Cill Darae

by Donald D. Allan

  Heather fingered her collar. “Kin ye remove it?”

  “Let me try.” Katherine touched her staff to Heather’s collar. She waited, but nothing happened. She tried to ask Gaea, but she was withdrawn and still very angry. “It’s not working.”

  Heather looked about wildly. “How come nae? A’m needin' this aff, Katherine! Please!”

  Katherine touched the staff to the collar again, but still nothing happened. Gaea! Do something!

  Gaea continued to ignore her.

  Please?

  There was silence, and then Katherine heard a soft voice in her head. Talk to the Simon motes.

  What?

  Gaea refused to answer.

  Katherine looked at Heather. “Just a moment.” She closed her eyes.

  The immediate answer startled her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Katherine used her power to highlight where the collar was.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Katherine knelt by Heather and saw the desperation in her eyes. “Hold on.” Katherine reached up and touched the collar. She used her power and sent it into the collar and told it to open. A small chime sounded twice, and the collar opened up. Heather reached up with a cry and tore it off her neck and threw it at the wall where it bounced off with a loud ringing sound and landed on the floor with a clatter.

  Heather threw her hands to her neck and rubbed it hard. She closed her eyes and Katherine saw the determination in her expression. She could almost feel Heather pull power to her. She connected back to the draoi bond and she felt the other draoi cry out in joy. In a moment, Heather opened her eyes with an expression of joy and satisfaction. She turned to James. “Haud still, James.” Her eyes shut and James' eyes opened wide with astonishment as her powers flooded through him.

  Katherine smiled and then remembered Dog. She ran over to him and touched the collar and willed it off. It opened and she pulled it free. She dove into Dog and found out just how bad he was. She poured power into him and healed him at a rate that even astonished her. I know him so intimately, this is as easy as breathing to me. She felt Dog waken and she brushed his thoughts. Their bond exploded in dazzling white light and Katherine threw back her head at the sheer joy it brought. She had felt so alone before. She hadn’t realised just how much until Dog was back with her. She felt whole. Strong. Sure of herself. She hugged Dog and pulled him tight. She felt the draoi shout out in happiness seeing Dog come back to them.

  What is happening, Katherine? Where was I?

  Oh Dog, we were captured. We had collars that separated us from our powers. It was terrible!

  We escaped? I have my powers. I am so weak!

  Draw power, Dog. Heal yourself. We need to leave this place.

  Katherine felt a wet tongue on her face, and she cried.

  I am hungry. Do we have anything to eat?

  Katherine laughed through her tears. “No, but we’ll get some! Promise!”

  It is coming now.

  Katherine pulled back and looked at Dog. “What is coming?”

  Fish. From the ocean.

  Katherine looked over at the wharf area just in time to see a large sea trout launch itself out of the water to land on the Chamber floor. She heard Heather screech in surprise. The fish flopped on the floor. In a moment another fish landed beside it.

  Katherine laughed. “Oh, Dog. You are so smart.”

  * * *

  Whole and hale, the three of them started up a small cooking stove they found in the Chamber, with a small supply of wood nearby. James tended to the fish with Dog supervising his every move. Katherine felt at peace and more certain of the future. She was keeping the other draoi at bay. They clamoured for their attention, the loudest being Nadine.

  She told Nadine to give them a moment to sort themselves, made sure there weren’t any pressing emergencies, and Nadine grudgingly went quiet.

  That was an hour ago. The smell of fish frying on the stove was making her mouth water. They all needed the protein. They had lost too much weight, and no power was going to bring that back without fuel in their bellies. Dog had wolfed down the parts of the fish James had removed such as the entrails, heads and tails. James was disgusted. Katherine knew Dog could eat just about anything and use his powers to break it down quickly.

  Please tell him to just give me my share. I don’t need it cooked.

  He knows, but insists he give it to you prepared his way.

  What is his way? I heard him say that, but I don’t know what that is.

