The Curse (18 page)

When she finally spoke again, her words were carefully chosen. “I will bring you back up into the tower
if
you swear to help me fulfill the curse … on
my
time frame.”

He’d given up explainin’ that the prophecy was no a curse, but to argue that point would only waste time an’ breath. He’d taken to callin’ it a curse just to quiet her yapping.

Acceptin’ her offer without bein’ clear on one point would be foolish. “Whether I agree to that or no, ya canna fulfill the curse without my help.” He gave her a moment to swallow that medicine before adding, “But in a show of good faith, I will tell ya what ya need to know about the Alterants
if
ya lift the ward on the cell and free me. ’Tis somethin’ only I know.”

Silence hushed across the cool stone walls and floor for several long seconds before she said, “Agreed. Don’t make me regret this or Kizira will pay.”

“Understood.” He had no doubt Flaevynn would sacrifice their only child for her own goals. She’d used Kizira to trap him down here an’ believed he would forfeit his daughter just as quickly in pursuit of
his
goals.

How little Flaevynn knew of him, even after six centuries.

Power flushed through the dungeon as Flaevynn destroyed the ward that had prevented him from teleporting out before now.

He took his time, freshenin’ up at his small sink and mirror, trimmin’ his beard and smoothin’ back his wavy, black hair. He smiled into the mirror at the handsome image that dinna look a day over thirty-five. Then he stepped to the center of the room and waved his hand up and down once in front of his body. His black robe disappeared, replaced by a fresh suit, the first he’d worn in two years.

Nice to have access to all of his powers again.

He’d been surprised when Flaevynn ha allowed Kizira to bring him robes to wear when he’d first been imprisoned, but realized later that Flaevynn ha done so to make a point. She wanted Kizira to see Cathbad brought low, provin’ to Kizira that if Flaevynn could trap a powerful druid, she could do anythin’.

But she can no rush the curse timeline without my help
.

“Cathbad!”

“I know ya miss me, woman, but be patient. I’m on my way.”

Sharp lightnin’ bolts shot about the room, forcin’ him ta duck his head as he chuckled. She cared for no man beyond what swung between his legs and, in Cathbad’s case, only for what he could do ta save her from dyin’ accordin’ ta the prophecy.

The Curse, as she called it.

Amused by the woman’s temper, he took a moment to close the heavy book he’d been readin’. The swirlin’ purple material coverin’ the book had a raised silver image. Two snakes entwined in a vertical mirror image. Each asp ate its own tail … an ouroboros, which represented the cycle of life to death to life. The snakes circled a Medb sword.

Cathbad passed his hand over the cover, changing the exterior to a worn leather finish with the colorful image of a bard playin’ a flute. The spell he’d used would alter the contents visually, shroudin’ everythin’ real in a glamour that hid the true information to all but him.

Druids were no known for keepin’ written records, but bards scribbled stories all the time, and this one told a fascinatin’ tale about beasts.

A tale that explained missin’ pieces about the Alterants.

He chuckled again.

Ha the original Cathbad intended to keep this bard’s tale secret or ha this been given to the bard to write down for a future Cathbad descendant wise enough to decipher the connection between this tale an’ the prophecy?

It does no matter either way so long as I am the last Cathbad the Druid, the one ta find immortality.

He hummed as he tidied the cell. The time had come for the prophecy to be fulfilled, and no just because Flaevynn wanted it to be so.

He believed the original Cathbad the Druid must ha intended that the curse should come ta fruition now since the Alterants were bein’ revealed. Hard ta know what the original Medb queen an’ Cathbad the Druid ha planned, but he was sure the book he’d just bespelled held the key to unlockin’ the curse.

When Flaevynn snooped through his chamber, an’ she would, she’d take one look at the bawdy poems and bypass that book as frivolous entertainment for a man left alone.

She would likely no figure out what he ha discerned from studyin’ the words over and over for months. Odd poetry with cryptic messages, which supplied the missin’ key to the curse, words struck as a pact between the original Cathbad the Druid and first Medb queen from which today’s Medb Coven arose.

They’d been a wily pair, those two. Leavin’ enough hints for each of the future queens of the Medb, such as Flaevynn, ta try outsmartin’ the curse and gain immortality. But all the queens, except Flaevynn, ha been lulled into a false security by no knowin’ their true birth dates and they’d died, leavin’ the throne to their daughters as decreed in the curse.

