by Donna Grant
Reaghan was aghast at Galen’s story. Her heart ached for him and the family he’d lost. The thought that someone like Deirdre could take a person and unleash an ancient god within that person left her with ice in her veins.
She glanced sideways at Galen. He sat still, his eyes the only thing moving as they scanned the area. “Tell me of the Warriors? I don’t know if the stories I’ve heard are true or not. I saw your wounds earlier down by the loch, but they’re gone now.”
“Aye. Our wounds heal quickly. We’re immortal, Reaghan.”
She chewed and swallowed her last bit of venison before she reached for a water skin. “So you cannot die?”
“I can die, but only if my head is taken from my body.”
Reaghan couldn’t imagine anyone being able to do that to a Warrior. They were too powerful, too quick. Too deadly. “No one will ever get near you to do that then.”
One side of his lips lifted in a smile as he turned his head to look at her. “I wish I could say you are right, but our battle with Deirdre continues. As long as it does, Warriors will fight Warriors.”
“Is it true you have powers?”
He glanced at his hands before he fisted them. “Aye. Each Warrior has his god’s power. We also change the color our god favored.”
“Which is why you were green and Logan silver?”
“Aye. My god is Ycewold, a trickster god. All Warriors will change color. We have fangs, claws, and enhanced senses. Each of us has a special power as well.”
She licked her lips as she tried to take it all in. Every answer he gave her led to new questions. “Like what?”
“Fallon can be standing before you, and in a blink, he’s somewhere else. They call it leum, jumping. Lucan, the middle MacLeod, can command the shadows and darkness. Then there is Quinn, the youngest MacLeod, who can speak to animals.”
Reaghan was speechless. “This goes beyond anything I could ever imagine. What about you and Logan? What powers does each of you possess?”
“Logan’s god grants him the power to command liquid, any liquid. He could part a loch with just a thought.”
“And you?” she asked when he said no more.
“Some Warriors have powers that are…”—he shrugged—“beneficial.”
“Galen, what is your power?”
He sighed deeply, heavily. “I can read people’s minds.”
She blinked, unsure if she heard him correctly. “You mean you can hear my thoughts? Now?”
“Nay,” he said quickly, and shook his head. “I have to be touching someone. It’s only when others touch me, or I touch them, that I see into their minds. Other Warriors aren’t able to use their power unless their god is released. Mine … mine occurs all the time.”
Reaghan shifted to face him. “Are you telling me when we kissed, when we … You were reading my mind?”
His dark blue gaze bored into hers, his brow furrowed. “Reaghan, you’re the only one I’ve ever touched that I doona see into your mind.”
“But the others you can?”
“Aye.”
That one word held a wealth of meaning. She could see how it distressed him by the hard line of his jaw, his compressed lips. “So every Druid you handed down the slope today, you saw into their minds.”
He gave a single, simple nod.
“And the wyrran?”
Another small nod.
“By the saints,” she murmured. She couldn’t imagine how it must feel, to have that kind of power and not be able to control it. “How is it you cannot see into my mind?”
“I doona know. When I first touched you I was too stunned to do anything but want more contact. Then, later, it didn’t matter. I found someone I could touch and not worry about seeing and hearing their thoughts. You cannot know what that means to me.”
Her heart ached for him, but most especially because in his words she heard the despair he wouldn’t admit. “Has there never been someone you could touch without seeing their thoughts?”
“Never. I’ve had to keep my distance from people for that very reason.”
There was something in his words, something that told her there was more to it. “You left someone because of your power?”
He visibly swallowed and clenched his hands. “After I escaped Deirdre’s I found a widow in need of someone to help around her cottage. In exchange, she fed me. I thought I just needed to learn to control my powers.”
“What happened?” Reaghan whispered.
“I thought she wanted my touch, but every time I held her, she would think of her dead husband. I confronted her with it.” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “The idea of someone in her mind was too much for her. Whatever kind thoughts she might have had for me turned vicious over the following weeks. Until she tried to plunge a dagger in my chest.”
Reaghan covered her mouth with her hand. As a Druid she had been around magic her entire life. She understood there were things that couldn’t be explained. But there were others who did not understand.
She scooted closer and lifted his hand into hers. “Try to see into my mind.”
He leaned away from her, his face a mask of distaste. “Why would you want that?”
“Don’t you want to know if you are gaining control over your power, or if it’s just me?”
“Why would you think this had anything to do with you?”
How could she tell him about the dreams of people and places she had never seen before, but knew? Was it the fever that had caused her memory loss, or was it something more? “I have no recollections of my past, Galen. Maybe whatever is blocking those memories prevents you from seeing into my mind.”
He gazed at her for several long moments before he closed his eyes. One heartbeat, two. Reaghan waited anxiously for Galen to tell her something, anything.
Finally, he opened his eyes. Relief blazed in his cobalt gaze. “I see nothing.”
She released his hand and looked into the fire. Galen might be happy, but Reaghan felt disappointment. It just confirmed to her that there was something wrong with her mind. “As I suspected.”
“I’m sorry.”
Reaghan waved away his words. Her hope of him helping her to find her past faded into the night sky. “There’s no need. You will never fear touching me and seeing into my mind.”
