by Daye, Elissa
Malinda heard more hooves beating a rhythm across the ground and, when she looked up, she was happy to find that Aiden’s men had finally arrived. In moments, men that had once had human shapes were transformed into wolves to fight against the beasts that plagued the grounds before them, a mass of fur, a flurry of claws, a gnashing of teeth. The snarls that rang forth from the mouths of the beasts would have intimidated a lesser person. Malinda marched into the fray, her green eyes boiling with fire, for she saw that Seamus was trying to summon his men around him. Malinda opened her mouth to scream, but no human voice came out. A loud screech echoed in the air, loud like thunder as it boomed around them. In moments the trees shook as every bird within range answered her cry, and the cries continued as the trees miles away answered the cries of the birds before them. Within moments the only thing anyone could hear was the song of the birds before a rustle of wings rose into the spaces between. Long lines of birds flew straight at the battle before creating a swarm that looked much like the bees that surrounded a hive. Malinda closed her eyes and sent a blessing of appreciation to her animal friends.
Malinda raised her hands and created one large ball of light after another, so large that when the light crashed into its target their bodies were lifted high into the air. When she saw Grant change into the shape of a lion she beamed with pride. He was covered in magnificent golden fur, much like the gold of his eyes. She knew that Seamus would not have a chance against him this time. She watched as Seamus’s black wolf form attempted to find an escape from his attack. He made as if to back up from the golden lion in front of him and Malinda cast her green firewall behind him, and then tossed Seamus’s dagger at Grant’s forepaws. Seamus’s tail singed in the acidic back spray from the wall and he jumped to the side. Malinda made her wall surround the two that were circling each other in the middle. Malinda could have found a way to end this battle now, but she knew that Grant would never be free until he vanquished the man who had stalked him at every turn. She held her breath knowing great fear as her husband fought against his worst enemy.
Malinda tried not to focus on the fight before her, for while she had put up the wall around them more werewolves had rushed at her own shield that protected both her and Sophia. She opened her mouth and roared at the wolves around her, so loud the reverberation pounded the ground before them. Malinda could not believe her own eyes when large spectral shapes of animals started to surround them. Large green animals glowed like the fire that brewed in her eyes. A rhinoceros charged two of the wolves in front of her, its glowing horn ripping a large gaping hole into the smaller brown wolf. It shook the wolf off its horn and trampled the black wolf next to him. She saw green claws and teeth tearing into the Lair around them, and no matter how much the werewolves fought against the attack it was to no avail. The spectral animals had no skin to hold onto, no foreseeable weakness that they could find. When one wolf struggled to latch onto a cougar it disappeared before its eyes, reappeared right behind him and jumped on top of the silver wolf. When they thought they could run away from the spirits that were ripping into them Malinda sent the animals after them. The werewolves fell, one right after the other, until not one of them remained standing. Malinda turned back to the wall of fire, hoping that when she brought it down she would find her husband victorious.
While the ghostly animals attacked the werewolves from the Lair Malinda continued to move forward to reach Sophia. Malinda’s eyes burned with determination as the gray wolf snarled at her. She was about to conjure a deadly blast when an unexpected form came exploding through the brush near her. “Mule!” The mastiff looked even more menacing in death than he ever had in life, and when the wolf tried to lunge at the little girl huddled under the wagon Mule’s apparition flew into the air. Malinda felt transfixed in the moment, so in awe of the loyalty of her pet, even in death, that tears worked their way down her face. The wolf crumbled beneath his deadly fangs and one lonely whimper escaped his mouth. Mule turned to Malinda and wagged his tail before lying down at Sophia’s feet.
Sophia looked down at the spirit and smiled sadly. “Here, boy!” Mule rose to his feet, licked her face one last time, and disappeared before Sophia could hug him goodbye.
When Malinda made it to the wagon the girl flew into the safety of her arms, her sobs no longer held back. She let the tiny girl cry for a moment before setting her down on the ground. Malinda hugged her tight once more and rubbed her head. “Stay by my side, Sophia. This fight is not over yet. There will be time to grieve later, I promise.”
Malinda lowered the flames and her heart almost caught in her throat. Grant, now in human form, sat on his knees, his head bowed to the ground next to the lifeless body of Seamus Finnigan, the blood stained dagger in his hands. Malinda told Sophia to stay put and left the child safely surrounded by her golden shield. She put her hand on Grant’s shoulder and waited for him to respond.
“I thought it would be over. Why does it not feel like it’s over yet?”
“Because there is more.” Malinda removed the dagger from Grant’s hands and walked over to the lifeless body of Seamus Finnigan. She turned his body over and his dead blue eyes were still open. She put her fingers over his eyelids and forced them closed. Then she used the dagger to cut the pouch from around his neck. She held it up to Grant. “This is why Maria is haunting you.” She tossed it to him and watched as he opened it to find a small cutting of Maria’s hair and a small white object that looked much like a tooth.
“What the…?”
“He was controlling Maria’s spirit. By keeping part of her remains he had control over the darkness that ran through her, Grant. Her hauntings were inspired by him. We can help her move on now, but we need to take this back to the manor to do so.”
