Celtic Rose

by Campbell, Jill

  “I understand, but why do you look so concerned? Isn’t this a good thing? The quicker it comes, the quicker I can take care of myself, right?” Kallisto smiled again and clutched the blanket to her chest as she lay back, calmly closing her eyes. Gabriel leaned down into Kallisto’s face.

  “Open your eyes Kallisto,” Gabriel said gruffly. Her eyes shot open. She must not have realized he had gotten so close. They stared into each other eyes for moments, then Gabriel jerked back. “Crap!”

  “What? What’s wrong with my eyes?” Kallisto yelled. She was frightened and sat up quickly, so quickly it made her head hurt. Gabriel turned to face her again.

  “Kallisto, did your mother tell you what happens when your eyes turn fully green?” Gabriel asked angrily. Kallisto nodded. “Well, have you seen your eyes lately?” he added quietly. Kallisto started out of the bed.

  “I noticed that about half of the cornea was green and the other half was brown, just the other day, Wednesday, before we left.” She got the rest of the way up and started for the bathroom. Talus grabbed her elbow to help her and she let him; apparently she didn’t feel steady enough to do it on her own quite yet. Talus walked in with her and they turned to the mirror. She leaned forward and looked at her eyes closely. Her eyes opened wide.

  “They were half way green before you met Talus?” Gabriel asked as he stepped into the doorway. Kallisto nodded, looking at him in the reflection, and then looked back at her eyes.

  “How can they change that much in just a few days?” She stared at her eyes as if willing it to be a mirage. Talus turned her face to him and looked into her eyes. When he looked into them the first day they were about half green and half brown. Now they were nearly all green, with a thin brown line around the pupil. His eyes widened. Gabriel stepped further into the bathroom.

  “They’ve never changed so quickly in all of our lives. They normally don’t start to change until you’ve met Talus. This worries me, Kallisto. You’ve already had two attempts on your life in a matter of a few days. We normally have two years to learn what we need to and to find more clues to end the curse. Your eyes have never turned this green until about two months before we die. Now do you understand the urgency of your arrival? You’ve never learned so quickly either. You’ve already learned how to call me to you, and the electricity in your hands has already started to manifest itself. It won’t take much longer for you to master it, if our past lives are anything to go by, but this is so much different from our past lives that I’m not sure what’s going to happen. All I know is that something’s different this time around,” he said as he put his hand on Kallisto’s shoulder.

  “You’re telling me that we have two months instead of two years?” Kallisto said in near tears as she turned away from Talus and faced Gabriel.

  “Yes Kallisto, that seems to be the case, but like I said I’m not totally sure what will happen. This has never happened before. It shouldn’t take much to train you since you already seem to be tapping into your power.” He pointed down at Kallisto’s hands. Talus looked at her hands and the blue crackling was back; it seemed to be traveling through them. She lifted her hands up, wide eyed, and stared at the electricity traveling through them. The electricity started fading and her eyes fluttered. She swayed and Talus caught her as she started to fall. He picked her up and carried her back to the bed.

  “You’re not well enough to start training just yet. You need to rest,” Gabriel said as he followed them to the bed and placed his hand on her head. “Sleep well, Kallisto.”

  “Yeah sure, Gabriel.” She gave him a sarcastic look, but he smiled and turned to the door.

  “We’ll talk more about this tomorrow. Right now you need to rest and heal.” He turned back to look at her sternly. “Now, you need to go to sleep. No unneeded exertion.” With that, he grinned and looked pointedly at Talus, who smiled. Kallisto’s mouth dropped open.

  “Very funny, Gabe,” William said sarcastically, not seeming to like that idea very much. Talus had forgotten he was even in the room. He sat in the corner with his arms across his chest. A red welt had formed on his cheek where Kallisto had slapped him. Talus’ smile widened. William noticed and glared at him.

  “Everybody out now; we’ll need to get up early tomorrow to get started with your training–all except for you of course, Kallisto. Now go to bed, because you need to get up in the morning. If I have to wake you up more than once you won’t like it.” With that he walked out of the room.