  A little burnt on the outside?

  No!

  Ha-ha! Just kidding, Dog. Give him this. He needs to do something.

  Heather came over to James and watched him cook for a time. Katherine noticed her hand touched the small of his back, and then she pulled it away quickly. Great, she thought. Just what we need.

  When Heather looked over at Katherine, she could tell she had realised what she had done, too, and wasn’t happy.

  Heather shook her head and walked away and went back inside the shack. Katherine shook her head and rose to stand beside James. He had cut the fish up into chunks and was frying it in oil in a large frying pan. He seemed to know what he was doing.

  “Thank you, James.”

  James spared a quick look at her before resuming his cooking. “For what?”

  “Getting us out of there. We couldn’t have done it without you.”

  “Well, we had some help. Someone opened the doors.”

  “True, but you woke us up. Got us moving. You carried Dog the whole way. Thank you.” Katherine leaned in and kissed his cheek.

  James blushed. And moved the fish around with a spatula. “You are welcome. Glad to be of help.”

  “James, you are very much a part of this team. Don’t forget it. I can see you struggle to try to find ways to help. Truth is, you don’t need to try. You already help in so many ways.”

  James looked at her quickly again. “If you say so. No worries. This fish is done. Keep Dog away a moment, will you?”

  “You tell him, he’s right there. He understands everything you say.”

  “Right,” James looked at Dog. “No touchy the fishy! Got it?”

  Dog thumped the floor with his tail and lolled his tongue out of his mouth.

  James raised an eyebrow at Katherine.

  “He says yes, obviously. You don’t need to talk to him like he’s a child.”

  “Right.” James pulled the frying pan off the stove and set it on the small table nearby. He had placed four chairs around the table. “Okay, Dog, you get a seat.” Dog leapt up and sat at the table. Katherine could feel his pleasure at sitting at the table. James raised his voice and called out over to the shack. “Hey, grumpy guts, food’s ready.”

  “Shut yer weesh, you stupid man!”

  James laughed and indicated a chair to Katherine. He seated her and pushed her chair in.

  “Such a gentleman!”

  “I’ll have you know, my parents were married.”

  “I don’t understand?”

  “Never mind. Military humour. Weak at that. Dig in. I know we can all use it. We have enough trout to feed twice as many of us. Although I suspect it will soon be gone
. Dog, you are drooling on the table. Go ahead, eat. Dog eat slowly and only your share.”

  Heather came out and sat at the table. “Ah spoke tae Chris. Things ur nae guid at th' farm. Th' draoi hae split. Kennit Doirich, ye mind him? He’s taken hauf th' draoi wi' him. Will’s left th' farm. Nobody kens whaur tae. Oor bonds hae bin severed.”

  Katherine stared at Heather and her words went around in her head. They didn’t make sense. Katherine reached out for Will and couldn’t find him. He was gone, but that was impossible. She reached out to Nadine and felt her grab onto her thoughts.

  Katherine! Katherine! Thank Gaea, why were you blocking me? How were you blocking me?

  Sorry Nadine, we had a lot going on here. Did you hear what happened? Katherine chose to ignore her last question. She didn’t know how she was able to block Nadine so easily.

  Yes, Chris just spoke to us all and explained what happened. You think it was this Kissane woman?

  Yes, and possibly Lana. Does that make sense to you? I can’t sense her.

  Yes it does. Kennit took half the draoi. They’ve left the farm and headed who knows where, but I suspect up to Munsten. Lana and him are together in this. And now it looks like Lana is working with the Church. I think that also means the draoi are working with the Church.

  How can they? Knowing our history?

  I don’t know, Katherine. It eats at me. Makes me sick thinking about it.

  Where is Will? What happened?

  The link grew quiet and Katherine could sense the grief across the bond. Will left me. Kennit has done something to him. Severed him from us. From me. He’s not the Will I know. He wouldn’t listen to reason. He grew angry, blamed me, and left. That was a week ago.

