Additionally, she remembered Kim's words about how powerful love and positive emotion were in fighting the malevolent vigor of black magic. She envisioned then all five shielding globes being filled with the pink light of love as an added protection; she took a moment to invite her angels and those of her companions to be with them and to aid their task; then she whispered a prayer to God that this moment would be a triumph of good over evil. Finally, she brought all the fear and doubt she was feeling into a small ball, forced it into the garnet, sent it through the stone deep into the earth. She was ready....
* * * *
Kim emptied her mind of all fearful thoughts, centered on the desired outcome of the confrontation to come. She drew forth the crystal Benjamin had given her, used it to channel all her unwanted thoughts and emotions out of her head and heart, into the earth. She could feel the meditative work Liz had initiated, lent her energies to fortify the protection Liz had already set in place. She could feel, too, the help Joel was sending to them; she could feel the positive energies of her fellows, which she accepted and magnified in her heart and mind, adding her own uplifting push to the flow, started that power swirling around the circle they formed about the pentagram. She stood, crystal in hand, ready for whatever would ensue....
* * * *
Benjamin sent his mind to the place where Moira and Sean still stood on the precipice over their heads. He could tell they had no idea what they were about to face in the pit below. Neither of them knew the true importance of this pit or why Tarrh was invincible here. They both still thought Tarrh was under their control and that he was fleeing from them in a last feeble attempt to save himself. Foolishly, they were armed only with their own false impressions and over confidence in their own abilities. Oh, they had worked some spells against their adversaries, but none sufficient to the task nor potent enough to do Tarrh or him and the others any real damage in the long run. He took a deep breath, smiled at the vanity of the two who were about to plunge headlong into their own downfall. He was ready....
* * * *
Melody had a heart full of hope for the first time in years. At last, she could dare to believe there would be a happy end to this travesty that had been their lives. Tarrh was going to live; he knew about their son and he loved her. What more could she ever ask of life? She silently sent praises to the gods and goddesses for allowing these three—Benjamin, Elizabeth and Kimberly—to come into their lives and bring the right balance of wisdom and power together to free Tarrh and her from the bonds that had kept them prisoners in their own home. Then she spoke a silent invocation to the spirits she had always called on for protection. She was ready....
* * * *
Tarrh listened for Moira and Sean to come swooping down on them from above. He thought back to all the times he had played in this pit as a child, all the many rituals he had watched and initiated here. The pit had been his favorite place in the world, but somehow he had lost sight of the reason he had incorporated it into his house all those years ago. He had let Moira make him forget how to use his own power, let her make him believe he had lost all his ability. All he had needed was to remember this place and the mastery of the craft that was his here.
He could have taken back his life long ago while he was still strong, had he only remembered. It had taken three strangers from another time to show him what he should have known all along. He vowed he would never allow himself to be taken over by the evil schemes of anyone again. He had learned his lesson; he was strong again, whole again; he was again the master of his own manor. He was so ready for this moment....
* * * *
Moira peered into the pit, strained to see any light, any hint of movement below. They were a bunch of fools to think they could hide from her in this dark hole of the underworld. She was not nearly stupid enough to be fooled by this feeble-minded trickery. If they thought she would hesitate to pursue them just because they had gone down inside this gaping black orifice, they had better think again. She had not worked all this time to put Tarrh where she wanted him to let him escape now like a mole underground. She meant to have her revenge for all the things he had done to her; she would have her victory, and no hole—no matter how deep or how black—would stop her. She arched her brow, lifted her chin, prepared for her descent as she called to mind the chant that would allow them to float down into the total darkness.
Sean peered into the blackness, took a deep breath. “Are you sure we should go down without a torch?” he asked, a bit too nervously for Moira's taste.
"What is wrong, Sean? Afraid of the dark, are you?” she chided.
"You know better, my love,” he replied.
"Then what are you afraid of?” she hissed.
