Wicked Magic (35 page)

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Authors: Cheyenne McCray

BOOK: Wicked Magic
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Rhiannon looked at the rest of the group. Everyone was solemn-faced.
“This is it,” Copper said as she hitched her pack up higher on her shoulder. “Life as we've known it is truly over.”
“I'll escort those without Elvin blood, first, and the Faerie.” Cassia started by taking Hannah, Tegan, and Galia over the bridge. Next went Sydney and a D'Danann warrior Rhiannon didn't know. After taking across Alyssa and another warrior, Cassia didn't return as it wasn't necessary since those witches left at the park did have Elvin blood. Of course their familiars all went with them.
Copper and Tiernan crossed alone, as did Silver and Hawk—with their familiars. When it came time for Keir and Rhiannon to take their turn, they were the last. They looked at each other, then walked across the bridge as Rhiannon held Spirit tight in her arms.
The now familiar sensations of crossing to Otherworld still made Rhiannon almost claustrophobic. She didn't feel like they could breathe until they stumbled out into the sunshine. Spirit jumped from her arms and Keir steadied her.
None of the other witches or warriors were around.
Where was everyone?
Rhiannon and Keir were standing on the transference stone. Rhiannon looked at Keir again, and he began to bend on one knee.
She sensed the Great Guardian before she saw her.
Rage spiked Rhiannon's heart. She didn't want to kneel. She wanted to yell. Scream. Tear out her hair and tear her clothing to shreds. How could she talk to this creature of peace when so much war crowded her mind?
And yet, Rhiannon felt her knees bending. Felt her head lowering.
“Rise,” came the serene voice of the Guardian.
Rather than the calmness that being around the Elvin woman usually invoked in Rhiannon, what came out was all anger.
“Why are we here?” she demanded as she straightened. “What do you want with us now? Nothing you suggested
worked. We're getting help from nowhere, and now we've even been kicked out of our home world. Everything is wrong. All wrong!”
The Great Guardian looked at Rhiannon for a long moment. She didn't seem angry at Rhiannon's words, but her eyes held a blaze of urgency Rhiannon found unsettling. “Rhiannon Castle, D'Anu and Elvin, for you to gain the aid of others, you will have to learn how to open your heart.”
“You've got to be kidding …” Rhiannon gestured wildly with her hands. “There's a freaking war going on in my world with a bunch of demons and a soul-sucking goddess. What has opening my heart got to do with anything?”
The Elvin woman moved closer and grasped Rhiannon's hands. “Tell me your greatest burden, and all else will flow from that confession.”
Rhiannon opened her mouth to talk about Ceithlenn, the devastation, the horrors they were facing, and the fact that they were no longer safe from even their own people.
But that wasn't what came out of her heart.
“I don't know if I can love.” She couldn't believe the words that came pouring through her lips. What did they have to do with anything? But she couldn't stop. The Guardian's touch seemed to draw it out. Things that she was sure couldn't relate to the war, but words she couldn't stop.
“The only love I know is what my Coven sisters have given me, and they mean everything to me.” Her heart felt as if it were tearing in half, pain squeezing her chest. “After being abandoned by my aunt, my parents, ex-lovers, my old Coven … I don't think I'm capable of letting anyone else into my heart.”
“You already have.” The Great Guardian smiled and released Rhiannon's hands and motioned to Keir to step forward.
When he was beside Rhiannon, the Elvin woman pressed their hands together. Rhiannon looked up at Keir and saw the warmth and caring … the love in his eyes. Her heart beat faster and a lump crowded her throat. Dear Anu, what were these feelings welling up inside her? The fierce ache in her heart and soul?
“Rhiannon D'Anu and Elvin, what is your heart telling you now?” The Guardian's words washed over Rhiannon like a sudden wave of confidence.
“It's telling me …” She licked her dry lips as her eyes met Keir's. “It's telling me that I love you, Keir. Everything about you from your arrogance to that gentle side you try to keep tucked away.”
He smiled and it wasn't one filled with arrogance or supreme satisfaction. It was a smile from deep in his soul. He said a phrase in Gaelic, the same one he'd said to her before but wouldn't tell her what it meant.
“It means I love you,
a stór.”
He brought his mouth close to hers and his warm breath caused her to tremble. “I think I always have.” He kissed her, a gentle brush of his lips, a soft meeting of their mouths.
Rhiannon's heart fluttered, the release of emotions almost causing her to break into sobs.
When he drew away he let go of her fingers and caught her face in his hands. He rubbed his thumbs against her cheeks.
