Vision in Faith (Legends of the North Book 3) (18 page)

In the picture, the woman's arm was raised, her palm resting on a stone pillar and there, on her middle finger, was the ring Vicky had seen on her mother's dresser a thousand times.
 

She brushed her fingers across the glass as James said, "That was my gran. She could only have been in her twenties when that was taken."

Vicky looked up as he spoke and handed the photo to Emma, who had moved to look over her shoulder at the picture. "I don't understand," Vicky said as Emma took the frame from her. "If your gran… If the ring was your gran's, then why does my mum have it? She never wears it, but it's on her dresser and she told me it belonged to her mother."

James's brows drew down and he rubbed at his stubbled chin. "I don't know. But maybe you need to speak to your mum."

"Maybe you should see if she'll give you the ring," Matt added. "It might come in handy. You never know."

***

The day after Vicky found the sword, she sat at the kitchen table as her mum whipped up the ingredients for something in her favourite ceramic bowl. She had flour smeared across her cheek and a flowery apron wrapped around her waist.

They were from completely different eras, but she couldn't imagine her life without her mum.
 

"I'm making a batch of cookies for the church. They're having a bake sale this weekend. You should come. You could bring that man of yours."

She glanced up at her mum, who was flashing her the biggest smile.
Oh no. She can probably hear wedding bells and the patter of little feet.
 

But then Vicky realised that the weekend would be the last before the Festival of Torches—Nemoralia—and if Matt was right, the last weekend before whatever was coming for them would probably show its ugly face.

It could be the last weekend she ever got to spend with her mum. Swallowing the lump of emotion in her throat and blinking rapidly, she forced a smile to her lips. Clearing her throat, she said, "I'd love to. And I'm sure James would too."

Her mum clapped her hands together and waved the wooden spoon in her direction with a giggle.
A giggle.
Her mum was easily pleased, but then again when was the last time she'd brought a man home? All she had left to do was bring up the subject of the ring.
 

She rubbed a finger around the rim of her cup as she listened to her mum hum some random tune. "Mum?"

"Mmhmm." When Vicky didn't say anything, her mum stopped mixing the dough to turn and look at her. "What is it, love?"

"I was just wondering… about gran's ring."

She sat next to her and said, "What about it?"

"Do you know where she got it from?"

"Harry had it with him when he died. Your gran assumed he was going to give it to her, but she didn't know where he got it, or how he could afford it. Wait here."

 
Vicky watched as she left the room then listened to her feet on the stairs and then the creaky ceiling above her.
 

When her mum sat back down next to her, she held out the ring. "Take it. I should have given it to you years ago. It doesn't fit me, and it was always my intention to give it to you if you… when you got married."

Vicky raised one eyebrow as she glanced at her mum because she hadn't missed her slip. She took the ring and held it up close to her eye. The carvings around the band were just like the ones on the sword. One set looked like two ropes entwined, the other like the picture mazes she used to draw her way out of as a kid.

"If?"

"Well, we—" Vicky smiled as her mum huffed "—
I
wasn't sure you wanted to get married. I know you think your dad and I are old-fashioned, but there's a lot to be said for the sanctity of marriage. Anyway, you've got James now…"

Vicky laughed then clapped her hand over her mouth when her mum frowned at her. "I'm sorry, mum. It's just you couldn't be more wrong. I don't think you and dad are old-fashioned, and I envy what you two have. Or I used to."

Her mum's face lit up, and she grabbed Vicky's hand that wasn't holding the ring. "James?"

Vicky could feel the heat in her cheeks but nodded anyway as her mum squealed.

"I knew it. The way he looks at you, he's such a smitten kitten."

"Mum!"
 

"What? A blind man could see it."

Vicky's brow furrowed at that saying, but she let it go as she tried to stop the smug smile and failed miserably.

"He's the one, isn't he? Maybe now was the right time to give you that ring."

Vicky wasn't sure about that. Marriage?
 

