“A warrior queen?” she asked.
“Nay,” said Eira, looking at Medea in the mirror. “I am done being mean to MacKay. If he doesn’t want to stay with me, I can’t make him do it. But before he leaves, I need to know if he can love me for myself.”
“So, wearing gowns and face paint is who you really are?” asked Medea, raising a brow.
“I’m not sure, but I want to find out,” said Eira. “My entire life, I have lived like a warrior. I lived the way I thought others wanted me to be. I don’t want to do that anymore, Medea. I want to be a pretty lady like the noblewomen of England.”
“I can make you look like one, or teach you to act like one, but what good will it do?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“This land is nothing like England. It needs to be ruled by someone who acts more like a Viking. Besides, MacKay is under a curse. The meaner you are, the more he likes you. What makes you think if you are kind and pretty he is going to like you at all?”
“I don’t know that he will,” said Eira, picking up the hairbrush and running her fingers over the prickly end. “I just thought that mayhap . . . mayhap if I were kind to him and he liked me in return, it might break his curse.”
“Hah!” said Medea, seeming very amused. “So you think true love is going to break my mother’s curse on him?”
“Perhaps. No?”
“Not this time,” she told her. “The way my mother explained it to me, MacKay broke her magic mirror, and a shard was embedded in his chest. He pulled out the shard, but the dark magic is still embedded in his heart. It grows darker every day. If he likes you when you are mean, tomorrow he will be drawn to that darkness more. Not just in you, but the darkness in himself as well.”
“Does he have darkness in him?” asked Eira.
“We all have darkness in us – some more than others,” answered Medea.
“Then I need to find the light in him before it is too late,” she said, feeling the urgency to move quickly.
“You can do that, but it still won’t break the curse,” said Medea.
“Well, what will it take to break it?”
“My mother told me that since this curse was more or less self-inflicted by what MacKay did, she cannot reverse it.”
“Can you reverse it?” asked Eira.
“Why would I?”
“MacKay is your brother.”
“He is a half-brother that I didn’t even know until recently.”
“Can the curse be broken or not?”
“I suppose someone with magic could try to pull the magical shard out of his heart and it might work.”
“Then do it,” Eira urged her.
“Slow down,” said Medea. “Magic always comes with a price. I don’t know what the consequences might be if I help him. There are side effects, and I have no idea what might happen. I will have to find out the answers before I give you my decision.”
“Are you still going to fight with your mother to conquer Ailbert and his army when they show up tomorrow?”
“I don’t know,” she said, being stubborn. “I don’t like the way my mother is acting. She should have discussed it with me first before making my decision for me.”
“Will you still help me change my appearance? I want to look beautiful for MacKay. I have only today to change his mind. I hope he decides to stay with me instead of leaving.”
“I will help you to look beautiful,” said Medea. “That is something I am good at doing. When MacKay sees you after I am finished with you, he will never even consider leaving you again.”
“I hope you’re right,” said Eira, looking into the mirror, thinking she could never be beautiful. The loneliness in her heart grew. “You are the only one who can help me now, Medea. I am counting on you.”
MacKay sparred with Angus in the practice yard as the wind whipped around them, chilling him to the bone. He wanted to see what Eira’s head guard could do. The man was good, but MacKay was better.
“Why haven’t you left the island by now?” asked Angus as their swords clashed together.
“I’ll leave when I’m good and ready.”
“If you’re not going to fight for Queen Eira then get the hell out of here. What kind of husband are you?”
That made MacKay angry, yet happy at the same time. His head buzzed in confusion and he found it hard to decipher good from bad. He didn’t know how to react to the man’s words.
A wave of darkness flooded through him, and all he wanted to do was kill Angus. “You wretch, I will kill you for questioning my marriage to the queen.” He went after the man with a vengeance. Every swipe of his sword fed the fury within him. It made him feel strong. He felt as if he could take on an entire army by himself. He attacked with a powerful purpose, driving the man back more and more.