  William forgave Kallisto for the slap. Everyone knew he would; he couldn’t go that long being angry at her. Kallisto forgave him for his comments on his promise not to act that way anymore.

  Finally everyone left the room. Kallisto and Talus were alone. She beckoned him to her bedside, grabbing his hand as he got closer. She pulled him closer, kissing him passionately, her hands trailing up his arms and down to his chest. Grabbing him by his shirt, she pulled a little harder. He acted as though she’d thrown him and flipped over her, landing next to her. She laughed lightly and rolled to face him, and he grabbed her into his arms. They held each other in silence, kissing each other every so often. Her eyes eventually fluttered shut. Talus started to get up but she held on tightly.

  “No, Talus, please don’t go. Please? Stay here with me. Let’s just sleep beside each other. I don’t want to be alone.” She looked at him with pleading eyes. He wondered how he could ever say no to that? She was so beautiful, and all she wanted was him. Several lifetimes were proof of that.

  “All right, but that’s all. You heard Gabriel, ‘no unneeded exertion’,” he said mockingly. They laughed and he pulled her tighter into his arms, never wanting to let her go.

  “You don’t have to worry about Gabriel. His bark is worse than his bite.” She laughed slightly at her little joke.

  “All the same, I’d rather not test it. I’m not afraid that Gabriel will kill me, mind you, but there are worse things he could do.” Of that fact Talus was certain.

  Chapter 9

  “Enchantress, please help me. I need your wisdom and guidance. Please tell me, show me, how to keep us all from dying prematurely. Please help me teach them to fight and survive. Show me who betrays us, so I can prevent the coming events. Please help me to save Kallisto and Kalan from the coming heartache. Show me another way, any other way to change the curse.” On his knees, Gabriel prayed to the one woman he thought could help in the coming hours.

  “Gabriel…” A voice came in a whisper. “Open your eyes, Gabriel.”

  When he opened his eyes, he saw the most beautiful apparition–the enchantress glittering and glowing in the moonlight. “I’m here, Gabriel. I’ve been given permission to help–tell me your request.” The beautiful woman floated forward and placed her transparent hand on his shoulder. He could still feel the weight of the touch. He looked up at her pleadingly. She took a step back and waited.

  “There has to be another way. Kallisto seems so much more fragile in this life. The witch and warlock are getting more aggressive in their attacks, and they seem to be focusing on Kallisto more than the others this time. I’ve forewarned both her and Ramina about the coming betrayal. They’re not happy about keeping it from the others, but they will. And they can’t imagine any of the guys betraying them. Maybe if you could tell me who the betrayer is, I can help Kallisto and Ramina to be better prepared to do what must be done.”

  The enchantress held up her hand to stop his rambling. She looked at him with the wisdom and compassion of a mother. “It breaks my heart to see her pain–everyone’s pain–but there’s nothing I can do now. These are the events that must take place. This is the path you chose for yourself and all of them when you killed the witch’s son in your last life. This is the way it was meant to happen. The end of the curse is near, but steps must be taken for it to come to pass.”

  “Why are they focusing on Kallisto and no one else?”

  “They believe that if Kallisto is dead, then Talus will betray everyone to get her back.�
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  “So Talus will betray us then?” Gabriel asked angrily. He’d trusted Talus with Kallisto’s life many times throughout the years. He never dreamed Talus could ever hurt anyone truly, but it made sense that he would be dangerous in his grief, because without Kallisto, his hold on life would become meaningless, as would Gabriel’s. Gabriel could very well go insane without his anchor to life as well. With that being the reason William would be a potential hazard as well.

  “It isn’t clear Gabriel. The witch’s magic is blocking my vision, but if she is focused on Kallisto, then it must be Talus or William. The prophecy only states that ‘one of the cursed will betray everyone in his madness before he, himself, dies.’ It doesn’t tell the reason for the madness or why he dies, but it will probably be self-inflicted, or one of you will get him before he’s done. There’s no way to tell. You know how these prophecies are. They are vague so they can’t be stopped, and anyone who tries will probably just bring it to pass more quickly.”