The Guardian drew her attention again when she said, “Rhiannon D'Anu and Elvin, keep a place open in your heart for your father and for his people, too.
Your
people.” She raised her hand and gently touched Rhiannon's face. “Garran is finding his own way, as are you. Judge not your father so harshly.” The Guardian let her hand fall away from Rhiannon's cheek.
The Great Guardian's expression returned to that which Keir could not read, and he stilled, his arm remaining around Rhiannon. Late afternoon sunshine created a halo around the Guardian's head.
She closed her eyes a moment before opening them. “It is as my visions told me. Balor has been freed.”
“Yes.” Rhiannon's voice came out in a husky whisper. “We couldn't stop Ceithlenn.” Her tone grew stronger. “Now Balor and her huge army are ready to storm my city. And the power Ceithlenn wields—she's already taken thousands and thousands of lives.”
“She must be stopped.” Keir rested his hand on his sword and gripped the hilt tight enough to cause his knuckles to ache. His anger mounted. “Yet we do not have a force large enough to face the goddess, the demons, and Balor.”
The Guardian's eyes never left his as she spoke. “Should Balor retrieve his eye from the warlock known as Darkwolf, the tide of battle will turn far darker than any could imagine.”
Keir felt Rhiannon shudder beside him before she said, “Darkwolf took off with the eye when Ceithlenn asked him to give it to Balor. We think he's decided not to turn it over and he's in hiding.”
With a nod, the Guardian said, “That is good.”
Rhiannon propped her hands on her hips. “Maybe the idiot finally understands what he's done. What he's turned loose on our city.”
“Perhaps.” The Guardian studied Rhiannon. “Go now. You will need to regroup and seek your answers with your Coven sisters and the D'Danann. And in your heart.”
“Yes, my lady,” Rhiannon murmured, and Keir bowed.
They straightened and moved to the center of the transference stone. Spirit bounded into Rhiannon's arms.
Immediately, all that surrounded them whirled around Rhiannon and Keir—the sky, grass, trees, flowers, the waning sunlight … it was like colors of an oil painting spilling and merging together.
Until everything disappeared from sight, including the Great Guardian.
Dizzy, Rhiannon clung to Keir and Spirit. In moments the whirling came to a stop and they stood outside of his cabin's front door. It was Otherworld, so instead of dawn, the sun peeked low over the horizon.
The spinning in her head eased, too, but she leaned against him. Spirit bounded from her arms and immediately started stalking something in the grass. Probably a Faerie.
Rhiannon breathed in Keir's pure male scent that mixed with the forest smells of pine and loam that surrounded them. “I love you,” she murmured against his leather shirt and knew that she meant it with all her heart.
He pressed his lips to the top of her head. “As I love you,
a stór
.”
She sighed as he drew away and she looked up into his deep, dark eyes. She still felt the man had mysteries yet to be discovered.
“What Lise said has come to be,” he said, his expression serious.
“Lise?” She scrunched up her nose. “Who's that? What did she say?”
“So many questions.” He caressed her cheek with his knuckles. “Lise said, ‘I wonder what kind of woman it would take to tame you?' And she added that one day a woman would bring me to my knees.”
Rhiannon's heart thudded as he bent with one knee on the ground and took her hands in his. Those dark eyes never left hers.
“Will you bond with me, Rhiannon Castle?”
Rhiannon wasn't sure she'd heard right. Even though Keir was down on one knee.
His voice was clear and strong as he repeated, “Will you bond with me? Come sunset tomorrow?”
Her mind spun. “Do you mean
marry
you?”
“Through all that has yet to come, I want to know you are mine.” He gently squeezed her hands. “And for you to know I am yours.”
Rhiannon's legs trembled and her thoughts whirled until she came to a decision. She lowered herself so that she was facing Keir, and felt the soft pine needles and dark earth beneath her knees.
“If the world as we know it was to end tomorrow, I would want it to happen as your—your mate. Your wife.” When a smile began to curve the corner of his mouth she said, “I belong to you.” It felt right, it felt good. Her voice was stronger when she said with her own smile. “And you are
mine.
”
Keir grinned. He actually
grinned
. Goddess, he looked sexy. “Perhaps we should do so this eve.”
“I—I. Wow.” Rhiannon almost couldn't talk. “Tomorrow—we can wait one more night. I can't believe we're really going to do it.” Sunlight barely peeked through forest branches. She reached up and kissed him, then drew away.