But when Flaevynn discovered she’d been lied to about her birth date, she refused to uphold her vow and give the sacred words to Kizira on the day Kizira was accepted as a priestess. If Flaevynn ha, Kizira would become the next Medb queen upon Flaevynn’s death.

If Flaevynn died, she wanted no other to rule after her.

But if she did no figure out how to reach the final step of the curse before her 666th birthday in less than two weeks, she would die.

And he would die one day later.

He sighed and rubbed his forehead. That ha been his one mistake. Flaevynn would no have learned her true birth date if no for usin’ sex to catch him at a weak moment when all the blood in his brain went to the wee head between his legs.

But he would share no detail about the curse with Flaevynn a minute too soon … and only then if he could no find a way to take Treoir Castle from the Beladors without her help.

Smilin’, Cathbad prepared to teleport and blinked once. When he opened his eyes, he found Flaevynn standin’ with arms crossed near her waterfall built of precious stones.

Orange sparks shot from her purple gaze. Black hair coiled and moved down the back of a queen as beautiful as she was deadly. Dark purple lips snarled, “What took you so long?”

“Packin’, cleanin’ up behind the movers, fillin’ out a forwardin’ address card for—”

“Oh, shut up, would you?”

“Then no ask me a question.” He took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air of freedom in Tŵr Medb, the coven’s tower hidden away on a dimension parallel to the human world. “Is Kizira no here?”

“She’s on her way, but there’s no reason to wait for her.” Flaevynn floated away from the massive wall where water rolled down a dazzlin’ array of diamonds, emeralds, rubies … every precious stone imaginable piled high an’ catchin’ the light of hundreds of candles flickerin’ in her private quarters.

He asked, “What happened with the myst ya released?”

Flaevynn settled on her elaborate throne carved in the shape of a gold dragon with its head curved over the top of hers, protective an’ forbidding. Green dragon eyes glowed and shifted to face Cathbad when Flaeyvnn scowled. “That female Alterant with the Beladors destroyed the myst. Wiped it off the face of the earth.”

That surprised him. “Evalle? How could she ha done so?”

“Kizira said the VIPER Tribunal gave her three gifts for hunting Tristan and his cohorts. Evalle used one of the gifts to destroy the myst forever.”

“Ah. Quite the wise one.” He tapped his chin.

“Don’t be impressed. She got lucky, and luck will only take you so far.”

He would disagree that it ha been mere luck, but appeasin’ Flaevynn suited his purpose more at the moment than antagonizin’ her. “You did no ha to release the fog so early.”

Turnin’ a furious gaze on him, she snarled, “It would have worked if that Alterant hadn’t been given the power of
three
deities. The sentient fog was flush with violence, making Rías change, so Alterants would have, too. With a little more time, we’d have found all five green-eyed Alterants.”

“’Tis no what I mean when I said you no ha to release it yet. Those Alterants will be drawn to the home of this Evalle.”

“Why?” Flaevynn sat up, face alert with curiosity, remindin’ him of the gorgeous creature he’d been enthralled by as a young fool.

But her eyes turned deep violet with smug knowledge. He’d bet she already
knew
Alterants were bein’ drawn to Evalle.

“I ha unwoven a twist in the … curse,” he explained. “’Twas written that the green-eyed Alterants will be drawn ta the home of a female Alterant who stands alone with the Beladors. Some will join her an’ some will fight her.”

“I had an idea that might be the case.”

This time, he pretended surprise. “Why would you be knowin’ that?”

“Don’t like it when someone else is a step ahead of you?” She laughed, and the sound echoed with the sharp caw of a crow. “We observed two Alterants who have fought the urge to go to Atlanta when they weren’t conscious of their actions.”

Cathbad gave an admirin’ nod, maskin’ his pleasure at confirmin’ how little she really knew.
Time ta gain Flaevynn’s respect so she’ll keep her word an’ work with me
.

“’Tis good, Flaevynn. This female Alterant Evalle is evolvin’ faster than the other Alterants even though she may no realize it until her gifts are tested. When the other Alterants shift into beasts, they may challenge her at first before they end up followin’ her … if she does no ha ta kill them. You may no want ta hear this, but we must be patient ta find all five.”