  “Enchantress please, I need help. I’m lost this time, and I don’t know what else to do. She’s deteriorating quickly. Her eyes are almost completely green. It will take more time than I have to train them all and decipher the tablet before our time is up.” Gabriel dropped his head down, feeling ashamed of this weakness.

  She thought for a moment. “I will give you the help you need.” The enchantress waved her hand and the door opened. Smoke flowed through the door, swirling from top to bottom like a waterfall, bright and shiny and white, like clouds or mist. A shadow appeared behind the fog and stepped through it. Standing in the doorway was a woman that Gabriel recognized immediately as Ephiny.

  His mouth dropped at the beautiful woman in the white flowing gown. She looked more like a princess herself, and wore sparkles in her hair like diamonds. Her skin seemed to glow from the inside.

  The enchantress rested her hands upon Ephiny’s shoulders and Ephiny opened her eyes. A blue burst of light shone through her skin, radiating from the inside out. Gabriel watched a tattoo of an angel form on the back of her hand between the thumb and forefinger.

  A great growl sounded from above and Gabriel looked up to see smoke in the shape of a wolf descend and flow into Ephiny. She bent over into herself and fell to the ground, writhing with a silent scream. She cried out, just once, but it was muffled, like something was keeping it from escaping the room. After a moment, Ephiny slowly rose to her feet again and looked at Gabriel.

  “There…I’m better now.” Ephiny breathed heavily, as if trying to control the pain. The breaths started to slow as she calmed down.

  “She knows everything you know, Gabriel. She may not have been part of the curse before, but she is now. It shouldn’t have any effect on the prophecy since she is female, but we’re still taking a risk.” The enchantress looked at Gabriel for a moment with a worried frown on her face, then she gestured to Ephiny. “Her tattoo is obvious; she is your angel, Gabriel, sent to help and guide you. She’s also a werewolf now, as you are.” She smiled at Gabriel, then looked back at Ephiny. Gabriel noticed she didn’t have a silver necklace on.

  “What about her necklace, Enchantress? She can’t be allowed to change freely; it’s too dangerous for the others to be around her then.” Gabriel felt slightly panicked. Just imagining Ephiny changing in the vicinity of Kallisto scared him. With the dangers that were already on her, to add one more would be foolhardy.

  “Be still Gabriel. When I said that she knew everything about being a werewolf, I meant that she knows everything, including how to control her beast. If you give her the chance she can teach you, but you have to have an open mind for that to happen.” The enchantress shook her finger at Gabriel slightly, but she was smiling, scolding him like a misbehaving puppy. “From now on, if you need me, just call my name, Celeste.” She smiled wider at the shocked look on Gabriel’s face. He’d never known her name, only that she was the enchantress. He knew the secret that held her to the twins, but he never even knew her name through everything that happened. He’d never needed to call her in any other life.

  “Yes, Celeste, I’ll call your name when I need you,” Gabriel said, bowing.

  “I must go now. I’ll leave you to your work. Be strong, and look to Ephiny for help in everything you need. If you have need of me again remember, just call my name and I will be there.” With that, she faded away.

  Gabriel turned toward Ephiny, who was smiling brightly as she admired his room.

  “So Ephiny…what do we do now?” He was hoping that she could tell him how to get started. She turned and looked at him.

  “Well…right now I’d say that I need to find a room. Everyone else is asleep, and you need your rest as well. I know my way around. I have been watching, you know.”

  Gabriel started to walk for the door, but she waved him off and walked out. He watched her walk along the balcony, peering into the rooms as she went. First she hit William’s room, and seemed to smile even wider as she saw him. She went to Kallisto’s room, turning to Gabriel and making a shame, shame gesture as she pointed to the room. That must’ve meant Talus didn’t leave her room. Gabriel started to walk to the room, but Ephiny waved him off again. She made a sleeping gesture, showing him they were asleep. The next room was empty but she knew it would be Talus’. The next were Kalan’s and Ramina’s, who were both fast asleep in their beds. At least they followed the rules, although once they found out Talus and Kallisto slept in the same room that could change.

