Realms Gate

by Juliet Anderson

  “Dare I ask for the first dance?” Angus materialised by her side. Erin was struck by the change in him. Apart from the fact he looked rather cute in his black tie and kilt, he had a very laid back aura she hadn’t seen before. Almost playful.

  “I might be part Scottish by birth, but I haven’t a clue how to do your dances,” Erin smiled apologetically. “I can waltz, Charleston and tango but don’t ask me how to do a Scottish reel.”

  “That’s a poor excuse if you’re trying to turn me down.” Angus slipped his arm around her waist and propelled her in the direction of the ballroom. “The dances are really easy. Trust me, most of us can do them blind drunk.”

  “Great, so if I mess it up I’m worse than an inebriated Scot!”

  “Something like that,” he laughed.

  The dancing was already underway and they joined the group with ease. Erin was pleased it wasn’t complicated and she just about kept up.

  “We’ll make a Scot out of you yet,” Angus grinned as he twirled her around.

  Erin decided that Scottish dances were very sociable as you rarely stayed with your partner. In fact you danced with just about everyone in the room. It was tremendous fun, even though she was in a dress. She emerged from the ballroom several dances later gasping for a drink. She grabbed a coke and headed out to the terrace. The garden below was lit with hundreds of lanterns and looked magical. That’s if you could get over the swarms of mosquitos.

  “What are your plans after summer?” Angus leant against the balustrade.

  “University, results depending.” Erin crossed her fingers.

  “Which one?”

  “Exeter or Edinburgh are my first two choices.”

  Angus laughed. “You chose opposite ends of the country?”

  “More by accident than design. I understand you’re at Edinburgh?”

  “Yeah, it’s great.”

  “But I’m a soft southerner. I’m not sure I could handle a Scottish winter.”

  Angus rolled his eyes in despair. “What are you studying?”

  “Ancient history.”

  “Which era interests you the most?”

  “Anything from Roman to the Norman.”

  “The Roman’s didn’t care much for us Scots,” Angus laughed.

  “Yeah, the Picts were far too stubborn for the Romans to deal with. That and the damned awful weather!”

  “It’s designed to keep undesirables out of our fair land.”

  “I’ll grant you that, the scenery is quite stunning.”

  “Have you been over most the McLomard Estate?”

  “Most. Birdie let me drive the Landrover over some of it. The rest I saw on my bike with Magnus.”

  “Oh yeah, your guard dog.” Angus curled his lip.

  “What’s wrong with Magnus, he’s cool?”

  “There’s plenty wrong with him,” Angus scowled. “How on earth he was given the task of watching you is beyond me.”

  “He’s been pretty good.”

  Sasha made a timely appearance, before she and Angus got into an argument over Magnus. Erin would not hear one bad word said against him. Sasha shooed her brother away.

  “You were right, Robert was jealous that other guys were seemingly interested in me,” she hugged her friend.

  “Men are so easy to read.” Erin gave an exaggerated sigh.

  “He’s taking me riding on Sunday,” Sasha squealed softly.

  “I’m really pleased for you.”

  “You and Angus looked like you were spoiling for a fight?”

  Erin shook her head. “Just when I think your brother is actually pretty nice, he opens his mouth and ruins it.”

  “What can I say, he’s my brother,” Sasha chuckled and led her through to the dining room where dinner was about to be served.

  The food was delicious; Robert certainly didn’t hold back on his hospitality.

  Angus approached her again after dinner. “Can I risk asking for another dance or will you bite my head off?” he asked gingerly.

  “You really want to dance with me after what I’ve just stuffed down my throat?” Erin responded disbelievingly.

  “Hey, the tux is washable.”

  Erin found herself once again thrown around the ballroom, she was pleased all the food did manage to stay down. And once on the dance floor, she was stuck there for a while.

  Angus eventually dragged her away and found a quiet corner in the living room. Erin flopped down in the armchair.

  “My feet are killing me,” she moaned. “I’m used to wearing biker boots, not these ridiculous ballet pumps.”

  “A true lady and no mistake,” Angus teased.

  Erin stretched out her weary limbs. “Tell me about running an estate the size of McBrides. Is it all consuming?”

  “Pretty much. I have an Estate Manager as I’m still at Uni, but all my spare time is taken up with it.”

  “Is it tough dealing with so many varied elements?”

  “The estate itself is a pleasure to look after and brings in a tidy income. It’s the house that is a nightmare. Just when you’ve fixed a leak in the roof, another one appears. There is always something that needs replacing or renovating. The house is a money pit, but to leave any part of it to decay would be tragic.”

  “Just getting an idea of what I’m in for.”

