Awakening Her Soul to Destiny (18 page)

“
There just seems to be so many of them,” she whispered, as she looked about the room at all the strange welcoming faces.

“
Aye, and now I’d like ta’ introduce ye ta’ but one more.” Steering her once more toward the seats of honor at the head of the room, Laird Caymber came to a halt in front of the man Etain had earlier identified as Macvorn.

“
Kaitla, I present ye ta’ Macvorn, son of Modron the First.” Laird Caymber gently pressed his hand to the small of her back inclining her towards the now standing Macvorn. Kaitla had no idea if she was supposed to curtsy, bow, or shake hands. Growing up on twentieth century earth had in no way prepared her for court etiquette in the realm of Clas Myrddin.

Rescuing her with a flashing smile and laughing green eyes, Macvorn quickly took her hand, brushing her knuckles with his lips. “I am verra pleased ta’ meet the one who has been promised to us for so long.” His rich deep voice flowed like honey, his words musically tinged with the slightest burr.

“
Thank you…you’re most kind,” Kaitla replied. His hand warm and tingling seemed almost pulsing with electricity; her eyes widened as a soft white glow surrounded their clasped hands.

Laughing at her surprise, Macvorn explained, “We are both strong in the ways, you and I, but our auras seem to be quite compatible.”

“
I’ve never seen that reaction before, not even with Etain.” Kaitla stared in amazement as the soft white glow gently blushed a delicate shade of pink then disappeared completely.

“
Etain is quite gifted but not so powerful as yourself. Ye have been blessed with even more gifts then I or the aura would’ve changed to a shade of blue before it dissipated.” Macvorn kissed her hand once again; “I bow to your power… Mistress, and I hope that we might explore the spiritual possibilities together sometime.”

Hearing a sharp intake of breath, Kaitla glanced to the right of the raised platform to notice Jared glaring darkly at Macvorn. Jared then turned the glare in her direction, meeting her eyes and clearly thinking, “Ye belong to me alone!”

This subtle interplay did not go unnoticed by Laird Caymber or Etain. Macvorn returned Jared’s glare with a flashing smile that Kaitla took as a peace offering toward Jared; but Kaitla missed the slight narrowing of the dark green eyes, as Macvorn silently challenged Jared for Kaitla’s attentions.

Interrupted by a sudden commotion at the entrance to the tent, they each turned to witness a small grubby boy rudely pushing his way through the crowd. Finally breaking through the last group of people and reaching the center of the room, the lad whirled in Kaitla’s direction with a dhundare in his hand. With a satanic smile, the black-eyed boy demonically cried one word, “Retribution!” and fired the dhundare directly at Kaitla’s heart.

Knocked to the floor of the tent, Kaitla couldn’t understand how she had escaped injury until looking to her side, she found Macvorn gasping for air, his life’s blood pouring from the open wound gaping across his chest.

The members of the visiting clans stood frozen in shock, unable to believe the violence they had just witnessed. Jarred from her own state of amazement by the retreating movement of the sniper, Etain quickly recovered her wits in time to capture the escaping murderer within her powerful gaze.

“
Reveal yourself to me!” demanded Etain to the would be assassin. Enraged at the attempt on Kaitla’s life, Etain held the evil sniper suspended in mid air, his body paralyzed in her demanding stare. Instantly, the raggedy boy returned to the form of a filthy gnomelike man, narrow eyes darting in panic but powerless to escape. “Speak, now!” Etain roared again, angrily raising her prisoner even higher over the heads of the gaping crowd.

Squinting his eyes tightly shut; the ratty haired fiend struggled to turn his face slightly away from Etain. Clamping his thin lips tightly shut, the suspended prisoner remained silent to Etain’s demands.

As Etain’s anger grew, so did the strength of her stare. Raising her chin defiantly in answer to the challenge, Etain’s eyes barely narrowed as she methodically used her powers to slowly compress the air from the scraggly body of the filthy man. Her timing exquisite and precise, Etain would slightly release the pressure whenever the villain appeared to be losing consciousness, reviving him back to the present and her repeated question of who sent him. She felt sure the assassin’s orders had come from Ravon himself. But she had to hear it from the prisoner’s own lips before she executed the captive suspended above the crowd.