“I know it upsets you, but it pleases me greatly.”
Unable to help herself, she smiled at him. “And I’m glad. You saved all of us this morn. You and Logan both. Without you, I wouldn’t be here now.”
“Many still doona trust us.”
“They probably never will. It is their way to distrust anything they don’t know, and since they never leave the village, they know nothing. It doesn’t help that we’ve always been told the Warriors are evil.”
He chuckled and stretched his legs out in front of him before he crossed his ankles.
“How long have you been a Warrior?” She knew she shouldn’t ask, but she was curious as to how long he’d been immortal.
“Are you sure you want to know?”
“I’m sure.”
He rose to his feet in one fluid motion of power and agility. “Two hundred and fifty years. Now get some rest. Tomorrow will be longer than today.”
Reaghan followed him with her eyes until he was lost in the darkness. It wasn’t until she was on her side, her arm tucked beneath her head, that she realized an entire day had gone by without the ache in her head.
*
Galen found Logan leaning against a tree outside the camp. “I’ll take first watch.”
Logan shrugged. “All right. How did Reaghan react to your answers?”
“How do you think?”
“She seemed to take it fairly well from what I could see. And hear.”
Galen grunted. “Mind your own business.”
“So you really couldna see into her mind?”
“Nay.” Galen took a deep breath. He looked out into the cold, lonely darkness. “She thinks it might be s
omething from her past that is blocking me from her mind.”
“And what do you think?”
“I think there is much more to Reaghan than meets the eye. There is no one I have touched in my years as a Warrior whose mind I haven’t seen into.”
Logan shrugged and pushed off the tree. “It should prove an interesting journey then.”
Galen watched as his friend went to the fire and cut off another piece of meat with his claws before he moved far away from the fire and settled to eat.
As Galen walked the perimeter of their camp, his thoughts turned again and again to Reaghan. He hadn’t wanted to try to see into her mind, but like her, he was interested as to why he couldn’t.
He had assumed he was gaining control over his power, when in fact that wasn’t the circumstance. And it probably never would be the case.
Galen was on his second pass around the camp when Mairi stepped into his path. He paused and considered the elder. “I gather you wish to speak to me?”
“I do. Can you spare a moment?”
He nodded and waited for her to come to him. She didn’t fully trust him. If she wanted to talk, she would have to take those few steps to close the distance.
“I saw you speaking to Reaghan,” Mairi said.
“I’ve spoken to many Druids today.”
Her lips flattened briefly. “You know what I mean. Reaghan isn’t meant for you, Galen.”
“Who is she meant for?”
Mairi dropped her gaze, refusing to meet his eyes. “That is not your concern. You need to let Reaghan know you aren’t interested in her other than as a friend.”
“But I am interested. Very. Why should I lie to her and myself?”
Mairi’s eyes snapped fire as she met his gaze. “Because I am asking it.”
“Nay, you are demanding it. I will no’ do as you ask. No’ without an explanation.” He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for her to speak.
His god demanded he touch her and see into her mind. He could find out all he needed to know with that one touch. But Galen had told himself he wouldn’t abuse his power in such a way. Unless Mairi left him no choice.
Mairi rolled her eyes. She shifted from one foot to the other before she relented. “I will answer what I can. What do you want to know?”
“Who is Reaghan meant for?”
“That I cannot tell you.”
Just as Galen suspected. “Was it a fever that robbed Reaghan of her memories?”
Mairi was silent so long Galen thought she might not respond. “In a manner,” she finally answered.
“And before the fever? What happened?”
Mairi twisted her fingers, her anxiety vibrating off her. “Reaghan lived a full life. She was happy.”
“There is something you aren’t telling me. What is so important about her that it must be kept secret?”
She shrugged. “There is much I cannot tell you.”
“Until you give me the answers I need, I willna stay away from Reaghan. I enjoy her company, and she enjoys mine. Why should we deny ourselves?”
Mairi gaze silently beseeched him before she turned on her heel and stomped away.
Galen shook his head after the elder. He suspected she wanted Reaghan kept away from him because he was a Warrior. And before she discovered that, it was most likely because Mairi hadn’t known him, didn’t trust him.
But the way it felt to hold Reaghan in his arms, to taste her sweet lips, was like paradise. Galen still recalled the women he had made love to before his god had been unbound. After his god was released, he had given in to his needs on occasion, though he regretted every one since he couldn’t stop seeing into their minds.
Despite all of that, none of those women had felt half as good as Reaghan. Reaghan was special, and not just because he couldn’t read her mind. It went much deeper.
He wanted her against him again, to caress and lick her silken skin, to plunge his fingers in her wild cascade of curls. He wanted her soft body atop him, to cup her breasts as she slid down his cock. He wanted to thrust inside her, to drive into her hard and fast and hear her scream her pleasure.
Galen cursed himself and the arousal that wouldn’t go away, not with Reaghan just paces from him.
He looked at the stars through the tree branches, but the clouds blocked even the moon from his view. A storm was brewing, he could tell by the rising wind. Rain was coming, and he feared it would only slow them more.