"I am not fearful, merely cautious,” he said.
"I do my best work in the dark. I would have thought you would remember that,” she said.
"Aye, my love. I remember some excellent work you have done in the dark,” he said with a smile.
"Not that kind of work, my love,” she said. “You know what I mean."
"Aye, I know what you mean,” he agreed.
"Are you ready?"
He peered into the hole once again, wet his lips. “Aye, I am ready,” he said.
"Good,” she said. “Then jump."
"Oh, after you, lass,” he insisted.
"Together, then,” she said. She took his hand, stepped forward and pulled him in with her. The dogs watched them disappear from view, looked at each other a moment, then jumped into the abyss as well.
* * * *
Quite unaccountably, Liz found herself standing alone on the floor of the pit when the light came up; alone, that is, except for the hound that was standing in front of her, its huge teeth bared in evidence of its obvious intent to kill her. Had she blacked out? Where were the others? Why would they have left without her? More to the point, how could the transition have occurred without her vaguest recollection of anything happening?
One second they all were waiting in the dark; the next, she was in the light alone, facing this monstrous beast. She dared not move, but stood gripping the stones tightly, as though they would magically tell her what to do. The dog glared at her, challenged her to make the slightest movement. It seemed to be trying to get her to turn and run so there would be more sport when it chased her down and ripped her limb from limb. But Tarrh had said it was important for no one to move from their appointed spot. There must have been a reason. Protection, she thought. After all, wasn't that what the pentagram was all about—protection from evil?
She cut her eyes to the side, looking for something; what, she didn't know. She was certain the others wouldn't have left her stranded here to face this hound from Hades, as Tarrh had so aptly named Moira's unnatural pets. Yet, here she was with no sign of the others. Surely they would return to collect her presently, she thought and yet, wouldn't coming back here for her now cause problems with the overall plan to make Moira witness the past? They couldn't return for her until that mission was accomplished, she was certain, but still, she pulled a deep, slow breath of air into her lungs, tried to calm herself. She needed to try to stay as composed as possible. Maybe this was what was needed—for her to distract the dogs.
But there was only one dog, wasn't there? And how did the blackguard get here in the first place? Where was the other one? She scanned the pit, but saw again no sign of anyone or anything else. Something was dreadfully wrong here, wasn't it? The dogs would undoubtedly be together, as they always were; she had to assume, then, they were both here, even though she could see only the one. And if both hounds were here, this absence of all else must be an illusion. Of course! She was being made to believe she was all alone without her friends; alone to face a mad, demonic beast. The others must still be there, even though she couldn't see them.
At least, that was what she was hoping as she firmly assured herself everything was going according to plan. She was safe and this was merely an illusion created by Moira and Sean to try to make
her think she was unprotected. They had worked a spell against her; she was secure. And she was concentrating on going with Benjamin and the others to the time and place of the accident. This spell would not interfere with the task at hand; she stood firm. No sooner had she realized her predicament was an illusion than the room shifted again to reveal her friends, Moira and Sean and the other dog standing guard in front of Kim.
* * * *
Moira and Sean had arrived on the floor of the great cavity, positioned themselves instinctively honing in on Benjamin and Melody, the dogs checking any attempt by Liz and Kim to come to the aid of their friends. Amazingly, they had been able to find their places even in the blackness of the pit. What Moira hadn't counted on was that Tarrh was well and strong, nor did she know about Loshan and how powerful the dragon was compared with her own two beasts of bewitchment. As the light came to full brilliance, Moira found herself under Tarrh's control, rather than manipulating the confrontation herself. She was momentarily caught off guard by the actual unfolding of the drama she had authored quite differently in her own mind. She stood in stunned silence, completely paralyzed by Tarrh himself; the effects of what she was seeing and feeling began to sink in.
"What the—?” she sputtered.
"Call them off,” Tarrh demanded in a low, steady voice.