He grasped her hand and brought her to the cabin. “There is little daylight and I have matters to attend to.”
“I'll go with you. I need to talk with my Coven sisters.” Rhiannon looked over her shoulder to see Spirit cleaning his whiskers, and she hoped he hadn't eaten a Faerie. “I need to get Spirit settled.”
“Aye.” Keir opened the door to his cabin and let them in. He located some hard sausage and cheese, and cut them into chunks before putting it into a wooden bowl for Spirit. Then he put out a bowl of water, too.
Rhiannon smiled up at Keir as he drew her to the door
and out into the twilight. His strides were so long she had to walk double-time to keep up with him. Butterflies went berserk in her belly and she felt giddy and scared all at once.
When they reached the village he stopped at a beautiful two-story building made of white marble. “First I would like to invite someone special to witness our bonding. Wait for me.”
Rhiannon rubbed her arms with her hands as she stood outside the building. She didn't question for a minute that she was doing the right thing. Keir was her soul mate in every sense of the words.
He came out moments later, following a beautiful woman with blond hair and fair, perfect skin. She was scantily clad, just enough to hide her, er, perfect assets. Her clothing reminded Rhiannon somewhat of a skimpy harem outfit.
“Rhiannon, this is Lise,” Keir said as he took his place next to Rhiannon.
“So you are the one.” Lise gave a delighted smile as she grasped Rhiannon's hands and kissed both of her cheeks. The woman smelled of warm vanilla. She gave Keir a teasing glance. “As I told you.”
Keir bowed from his shoulders. “As you did, Madame Lise.” He took Rhiannon's hand. “I wish for you to witness our bonding.”
“I will summon others,” Lise said with another smile and released Rhiannon's hands. “So many hearts will be broken.”
Great wings spread from Lise's back, wings that matched the golden color of her hair. She took to the air with a graceful flutter and Rhiannon heard her bubbling laughter that sounded like she was taking extreme pleasure in Keir having found a mate.
Rhiannon would have liked to have questioned the woman more about Keir, but she disappeared into the trees.
Keir practically dragged her through the village.
“Where are my Coven sisters?” Rhiannon asked.
They're going to think I've lost my mind.
Galia flew up to them so fast that Rhiannon stumbled back in surprise.
The Faerie clasped her hands, her eyes wide. “Is it true? You two are to be mated tomorrow?”
Rhiannon blinked. “Boy does news travel fast here.”
Galia grinned and fluttered around in circles, her lilac scent following in her wake. “I knew it. I bet the witch Hannah that it would be so. She thought he would only ‘get in your pants,' as she said, but I knew you would fall in love.”
Rhiannon narrowed her gaze. “Get in my pants?” She was going to kill Hannah.
“I will let the witches and others know at once to meet you in the village.” The Faerie giggled and zipped away.
Keir took her in to stand front of what appeared to be a different tavern that looked far more quiet than the one he had taken her to the first time she was here.
“One moment.” Keir brushed his lips over hers. “I must speak with the tavern-keeper.”
Rhiannon's heart wouldn't stop pounding as she waited for him. Wow. She was getting married. Her mouth quirked into a grin. And to the guy whose nuts she'd zapped the first time she met him.
People walked the streets of the village, some casting curious glances her way. Funny how normal everything looked—if one could consider standing in an Otherworld medieval-like village normal.
A horse pulling a load of hay trundled by, the
clip-clop
of the horse's hooves ringing through the dusky evening. The smell of the hay mingled with smoke from chimneys and warm scents of roasted meats and baked breads.
In only moments Keir returned. “Wait for your Coven sisters here. I will be back soon.”
As she watched Keir walk away, Rhiannon knew then that she'd lost her mind. If she was feeling like she'd seen Copper and Silver acting, she'd truly gone and lost it.
She smiled. And she loved it.
Silver was the first to come running up from around a corner and straight to Rhiannon.
“Oh, my goddess!” Silver flung her arms around Rhiannon.
“I can't believe it. You're marrying Keir!” She leaned back, tears glistening in her eyes as she smiled. “And to think that makes us sister-in-laws since Keir is Hawk's half-brother.”
Silver hugged Rhiannon again before backing away and it was Sydney's turn to hug Rhiannon. “Congratulations, Rhi.” Sydney leaned back and smiled. “I think you two make the
perfect
match.”
“Unbelievable,” Copper said with a grin when Sydney moved out of the way. “If you and Keir can settle down and bond with somebody, that's proof that miracles
can
happen.”
