Masque (27 page)

She nodded. “Exactly.”

He wrote down a word on his pad. “So, tell me what
happened.”

“Well, it wasn’t exactly planned.”

Ray chuckled. “Accidents rarely are.”

“We were testing things.” Valerie’s voice from across the
room was a sheer relief. She had always been the one faster on her feet.

“Testing things?”

Valerie had Ray’s full attention now. “Yes, you know,
clothes, furniture, weapons. There is a lot of old stuff in that abbey and we
were trying to figure out what worked and what didn’t.”

Rena caught on to Valerie’s story instantly. It was perfect!
“Yes, I wanted to plan a fun opening to the Abbey when it’s ready and thought
we’d have people dressed in period costume, maybe hold a mock duel, those kinds
of things. Really make a splash.”

“A splash. Right.” The officer wrote on his pad.

Valerie took it up from there. “Yes, did you see the clothes
he was wearing when he was shot? Rena, where are Synn’s clothes?”

“Umm, I think they are in this bag.” She moved over to a
dresser and removed Synn’s bloody ripped shirt and pants and boots.

Ray got up to take a look. “These look authentic and in
great shape.”

Rena smiled. “He was really handsome in them too.”

Synn broke in. “Rena, I don’t think the officer needs to
know how I look.”

Ray turned back to him with a chuckle. “That’s okay. The
woman is obviously smitten.”

Rena warmed with embarrassment, but she still took Synn’s
hand as he slipped it between hers and her sweatshirt.

“So, how did you get shot?”

The room went quiet as all four of them looked at each
other. Ray was friendly, but not slow. “Listen, folks, I can tell this was an
accident, no one will be going to jail for attempted murder. Just tell me who
did the shooting.”

“I did.”

Everyone turned to Jamie. Rena wanted to hug him, but
Valerie was staring at him open-mouthed. He ignored her. “I find weapons
fascinating. I have a few old guns and a saber from that era, but I don’t have bullets.
I didn’t even think something that had been around for over a century would be
loaded. I turned around with it and pulled the trigger to feel how it worked
and didn’t realize Synn had come back into the room.”

The officer scribbled his notes as Rena mouthed the words
“thank you” to Jamie.

When Ray looked up, he seemed satisfied. “So about how far
away were you from the victim?”

Jamie glanced at Synn. “I had just turned around, so I’m not
sure. What would you say, Synn?”

Synn moved his left arm and waved between them. “I would say
he was about double the length of this room.”

Ray’s eyes opened wide. “Double the length of this room?
That must be one big room.”

Synn grinned. “You should see this abbey.”

“I plan to. When will you open?”

Synn looked at Rena. “She’s in charge.”

She pointed to Valerie. “I may be in charge, but she’s
heading up the renovations.”

“Oh no, don’t put that kind of pressure on me.” Valerie
pointed to Jamie. “I’m waiting for him to finish the stonework so I can get the
rest of the electricity in.”

Ray put up his hands. “Okay, okay, just be sure to send me
an invite to this opening. In the meantime, I’ll file this report and stop by
in the next week or so to see the length of this room.” He stood and shook
Synn’s good hand. “Hope you feel better soon, son.” He nodded to Rena. “Ms.
Mills, keep that nephew of mine busy. He needs it.”

“I will, Ray.”

He grinned and left the room. Valerie slumped into his
vacated chair. Rena went over and hugged her. “That was brilliant.”

Synn lifted his hand. “Thank you, Jamie.”

Jamie shook it. “It was the least I could do. Besides, I’m
the one who is known in town and no one would ever accuse me of purposefully
shooting someone. I thought it best not to depend on them to exonerate all of
you.”

Rena gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I would have never
thought of that. Thank you.”

Valerie got up and took Jamie’s hand. “I think this has been
enough excitement for one day.” She looked up at him. “Take me back to the
Abbey, please. We need to let Matt know how Synn is and I think I need a
drink.”

Jamie grinned. “You got it. Get well, Synn.”

When they had left, Rena sat next to Synn’s bed and took his
hand again. She just didn’t want to let him go. “How are you feeling?”

He smirked. “Like I have a new family.”

“You do.” She looked down at his hand held in hers. “Do you
remember what I said before you collapsed?”

He removed his hand from hers and wrapped it around her
neck. “That you love me? Yes. Now come here and show me.”

