“I’ll join you in a short while, Alainn, but I trust your skilled judgment with horses, Conner, and first I think it’s high time Riley and I shared a drink. It’s been some time, cousin.” Killian slapped Riley on the back and he grinned at Killian.
“Will you be joining us, Ciara?” Riley asked as he stared at the woman.
“After you told the doltish villagers I was a damnable witch? I should think not!” She spoke in an insulted tone.
“Suit yourself, Ciara.” Riley smirked at her in a drunken manner as the two men headed toward the public house in search of whiskey.
*
Killian sternly watched Ciara as she simply walked toward one of the shops. Then he turned to see Conner and Alainn glance back at him with unmistakable fretfulness on their faces.
Chapter Thirty
Alainn heard the frightened, painful wail before she started up the many winding steps leading to the round tower. The tower was indeed attached to the ruins of an old abbey which explained why Alainn had seen a cross when she’d envisioned Mary and Conner. The abbey was in complete disrepair, but the tower seemed sound enough.
Conner followed behind Alainn and as she entered the tower room, another muffled scream could be heard. When Mary saw Alainn, she burst into relieved tears.
“I assured Conner you would find us somehow,” she sobbed. “I told him you would see my son born.”
Alainn went to Mary and held her tightly in a fond embrace before she checked on her condition. Conner’s face was pale with anguish at Mary’s pain. He sat on the floor by the makeshift bed and held tightly to her hand as Alainn lifted Mary’s skirts to assess the degree of the labor.
“How long have you been laboring, Mary?”
She moaned loudly as Alainn placed one hand on her middle and the other beneath her skirts.
“She started this morning, although I ken she was feeling poorly yesterday, which is why we stopped here when we found the tower.”
“Early morning?” Alainn asked again.
“Aye, about dawn.”
“Well, it actually began last night. I didna want to worry you,” she said as she stared at Conner and he tenderly kissed her hand.
“Och, my sweet Mary, you shouldna bear concern for me when your time is so near.”
Alainn saw how the two of them looked at each other with love and adoration.
“Is the bairn soon to come?” Conner needed to know.
“No, not for a time. But that should not be a concern to you for ’tis not uncommon for babies, especially firstborn babies to take their time in arriving.”
“What can I do?” Conner asked fretfully.
“Although, I suggest in her condition Mary shouldn’t eat at the moment, cool water would be beneficial.”
“Aye, there’s sure to be a well nearby. I’ll fetch some now.”
Mary appeared reluctant to let go of his hand.
“Wait awhile, Conner. ’Tis clear you being here is what is most beneficial to Mary. It’s important she remains calm for the labor is sometimes impeded if a woman is overly tense or fearful.”
Alainn glanced around the room to determine what she might use to assist with the birthing. She had her anelace for cutting the life cord. She thought of the herbs that now lay scattered on the street in the village. She doubted she could make use of any of them now, and there was little time to search for herbs or create a safe remedy that might dull Mary’s pain. She had not noticed an apothecary shop in the village. Conner had started a fire in the hearth to abate the dampness, but there was no kettle to be found.
There were surely no clean cloths here in this tower either, but she had many layers of skirts, though not entirely clean, she had washed them and magically dried them last evening. She pondered if her magic would assist them in any way now. Perhaps she could simply magically create a remedy to ease Mary’s pain, but she would need to know the exact location of the herbs to call them to her.
Her mind went to Killian at knowing he had purposely stayed behind to keep Riley occupied, and perhaps to keep watch on Ciara as well. Alainn found Ciara entirely difficult and in truth nearly impossible to ascertain. Alainn had always felt Ciara had some minimal powers, and back at the castle in England, she had seemed powerful, yet with the demon dead and her coven not with her, Alainn didn’t sense Ciara could really do harm in a magical regard. Today, she had certainly wanted to cause discord for Alainn yet again, and perhaps she truly might have taken great satisfaction in seeing Alainn sent to the stake.