“Let up,” Angus cried, but he didn’t listen and kept fighting. Fury flowed through his veins now, and it felt so good.
“My lord, stop it. You are going to kill him,” yelled his squire.
Even if he wanted to stop fighting, he couldn’t. The curse had taken control of him. Angus fell to the ground and lost his weapon in the process. MacKay chuckled and lifted his sword for the killing blow.
“That’s enough!” he heard Eira’s voice from behind him, but he didn’t even turn around. He gripped the hilt of his sword with two hands and thrust it downward toward Angus’ heart.
Before the blade connected with the killing blow, it was thrust from his hand and flew through the air, landing at the opposite side of the practice yard. He turned on his heel, ready to take off the head of whoever had anything to do with his failure. With the curse controlling his anger, he raised his hand and, by some unknown force within him, a beam of energy shot out of his hand and hit Medea in the chest. She went flying backward, landing on the ground on her rump. Eira was next to her. She jumped back with her mouth opened in surprise.
“What was that?” He felt even more surprised by what just happened than Eira and Medea looked. But what was even more shocking was Eira’s appearance. He barely recognized her. Instead of a plain girl dressing and acting like a man, she was a mesmerizing beauty.
Her long, white hair was plaited and piled high atop her head. Beautiful, snow-white skin was highlighted with a blush to her cheeks. Around her eyes was a smoky grey color, and her lashes were thick and long and highlighted in a whitish-purple hue. Small, clear diamonds made a design straight up from her thinly-arched brows, stopping at her hairline. He was sure Medea’s magic had something to do with the fact the gems were sticking to her skin. Eira’s lips were a beautiful purple color that matched a long, purple gown of silk and lace. Glittering jewels hung from her earlobes. Atop her head was a crown suited for a queen.
“Eira?” he asked, shaking his head in disbelief. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
“MacKay, you will pay for that!” spat Medea, getting to her feet and holding out her hands.
“Nay, don’t hurt him, Medea. It was the curse that made him do it.” Eira’s hand went out to stop Medea. That’s when he noticed Eira’s long, silver nails. She gathered her high-collared cloak around her and took a step toward him looking very regal. Eira raised a hand and brushed a stray hair from her face. In her other hand, she held a scepter with a crystal ball on top.
“Since when do you have powers, MacKay?” asked Medea.
“I – I didn’t know I had any until now,” he said, raising his hand and staring at it in amazement.
“How is that possible?” asked Eira. Her voice was soft and sweet.
“Our sister, Rapunzel recently found out she had powers, too,” said MacKay. “Mayhap we all have them, but they’ve been dormant.”
“MacKay?” asked Eira, speaking so quiet he’d barely heard her. “Do you . . . like the way I look?”
“You’re beautiful, my queen,” he said, getting down on one knee and bowing his head. His heart swelled with love for his wife. As if in a daze before, h
e realized now what a lucky man he was to have married her. He wanted to say more things to her, but a pain shot through his chest feeling so sharp that he gritted his teeth and held his breath until it passed.
His head swarmed with confusion, and it felt as if something inside him was at battle. Part of him wanted to tell Eira he was sorry about the way things were going between them. He longed to let her know that he had feelings for her that weren’t all lust. He also wanted to let her know that her beauty would far surpass any English noblewoman and that he didn’t understand why he hadn’t seen this before.
“Thank you,” she said. “But please, don’t kneel before me. I am your wife.”
The battle of dark and light within him made him feel as if he were going to pass out. Confusion, anger, anguish – these were just some of the feelings battling inside his head. Then anger took control, making him feel as if he were going to explode.
“My lord, are you all right?” asked Ollie, laying his hand on MacKay’s shoulder. MacKay jumped up, holding Ollie by the front of his tunic, raising him up high in the air. Ollie had MacKay’s sword in his hand but dropped it when his hands went to his throat instead.
“Don’t touch me again unless you want to die.” The words came out of MacKay’s mouth before he could stop them. He had no control over what he said or did.