Finally, the prisoner’s fear of Etain’s continued torture overcame his fear of evil Laird Ravon. Drawing a deep raggedy breath after the release of Etain’s last compression, his thin lips curled to an evil grin as he croaked out the name, “Laird Ravon of Clan Rheged!” Finally hearing the confession she had been seeking, Etain immediately unsheathed her own dhundare and cleanly removed the intruder’s heart from his chest.

Allowing the lifeless body to fall to the ground alongside the shriveled black heart, Etain’s face was set in a grim expression of satisfaction. Pointing a long slender finger at the lifeless form before her, a sharp whirlwind immediately rose to her call. Surrounding the body of the evil fiend, it cleanly transformed the carnage into a pile of blowing dust. In another moment the dust was dispersed and not a trace was left of the intruder; no trace except for the still bleeding body of Macvorn.

Kaitla witnessed all of this, her mouth slightly open in amazement. She sat stunned on the ground where Macvorn had thrown her, unable to believe that someone had just made an attempt on her life. Jared and Etain had tried to warn her, but she’d never really realized what all their warnings entailed until now. Watching Etain’s powerful display, had only deepened her misgivings. Her stomach churning unsteadily, Kaitla sickly wondered, “What had she gotten herself into?”

Macvorn’s faint moans jerking her out of her stupor, she fumbled along the blood-soaked carpet to his side. Still in shock from all she had just witnessed, Kaitla didn’t trust her trembling legs enough to stand. Alarmed at the amount of blood surrounding his body, Kaitla tried in vain to staunch the flow with the folds of her skirt. Pale and clammy from so much blood loss, she feared Macvorn wouldn’t survive this last great act of valor.

Stirring at the pressure on his chest, Macvorn struggled to open his eyes. “Mistress Kaitla, ye’ll ruin yer lovely gown,” he coughed, drops of blood spraying from his lips. With a weak smile, he attempted to pat her hand but didn’t have the strength and let it fall limply back to the ground.

Joining Kaitla at Macvorn’s side, Etain observed the bloody scene grimly. Meeting Kaitla’s inquiring gaze, she arched her eyebrows at Kaitla’s distraught expression.

“
Will it work this time, Etain?” Kaitla silently asked her, remembering painfully her futile efforts to save poor Tobias.

“
I dinna know, lass, but ye must try. Ye canna chose his fate for him,” Etain answered Kaitla aloud to warn the others of what was about to happen. She had no idea if Kaitla would be able to save Macvorn or not…it was up to destiny now.

Frowning down at the weakening body of Macvorn, the pull on her heart clearly told her that she must at least try. Biting her lip in consternation, Kaitla struggled to gather the now unconscious Macvorn to her breast as though he was a sleeping child. Clutching his bleeding chest to hers, she braced his head to her shoulder and pressed her cheek tightly against his. She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms about him even tighter and concentrated on healing the near lifeless body.

A strong wind quickly rose within the tent, howling as it surrounded the two of them and lifted them off the ground. Kaitla’s heart pounded as they rose higher, drowning out the sound of the roaring wind within her ears. Her breathing grew shallow and she tried to swallow her fear as she felt her body glow tingling white as it had once before upon her entrance into the portal between the realms. Dimly, she became aware of a second heartbeat pounding in sync with her own. The wind grew steadily fiercer, lifting the two even higher above the floor, suspending them over the awe-stricken crowd watching silently below. The white aura surrounding them was blinding...the pressure and tingling of the healing forces vibrating every cell of her body. Kaitla felt as though her very soul was about to shatter. Unable to bear the roaring pressure any longer, Kaitla finally sobbed, “Stop!” Throwing her head back in search of release; Kaitla forced her eyes open, as she and Macvorn gently returned to the ground.

Breathless with exhaustion, Kaitla risked a glance at Macvorn, half-fearing to look at the man she still clutched in her arms. Stirring slightly in her lap, the hazel green eyes slowly opened to meet hers. “Ye own my very soul now, Kaitla,” Macvorn whispered hoarsely. “We are connected now and forever.” Amazement filling his face, Macvorn slowly sat up, feeling his chest for the non-existent wound. Awed whispers and murmuring swept through the crowd as Macvorn slowly stood then gallantly reached out to take Kaitla’s hand, helping her to her feet.