  “When do you take over the house?”

  “Hopefully not for a very long time. I have no desire to run an estate, especially as I have no idea where I’m actually going to settle yet.”

  “You’re not planning to make this your home permanently?”

  “Not for a while. I want to travel, live in other countries and experience life before I settle down.”

  “How does Birdie feel about this?”

  “Birdie’s cool with whatever I want to do.”

  “What about Lokranor?” he asked tentatively.

  “What about it?” Erin responded nonchalantly. As the local Laird, she’d already figured he was a circle member, especially as he knew Magnus was her guardian.

  “Does it figure at all in your plans?”

  “Not at the moment. I want to live before I dedicate my life to a legacy I never wanted. A legacy that caused my father’s premature death.”

  Erin could feel her phone vibrating in her little purse. It was Magnus. She glanced at her watch, it was already half past two in the morning. She had no idea.

  “Hey,” she answered the call. “Are you about to turn back into a rat?”

  “Yeah. You ready to leave anytime soon?”

  “Sure. When can you get here?”

  “I’m already out front.”

  Erin stood up. “My ride’s here.”

  “I can run you home later if you’d like,” Angus offered.

  Erin declined politely. Besides, Angus had to be over the limit. “No, I really should go with Magnus. Can you thank Robert for a wonderful party?”

  Angus walked her to the front door. “The Muirhead summer fair is in a couple of days. Will you come with me?”

  “I’ll think about it,” she smiled a tad coyly. Perhaps it was time she got to know Sasha’s brother better.

  Angus glared pointedly at the Range Rover parked a few meters away before leaning in and kissing Erin’s cheek. “Hopefully you’ll say yes,” he murmured.

  Erin slid in beside Magnus. “You can stop scowling like an overprotective father. He only kissed my cheek.”

  “I don’t like him,” Magnus grunted.

  “Well it’s a good job I’m not asking you to date him.”

  Magnus snorted and hit the accelerator. Erin resisted the urge to laugh, male vanity was such a fragile thing.

  CHAPTER 11

  Erin was slouched over the kitchen table nursing a large cup of coffee. She was not used to having such a late night.

  “Morning, Goldilocks,” Magnus voice echoed across the kitchen.

  “Do you have to be quite so loud?” Erin grunted.

  “Yes. I need y
ou bright-eyed for this morning’s activity.”

  “The only activity I plan on doing is crawling back under my duvet,” she yawned.

  “On the contrary, you have a training session with me this morning.”

  “Magnus, I’m too tired to even keep my eyes open, let alone do any training,” she complained and flopped her head onto the table to highlight her point.

  “What if a Vasmaarian came through the door right now?” he said sternly. “Would you just roll over and play dead?”

  “Probably.” She was not going to take the bait.

  “You’re going to get your butt into the weapons hall right now, young lady,” Magnus barked loudly.

  His voice echoed around inside Erin’s head. Didn’t the bastard know she had a headache? “Don’t shout.” She held her head in her hands. “Besides, I’m not dressed for combat.”

  “Bunny slippers are no hindrance, I’ve seen proof of that,” he allowed a hint of a smile. He opened up the bag he was carrying. “I didn’t want to resort to bribery, but it seems I have no choice.” He wafted the bag under Erin’s nose.

  “Freshly baked croissants,” she sighed wistfully. “Where did you get those?”

  “I’m not telling. And unless you get your arse up, I’m going to eat them all.”

  “I hate you,” she muttered and got to her feet, snatching a croissant out the bag.

  “Mrs McDowell will be pissed if you drop crumbs.”

  Erin gave him a rude gesture and headed to the ballroom.

  “Your skills are appearing ahead of time, Erin, and it is important you know how to use them properly. They could save your life.”

  “Skills like what?” She tried to stifle another yawn. She needed more coffee.

  “Call your sword,” he instructed.

  “Call it, as in its name?” she was confused.

  “Yes, call it to you,” Magnus clarified.

  “Like I call for Jacques?”

  “Just say Talmar with enough force and hold out your hand.”

  Erin rolled her eyes, this was ridiculous. She held out her arm. “Talmar.”

  “I said with force,” Magnus barked. “Like you actually mean it.”

  “Talmar,” she shouted loudly. Then regretted it. Her head hurt.

  “Say it again, but visualise the sword in your hand.”

  Erin gave a frustrated sigh. “Talmar.” She held out her hand again and watched in awe as the sword disappeared off the mantel and materialised in her waiting hand.

  “Finally,” Magnus sighed with satisfaction.

  “How did that happen?” Erin was bemused.

  “The sword’s energy is connected to you. It will come to you when called.”