Flaevynn smiled, her face aglow with arrogant pleasure. “While you sat around reading,
I
have been productive. Those two I mentioned that feel drawn to Atlanta? I captured those Alterants
and
Evalle.”

He remained calm to keep his power from shakin’ the room. The fool ha captured the female Alterant? The magnet needed ta draw the other four? “Holdin’ Evalle will no help us.”

“I know that. Kizira set up a ruse to convince Evalle that she had to find the other Alterants before we did, then had our warlocks attack so that Evalle
thinks
she escaped. She is now back in Atlanta overseeing the hunt for the Alterants.”

He had to give her credit. No a bad plan. “Well done, Flaevynn.”

“Of course.” She preened.

Since she’d had the female Alterant in hand, she should be able to answer another question for him. “What did this Evalle’s aura look like?”

Flaevynn stared off for a moment, thinkin’. “Kizira mentioned it was bright gold. Said she thought that odd.”

“No silver?”

“No. Why?”

“That means she’s begun evolvin’.”

“Into what?”

Oh, he would no tell her that yet. “I do no ha all that figured out yet, but will soon. If ya still ha the female Alterant in hand, I might ha been able ta study her. But for now ’tis best you leave her be so she will draw in the other four we need.”

“We’ll have her back soon. Once she finds
two
more green-eyed Alterants, we’ll recapture Evalle with them.”

He hid his smile. Just two more? Could Flaevynn really have two of the five? He nodded. “Time’s a wastin’. I need ta see these other two ya ha captured.”

Movin’ back to her waterfall, Flaevynn lifted her hands an’ closed her eyes. She swayed in a trance in front of the wall of water she used for scrying. When she opened her eyes and said, “There you go,” the image of a blond-haired man and a young woman with kinky, brown hair appeared, each in a separate room.

Cathbad studied them silently.

Flaevynn finally turned to him. “Well?”

“I applaud your ingenuity in capturin’ them, but neither of those two is one of the five Alterants we need for the curse.”

“What?” Malevolence twisted Flaevynn’s face. She lifted a lethal black fingernail that sparkled with inlaid diamonds. “You lie.”

“I ha no lied to ya. Pointin’ a weapon at me is no a good way ta gain my aid.” He let his tone tell her he would no tolerate threats now that he ha
his
powers again.

When she lowered her finger, he said, “But ’tis not all bad news. There is a use for these two once we ha the others. And you’ll be needin’ me when it’s time ta recapture Evalle.”

She warned, “I am not waiting any longer.”

“Ya ha no choice, Flaevynn.”

“You think not?” She tossed her head to one side, her wild black hair flutterin’. “I will not risk my future solely on these five Alterants.”

“Now ya make no sense.”

“I have another plan in motion. I may capture Treoir before Evalle finds the other Alterants.”

He ha no thought her capable of doin’ more than carryin’ out harmless harebrained schemes, but he’d been gone for two years. She might surprise him. “And how would ya be capturin’ Treoir any other way than by the curse?”

“I came up with a brilliant plan.” That coy expression would be charmin’ on another woman, but on Flaevynn it meant she merely rewrote the truth.

Disbelief rolled through Cathbad’s voice. “By yourself?”

“Oh, all right. Kizira did help a bit. For all that she lacks in other ways, she is quite the strategist.”

He agreed about Kizira’s ability to plan, but disagreed with the rest of Flaevynn’s assessment. Their daughter ha many strong qualities, her only flaw bein’ her soft heart. “What plan did Kizira create?”

“
I’m
the one who came up with using Svart trolls to do my bidding, but I admit that she had a couple of good suggestions.”

“You brought Svarts into this?” He hoped Kizira was no tryin’ to play a shell game with Flaevynn. “What were you thinkin’ ta bring in those nasty creatures?”

Flaevynn’s glare could melt steel. “That the Svarts will be able to locate the Alterants first.”

“At what cost?”

She balked at answering.

“Do no play with me, Flaevynn, if ya want me to tell ya all the curse.”

“All right!” She spread her fingers, nails sharpenin’ into claws. “The Svarts want that human country for some reason.”

“Which country?”

“Where the female Alterant lives.”

“An’ face the strongest VIPER division in the human world?” Cathbad put his hand to his forehead. “Do the Svarts realize the number of pantheons aligned with VIPER?”