"Tarrh, you are alive! When Sean and I found you missing from your chambers, we feared the worst,” she lied.
"If you want the dogs to be preserved, call them off,” he repeated.
"There is nothing you can do, Tarrh,” she said coldly. “They have their tasks already set before them. You cannot stop them."
"Loshan,” he spoke to the dragon that had been waiting for his next command, “you know what to do."
Moira caught her breath as she got her first glimpse of the giant magical beast. She shot a glance at Sean. Sean was obviously as taken aback by the dragon as she, shook his head sadly in return as Loshan was on the first dog in a heartbeat. The unearthly green colossus plucked the enormous male off the floor in his mouth, held it suspended above the floor, waited.
"I know your hounds mean a lot to you, Moira,” Tarrh said. “Release your spell and call the animals off and I will let them remain with you."
Moira visibly wilted as she watched the great beast dangling her pet in his mouth. The dogs, magical though they were, were no match for the dragon. The huge baneful lizard would crush the life from her wondrous pet, swallow him whole and set upon the second before she could to anything about it.
Loshan turned to face Moira, looked deep into her eyes, waited. “Myrrhic,” she whispered to the female who was standing in front of Kim, “'tis enough. Come to me."
The female instantly gave up her stance against Kim, trotted peacefully to her mistress’ side. Loshan carried the male to his mistress, set the great canine at her feet unharmed and backed away warily to stand beside his own master.
"You are as wise as you are beautiful, Moira. Bid them stay here and await your return—outside the pentagram, there,” he instructed, pointing to the side of the room behind Moira.
"Await my return?” she asked. “Where am I going?"
"Do as I say,” Tarrh replied. “You will have your answer soon enough."
Moira knelt, patted both animals affectionately and told them silently to go to the wall and wait for her. The male looked at her for a long moment as though questioning her command, then padded away behind her with the female on his heels.
"Now, you two move to the center of the pentagram; stand facing me, one on each side of the great crystal,” Tarrh told Moira and Sean. “There. ‘Tis good. I know you have blamed me for what happened to your father, Moira—and for that scar you bear. You could never believe ‘twas not my doing. But now, thanks to our friends here, I at last have the chance to prove myself to you."
Sean took a bounding step toward Tarrh before Tarrh stilled him by lifting his hand into the air, repelling him invisibly to his original position. “No need to object, Sean; all will be made perfectly clear presently. I have given this matter much thought and I have come to the conclusion I bear neither of you any ill will, truly. After the matter at hand is attended, you will be free to go where you will, together if that is still your desire, dear Moira. We are ready, Benjamin. Proceed. Loshan, my friend, mind the dogs until we return."
Chapter 41
The Scottish highland evening was cool and still. The sun was just setting when the time travelers arrived at their destination. Inside, old Tye MacPherson was growing increasingly agitated as he paced back and forth in front of the windows of the grand room of his manor house. “Damn it, Peaitarrh McCann!” he howled, “'ye dona understand a word of what I have been telling ye. ‘Twas your own father who arranged for payment of the dower; I had nothing to do with it other than to agree with his wishes—and this is the way he wished it to be!"
"Now, take a breathing spell, Mac,” Tarrh said. “I merely asked why it was set up the way it is; I was not belittling the dower itself—or you."
"What was said is said, McCann; I know full well what ye meant! Ye have enough as ‘tis without me giving ye the rest of my possessions now. Ye shan't suffer for the wait. When I am dead and laid to my rest will be plenty of time for ye to have the rest of the dower."
"Mac, I have no problem with the dower,” Tarrh said calmly. “Moira expressed a wish to have the linens her mother saved for her to take home now ‘tis all. I merely asked—"
"Aye, ye merely asked because ye wanted me to feel like a miser; I know what ye are up to!” MacPherson shouted. “Your father warned me you would be this way about it."
"Becalm yourself, Mac,” Tarrh urged. “You know how it upsets Moira to hear you railing so."