Drained and weak from the ordeal of the healing, Kaitla swayed perilously close to landing back on the floor. A familiar pair of strong arms immediately wrapped around her, steadying her protectively against his sturdy broad chest. “Are ye all right, lass?” Jared urgently whispered, turning her face up to frantically search her eyes with his own.

“
I th-think so,” Kaitla stammered, as she struggled to recover. Looking up into Jared’s concerned face, she wrinkled her brow in confusion as she found his strong jaw clenched in anger.

“
She’ll be fine, Jared. She’s simply a bit weakened from the power of her gifts,” Macvorn explained, as he gently placed a hand to Kaitla’s cheek and smiled affectionately into her eyes.

Arms tightening possessively around Kaitla, Jared’s eyes narrowed, his handsome face darkening at Macvorn’s affectionate gesture. Watching Macvorn’s healing had twisted Jared’s heart sickly within his chest. The bonding of the two within the aura had been almost more then he could bear, knowing that Kaitla would now forever have a connection with Macvorn unlike any that Jared could ever attain.

Uncomfortable in the center of this power struggle, Kaitla pushed herself unsteadily from Jared’s arms. Latching onto one of the huge padded chairs nearby, she struggled to maintain her composure. Glancing about in her giddiness, she vaguely noticed Etain studying Jared and Macvorn carefully. Laird Caymber also seemed to be sizing up the situation, hand to his chin, as he stroked his grizzled beard thoughtfully.

Pursing his lips tightly as he finally arrived at a decision, Laird Caymber broke free of his musings to help his daughter to her seat. In a tender fatherly gesture, Laird Caymber gently kissed Kaitla on the forehead, as he smoothed a stray tendril of hair away from her cheek. Turning to face the restless guests, he clapped his hands sharply, as he announced in his deep booming voice, “My friends, we have witnessed a great miracle. Let us now rejoice in all we have had restored to us.”

The crowd agreed with applause and cheers, as servants seemed to appear out of thin air to pass out glasses of bulana.

Still standing in front of Kaitla, Laird Caymber gently asked her, “Are ye well now, lass?” He studied her face carefully, still amazed at the powers possessed by his own child. He had heard of the prophecy since before she was born…but he’d never realized how gifted the child of this promise would be.

Still a bit shaken, Kaitla drew a deep breath, “I’m better now. Just a little flustered.” Her heart had finally slowed to a regular rhythm and the trembling of her body was barely noticeable. Looking up into her father’s concerned face, she attempted a shaky smile to reassure him. At a commotion of servants at the other end of the room, she jumped noticeably in her seat. Her eyes darted nervously around the room, warily scanning for more intruders bent on threatening her life.

Patting her hand reassuringly, Laird Caymber seated himself beside her, “Ravon willna’ try another attempt tonight,” he assured her, silently wondering how Ravon had engineered tonight’s nearly successful attack. “He’s nay so stupid as I’d like for him ta’ be.” Leaning across Kaitla, Laird Caymber grasped Macvorn’s hand firmly, “I thank ye brave lad for savin’ m’daughter. I’m in your debt, Macvorn.”

Bowing his head humbly, Macvorn replied quickly, “Nay, Laird Caymber, I’m the one indebted. Mistress Kaitla saved my life and took me to a spiritual level I’ve never been able to attain. I had no idea of the magnitude of the healing powers, even my spilled blood was caught up and restored ta’ me.” Macvorn spoke gently, his voice tinged with awe. Seated beside Kaitla, Macvorn caught her hand and clasped it fervently to his chest, “I fear I can never repay ye, Mistress,” he whispered, gazing intently into her eyes.

Blushing under Macvorn’s powerful gaze, Kaitla smiled shyly, “You risked your life to save mine,” she replied politely. Kaitla was uncomfortable at the center of so much attention. She consciously ignored the urge to glance at Jared’s face, knowing his agitation was mounting at Macvorn’s attentiveness toward her.

Noticing the strained quiet that had fallen over the room, Laird Caymber called to a thin man standing to the side of the tent, “Angus! Play for us, man and ease the chill of this hall!” At this request, the thin gangly Angus suddenly became animated, magically producing a violin upon which he began to play a lilting tune. The violin seemed to come alive in the hands of the talented Angus. Gawky and uncoordinated without his instrument, Angus became vibrant and bouncing with the first magical note. Everyone in the main chamber began to relax, breaking off into small groups milling about and discussing the unusual events of the evening.