itself.
'Are we coming as friends or as hostages?' Melcorka put a hand on Bradan's shoulder to prevent him from moving until she knew it was safe. His rowan staff may be proof against the People of Peace, but against Hector's warriors it was only a length of wood.
'You are coming as my guests,' Hector said.
'In that case we are glad to accept,' Melcorka said. A guest in Alba was sacrosanct. Nobody could ever violate the rights of a visitor without losing their honour and being cast out of civilised society for the remainder of their lonely and shunned life.
'I'm coming too!' Alva said, loudly.
'Only if you behave yourself,' Igraine said, and winked at Tuath.
They sat in the same curved chamber as they had occupied on the previous visit, except that this time the atmosphere was lighter, there were no death threats hanging over Bradan or Alva. Hector was smiling as he listened to Tuath's report of their adventu
res on Inch Iolaire.
'The Osprey was not the overall leader then,' Hector said.
'It seems not,' Tuath said. 'He was handing his prisoners to the Shining One.'
'God save us all,' Bradan said softly and crossed himself as a chill descended on the chamber.
'Tell us about this Shining One,' Melcorka asked.
'We do not know much,' Bradan said after a pause. 'We know that there have been legends about the Shining One that has persisted since time began. I never wished to hear it again and I never want to have anything to do with it.'
'Tell me!' Alva sat at the table, sandwiched between Bradan and Igraine.
'You have to behave!' Igraine told her, sternly.
'I am behaving,' Alva said, and relapsed into approximate silence when Tuath growled at her.
'There are many legends of the Shining One,' Bradan said, 'some are unbelievable, others are even worse. Some say it is a woman, a goddess from the old days who came to this world to help us. Others say it is a creature from the stars, or an angel from the Book. Some claim that the name only refers to the moon that shines in a certain place to be worshipped, but as Christianity has spread, the Shining One's power has weakened until he is an angry thing that seeks only to kill and hurt and destroy.'
'So nobody knows,' Melcorka said. 'This Shining One is all just maybes and rumours and legends.'
'Some things are known,' Bradan said. 'We know that it – I shall call it that – comes to the great winged temple at Callanish. We know it only comes at certain times of the year, when a full moon rises for instance, and now we know that it had some influence over the Osprey.' Bradan sighed. 'The Osprey was scared of the Shining One, which suggests he actually saw it … and it was dangerous.'
'We do know it was responsible for capturing hundreds of men,' Tuath said quietly.
There was a long silence at the table, broken only by Hector drumming his fingers. 'You, Bradan, have proved your worth by defeating one of the Daoine Sidh. The sentence of death upon you is lifted. You, young Alva, are safe.' He gave a small smile so that Melcorka nearly felt a spark of liking for him. 'I think I would have to fight Igraine to execute you.'
Tuath gave a snort. 'That is a fight you could not win,' he said, 'I have been trying for years!' He smiled at the loud laughter from Igraine.
'And you, Melcorka, have proved yourself a mighty warrior, saved the life of your man and this child, and returned to keep your word.' When Hector smiled his front teeth were more prominent than ever. 'I am glad you succeeded, Melcorka, yet if you had failed I would have had the pleasure of your company in my bed.' His smile altered to a gape-mouthed laugh.
'You may not have enjoyed that as much as you would wish,' Melcorka said.
'As it is,' Hector stood up, 'you have kept your word and you and yours are free to leave my island with your honour intact and your names bright.' He held out his hand to Melcorka, who took it, surprised at his frankness and the strength of his grip.
'Thank you Hector,' she said.
'I do not believe that this Shining One is a god or anything like a god,' Hector said. 'I believe it is a man posing as a god. I am going to take all my warriors and we are going to hunt him down and destroy him.' His grin was sudden and slightly boyish. 'You three destroyed the Caterans; I will destroy the man who gave them their orders.'
Tuath nodded. 'Bel will protect us from this imposter,' he said.
'Who will look after Ulvust?' Melcorka asked. 'They need you here, Hector.'
'Conall will take charge of Ulvust,' Hector said with a smile. 'I do not think that you, Bradan, or you, Melcorka, like him much, but he follows the law well.'
Melcorka nodded and glanced at Bradan, who sighed. 'I am hoping to see the winged temple and find details of Abaris,' he said. 'If this Shining One is there, and Hector is determined to destroy him, then I would wish to come along. There may never be another opportunity.'
Melcorka smiled. 'I knew you would still wish to pursue Abaris the druid.' She nodded to Hector. 'Bradan and I will accompany you.' She glanced at Alva. 'That means that you will also come with us, little one.'
Melcorka saw Alva's expression alter. The child looked at Igraine, who pulled her closer, kissed the top of her head and whispered something in her ear.
'Don't you wish to come?' Melcorka asked. 'There will be excitement, travel and new things to see.'
'Igraine has to come too,' Alva said, as Igraine hushed her to silence.
'I think Igraine has other things to do,' Melcorka said.