Yet, mostly, Alainn sensed Ciara was simply a mean-spirited woman who in her unhappiness didn’t care to see anyone else happy either. Alainn didn’t doubt Ciara had attempted to take Killian to her bed and that she’d been suspected of possibly causing the others to place the skullcap in the honey which nearly caused Alainn to miscarry. Yet even that didn’t necessarily ring true with Alainn. Even with her magical powers, Alainn couldn’t entirely determine Ciara’s guilt, and she had never actually believed she acted alone. Perhaps it was the coven or the demon who had spurred her on.
Maybe it was Oonagh, Ciara’s demented mother who controlled Ciara, for Alainn did sense Ciara did not take kindly to harming her grandmother. Alainn also couldn’t begin to understand why her amulet only glowed on occasion when she was with Ciara. Could it mean she was only filled with evil some of the time? No matter how long or how often Alainn dwelled on Ciara, she could never come up with a clear perception of her. She sometimes wondered if the woman was inflicted with an uncommon malady that indicated she was given to having different personalities. It was a madness of sorts that Alainn had heard of, but wasn’t certain she had ever actually been witness to. But would that cause her aura to change as it did? Sometimes it was a light grey and others dark as pitch.
Mary’s loud moan pulled Alainn for her muddled considerations and Alainn gently placed her hand on her middle and sent comforting warmth and healing to her.
“Is my wee bairn well? Can you sense it, Alainn? He’s been verra quiet since yesterday morning. In truth, I had begun to believe the worst.”
“That is perfectly natural and commonplace, Mary. Babies know that birthing can be a long and arduous burden. They are inherently wise in those ways and given to resting before their journey from their warm and comfortable location within the womb.”
“I’m so verra frightened, Alainn!” she whispered.
“I know Mary; that is to be expected, and commonplace as well.” Alainn stayed by Mary’s side and held tight to her hand for some time in reassurance.
“Were you fearful when you were birthing your wee baby?”
“Aye, I was terrified,” Alainn admitted and she filled with sullen remembrance of the day she had labored with Cian. “But I knew my baby was born too early and that his wee lungs were not strong enough to survive outside of my body.”
“But this bairn will be born earlier than I expected as well.”
“Mary, your baby is large, and surely strong and of sturdy health. I see clear visions and know without a doubt, he will always be a healthy boy and live a long prosperous life. I promise it shall be so, Mary.”
“I cannot wait to hold him and to look upon him.” She smiled as she glanced at Conner.
He had returned to Mary’s side and he brushed a dark curl from her face and smiled back at her in mutual affection.
Alainn was suddenly overtaken by a vision so repugnant and disturbing she went to the window to inhale fresh air and clear her mind.
“Lady Alainn, what is it you’ve heard?” His hand went to his sword.
“I’ve heard nothing, Conner.”
“But you’re pale as a spirit. Tell me what has you fearful.”
“I am simply concerned for Killian.” She only partially fabricated the truth.
“Shall I go then and see if he’s met with some misfortune with his cousin?”
“No, you stay here within this chamber. Don’t dare to leave this chamber!” she warned.
“But you said Mary needed water.”
Alainn envisioned the water jug sitting on the table in the inn where they had broken fast earlier this morning. She called to it along with a jug of whiskey and three goblets. They all came sailing through the window and Conner and Mary both stared at her at using her magic in such a blatant manner.
“The superstitious village people would be much less likely to follow articles flying through the air than you or me,” she suggested.
“Did ye no see how they looked at me with fear in their eyes? It is doubtful anyone would follow me,” Conner replied.
“Riley would follow you and in his usual drunken state, he would not think twice about challenging you with his sword for his judgment would be well impaired. Your mind would be on only keeping Mary safe, not on aptly dueling with a sword.”
She had alerted him to part of her vision without actually having said so, but once again Alainn was overcome with an even clearer and grievously more unsettling vision and her heart lurched.