  I’m so sorry Nadine. He’ll come to reason. We will fix him and whatever was done to him.

  Nadine grew quiet across the bond. Katherine sensed a welling of grief and waited. She couldn’t imagine the pain Nadine must be under and then she looked at Dog and understood. After a long moment, Nadine resumed their conversation and changed the subject. I heard about the collars. That’s terrible to imagine! Do you know who freed you?

  No, and we may never find out. We have to leave the Chamber and escape. Much easier now that we have our power back.

  Have you found the bones?

  Katherine couldn’t think for a moment. After everything that happened she had put the mission out of her mind. The bones? No, we came to Munsten following a thin lead to the museum. I think that is over now.

  No! You have to complete the mission. Prove Edward is who we think he is. Find out what is happening in Munsten. Contact Brent. Martin is here with us. He was thrown out of the Church. He says Brent is under the sway of Archbishop Kissane. Get through to him, make him see reason.

  It was too much to process and Katherine chose to focus only on Kissane’s new rank. She’s an archbishop now? Isn’t that interesting?

  Martin says there was a group of the Church from down in Shape. They were mostly ignored, but now they have seized power. Eylene leads them. He fears for the worst.

  Shape? From southern Turgany?

  The same. Get to the museum. Find the proof. Only a King can tear apart what Kissane is creating. And find Edward. No one knows where he is. Martin fears Eylene will remove him.

  And what is Kissane creating?

  Martin calls it a theocracy. A rule by the Church. He says we must stop it at all cost.

  Is that what Will wanted? I thought he didn’t want to be involved with the politics of the land?

  Yes, well. He’s not here anymore. We have to do something, Katherine. I’ve sent the draoi out to the villages and cities to help quell the unrest. It’s everywhere. Worse than ever. Martin thinks the Church is spreading discontent.

  How has Will left you? That can’t be! You two are shining examples of love for others!

  So I would have thought. Our bond. It’s gone.

  Oh Nadine, I’m so sorry!

  Thank you. I haven’t given up hope - yet. I need you and the others to stay on task.

  We will, Nadine. We’ll continue. I’ll tell the others.

  Thank you. Be careful. Stay in touch.

  We will.

  Katherine opened her eyes to find the others watching her. “Nadine is troubled. She says we need to find out what is happening here in Munsten and get the proof out of the museum. Plus we need to find Edward and get him out of Munsten and away from the Church.” Katherine repeated her discussion with Nadine. James looked depressed. Heather spoke first.

  “There’s no way their love could end!”

  “Nadine says their bond is gone. I wouldn’t have believed it possible, either. Kennit must be behind it.”

  James swore. “I can’t believe Brent would be swayed from his principles.”

  Heather shook her head. “Brent believed in his god above a' else, James. Wielding that power o' us converted him ower solid tae religious belief. He wid likely see Eylene as th' authority 'n' listen tae her.”

  “Brent was never that naïve. I need to see him. Speak to him. Make him see reason.”

  Katherine shared a look with Heather and then reached out to grasp James’ hand. “If we can, we will.”

  They nodded and Katherine spent a moment devouring her fish. It was delicious in its simplicity. Dog even gave her peace to enjoy it. She sent her love down their bond and received it back. She smiled at him with her mouth full. We can never separate like Will and Nadine, Dog.

  I don’t think that is possible.

  Fourteen

  Munsten, August 902 A.C.

  KATHERINE, DOG, JAMES and Heather exited the cave in the small rowboat. James manned the oars with Dog in the bow, excited, and with his head thrust out and panting. Katherine and Heather sat on the rear seat facing James and used their senses to look for trouble. James was worried they would soon be discovered. They had lost track of the time since James had woken in his cell and recovered the others and they knew it was only a matter of time before someone found their cells empty. The alarm was sure to sound, and they wanted to be well clear before that happened.