FIFTEEN
It was the pain, the excruciating, stomach-rolling, body-twisting pain, that pulled Reaghan out of her sleep. She wanted to curl into herself, to let out the cry that built inside her.
Instead, she lay as still as she could, her eyes squeezed tightly closed as the agony took over. Her brain burned, and every beat of her heart made the throbbing even worse.
Reaghan tried to think of something pleasant, something which would help to ease her. Her mind immediately thought of Galen, but not even the memories of him holding and kissing her could help with the pain in her head.
The only thing she could rejoice in was that it happened while everyone was still asleep and she was already lying down. She didn’t want Galen to see her like this and think her weak. He was a Warrior, an immortal with the power to read minds. What would he think of a woman who was brought to her knees by an ache in her head?
A tear spilled from between her lids and rolled across her cheek to her nose. Why were the headaches plaguing her? And why were they getting worse?
Every sound, however minuscule, echoed like a drum inside Reaghan’s head. She winced at the call of a bird nearby that made her head feel as though it were cracking open. The soft crunch of a footstep nearly made her heart stop from the anguish.
She knew it was either Logan or Galen, and she prayed it wasn’t Galen. Another tear joined the first, and soon the pain became too much to bear. Reaghan fell into the blackness that surrounded her, the pain beating at her from all sides, drowning her in an abyss of misery and grief.
Galen studied Reaghan. Her body was too stiff as she lay on her side, her back to him. She was curled into herself, her legs drawn up close to her chest. If he didn’t know better, he would think she was in pain.
“What is it?” Logan whispered.
Galen thrust his chin out toward Reaghan. “Something is wrong.”
Logan watched her a long moment before he shook his head. “Maybe she’s just having a bad dream.”
“Nay. It’s more than that. It’s as if she’s in pain.”
“They are all likely sore this morn. She didna hurt herself yesterday, did she?”
“No’ that I saw,” Galen answered.
“Go to her then.”
Galen started to do just that when he recalled Mairi’s visit the night before. “Mairi said Reaghan wasna meant for me, but she wouldn’t tell me who Reaghan was meant for.”
Logan snorted. “From what I’ve seen, Reaghan is like a daughter to Mairi. Mairi wants to protect her, just as any mother would. The fact that Mairi doesna trust us just pushes her to protect Reaghan more. If you want Reaghan, let her decide for herself.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
“Of course I am,” Logan said with a wide smile. “Now go see to her.”
Galen didn’t hesitate a second time. He walked softly, his boots making nary a sound as he wound his way through the sleeping Druids.
The sun was rising, though its light had yet to break through the darkness. On the horizon Galen could see clouds reflecting yellow and deep orange from the sun. It was time to rouse the Druids, but first, Galen wanted to check on Reaghan.
He didn’t go to her. Instead he made sure he was far enough away so he could see her face. She looked to be sleeping, but her eyes were squeezed shut and her hands were fisted tightly.
Was it a nightmare as Logan had speculated? Or was it something more?
Galen took a step toward her when something flew over him. He glanced up and saw a falcon. His gaze narro
wed on the bird. It was odd to spot a peregrine similar to the ones at MacLeod Castle and Loch Awe.
Once the bird had disappeared over the trees, Galen lowered his gaze and found Logan staring after the falcon. In Galen’s life of Druids and magic, he had learned there was no such thing as coincidence.
Logan turned back to him, his eyes hard and his jaw set. Galen gave him a nod to track the bird and see what he could find. Hopefully it was nothing, but they couldn’t be too careful. Not with Druids in their care.
When Galen looked again at Reaghan she was leaning on her elbow and wiping her face with her other hand. Her hand shook, and she was pale as death.
She sat up and reached for a water skin from which she drank deeply before splashing some of the liquid on her face. The others were waking, leaving Galen no time to talk to Reaghan privately.
Oatcakes were soon passed around. Holding an oatcake between his teeth, Galen bent and covered the embers of their fire with dirt. As he stood, he took a bite of oatcake before turning when he heard Logan approach. “Anything?”
“Nothing. The bird went off to hunt.”
“What do you think?”
Logan shrugged and took an offered oatcake. “This wasn’t just a twist of fate. I still feel as if I’m being watched. Something is afoot here.”
“I agree. We’ll keep our eye to the skies.”
Once the Druids had eaten, Logan got them on their feet and ready to begin the day’s journey. Only Braden groaned aloud, but Galen could see the other’s faces, and they weren’t looking forward to it any more than wee Braden.
Logan once more took the lad and tossed him into the air. Braden laughed heartily, the sound brightening the mood in the camp. Only then did Logan lift Braden to his shoulders and set out.
Galen and Logan had both scouted ahead on their watches to look for places they could be ambushed or spots that were perfect for others to trap them.
Neither of them had slept, instead going over the safest routes they should take with the Druids. Some routes meant adding extra time, but they had little choice knowing Deirdre would be after them.
As Logan led the Druids off, Galen stayed to make sure no one left anything behind. He tried to catch Reaghan’s gaze to ask her to stay to the back of the group so he could speak with her, but Mairi linked arms with Reaghan and they set off together.