“I must go to see to Killian’s safety, but I assure you, your baby will not arrive for perhaps another two hours at the earliest. I will be back as soon as I am able.”
“Would it not be better if I go?” Conner suggested, evidently fretful of being made to assist in bringing Mary’s baby into the world when he’d never even been near a birthing chamber before.
Alainn shook her head and Mary’s lips trembled with fear and uncertainty. Conner held tight to her hand and then took her in his arms.
“I’ll stay here with you, Mary; I promise I won’t ever leave you, my sweet lass.”
He tenderly kissed Mary’s cheek as Alainn hurried out the door, and made her way down the tower steps.
*
Alainn stood at the bottom of the tower stairs. She hesitantly opened the door a crack and peered outside. It was nearly nightfall and she had been reasonably certain Killian should have joined them by now. Perhaps he was simply detained in keeping Riley distracted. Yet, if they had been drinking all that time, Riley would surely have passed out by now for he was well on his way when they’d seen him earlier this day. But in her portent vision of the frightening chain of events she’d witnessed with such clarity, she had seen Killian lying upon the ground and she was reasonably certain he wasn’t simply asleep, but perhaps passed out or knocked unconscious.
“Killian.” She attempted to call to him within her mind.
Sometimes she was capable of making him hear her, but not always.
She heard a sound beyond the door and this time she called out. “Killian, is that you?” she whispered.
Alainn was disheartened to sees the familiar shape of a dark-haired woman as she drew near to Alainn and her amulet glowed brightly and burned her skin.
“Your heroic chieftain will not soon be coming to you for sure he’s passed out on the floor of the alehouse.
“Sure you speak falsehoods for there was no ale to be had in the village,” Alainn replied to Ciara presuming she meant to trick her.
“Riley was well pleased when I found a hearty supply aptly horded within a villager’s cottage. I rewarded the man well and in his gratefulness he promptly carried it to the alehouse. Riley, and even your husband was well pleased when I found them and told them of the ale I’d procured. When they were sipping the ale and deep in conversation, I slipped in unnoticed and added a potion in your husband’s ale to ensure he sleeps well and long this night.”
“Ciara, what is it you plan to do?”
“Hmmm, have you not seen it in your vision? I sense you have.”
Something in Ciara’s voice and her mannerisms seemed entirely different. There was a noticeable darkness to her Alainn had previously only rarely sensed.
“Am I a conundrum to you, milady? Even with all your many magical abilities you have not been capable of deciphering what it is about me you cannot determine.”
Ciara walked nearer to Alainn, and she was torn between closing and locking the door, or going out to to deal with the dark witch so Mary wouldn’t be made to hear the unpleasantness. She was reasonably certain a locked door wouldn’t keep out Ciara this night, for she appeared filled with a magical presence Alainn had seldom seen before, and not one of benevolence.
“Why are you here?” Alainn questioned.
“I intend to be the next Lady O’Brien.”
“Surely you must be jesting. Killian despises you.”
“Yes, I see that possibility has long since passed, which is truly unfortunate for he is far more gallant and sensually appealing to me than his buffoon of a cousin, but no matter. I have entirely bewitched Riley O’Brien and he will soon take me for his wife… once I dispose of the one he has now.”
Alainn’s eyes grew wide and wild with fright at the horrid realization and recalled her previous catastrophic vision.
“Mary does not love Riley, nor he her. She’ll simply divorce him. I know that to be true.”
“Do you suppose that would sit well with your cousin’s Catholic conscience and his distaste for divorce? And there is the matter of his unborn son. He does seem to want that damnable child. When both are lost in childbed, or so it shall be explained, then he will soon find further comfort in my bed. Soon after, I will become his bride and lady of the grandest, most immense castle in all of Ireland.”
“This is truly about position, about wealth and power? You would take the lives of two innocent people so you could become a lady of a castle?” Alainn was repelled and Ciara laughed manically at that.