"Railing, am I? Well, if that is the way ye feel, I'll have to ask ye to leave this house."
"Mac—” Tarrh protested.
"Nay, I have spoken my final word on the matter,” MacPherson said, a bit more civil in tone as he saw Moira walking into the room. “Now be gone. ‘Twill be dark before ye get home as ‘tis."
"Father, is something amiss?” Moira asked.
"Aye, lass, but ‘tis nothing for ye to concern yourself over. Tarrh and I had a few words, ‘tis all,” MacPherson said, kissing his daughter on the cheek. “'Twill blow over, like as not."
Moira peered past her father's tightly knit brow into his dark eyes then at Tarrh who refused to meet her gaze. “I thought I heard angry voices in here. What is the fight about this time?” she asked.
"'Tis nothing, lass,” MacPherson said. “Tarrh and I are still friends; right, boy?"
"Aye, of course, Mac,” Tarrh affirmed.
"'Tis only, I have had enough of visiting. I would be pleased if the two of ye would go home now. I have shared enough of my finest brew for one day,” MacPherson said.
Moira was gravely disappointed. She had come here hoping to spend a few days with her father. He had been almost a stranger since her marriage to Tarrh and she missed him. The two of them acted as though they hated one another, after Mac had insisted she marry Tarrh instead of Ian Malcomb. She had never imagined her marrying McCann would lead to her estrangement from her father and she blamed Tarrh for that. He had come between her and her father just as surely as he had come between her and Ian. Perhaps Tarrh was less than what Mac had been hoping for in a son-in-law. Too bad he found that out only after they had sealed their vows, because she had known it all along.
She fought back the tears she felt welling in her eyes, crossed to the entry to get her wrap. Tarrh followed her, sullen and silent. Brooding his way to the door, Mac opened it, stood against the darkening sky between them and the exit a moment before he flung it wide and stepped aside. Moira felt like she was being escorted out of her father's life forever and she wanted to protest, wanted to say she was staying and that her husband could go and stay gone, for all she cared.
She said nothing, but tiptoed to place a cursory kiss on her father's lips and then turned abruptly away
before he could see the tears she could no longer hold inside. She was unbearably sad as she walked out Mac's door. She had been the obedient daughter even to the point of marrying this stranger whom she could never love and this was her reward, to be eternally ushered farther and farther away from the father she adored and never to be with the one man she loved. Ian seemed lost to her forever and now so did her father. If she had it to do over, she would have run away with Ian when he asked her; going with Ian, even against Mac's will, she could have been no farther from her father than she was at this exact moment. And now she was carrying Ian's unborn child, a burden that would have brought her so much joy, if only...?
Outside, she heard a single rumble, scanned the sky in front of her but saw no impending clouds. From that moment everything became a blur for her. She felt herself being thrown down and to the side. Mac cried out to Tarrh to unhand her; then she heard Mac scream as though in agony before everything went dark for her. When she awoke, she was covered in blood and Tarrh was working feverishly over her. He picked her up and headed into the house with her as though trying to hide the crumpled body that lay just outside the door, her father's lifeless body. Tarrh had killed him! The miserable coward had willed the statue to fall off the roof just as they were leaving the house. Had he been trying to kill her as well?
"Put me down!” she screeched. “Father! Father! What have you done to my father, you brute?"
He held her fast, took her into the house though she fought with all her strength. Then she lost consciousness again....
* * * *
It had been several days before she had been coherent again, drifting as she was, in and out of hysteria over the death of her father and the unbelievable pain she felt from the gash that left her maimed. Why had Tarrh forced her to witness anew this blackest moment of her life? She hated him all the more for bringing her here, wished he had been the one under that statue. Now she nearly suffocated with all the newly awakened venom she felt for him. “I hate you, Peaitarrh McCann!” she spat. “Why did you bring me here to watch this again? You are a thousand times worse than anyone else has ever been."
McCann's Manor Page 44