Soul Magic (29 page)

“Cannot leave?  Why not?”

“If I try, they will hurt the lady.  She was nice to me.”

“The lady?”  He had to mean Rowena, Darrick’s mother.

“Yes.  The bad man told me he would hurt her.”  Caradoc’s ancient-childish eyes went round.  “She is nice and is my friend.  She looked after me until Morfran took her with him.  Gorsedd said `twould be all my fault if he killed her.”

“How would he know?”

Caradoc’s lower lip trembled.  “Whenever I use my magic, Gorsedd can sense it.  He says it takes away from his own strength.  When I forget, sometimes he makes his displeasure known.”

Filing away the information for future use, Geoffrey took a deep breath.  Never before had he been first to arrive, ahead of Darrick and the others, but he knew any knowledge of the enemy he could gather in advance would help.

“Is Morfran here?”

“Here?”  Arms out, Caradoc turned in a slow circle.  “Not here.  But he is on the big island with Gorsedd.”

“Gorsedd.”  Thus had Alanna named her enemy.  “He is fae, is he not?”

“I think so.  Yes.  And he’s a bad man.”  Caradoc shivered.  “Evil makes a black cloud around him.  How long `til my mother comes to get me?”

How long?  When the dragon had taken him, Darrick and Alanna had still been inland.  Had they yet reached St. Bees Head and purchased a boat?  Did they even now cross the choppy waters of the Irish Sea?

“Soon,” Geoffrey promised.  “Your mother will be here soon.  Now let’s see if we can wake your Aunt Sarina.”

                                          *    *    *    *

Though he kept his face averted, the stiff set of Darrick’s shoulders showed clearly his tension.  Not knowing if her touch helped or not, Alanna kept her firm grip on his hand and spoke in soothing tones.  Though not one for meaningless talk, there were times when such rambling was needed.  So she commented on the unusual warmth of the weather, the cloudless sky, the brilliant jades and blues of the murky water.  The birds still circling in the sky, and they way their cries grew fainter.  Whether or not there were many fish in the water below them, and how long the water crossing would take.

Though she suspected he listened, Darrick didn’t even grunt in response.  He kept a still-silent Ellette close and stared at the horizon.  When they finally rocked their way to shore, Alanna noted his pallor seemed tinged with green. 

Nevertheless, he gently handed Ellette back to her and made sure of the child’s comfort.  As they hit bottom, Darrick was first to scramble from the boat.  Splashing in the shallow water, he pulled them to shore with a rope conveniently tied to the prow. 

The rest of his men then jumped up and out of the boat, leaving Alanna and Ellette inside.

Expression inscrutable, Darrick took Alanna’s arm and helped her stand.  Easily she found her feet, though Ellette wound her arms tightly around her neck.  Darrick’s gaze touched on the girl and Alanna would have sworn she saw fondness in his gaze. 

“I have her.”  Alanna said, glad to see some of his color had returned.  The boat rocked as a small wave buffeted it, and she was glad of his steadying hand. Leaning in, he reached around her waist, lifting her and Ellette over the shallow water and swinging her until her feet were on the beach.

Once they were all on dry land, the boat simply winked out of existence.

Darrick laughed, shaking his head.

Two of the men crossed themselves.  The others appeared resigned, these small bits of magic apparently having become part of their lives.

“So this is the Isle of Man.”  Already she felt the faint tingling in her blood that signaled power.  “What I’ve heard about this place
is
true.  The earth radiates with energy.”

Studying the green hills and curving beach, Darrick nodded.  “The rocky shoreline looks long.  Which way?”

Alanna closed her eyes.  Conscious of the too-still child in her arms, she sought her center, where she’d always before been able to find any answer she sought, even if it was the wrong one.  With magic thrumming in the earth, to do so should be a simple thing.

Yet all she could think about was her son.  So close. 

Concentrate
.  She pictured Caradoc, and tried to determine where he might be.

Nothing.  Only the faint hum and resonation of power.

“I don’t know,” she finally had to admit.

If her answer disappointed Darrick, he did not say.  “Very well.”  Scanning the rolling hills behind the beaches of the Isle of Mann, he pointed. 

“We’ll try this way.”

             
                            *    *    *    *

No matter how many times Geoffrey called her name, Sarina lay limp and unresponsive.  Struggling not to show his despair, Geoffrey took a deep breath and murmured another quick prayer.  Alanna’s son stood behind him, silently watching.

“May I try and--?”

“No.”  Geoffrey heard fierce dejection in own his voice.  He straightened his shoulders, forcing his expression to relax.  “Though her sleep is deep, I think she will awaken on her own.”

Solemn-faced, Caradoc nodded.  He took a small step forward, then another.  When he reached Sarina’s side, he peered down at her, pensive. 

Slowly he extended his hand, not touching her, merely hovering over her.  Standing this way, he moved his hand from the top of her head all the way to her feet, taking little sideways steps so that he could encompass the entire length of her body.  To Geoffrey it looked as though Caradoc thought he could sweep whatever ailed her away with the motions of his small hand.

Maybe he could.  He was half-Fae, after all.

Feeling hope for the first time since the dragon had grabbed her, Geoffrey held his breath.

Caradoc continued his strange dance.

Still Sarina did not move.

Another moment, another motion of hands and fingers and muttered words.  Geoffrey could have sworn he saw a faint glow, like the flickering of banked embers, follow the child’s hand.

“My magic will not work on her.”  Caradoc shook his head, frowning.  “When the bad man hurt Lady Rowena, I was able to heal her with my touch. I know not why I cannot do the same for my aunt.  Mayhap whatever ails her is too deep for even my touch.”