“I – I’m sorry, Lord MacKay. It w-won’t happen again.” Ollie fought to talk and breathe at the same time.
“Put him down, you fool.” Hecuba appeared from nowhere. “He’s the only one who will be loyal to you until the end so you might want to think twice about killing him.”
“Arrrgh,” shouted MacKay, dropping Ollie to the ground. The boy ran over to stand next to Eira, rubbing his throat.
“Mother, MacKay now has powers,” Medea informed Hecuba.
“I saw,” said the old witch. “It is happening faster than I expected.”
“What is?” asked Eira.
“With the shard of dark magic in his heart, MacKay is now very dangerous,” the witch explained. “There is no telling what he will do or who he will hurt.”
“I’ll control it,” said MacKay, struggling to push the dark thoughts from his mind.
“There is no controlling dark magic,” Hecuba warned him.
“But I have dark magic in me, Mother,” said Medea. “I have learned to control it.”
“Perhaps, but you are unstable as well,” said Hecuba. “The light within you from your father is strong, but there will always be a battle going on inside you.”
“A battle between good and bad. Dark and light,” said Eira, understanding.
While a part of MacKay wanted to stay with Eira and drink in her beauty and kindness, it was disgusting him at the same time. Another part of him wanted her to be mean instead of sweet. He wished she would throw things and yell, but she wasn’t acting that way at all. He realized it was the dark curse within him that was making him feel this way, just like Hecuba said. Not wanting to hurt those he cared about, he bent down and picked up his sword, and took off at a run trying to get away from everyone. Nay, he was really trying to get away from himself!
Chapter 16
Eira paced the floor of her bedchamber later that evening, waiting for Ollie to return. Medea sat on the bed, not saying a word. Ever since that afternoon, she had been very quiet.
A knock at the door had Eira hurrying across the room. She opened the door to see Ollie standing there by himself.
“Did you find him?” she asked, not able to keep the worry from her voice.
“Aye, my lady,” said Ollie.
“Come in,” she told him, looking up and down the corridor before closing the door. “Where is MacKay?”
“He is in the cave – the cave where your family is buried.”
“What is he doing there?”
“He said he wants to be left alone and is staying there through the night.”
“It’s cold out,” she told him. “There is nothing in the cave to make a fire to warm him.”
“I told him that, my lady.” Ollie shivered and wrapped his arms around him. “He said he didn’t care and hoped he would die of the cold in his sleep.”
“Nay. Did he really say that?”
Ollie nodded. “I have never seen him like this before.”
“I’m going to him,” she said, grabbing her cloak and heading for the door.
“Nay, don’t,” warned Medea.
Eira turned to face her. “I won’t let him stay in that cold cave without a fire. I will at least bring him some blankets to keep him warm.” She headed to the bed and started to pull off the blankets.
“It will only anger him, my lady,” Ollie explained. “He is not in control and might hurt you. He told me he didn’t want anyone to come to him, especially you.”
“He doesn’t want me?” asked Eira, feeling saddened by these words.
“Sir MacKay told me he can no longer control the curse and is afraid he might hurt someone he loves.”
“Loves?” She clutched the blanket to her chest upon hearing these words.
“That’s what he said, my lady.” Ollie shivered and walked over to warm himself at the fire. “He told me you were beautiful and kind and sweet and he didn’t deserve you as his wife. I can’t say for sure, but by the way he was toying with his dagger, I had the feeling he was contemplating killing himself.”
“Nay!” shouted Eira with tears in her eyes. This wasn’t the way she wanted things to end. She had only wanted MacKay to see a different side of her. Trying to strengthen their marriage, she had only managed to make things worse. “Oh, Medea, can’t you do something to help him? Please,” begged Eira.
“I don’t know what I could do,” protested Medea. “It’s my mother’s dark magic that got him into his mess. She is the one who should help him.”
A trunk in the corner shifted, and Hecuba emerged from its form looking tired and drained. Ollie jumped in surprise. “Is that really how you feel, Medea?” asked Hecuba.