Grant looked at her in confusion, for he did not understand what Malinda told him. “Why would he keep this?”
“Because he loved her and did not want anyone else to have her, in life or in death.”
“How do you know this?”
“When you handed the dagger to me I saw flashes of his past, Grant. She used him, made him think she loved him with every inch of her heart. It worked for a short time until she found another suitor who could provide her with a better life. She broke his heart, Grant. I imagine she did the same to you. It’s a miserable thing that she did. She ruined love for both of you.” Tears clouded her eyes, but she did not try to wipe them away.
“She did not ruin love for me, Malinda. What I felt for her is nothing compared to what I feel for you. I love you, Malinda; your strength, your courage, even your independent streak that drives me stark raving mad. I love everything about you.”
“You do?” Even she could feel the doubt that passed over her face.
“Yes, and when we are back home I will find as many ways as I can to show you.” A loud giggle interrupted the moment and they both turned to find Sophia smiling happily at them. Grant rose then gathered Sophia in his arms and spun her around in the air. The squeals of delight seemed to chase away the haunted feeling of the moment. Grant had Aiden’s men take care of the bodies so that they could return home to Wickford Manor and get their daughter to safety.
Chapter 36
They arrived safely on Wickford Manor’s steps the next morning. The trauma of the past few days had finally caught up to Malinda. She thought of her beautiful dog with the long floppy ears and wrinkled face, the one companion that she’d had throughout the past six years of her life, who was no longer with her. Tears watered her eyes and she turned away from the people around her.
She was tired, more exhausted than she had ever been in her lifetime, but she had to see her friend one last time. She saw Hargrove gesture toward the orchard and Malinda knew that was where Mule must be. She heard Grant following her, but she did not care. She moved slowly, remembering every little moment she had spent outside with the bumbling dog, every lopsided hug, every drenching kiss. When she reached the orchard she found a fresh mound of dirt, with a large stone at i
ts base. A charred stick had been used to write ‘MULE’ in big, strong letters. Malinda collapsed on the ground, her grief overtaking her. Grant gathered her in his arms and let her cry until no more tears would come.
When she could cry no more Grant picked her up in his arms and carried her back to the manor. She clung to his neck while he transported her upstairs. He helped her into bed and wrapped her up in the warm cozy blankets. He lay down next to her until she fell asleep, then left her there to rest.
Malinda awoke to the smells of fresh stew steaming from the small table next to the fire. She rose slowly, her legs stiff from the traveling she had done over the course of the past few days. She walked over to the food and breathed in the delicious aroma of Gertie’s best stew. She savored every drop as she stretched her legs and feet before her. When she was finished Gretchen came in to assist her with a bath. When she was clean and dressed she decided it was time to go downstairs.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs she heard a familiar voice coming from the study. “Brenda?”
“Malinda! So glad you’re awake. I had a feeling you might have need of my services.” A smile lit up the redhead’s face.
“You’re right about that.” Malinda looked over at Grant, who was seated next to Brenda. “Do you have that pouch?”
Grant reached into his desk and extracted the small brown pouch. He handed it over to Malinda. “I’m not sure what you wanted it for, but here.”
“You’ll find out soon enough.” She handed it over to Brenda.
“Well, there’s only one thing left to do.”
“What’s that?” Malinda and Grant asked at the same time.
“A ritual, of course. We’ll have to send her off to the other side so that her spirit can finally find peace.”
“I would like that.” Grant looked to Malinda with an almost wary look on his face.
“It will be okay, Grant. Have faith. I know Brenda is very good at what she does. When would you like to do the ritual?”
“This evening will be soon enough. I’ll just go about gathering some materials and making a place for it. Which room is the most haunted?” Brenda looked from one person to the other.
“This one, I would say. I’ve added salt to protect the others. She seems to favor this room.” Malinda knew that Maria favored this room because of Grant, but she did not comment on this.
“Fine. I will want access to this room during the day as I acquire everything I need. I’ll need some privacy.”
“Of course. Malinda?” Grant rose and extended his arm to his wife.
“We’ll see you later then, Brenda?”
“Hmm? Oh yes, of course.” Brenda was already sizing up the room, trying to read the energy and figure out what things she would need for this evening.
After Malinda did her daily meditation she gave thanks to the animals of the forest who had ventured forth to protect the world around them. She had food sent into the forest surrounding Wickford Manor. It was placed far enough away from animal dens to protect the safety of the animals and would be something that Malinda would have the people of Wickford continue to do.
After she was finished with these things Grant, Malinda, and Sophia spent most of the day enjoying the beautiful weather outdoors. It was nice to sit next to her family with not a care in the world for the moment, for now that Seamus was no longer a concern they could feel at ease. They both knew the Lair had not been destroyed, for when one head was cut off, another two seemed to arise in its place. The need for power and control was a huge drawing factor for those that could not decide where their allegiances lay. Malinda was thinking about this when Grant interrupted her thoughts.
“Malinda?”
