Nessa pounded her fists on the table as Deardha disappeared into an evaporating mist. She heaved the iron candelabra into the energy field, ducking as crackling sparks filled the air.
Backing into a corner, Nessa slid down to hug her knees. She rested her cheek on her arms.
All she could do now was conserve her energy, wait for Latharn, and hope he could beat the witch at her own vicious game.
ChapterTwenty-Seven
Latharn sat and watched for the first blinding rim of the sun to edge its way over the distant horizon. The holy waters of the prophecy bowl shimmered before him. The glowing moonlight had charged the liquid for hours. All he needed now was for the arc of the breaking sun to banish the stars from the sky. Then he could ask the waters the way to Nessa and he’d have his answer. The goddess moon never lied. It always gave the answers to those who asked…those faithful to the Ways.
Fiona dozed in Brodie’s protective embrace. As midnight had passed, they’d settled on a heavy bench on the other side of the room. Brodie hadn’t slept. He’d kept silent vigil. Latharn had found comfort in his presence and his loyalty.
Trish had collapsed into a pitiful ball curled against the base of Latharn’s chair. Tears of guilt streamed down her face. She’d paced about the room for hours. While she’d paced and apologized to Latharn for allowing Nessa to touch the stone, Latharn had quieted her with a subtle wave of his hand. The tranquility spell would cloud her mind long enough for her to get some much-needed rest. He needed all of them at their sharpest for what lay ahead.
His gaze found Brodie. Latharn alerted him with a single nod as the sun crested over the hills. He reached down to rest his hand upon Trish’s shoulder and squeezed until she opened her eyes.
He helped Trish from the floor and motioned her deeper into the room. As he rose from his chair, he nodded toward the bowl where it shimmered upon the pedestal opened to the sky. His voice calm with determination, he said, “’Tis time.”
Brodie shook Fiona, pressing his lips to her ear and whispered her awake. She stretched like a cat, rose from his arms, and tied her hair back from her eyes. “Do ye need for us to gather anything else? Have we all the tools needed for the spell?”
Latharn flexed his hands as though warming up for battle and inhaled a cleansing breath. His gaze settling upon Fiona, he spoke in a thoughtful voice as he nodded toward her waist. “Aye, we have everything listed to complete the spell. In fact, we have an added boon. Fiona, since ye carry new life within your body, it will strengthen the vision of the bowl. I want you to be the only one to touch the bowl now that the water has been magically charged.”
At Trish’s wide-eyed look of confusion, Latharn pointed toward the sky at the fading vision of the almost fully waxed moon. The bright blue brilliance of the early morning was already washing it from the sky.
“The goddess cherishes all stages of womanhood, but she truly blesses those who lovingly carry within them a child. Fiona carries twins of the MacKay line. The magic already flows in their veins.”
Fiona lifted the bowl from the pedestal, cradling it between her forearms. She eased her way across the stone floor, gasping as the water slopped dangerously close to the edge.
One step and then another, she edged her way across the room. She glanced to Latharn for direction. He didn’t say a word, just bestowed a reassuring smile upon her and gestured toward the table.
Following behind her, Latharn joined Fiona at the table as she lowered the bowl. With his hands on her shoulders and a gentle nod for her to sit, Latharn covered her hands with his own. Her hands trembled beneath Latharn’s strong grasp; her fingers spread upon the stone of the ancient bowl.
As he trailed his fingers up her arms, he circled around behind her. Hands settling upon her shoulders, Latharn closed his eyes. He’d connect with every power and every force to be found to reclaim his Nessa. The charged water pulsated in the ancient bowl and transmitted power to him through Fiona’s impregnated body. As the magnified energy focused within his body, Latharn opened his eyes. With a nod to Trish and Brodie, he took a deep breath. He was ready to find his Nessa.
“Close the portal, Brodie. We must have complete darkness. Trish, please extinguish all the flames and then join your hands to Fiona’s.”
Brodie raised his hands to the sky and closed the room like a giant eyelid. As Trish extinguished every flame, an electrified darkness crackled through the room. The holy water trembled in the scrying bowl on the table and took on an eerie glow.
His hands still resting on Fiona’s shoulders, Latharn stared unblinking into the shimmering water. Concentrating his powers, his hands warmed as his energy flowed through Fiona’s body into the awaiting bowl.
“Blessed goddess, I call upon ye to open the veil to my sight. Remove the barriers. Part the mists. Guide us to the one I love. Blessed goddess, I call upon ye to show me who has stolen she who is mine.” As Latharn’s words stirred the waters, the prophecy bowl began to spin between Fiona’s hands. Fiona gasped as it broke free of her hold and rose from the surface of the table. It levitated into the air until it floated a few inches above their heads. As the waters swirled, the energy from within the basin emerged into the total darkness just above the bowl’s surface. An image of Nessa appeared in the hovering aura.
Latharn tensed as Nessa’s bound and blindfolded form shimmered into view. He fought against the rage surging inside him. If his fury took hold of his consciousness, the visions would disappear. He wanted to cry out as he witnessed Nessa tear the flesh on her wrists and wrench her hands free of the cutting ropes. He clenched his fists until his palms bled as Nessa burned her ankles free of the restraints.
Pride and satisfaction filled him to bursting as Nessa impaled Gabriel with the candelabra spear. His woman’s passion was only rivaled by her courage. He was truly blessed by the goddess to have been matched with such a wondrous soul.
His elation was short-lived. Bile rose in his throat as he watched the darkbana-buidhseachemerge from Gabriel’s lifeless body. He bit through his lip to stifle a shout as Nessa attacked the sorceress. He marveled at his beloved’s strength and speed. He flinched as Nessa successfully dodged each of the destructive swirling balls of energy the crone lobbed at her head.
As Deardha disappeared and Nessa sank to the floor in exhaustion, Latharn shuddered and drew a ragged breath. “Show me how to find the one I love. Show me how to bring her home.”
At first, the aura that had risen from the bowl flickered and hesitated as though about to fade away. The silver mist shimmered as though the veil of magic struggled against some unseen force and was unable to grant Latharn’s request.
“Show me the way to the one I love. She carries my sons. She carries innocence within her womb. Ye must show me the way to make her safe. Ye must show me the way to bring her home!”
No sooner had Latharn bellowed the words did the mist strengthen and refocus. It showed the ancient stone mausoleum squatting behind the family chapel residing on the MacKay grounds. Nessa had been right under their very noses, mere yards from where they were currently sequestered in the library of mysteries high within the castle walls.
Jumping up from the table, Trish headed toward the door, only to be barred by Brodie’s strong, restraining hands. As she tried squirming her way loose, Trish shouted in his face. “Let me go! You saw where she is. Fiona and I walked right past her when we went to get the holy water.”
With a firm shake of his head, Brodie held her arms tighter, and led her back to sit at the table. “Ye saw the dark witch holding her captive. Ye saw the immense power of the crone and her ability to control the energies. We must carefully form a battle plan before we go rushing into the tomb.”