“Mother! How dare you shapeshift and spy on us,” snapped Medea.
Hecuba held her hand to her head and swayed. “Don’t worry, I think my shapeshifting days are nearing an end. It was so much easier to spy before MacKay broke my mirror. Medea, give me a hand. I am feeling weak and drained.”
Medea rushed over to her mother and helped Hecuba sit down on the bed. “Mother, what is the matter?”
“It’s MacKay’s curse,” said Hecuba. “Because of what happened, both of us are drawing from the magic that is stuck in his heart. As he becomes stronger, I turn weaker. But as soon as he dies, the magic will come back to me, and I will be strong again.”
“Dies?” gasped Eira. “Nay, I don’t want him to die.”
“What’s done is done,” spat Hecuba. “It was his choice to break my mirror. Now, he will pay for his actions with his life.”
“There must be some way to save him.” Eira paced the floor, wringing her hands in worry.
Hecuba stood up, seeming to regain her strength. “No one is going to do anything to save him, so get that silly idea out of your head right now,” said Hecuba.
“If Sir MacKay has magic now, couldn’t he just pull that dark shard out of his heart and save himself?” asked Ollie.
“It doesn’t work that way,” sniffed Hecuba.
“What about his father?” asked Eira. “He has magic. Medea, can’t you get a message to Lucio that his son is in danger of dying and needs his help?”
“I suppose,” said Medea.
“Nay!” shouted Hecuba. “Medea, you will not do anything of the sort. Besides, Lucio’s magic holds no power where this curse is concerned. It was forged from my powers – my blood, and only I can break the curse but I won’t.”
“Please,” begged Eira. “Please break the curse. I love MacKay and don’t want him to die.”
“Yes, Mother. MacKay is my brother. I don’t want him to die, either,” said Medea.
“You fool!” shouted Hecuba to
her daughter. “Don’t you understand what is going on here?”
“Nay, I guess I don’t,” said Medea. “Perhaps you’d better explain.”
“With the mirror shattered, the magic is fighting, not knowing where to go. It either stays with MacKay or comes back to me. There are no other choices.”
“I’m of your blood, Mother. Perhaps I’ll remove the shard from MacKay’s heart that is causing him to see good as bad and bad as good.”
“Nay, I warn you not to do that, Medea. You have no idea of the terrible consequences that will happen if you get involved.”
“Nothing could be that bad,” said Medea. “Eira, I will go to the cave and remove the shard from MacKay.”
“Medea, I didn’t want to have to tell you this, but you give me no choice,” said Hecuba.
“What, Mother? What is it that you’ve been keeping a secret from me? Spit it out before I knock it out of you myself.”
Hecuba let out a sigh and nodded. “Medea, Daughter, you have been the only person that I would do anything for. You brought new meaning to my life. Since you were born, I sometimes feel as if I’ve been moving toward the light at times.”
“What does that mean, Mother?”
“It means I have been getting weaker in my magic.” Hecuba reached out and grasped Medea’s hands in hers. “The reason I made a deal with Eira is because I didn’t want you to be all alone if anything should happen to me.”
“You are immortal,” said Medea. “There is nothing that can kill you.”
“Unfortunately, that is not true anymore. Ever since MacKay’s brash action of breaking my mirror, things are mixed up. He sees good as bad and bad as good. My own dark forces are getting confused and, lately, all the bad I’ve done has been making me feel as if I am dying.”
“So, are you saying this curse is going to kill you, Mother?” Medea seemed very concerned.
“I’m saying this curse is the worst and, before it is done, someone will die. I never meant to kill any of Lucio’s siblings, but I’m sorry to say MacKay is going to have to die.”
“Nay!” shouted Eira. Tears filled her eyes at the horrible thought. “This can’t be so. He has to live. He is my husband.”
Heart of Ice_Snow Queen (Tangled Tales Series Book 7) Page 12