“Yes, Grant?” She turned to him with a peaceful smile on her face.
“I need to tell you something.”
The serious look on his face made her heart drop to the bottom of her stomach. “Yes?”
“I was talking with Marshal Madigan.”
“I’m not ready to deal with him, Grant.” She tried to cut him off, but it was clear he had more to say. “And?”
“It’s not about that, Malinda, although I daresay at some point he would want to be included in his grandchild’s life. When I was away, I asked him to consider adding other people into his army.”
“What are you getting at Grant?” His train of thought was confusing.
“The Lair has become accustomed to every form of attack we know, or at least they had, until the Women of Lena came along. I think it may be time to consider the endless possibilities in enlisting your help.”
“Do you mean it, Grant? We care about our world as much as any man does. I’m sure the others would be willing to work for the better good and, the more we are known, perhaps we will find more women from Lena along the way. Many of us are still in hiding from the world.” A large smile lit up her face. “You really do love me, don’t you?”
“Aye, I do. In fact, speaking of that, I think perhaps it is time for me to prove it. Will you marry me, Malinda?” His golden eyes searched hers.
“We’re already married, Grant.” Malinda looked away from him. It was sheer madness. She felt like a swollen water skin and he was proposing they have a wedding.
“Yes, we are, by the nature of the word, married, but I want to do it properly, here with all our people present.”
The silent plea in his eye called out to her. He was not asking to make her happy. He truly wanted this ceremony and, while on the surface Malinda felt it was a ridiculous proposal, the star-crossed lover inside her wanted nothing more than to shout her agreement to the world. “Fine, but we will have to wait until after your son is born.”
Grant brought his hand up to her chin and pulled her into a soft, heartwarming kiss that they only broke when Sophia giggled loudly at them. Malinda smiled and thanked the gods above for having such a wonderful destiny carved out for her. Her life may not have been what she had planned it to be, but it was massively better than anything she could ever have dreamed. She laid her head on his shoulder and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon.
When evening came Malinda and Grant joined Brenda in the study. Brenda lit several candles around the room and it was covered in dancing light with the pungent smell of sweet grass permeating the air. Brenda gestured for them to join hands with her as she called the spirit of Maria forth into the room. The air swished around them and cold icy fingers ran up and down their spines as the specter finally made its shape known to them.
“Dear Maria. Today we set you free. No longer will any living soul control your spirit.” Brenda picked up the brown pouch and tossed it in the fireplace behind them. A loud shriek left Maria’s mouth, the bright white light that surrounded her flickered, and the darkness melted into light around them. Her aura intensified and glowed so brightly that it felt as if they were staring straight into the sun. The air swirled viciously around them and there was the sound of glass shattering before an awkward silence.
When they looked up, Maria’s spirit was still floating above the floor, but the feelings of rage no longer surrounded her. She had a soft serene glow of light around her and she smiled at Malinda. “Thank you.”
“You are welcome, Maria.”
“Take care of them.” Maria’s plea was easy to understand.
“Always. As if they were my own.” Malinda saw a door form behind the ghost, and the bright light behind it spilled forth underneath the closed cracks. She looked over at Brenda, who then nodded at her. Malinda glanced back at the spirit and smiled. “Maria, it is time to cross over.”
The ghost looked at Grant one last time, whispered an apology, and gave him a soft smile goodbye before opening the door. A large blast of light erupted around the room, but it did not blind their eyes. The spirit crossed over the threshold, closed the door behind her, and the room was back to its previous state. For once Wickford Manor was surrounded with a peaceful tranquility that had been missing for years, a peace that would blanket and protect
the family for the rest of their lives.
Epilogue
A large oaf of a dog circled around his pacing feet, almost tripping Grant for the fifth time in the past sixteen hours. The dog was the spitting image of his sire. “Dammit, Ox!” He could hear Malinda’s screams through the door and pounded his fist against the door. “What are you doing to her?”
April opened the door to yell at Grant. “My lord, you need to go away. We’re trying to bring your child into this world.”
“Not without me, you don’t.” Grant pushed the door open and made his way inside the room.
“I have great magic and I know how to use it, Grant.” Lysandra’s threats made their way from across the room. She was holding Malinda’s hand while she wiped away the sweat from her forehead.
“Do your worst, Lysandra. I’m not leaving.” He grabbed Malinda’s hand. When she squeezed his hand like a vise, he stood without flinching. When he thought she would snap his fingers from his hand he almost faltered, but his devotion to his wife held him steady.
“One more push, Malinda.” April was at the foot of the bed with a warm clean towel in her hands. “That’s a girl. Here comes your baby!”
Malinda screamed with her last push and collapsed onto the pillows. Her eyes sought Grant’s as a slight panic took her over. “Why does he not cry?”
“Give it a moment, love.” Fearful thoughts threatened Grant as well, but he knew that they were surrounded by the only people who could help them, the only people he would ever trust with his wife’s health.
April rubbed the baby over with the towel and, within seconds, the infant was squalling so loudly there was no doubt that the baby was more than fine. “It’s a girl.”