She was sure about James though. That much she knew.

***

It wasn't that cold in the cottage, but James built a small fire anyway as he waited for Vicky to get back home.
Home?
Shit. That word had just slipped into his thoughts.
 

Teazle dropped at his feet as the flames crackled around the log, and he gave her belly a rub as she lay only inches from the grate. He added another log and sat on the balls of his feet as he stared into the flames. Not until he heard the closing of the front door did he realise that he'd been lost in their hypnotic dance.

He stood as Vicky made her way towards him and he held out his arms to her. She wrapped her own around his waist and he pulled her against his chest. And when she laid her head against his shoulder, he didn't care what it took; he would make sure she was safe from whatever was coming.

When her body started to shake, he tried to pull back from her so he could look at her, but she just tightened her grip on him. "What's wrong, Vicky?"

She let him go and sniffled as he gently pulled her down on the sofa with him, keeping one arm around her. When he noticed her fingers start to move, he went to grab her hand. He saw she was wearing his gran's ring and his breath caught.

He didn't know why, but that felt like a big deal to him. And surprisingly right, as though his gran would approve of Harry's granddaughter wearing her ring.

Shifting on the cushion, he bent one leg underneath him and draped his arm over the back of the sofa so he could face Vicky. With his thumb, he gently wiped the tears away, twining his fingers in her hair with his other hand. Resting his forehead against hers, he brushed his lips against hers as he said, "Your mum gave you the ring."

With a nod, she said, "Apparently, that was always her plan."

"So, why are you crying?"

She leaned her head back against his arm that was draped over the sofa and closed her eyes. "It's just… this was your gran's ring. And the only way I can see that Harry would have it was if she gave it to him when he died, so maybe he could still have a piece of her even though they weren't together. Could never be together."

A tear leaked out of her closed eyes as she took a shaky breath. "God, it's just so sad. Harry was already married to my gran, but who knows what would've happened if he hadn't died, if my grandma hadn't been pregnant. If your family had allowed…Life's just too short not to go after what you want from it, even shorter for Harry, and maybe even for us."

She opened her eyes and they sparkled with the unshed tears as she gazed at him. "I don't want to waste what time I might have left, James. If I die, or God forbid you do, I don't want you wondering or to regret the fact I never told you how I feel. I love you. And even—"

"Don't do this, Vicky. Nothing is going to happen to you, do you hear me? When you die, it will be as an old lady, asleep in your bed." That got a smile from her.
 

"It's true though, James. I realised it as I was talking to my mum. I do love you. There is
no way
I would have told you so soon if it weren't for all this… this shit going on, but I couldn't bear the thought of you not knowing if I… If something happened to me—"

Her sob cut off her words and tore at him deep inside. He pulled her in to his arms, one hand cradling her head, the other pressed against her back. "Nothing is going to happen to either of us. But yeah, maybe you should know." He released her as she leaned away from him and he took her head in his hands. "I love you too."

She'd looked worried there for a moment before a hesitant smile started. "I love you. I have for a while." As she straddled his lap, he angled her head so he could kiss her, pouring all the feelings that had been building up over the last few weeks into it. To show her he loved her as well as saying the words, and she melted into his kiss.

God, I love her so much it hurts.

Chapter 20

It wasn't until four days after that night, the one where she'd told James she loved him—she still couldn't believe she'd said that or that he had too—that Vicky realised they were running out of time. If, like Matt expected, there would be an attack on the festival of torches, then they only had four days left to prepare.

But as the six of them, plus Teazle, sat in James's dining room doing just that, she suddenly thought that they were vastly ill-equipped. The three shields that James, Matt, and Rob had dug up a few months ago, down by where the fort had been, rested against the wall.
 

They were almost as tall as her and curved on both sides, so they could be wrapped around the body completely. They were mainly red, but in the centre were four joined wings that fanned out, and between each yellow wing was a lightning bolt.