  Gabriel closed his eyes and shook his head, thinking of all the trouble he was going to have over the next few weeks. He opened his eyes in time to see Ephiny waving good night as she went into the far room opposite his and shut the door. He went ahead and walked down toward Kallisto’s room. Ephiny could wave him off as she stood there, but once she was in the room he could correct the situation. When he looked in the door he received a shock. Talus remained clothed on top of the covers. Kallisto was covered up lying on his chest. The scene was so innocent, nothing like what he expected, and he was relieved that he didn’t have to defend her virtue as well as her life. Just as he was about to turn away, Kallisto whimpered in her sleep. There must have been pain somewhere in her body. Talus’ arms automatically flew protectively around her. Even in his sleep, he guarded her. She sighed and nuzzled into him a bit more. His arms stayed around her and he squeezed slightly, hugging her in his sleep.

  Gabriel thought maybe he wouldn’t have to worry about her so much, but then shook his head again. Who was he kidding? He was as bad as a worried father, and that would never change.

  He tore himself away from the sight and trudged back to his room. He needed to sleep. The training they’d start tomorrow would be grueling and tedious. It’d take all his effort to be able to train them properly and all of his patience to deal with William.

  The king came to Gabriel on the night of the full moon. As usual, he was chained to the wall. The necklace kept him from changing, but it couldn’t stop the madness of a full moon. As the king approached, a fierce growl escaped Gabriel’s lips. The king smiled–not exactly the reaction Gabriel had expected. It seemed to wake him from the madness. He looked at the king in confusion.

  “Are you ready, my wolf?” The king patted his head like an obedient dog. Another growl escaped but the king only laughed.

  “Kallisto needs you, Gabriel,” the king said, and his face turned serious as he said it.

  Those words awakened a primal protectiveness in Gabriel that he didn’t understand. He pulled against the silver chains, the only thing that can weaken a werewolf.

  “Where is she?” Gabriel’s words came out in a growl. The king flinched but smiled wider.

  “She is safe, but the men that attacked her still roam the forest. I’ll set you free Gabriel, but I will not take off your necklace. I need you to find these men and at least bring one back to me. Do you understand this, Gabriel?” The king placed his hand on Gabriel’s cheek. He could have easily turned and bit him, but Gabriel realized that he was
about to set him free.

  “I understand. Please let me go so I can protect Kallisto.” Gabriel pulled on the chains.

  “You are ready then.” The king chuckled. “Here, smell this. This belongs to one of the soldiers that hurt Kallisto.” The king placed the red fabric in front of Gabriel’s nose. He sniffed deeply, taking in all the scents. There was a tinge of sweat and a hint of something metallic… blood. His eyes opened with a jolt. Everything he saw was tainted with red, as though he’d been sent into a type of blood rage. He pulled the chains again and they gave slightly. He heard a sharp intake of breath. It was the king; he was looking at the wall where the chains were anchored. The stone was cracking, breaking, and soon Gabriel would be free.

  The king hurried forward and unfastened the chains. As soon as Gabriel felt the chains fall he ran. The doors opened in front of him without hesitation. He ran straight through them and into the forest. Seeking out the trail that Kallisto had taken the day before, he followed her scent until the smell from the fabric mingled with it. Kallisto’s fragrance lingered strong and thick in that area. She’d fought hard for her life there. A whiff of her blood found Gabriel’s senses, and anger filled him from the very core. How dare they injure his little cub? There was no way that person would survive his attack now. He’d need massive self-control to be able to keep one alive to bring to the king, but that one was expendable.

  Kallisto’s scent went on down the trail and the other smell went deeper into the forest. They didn’t give chase. From the odors in the area, Gabriel found that three had been bled, and there were four other aromas that had not. Seven in all was what it took to attack an innocent woman, but Gabriel also felt pride in the fact that she was strong enough and smart enough to get away from them.