“For someone with many supernatural and intuitive abilities, you are somewhat witless at times. I would be lady of the castle near the location where the final battle will take place. The mystical relevance of the location will benefit me and I shall have much time to ready the field so that it will benefit the powers of the dark side.
Not to mention the old druid, who in truth is my father, will be forced to teach me his ways and soon my powers will multiply.”
“Your father; you despicable spinner of falsehoods. My grandfather is not your father!”
“Believe what you will; it is of no consequence to me. But it is truth, my mother, Oonagh, a bewitching young woman when about your age now, easily seduced the man when he and his wife were grieving over the loss of their precious daughter.”
“That cannot be true.” Alainn did not care to believe the atrocious possibility.
“Again, I assure you it is the truth, though I suppose you wouldn’t dare to believe the man could do anything so sordid, for it is apparent he can do little wrong in your guileless opinion of him. He is a man. He may seem wise and learned to you, and above sinfulness, but he is a man. He does think with his cock like all the rest. My mother knew of his magical powers and, with her many abilities given to darkness, she wished to carry a child who would become one of a dark coven.”
Alainn recalled the tale the midwife had told her of how all the mothers of twelve babies born died on the same night, the night Ciara had been born. Alainn had known something evil must have been present that night, but her mind reeled at knowing Ciara was her blood kin, her own father’s half-sister.
“When the old druid, Niall O’Rorke, my ‘father’ schools me further in magic, when my coven returns from their time with Odhran, and another dark demon is chosen, we will be truly undefeatable. My mother and I will be ready for his return, and the final battle.”
“Your mother, Oonagh, the woman who is dead, but undead?”
Her comment had caused Ciara to become noticeably distressed.
“Ah, yes, she did say she saw you in that dreaded realm where she must spend much of her time. I would wish for her never to return to that wicked place, but when she is there her body does not fall into further decomposition and so it must be so for a time. Using the necessary parts from Glynnis did help considerably. I will soon find a way to perfect the methods. Perhaps I might even use some bits from poor Mary, but out of a kindness, I will wait till she’d dead to retrieve them. I might al
so carve some magical fragments from your body. Scraps from the body of a powerful witch may assist my mother’s plight. But I think I should take great pleasure in tearing your hair and fingernails from your body to create a spell, perhaps gouging your eyes while you still live, and ripping out your heart even while it beats.”
They heard a sound in the bushes and Alainn felt as though her heart, that Ciara had just now been referring to, would stop then and there when she heard Killian’s voice.
“Alainn, are you here?” He sounded dazed and his tongue was thick with having been given a sleeping potion.
Ciara also seemed to be startled.
“He is a large, powerful one isn’t he? I should have given him more of the potion, but I thought that would surely kill him and too many dead bodies might seem somewhat suspicious and difficult to dispose of.”
Ciara drew closer to Alainn, and Alainn called out in warning.
“Stay away, Killian. There is dark evil at work here.”
“Oh, darker than you know, milady!” She grinned wickedly.
She placed her hands before her and Alainn was thrown against the stone wall of the tower. The breath was knocked from her and it hurt unbearably to breathe.
Killian came toward her and Alainn imagined the woman’s long dark hair being wrapped around her throat, as Ebrill had once done to her, and soon it was so. Ciara spat and sputtered and gagged as Alainn drew nearer to Ciara. She placed her hands around her throat trying desperately to pry the hair with her fingers and keep the strands from cutting off her air.
Alainn was being lifted once more and she fought the pull and she continued to strangle the woman with her hair. To her dismay, Ciara also fought Alainn’s magic and managed to pull out a dagger from within her pocket and sliced the hair away. With much of her dark hair lying upon the ground, she gasped for air as Alainn threw her hands out once more and sent her against the ruins of the abbey where she lay crumpled on the ground.
Killian drew nearer and his face was consumed with fear and confusion. “Alainn what is happening? One minute I was drinking with Riley, the next I was lying upon the floor. I have no notion where he is at the moment. What is this darkness you were speaking of?”
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