The shields of faith she had now taken to calling them, after remembering learning about them in her Bible studies. Although it probably hadn't meant a wooden shield literally.

They had their gifts woven from thread, written messages, sculptures, and offerings of fruit to Diana, the goddess of nature. As well as the two swords Matt and Emma had used that had come from Altenbury Hall.
Doesn't everyone have swords hanging in their drawing room, darling!
She rolled her eyes at herself.

Matt had brought enough candles to rival Blackpool Illuminations, in brightness if not in entertainment value. There were also bags of salt, which he told her he would use to draw out a pentagram, to represent the five elements. He'd also brought enough kindling to start a fire, earth from Altenbury lands, and she'd managed to get holy water from her mother's church.

Her mum had also given her some anointment oils, along with a strange look. Vicky knew she was dying to know but surprisingly, for once, her mother didn't ask any questions, just embraced her in a hug. Which made Vicky wonder how much her mum already knew about what was going on and how much she hadn't told her about Harry and the way he died.

The crucifix her mum and dad had given her for her twelfth birthday rested among the offerings they had made. All in all, remembering with a shudder what had attacked her and James, it all seemed a little inadequate as weapons went.

But as she looked around the room, at the faces of the people who had become more like family, she had faith in them, that they would have her back. But mostly, faith in James and how she felt about him.

As though he sensed her thinking about him, he looked over at her. Those striking icy blue eyes held her captivated until he sauntered over. Running a hand down her hair, he leaned over to gently brush his lips over hers. "You okay?"

"I guess. I just can't help but feel like we're at a disadvantage."

"Why?" Matt asked, even though he was sitting across the room and she thought she'd said it quietly.

She shrugged and waved her hand across the room. "It just doesn't seem like much to fight off that monster with."

Matt stood up with a smile. "Ah, yes, but this time we have Harry's sword. The weapon, I believe, that holds the key to killing this thing."

Vicky still felt sceptical. "Why? What's so special about it?"

Matt walked over to her so he could show her the sword. Tracing a finger over the patterns etched into the handle, he said, "This is the knot of Hercules. Otherwise known as the love knot, but more commonly known as a protective charm. The two intertwined ropes represent the two partners in love and symbolises lasting love and commitment—not something that can be easily broken."

He glanced up at her before tracing a finger across the other symbol. "This represents the labyrinth that held the Minotaur—a dangerous creature, half man, and half bull. A place that can easily capture your enemies with no way out."

Finally, his fingers brushed over the ruby. "These are often used to ornament weapons, as it was believed they would bring great fortune to those who wielded it. Plus, the blade is iron-tipped, so this thing will pretty much kill anything it comes into contact with, human or otherwise. So you see, we have much to fight with. You've got to have a bit more trust, Vicky. And faith. You just need a little faith."

Easy to say.
She looked up at James and he nodded at her.

"Have a little faith," he whispered in her ear. "If not in all this, then in me. I love you."

And even with all that was going on, those three words still made her smile. "I love you too," she said before he pressed his lips to hers in a chaste kiss.

Faith.
She just hoped it would be enough.

***

Vicky was standing outside Altenbury Hall, James by her side. She looked up at his smiling face, happiness radiating from her. She couldn't believe they were married.
 

His mother came over and hugged him. "I'm so happy for you both. Vicky is
such
a wonderful person."

She blinked in disbelief at his mother, but she had already vanished. Instead, Vicky was standing alone in the middle of a field. As she slowly turned, she saw a small building. Just one tiny stone room. She made her way over to it but stopped when she saw a man coming out, a man who looked a lot like Matt should he dress in period clothes. The man bent over as if in pain, his hands resting on his knees.
 

"There are easier ways to obtain wealth."

Vicky jumped at the voice and turned in the direction it had come from. Standing next to her was another man, wearing a hat that covered most of his face in shadow with two white feathers attached to either side of it like wings. His chin, the only part of his face she could see, looked smooth and soft, and he wasn't much taller than her.