There was a certain arrogance in the words, a sense of self much more mature than any five year old.  Geoffrey measured the child, knowing his chronological age, and wondered again. 

Just then, the rock shook, as though the earth herself protested. 

With a cry of frustration, Caradoc planted his feel and stood his ground.  Once the tremors eased, he shot Geoffrey a rueful smile.

“Each time I use the magic, Gorsedd knows.”

Geoffrey frowned.  “That shuddering of the ground--”

“Is Gorsedd, making his displeasure known.  His power grows daily.”

While Geoffrey didn’t entirely grasp – nor care about – the intricate nuances of this legend Alanna believed in, he know enough to understand that Gorsedd’s increasing power did not bode well for the human race.

And the hope of the Fae rested on what – this child?

“What of your power?”  Geoffrey kept his expression neutral, as though the boy’s answer did not matter.

“Oh, I feel my strength more and more with each sun rise.  That’s why,” he indicated Sarina, “I can’t understand why my magic won’t work on her.”

“Give it time.  Perhaps she sleeps because her body needs healing.”

“I do not know if my aunt will revive.”  Caradoc continued as though Geoffrey had not spoken, sorrow deepening his youthful voice.

              “She will wake.”  Geoffrey felt certain of it.  All that remained to be seen was the when and the how.  God wouldn’t have let him find her only to rip her away before he had even a chance to tell her his feelings.

             
Walking quietly, Caradoc slipped outside, leaving them alone. 

             
Still, Sarina’s chest rose and fell with each breath.  Her heart continued to beat steadily. 

             
“How lovely you are, even in sleep,” Geoffrey told her, dropping to his knees alongside her inert form.  He reached out, his hand trembling, and stroked the silk of her dark hair. “But then you know are always beautiful to me.”

             
No response.  His heart ached.  How Sarina would have loved to hear such words from him.  Well he could picture her amused reaction to his heartfelt compliments – the way she’d toss her long hair over her shoulder, how wonderful her deep laugh would sound, coming up from her belly to her full lips.  Always she was so full of life, elemental and joyful and coyly mysterious all at the same time.

             
Sarina. 

             
How he loved this woman.

             
Loved? Shocked, Geoffrey rocked back on his heels. 
Loved
?  The thought shook the core of him. 

             
Loved.

             
He grew calm, studying her, watching the shallow rise and fall of her chest, the translucent purity of her creamy skin, and he knew this thing, this wondrous emotion, was true. 

             
Love
.

             
He loved Sarina.  He didn’t want to think about what his life would be like without her.  Life?  Nay, a world without Sarina in it would be only a pale imitation of the vibrant place it could be. 

             
Leaning close, he inhaled her fragrance.  The feminine musk had always seemed exotic to him – sensual and real, as the woman herself.

             
“Sarina.”  Placing a gentle kiss on her unresponsive lips, he let his breath mingle with hers.  “You are my life and my love.  Please wake for me.  Please.”

             
Nothing.

             
He sat back, deeply disappointed.  Had he really been so naive as to think it would be that simple?  That a kiss from her one true love – assuming she felt the same as he – would be magic enough to wake her?

             
Nothing in life had ever come easily to him.  Why should things be different now?

             
“My mother comes.”  Caradoc’s voice, high-pitched and yet certain, came from the doorway.

             
Geoffrey rose, unembarrassed at the possibility that Caradoc had heard him.  He accepted the child’s words as truth.  “Alanna comes?  What of Darrick?” 

             
The boy cocked his shaggy head, his expression far away.  The slant of his cheekbones, the deep cleft of his chin seemed oddly familiar.  With a start Geoffrey realized Caradoc had parts of Darrick’s face, his features.  Perhaps it was true and Caradoc was his son rather than Morfran’s.  He looked much as Darrick had when they were small children together. 

             
Caradoc wrinkled his freckled nose.  “My mother travels with many.”

             
“Aye.”

             
“They cross the sea.”  A look of satisfaction crossed the boy’s expression.  “The storm has gone away and the waves have calmed.  I hope it stays that way.  Oh, I hope Gorsedd does not find out about their passage.”

             
Geoffrey reached for the hilt of his sword, finding reassurance in the smooth metal feel of it.  “Where might I find this Gorsedd?” he asked.  “He and I have something to settle.”

             
                                          *    *    *    *

             
As badly as Darrick wanted to find Geoffrey and Sarina, as well as Caradoc and his mother, he knew they might have to face Gorsedd first.  His only hope was that Morfran had already joined him, so Darrick could deal with both his enemies at the same time.

             
If he were so lucky.

             
Dark would be upon them soon.  In this unfamiliar territory, they would need to stop for the night soon.

             
The faint scent of flowers reached him.  Alanna.  Turning, he saw she had come up beside him, her lovely face thoughtful.  She still carried Ellette.  As usual, the little girl clung to Alanna.

Reaching out, he took the unresisting child from her.  Ellette continued sucking her thumb with her eyes closed.

Alanna tilted her head, her expression bemused. 

             
“You looked like you needed to rest,” he said in explanation. 

             
“Oh.”  Stretching, she rolled her shoulders, drawing his gaze to her slender shape.  “Thank you.”

             
He shifted Ellette to get her more comfortable.  He didn’t like the way the little girl had become totally unresponsive ever since the dragon’s attack. Though Alanna seemed to feel Ellette would be fine, he wondered.

             
“What now?”  Wrapping her arms around her middle, Alanna hugged herself. “We’re here.  This island can’t be that big.  How can we find Caradoc?  I need to see my son.”