  Erin suddenly forgot all about fatigue. The Talmar was placed in a stand full of swords and she went to the far end of the hall. She called it, it appeared in her hand. It was nothing short of magic. “Cool.”

  “It’s more than cool, Erin, it could save your life.” Magnus rubbed his temples.

  “Grouch,” she scowled at him.

  “You need to read up about the creatures that could come through the Realms’ Gate. Your father would have had numerous books on them in his concealed chamber. It is important to know all about them because they vary how they can be killed.”

  “No universal beheadings?”

  “No. If you do that to a Midgard, a water serpent, another head will just grow back.”

  “That’s hardly sporting.”

  “No. So research is needed, young lady.” Magnus went quiet for a moment, then suddenly grabbed a sword from the stand and turned on her.

  Erin reacted with lightning speed, the Talmar was in her hand in a split second and met his sword as it sliced through the air.

  “That was pretty damn fast, Erin,” Magnus beamed.

  She put the sword down and punched his arm. “Don’t do that to me, I could have hurt you.”

  “It’s nice to know you care. But I needed to see your reaction time.”

  “Do you think there’s going to be many more creatures headed my way?”

  “Sadly, yes. The closer you get to eighteen, the more desperate Heinrekh will become.”

  Erin flopped down on a bench. “I don’t really follow why Heinrekh is getting all het up about me turning eighteen. What harm could I cause him on this side of the Gate? If he wanted to claim back our world, he would have done that long before.”

  “You are forgetting that only members of the Circle are allowed to travel through the Gate.”

  “And I imagine someone like Heinrekh does not worry about breaking the rules. Is there any reason why he would be unable to cross to this Realm?”

  Magnus’ dark brows knitted together as he pondered her question. “I have actually no idea. Perhaps his powers do not work here.”

  “Or perhaps he’s just chicken,” Erin responded flippantly. She knew Magnus was keeping something from her as he was becoming increasingly edgy with the conversation. “What is it you’re not telling me?” she tried to prise it out of him.

  “I think that practice is over with for today,” Magnus retreated.

  Erin gave a frustrated howl. Whenever he was cornered, he would just stalk off. It infuriated her. “It’s hardly surprising you’re unable to hold down a relationship if you keep avoiding difficult conversations,” she hollered after him.

  He just reiterated the gesture she had given him a short while earlier.

  Erin stuck out her hand and called her sword. It was a neat party trick. She headed to her father’s study, not just to find out about the Vasmaarian creatures but also more about Heinrekh. Why hadn’t he set foot on this side of the Realm? Or had he and no-one knew about it? If he was as powerful as everyone said, he could have taken her out directly any time. She knew something was being kept from her.

  Sasha woke late and had mooched around the house nursing her hangover. A late night mixed with an excess of champagne was never good.

  She went in search of Angus. He had been ensconced in his study earlier with someone, she couldn’t see who but she detected voices. But now he was nowhere to be seen. She headed into the study and glanced around. It had been a while since she was last in here. The place was littered with papers and land maps, as she would have expected. She studied a few to see what Angus was working on. Repairs to the estate chapel, new fencing for the upper paddocks, strengthening of the right wing foundations. One map confounded her. It bore no resemblance to the estate whatsoever. She turned it this way and that, but could not figure where on earth it was from.

  Then a name caught her eye. She had heard reference to Lokranor before, but did not know where it was. Or what it was. Old Scottish families had many weird secrets handed down throughout the centuries, and she took this Lokranor to be one of them.

  “What the hell are you doing in here?” Angus made her jump.

  “I was curious to see what you’re working on.”

  “What?”

  “This is my home too. I may not play an active part in the running of the estate, but I am curious to know what is happening to it.”

  “You want an update on what I’m working on?” he sounded a little shocked.

  “Yes.” She picked up the map she did not understand. “What does this relate to? I can’t work out where it is.”

  He snatched the document from her. “Nothing that concerns you or this estate.”

  His harsh tone hurt, he had never been quite so abrupt. “Well pardon me for trying to take an interest in what goes on,” she bit back.

  Angus softened his attitude on seeing he had upset his sister. “Look, I’m sorry.”

  “Forget it. If you want to act like a knob, that’s your prerogative.” She pushed past him and stomped up to her bedroom. She needed to get ready for her ride with Robert.

  She changed into her most flattering navy jodhpurs and long sleeve top and headed over to the stables. She’d agreed to meet Robert on the bridle path close to the estate entrance
. She arrived a couple of minutes early. She was feeling a little nervous, she really liked Robert and hoped the date would be fun. Ten minutes later she was still waiting. She checked her phone, no messages. Five minutes later she rang him.