She eagerly followed his urging and brought her lips to his,
but he pulled back a hairsbreadth. “I love you.”

Her heart leapt with joy and completion, and she kissed him
with all the love bubbling up inside her. When she was breathless and
weak-kneed, she fell back in the chair, but held tight to his hand.

His eyes were closed and his breathing already returning to
a normal rhythm. He would have a lot of adjusting to do, but with his
intelligence, it shouldn’t be too hard. As she gazed at him, she couldn’t help
feeling lucky. He may be from a completely different century, but he was
everything she wanted in more ways than one…actually seven and counting.

Synn opened the door to the chapel. “I don’t think he’s
going to grace us with his presence.”

She sighed for the third time in the last ten minutes.
“Maybe, but I still think we should call him. You realize every time we have
been here it has always been some kind of crisis. I think he deserves to hear
good news as well.”

They walked down the aisle together and stopped at the
altar. She placed their joined hands on it and felt the vibration. “See, there
is something special about this altar.”

Synn released her hand and placed both of his on it. “You’re
right. You think it’s a way to call Father Richard, don’t you?”

She stepped back. “Or something. I’m not sure.”

He joined her. “I still don’t think he will find this
important enough to come.”

A whiff on incense permeated the air just before they heard
the voice behind them. “Of course I’d come.”

Synn spun around and Rena grinned. “Thank you, Father
Richard. I had faith you would.”

He put his hand on her shoulder, but the peace he offered
was no different than the peace she already felt. “Thank you, dear.” He turned
and laid a hand on Synn’s arm. “And what about you, still no faith I’d arrive?”

Synn chuckled. “Actually, I knew you would, just to prove me
wrong.” As the two men shook hands, Rena watched. At least one of Synn’s old
friends was still here.

Father Richard clasped his hands together in front of him.
“So, what is it you have to tell me?”

They looked at each other, but Synn squeezed her hand, so
she spoke. “We are getting married.”

“Wonderful! Perfect!” Father Richard embraced her. “I knew
you were the one from the beginning. You have a good heart. Congratulations, my
dear.”

“Thank you. We were going to get married here and wanted to
ask your permission to use the chapel.”

The priest was silent for a moment. Rena swore she saw his
eyes mist, but couldn’t be sure. He did swallow hard before speaking. “I would
love for you to be married in my chapel.”

Synn pulled her tight against his side. “I would like you to
be here if you can.”

Now she was absolutely sure Father Richard’s eyes watered.
“You honor me with your request and I wouldn’t miss it, but I won’t be visible.
It’s not allowed.”

“Not allowed?” Synn asked what Rena would have.

“No. We have rules too, just like I couldn’t tell you why
you were stuck in this abbey all these years.”

Synn shrugged. “I already knew that. I was cursed for
killing everyone here with the Red Death.”

“No, Synn, you were blessed.”

“What? You call that a blessing?”

Father Richard suddenly looked a bit uncomfortable and
Rena’s stomach tightened as he continued. “The plan was for you to carry the
Red Death into the Abbey. Then everyone would die and cross over, but I hadn’t
counted on the strength of the prince, some of which he passed to Eric before
he crossed.”

Synn tensed next to her, anger radiating from him. “What do
you mean, plan?”

Father Richard took a step back. “Certain forces of good had
decided that those who followed the prince needed to be punished, and you were
chosen as the instrument since you already planned to enter the Abbey, but you
weren’t supposed to be shot and the spirits weren’t supposed to be stranded on
this plane. When you were shot, you would have died and I couldn’t let that
happen, so you and the Abbey moved into a timeless place, except you were able
to feel time pass. There was nothing that could be done about that.”

Synn let go of her hand and balled his fists. “Are you
telling me that I was used to kill those people? That it wasn’t me all this
time? And you never told me?”

Father Richard raised his brows and shrugged. “Those are the
rules. I knew that as soon as you completed the Masque with someone to satiate
the evil intention of the Abbey, you would find peace and be released. It was
the best I could do with what I had.”

Synn stepped forward as Father Richard stepped back.

Rena stepped between them, her heart aching for Synn and all
he’d had to bear. “Synn, listen to the man. He was trying to help.”

He took his gaze from the priest and turned it on her. “I
was used and I blamed myself all these years. Rena, it’s been over one hundred
fifty years!”