'Igraine will love it,' Alva said solemnly. 'There will be excitement, travel and new things to see.'
'Don't you be cheeky!' Igraine snapped, 'honestly Melcorka, I've never known her so full of herself. She has been as good as gold…'
'Until I happened along,' Melcorka finished Igraine's sentence.
'I will come as well,' Igraine decided. 'Someone will need to look after Alva while my man and Melcorka are slaughtering everybody.' She was not smiling as she met Melcorka's gaze.
Chapter Eighteen
Six of Hector's birlinns accompanied Catriona in the voyage northward to the conjoined islands of Harris and Lewis. They left Port-nan-loch in Ulvust with a fanfare of cheers and waves from the women and children they left behind, and headed northward as if on a celebration rather than a military expedition. Each birlinn had a harper in the stern and a piper in the bow to help the voyage pass more pleasantly, and if that was not enough the oarsmen sang an iorram to keep time.
'This is very impressive,' Melcorka sat on the bench at Catriona, rowing hard to keep up with the larger birlinns and their experienced crews.
Bradan laughed. 'Last time there were three of us against an army of Caterans. This time we have a complete fleet to protect us against one man who may not even exist. Let's hope we don't need them.' He laughed again, but without humour. Melcorka saw the shadows pass behind his eyes.
'This Shining One unnerves me,' Melcorka admitted. 'Whatever it is, it seems powerful.' She touched the hilt of Defender. 'This sword is the only thing that gives me strength. With it, I am capable of facing anything mortal. Without it I am only an ordinary woman. I have nothing to help us face anything from the supernatural world.'
Bradan looked across the sea to the birlinns as the oarsmen pulled together; the six ships in formation with their sharp bows pointing northward and their wakes a silver vee astern. 'No,' he said, pulling at his own oar. 'With or without Defender, you are no ordinary woman. No ordinary woman could have thought about freeing Tuath and I from the Caterans, yet alone led that assault on them.'
'Anybody would have done that,' Melcorka tried to meet his gaze. 'For a friend.'
Bradan was quiet for a few strokes as Catriona rose and dipped to the dance of the sea.
'When the mermaids were deceiving you all by making you see beautiful women, Bradan, why did you see them all as me?' That was a question that had been in Melcorka's mind for a long time.
There was another long pause before Bradan answered. 'I had no power over what happened,' he said. 'I cannot help that it was you I saw.'
'No,' Melcorka bent forward and pulled back hard on the oar. 'You could not. Nor could I help that I wished to free you.'
'Are we that closely connected?' Bradan asked quietly.
Melcorka did not answer, although she thought deeply about the question. As their attention to rowing wavered, Catriona dipped into the trough of two waves, her high prow sliced into the water so spray rose on either side of her bow, and then she rose again, facing the steel-grey of the sky.
'What are you two talking about?' Alva asked.
'We are working out how we feel about each other,' Melcorka said.
'Are we?' Bradan stared at her, missed a stroke and Catriona allowed gallons of sea-water to splash inside. 'Yes; yes I suppose that is what we are doing.'
'I wish you would talk about something else,' Alva said. 'It gets very wet when you talk about how you feel for each other.'
&n
bsp; Melcorka smiled and again tried to meet Bradan's gaze. 'We will try and keep it dry,' she said.
'I wish you would,' Alva said, crossly.
'Your vision with the mermaids was quite interesting,' Melcorka returned to her subject, fully aware that it made Bradan uncomfortable.
'That was not how this conversation started,' he said.
'I know, yet that is where it led,' Melcorka countered him easily. Men were so much simpler to manipulate in conversation. 'We have been companions for some time, Bradan,' she was aware that Alva was listening to everything they said, her little eyes darting from one to the other and back. 'I could not leave you in that dungeon.'
'Many would have,' Bradan said.
'You would not have left me,' Melcorka said.
He shrugged. 'You could also have left me to the fires of Bel.' At last he met her gaze. 'That is twice you put your life in danger to help me, Melcorka. You are more than a companion.'
Suddenly Melcorka wondered if men were really easier to manipulate in conversation. Bradan had turned the conversation around in a few phrases.
'Well?' Alva prompted. She had moved from her position in the stern to sit in the space between them. 'What are you now, Melcorka? You are more than a companion.'
Melcorka was not sure whether to laugh, be angry with Alva or keep silent. She compromised with a smile and a shake of her head.
'We are Bradan and Melcorka,' Bradan said.
'And what does that mean?' Melcorka asked.
'It means I do not know,' Bradan admitted. 'Do you?'
Melcorka took three full pulls at the oars before she replied. 'No,' she said. 'I do not know.'
'I know,' Alva said, but at that moment both Melcorka and Bradan were lost in their own thoughts and did not listen to her.
Rather than sail direct to Callanish where the Shining One was said to appear, Hector thought it best to anchor with his foster brother, Ruari MacLeod further south in the rugged coast of Harris, leave the ships there and march northward.
The Shining One (The Swordswoman Book 2) Page 18