“The bonding ceremony is wonderful.” Silver wiped a tear from her cheek. “I wish you and our Coven sisters could have attended mine and Copper's bondings to our men. Now with all of us in Otherworld, every one of our Coven sisters will be able to share in the celebration.”
One by one the rest of the Coven sisters converged, along with Galia. Everyone hugged Rhiannon, although she felt a little stiff with Cassia. She and Cassia—they had to talk, after what Garran had told her about Cassia's involvement in the decision to keep her in San Francisco.
The half-Elvin witch had a look in her eyes that said she knew there was unfinished business between them.
When Hannah was the only one who remained, she and Rhiannon looked at each other. Everyone else went quiet. The corner of Hannah's mouth curved into an amused smile. “You finally let someone into that little box of yours. About time.”
Rhiannon rolled her eyes then grinned when her gaze met Hannah's. “Guess so.”
Laughing and giggling, the eight of them pushed into the tavern. They found a long table with benches and took their seats. To a one they were wearing T-shirts and jeans—even the normally always elegantly tailored Hannah and Sydney. Fleeing from one's own world kind of put a damper on dressing up.
When they were seated, two women started putting food
in front of them along with mugs filled with something that smelled of apples.
Before Rhiannon could tell the servers they had no way of paying for this, one of the tavern women said, “Master Keir has ordered up a fine meal for you ladies.”
Rhiannon's belly rumbled. She couldn't argue with that.
The drink was an apple-flavored ale that went down well with the fresh-baked fish that had an unusual paste of wine, saffron, cinnamon, and cloves. Only Copper refused to drink the ale—she said she'd had more than enough apples when she was trapped in Otherworld.
Heavy wheat bread, peas, and baked pears were served with the fish, and the meal was topped off with egg custard.
The conversation went from chatter about the wedding, to the seriousness of the situation they were in.
When it started to get a little depressing, Mackenzie lightened things up by bringing the conversation around to the gorgeous D'Danann warriors they'd been seeing around the village. “Oh, my goddess,” Mackenzie said. “I don't think I've seen one who isn't hot.”
When the topic moved on to when Silver's baby was due, Rhiannon's eyes met Cassia's across the table. By silent agreement they got up and moved to a table a distance away from their Coven sisters.
“You have questions,” Cassia stated as soon as they were seated.
“You're damned right I have questions.” Rhiannon studied Cassia, who had changed so much since the battle on Samhain. “It's all been an act from the start. You played the bumbling apprentice witch until Silver started realizing you're not who you appeared to be. And Hawk knew it right away.”
Cassia smiled. “This is true.” She looked so different now. Long, blond curls, clear blue eyes, and a delicate quality to her features that gave away her Elvin heritage.
“Why?” Rhiannon asked. “Why the act?”
“I was sent to protect Copper, Silver, and you. All of
Elvin blood. Copper and Silver were the last of their line. And you—you had no awareness of your heritage and no one to watch after you.”
Rhiannon scowled. “It
was
you who brought my mother across from San Francisco to meet my—my father, wasn't it? And
you
decided not bring me back to live with him once my mother died.” Rhiannon's voice rose with her anger. “What right did you have to make that kind of choice for my life?”
Cassia simply studied Rhiannon. “Are you embracing your Drow heritage now? Do you wish that you had not been raised D'Anu and had grown up among the Dark Elves?”
Rhiannon shoved her fingers through her short auburn hair. When she drew her hand away, the ends tickled her cheeks as they swung forward. “Goddess. I—” She swallowed hard and clenched her teeth before speaking in a voice that was almost a whisper. “I don't know. Life with Aunt Aga … Would being raised by my father have been worse than her?”
“Would it?” Cassia asked softly.
Rhiannon rubbed her hand against her chest. “After meeting him, inside me I do think with Garran that maybe I would have known a father's love … But I would be a different person than I am now.” She glanced at her Coven sisters, who were still chatting, and placed her palm on the table. “I wouldn't have the people in my life that I
do
love. And I would have been raised to embrace what I now believe is wrong.”
Cassia put her hand over one of Rhiannon's. “What is wrong with your father's way of life?”
Rhiannon felt the warmth of Cassia's touch, a calming warmth, almost like the Great Guardian. “He's one of the Dark Elves, Cassia.”
Duh.
“He's
Drow.
That means he's evil.” Rhiannon felt resignation to her toes. What was she even arguing about? “You're right, I wouldn't have wanted to be raised that way. As much as I hated her, Aga was the only choice.”

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