She kept her voice low. “I know you suffered, but if you
hadn’t, we would never have met.”

Synn’s stance relaxed. “And I may have never known what love
meant. Not the way I was living.”

She nodded, letting him process the new information.

“I would never have come to understand the value of all
people either.”

She felt Father Richard touch her shoulder as he stepped
closer. Synn moved his gaze from her to the priest. “I wouldn’t have made the
friends I did, or have a purpose in my life.”

The priest spoke. “Or found the happiness you deserve.”

Synn’s face hardened again. “But you let me wallow in
guilt.” The tone of his voice was as much hurt as angry and Rena wanted to cry.

Father Richard stepped around her. “I’m sorry for that. I
tried to tell you so often that it was not your fault, but you wouldn’t listen
and I was bound by the rules. If you want to take a swing at me, feel free.”

Synn stepped back and smirked. “Nice try, old man, but I
know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of your fist and I prefer not to
provoke you.”

Father Richard blushed. “Yes, well, I behaved badly, but you
got me very angry. Can I make it up to you in some small way?”

Synn looked askance at the man. “In what way were you
thinking? You’ll have to excuse me if I’m a little leery of your efforts to
help me.”

Father Richard nodded. “Understandable, but what I offer is
to marry you and Rena right now, here in the chapel. It would of course be a
spiritual ceremony and you would have to make it legal in this country, but it
would be more binding.”

Rena sucked in her breath. Instinctively, she understood
that what Father Richard offered was a unique experience. Synn looked at her
and raised his brow. She nodded to his unspoken question.

He returned his gaze to the priest. “Can you guarantee that
nothing will go wrong if you marry us?”

Father Richard smiled. “That I can do.”

“Then we would be honored.”

Rena wrapped her arms around Synn as Father Richard clapped
his hands. “Excellent! Then come and stand before the altar.”

Rena and Synn stood together on one side of the white marble
and Father Richard stood on the other. She shivered a little inside. “Father,
don’t we need a witness?”

Father Richard looked up. “No dear. You already have one.”

Not sure what he meant and almost afraid to think about it,
she clasped her hand with Synn’s as Father Richard began.

During the ceremony, she became distracted by a white glow
coming from the priest himself. She looked at Synn and he shrugged, but after
they said “I do” she noticed a distinct shimmer of wings appear behind Father
Richard. Startled, she glanced at Synn. His eyes were wide as he stared. He
turned and faced her, his brow concerned.

“I now pronounce you man and wife for now and forever. You
may kiss the bride.”

Synn looked once more to the priest, who nodded vigorously.
Then he took her in his arms and kissed her, and all thoughts fled as his love
and passion flowed through her.

When Synn released her, he scooped her into his arms and
turned toward the priest, but he was gone. He shook his head. “I think I
learned more about this particular friend than I ever expected today. Shall we
go celebrate?”

Rena wrapped her arms around his neck and gazed at him.
“Yes, please.”

He grinned and turned to walk down the aisle. “Which room
would you like to celebrate in? I believe we have them all to ourselves…at
least for tonight.”

“I think I’d like to christen the pond, if that’s all right
with you.”

Synn laughed, the joy of having found his perfect mate
through the Masque flooding him with happiness. “You have discovered my secret
wish. I will do all I can to pleasure you in your preferred venue, Mrs.
MacAllistair.”

She nodded once, regally. “Good.”

Halfway to the door, he glanced up at the archangel on the
ceiling to smile in the face of his disapproval, but stopped. The angel’s face
wasn’t stern anymore. It had the slightest of smiles, but that couldn’t be. It
was a painting. He stared closely. Hell, if the lips hadn’t changed he was a
Philadelphia lawyer.

Rena stared up too. “Synn, what is it?”

He shook his head. There were some things he wasn’t sure he
wanted to know. “I think I’ve just realized how special this place is.”

“You mean the chapel?”

He kissed her on the nose and grinned. “The whole abbey,
especially, the Black Room. Especially with you.”

She smiled wide and laid her head on his shoulder as he
carried her out of the chapel. He would always be thankful he had built the
little place of worship, and he would always be grateful for the Masque. Only
through the motions of masked passion had he been able to find the one
ingredient that could bring true fulfillment. Love.

The End