He and Aislinn began weaving the spell, teaching the others the words to chant as the connection between them wove threads between their thoughts even as their flesh touched. It took some time, more than it would have taken with priests, but he repeated it over and over until he could hear their voices in his thoughts. Some time passed—he knew not how long—until suddenly he became aware again of the wind and the sun and the others around him. Glancing at each one, he spoke their names in his thoughts.
As they nodded in reply, Marcus offered a prayer of thanks to the gods for allowing this.
Aislinn?William spoke first.Can you share the prophecies you’ve received with us now?He glanced at Roger and Brienne.
Aislinn looked to Marcus for permission, for this was something else forbidden for anyone but priests.
Tell them,Marcus said.
“When the threat is revealed and the sleepers awaken, a Warrior seeks the truth while the Fire burns away the deception. Begin in the East, then North, then South, then West . . . Find the true gate among the rest.”
He watched Brienne’s eyes widen at the mention of the warrior and the fire. And now that they had the location of the first circle, north and south and west made sense. Scotland, Orkney, England, and Ireland. The path their journey would take to stop the evil one. The reverse journey of their Celtic ancestors in coming here and building these places.
And the next one?
“While those of the blood advance and the lost lose their way, Water and Storm protect the Hidden. The Hidden reveals its secrets only to those who struggle with their faith.”
And Hugh will know that one? Devyn will tell him?
Aislinn and Marcus both nodded in reply. The young man would give up the words.
“Then we should begin now,” William the warblood, their leader, said.
Within hours, they were on their way to the northern coast of Scotland and then on to the Norse lands of Orkney.
Epilogue
Eudes looked very, very worried. He had not the finer skills of Brisbois in prolonging life even while prolonging the anguish. How three brothers could be so different, Hugh did not understand, and it mattered not now.
“Is he dead, then?” he asked.
“Aye, my lord. Just now.”
The burned and beaten body lay before him in the dirt. At least he’d given up the words that the powerful priest had received in prophecy before dying.
“And he said what else?”
“He just kept blabbering at the end, out of his mind, my lord.”
“What. Did. He. Say?” he repeated slowly. “The exact words, Eudes. Now, before you take his place there.” Hugh pointed at the tree where they’d chained the priest.
“He said—it is empty. It is empty. They are gone. Over and over. Makes no sense, my lord,” Eudes said. Hugh screamed out his frustration then, and all of his men tried to be or look someplace else other than where they were. He understood it.
The damned priests had figured out a way to sever their connections with this one. Probably between all of them. They had to know it would mean this one’s death. He shrugged, looking at the body. It was unexpected for them to be that ruthless. With a thought he finished the task begun earlier and burned the man to ashes.
Turning back to his commander, he gave new orders.
“Orkney. We head to Orkney.”
“Very well, my lord.” Eudes bowed and left him alone.
While those of the blood advance and the lost lose their way, Water and Storm protect the Hidden. The Hidden reveals its secrets only to those who struggle with their faith.
He would need to find the waterblood and the stormblood, and the wild, windblown isles to the north somehow seemed an appropriate place to find them.
Another chance to free his goddess and to destroy those who’d betrayed him. He would make them all pay for that.