  James was certain they could make the outer harbour of Munsten while the sun still sat under the horizon. He estimated they had a couple of hours before sunrise and Heather and Katherine gave James the strength he needed to pull their boat through the waves. A stiff onshore breeze was lifting the bay water and helped push their boat, but it was still hard going. Even with the draoi powers their bodies required nourishment.

  A mile from the Chamber opening, Katherine checked the depth of water by locating the plant life on the seabed. She checked with Heather and she nodded in agreement. James stopped rowing for a moment and unceremoniously Heather hefted one of the two small wooden boxes to her lap and pulled back the lid. The small metal ingots inside gleamed dully in the evening sky. She held the crate over the side and upended it. The metal ingots splashed into the water and disappeared into the depths. She dropped the empty crate into the water, and the waves pushed it as it floated away. Katherine grabbed the remaining small crate and opened it to reveal the collars. She and Heather took turns grabbing the collars, including the ones which had been around their necks, and tossing them over the side; the collars splashed into the water and disappeared. Heather insisted they keep one to study and she had it hidden deep in one of the robes they had found in the Chamber and now wore. The sound of the collars splashing into the sea gave them a feeling of satisfaction.

  “Never again will we allow the draoi to be collared,” said Katherine.

  “Aye, ah wull ne'er forget that feeling,” murmured Heather as she dropped the last collar over the side. She nodded to James, and he resumed rowing with a grunt.

  It’s done, Nadine, sent Katherine.

  Good. Stay safe. Tell me once you enter the museum.

  We will.

  I’m worried that Lana can track you through the bond. We can’t see them, but I suspect they can see us just fine.

  Katherine f
elt a moment of shock. She hadn’t considered that. Lana might have noticed us as soon as we removed the collars.

  She might have. You have to assume she did.

  Then she knows we are heading back into Munsten.

  Likely.

  Do you have the Device?

  Yes. We took it. James carries it.

  Good. Bring it to me. Best Lana or Kennit never gets their hands on it again.

  Katherine called for James to halt his rowing and explained what Nadine suspected about them being visible to Lana and the others.

  James hung his head, panting over the oars. “Dammit.”

  Heather chewed her lip in thought. “Mibbie we kin block thaim? Lik' thay dae tae us?”

  Katherine looked uncertain. “We could if we knew what they had done and how.”

  Heather made a strange motion with her hand. “We micht. Th' device explained a wee but o' howfur th' collars worked. It described th' draoi power as bein' linked tae th' motes. Thay hae thair ain bond. It seemed tae me it hinted that ye cuid hide th' wee bond atween th' motes. Isolate thaim, or some sic thing.”

  At her words, Katherine drew a far-away look in her eyes. Dog, do you remember when Gaea severed us?

  Up front in the bow, Dog shook his fur. Yes, I don’t like to remember that. It was a bad time. We were bad dogs.

  Yes, we were. But not that part. Remember how the world first opened up to us? It started with the motes nearest us and then rapidly expanded. Do you remember that?

  I think so. It was like following the scent of a deer. Each track lead to the next one.

  Exactly that. One second. Katherine opened her eyes and repeated what she had discussed with Dog. Heather looked doubtful.

  “It wasn’t lik' that fur me. Th' bond juist returned 'n' a' wis normal again. Weel, draoi normal.” Heather snorted.

  “For Dog and me, it was altogether different. We were the first to connect to the Simon motes. It was… difficult… we had to fight to reconnect. It took a long time for that to happen and I remember a little of that and how it was done.”

  “Dae ye think ye kin dae something then?”

  “I might. Hold on.”

  Katherine lost herself into her power and then opened her sight. The world shifted around her and she saw the auras surrounding Heather, James and Dog. A bond was formed between James and Heather and she frowned. Turning away, she could see all the sea life in the surrounding water. It teemed with fish, insects, and plant life. The whole sea was bright as day.