Authors: Joanne Wadsworth
“Keep your mind open to mine.”
“I shall.” She crossed to the lass with Cherub at her side. “Excuse me, we’ve a need to freshen up. Is there a chamber available where we could?”
“Aye, my ladies, right here on the lower floor. Come with me.” She set her broom in the corner, tucked one errant brown lock under her white frilly cap and led the way along the lower corridor. At the end of the hallway, the lass opened the paneled door and motioned them inside. “This is Mama and Papa’s best chamber and has a view right across the loch as well as a side door and a private garden. ’Tis all yours for as long as ye need it.”
“You have our most heartfelt thanks.” She smiled at the lass and walked inside. A large bed covered in a patchwork quilt of bright blues and greens stood against one wall and a posy of wildflowers sat in fluted holder on the bedside table next to it. The window faced the loch, offering a perfect view of the sea entrance and the MacKenzie’s stronghold sitting on the jutting point only a short distance away. She opened the door to the outside garden and gasped. Lavender bushes and scattered wildflowers surrounded a pathway leading down to the loch. “I would dearly love to stay here for a day or two, to enjoy the countryside, that’s if this inn were no’ on MacKenzie land.”
“This is a lovely spot, although a sure shame to be located right here.” Cherub joined her underneath the covered doorway and motioned toward the castle where guardsmen patrolled the barbican. “Do you sense any hum?” Cherub kept her tone low so as not to be overheard by the maid as she lit the fire across the other side of the chamber.
Eyes closed, she focused on the castle and her parents possibly imprisoned within. Once she heard the gentle hum of their aura then she’d know for certain that they lived. She touched her chest, right over her rapidly beating heart, but not a trace of a hum resonated toward her. “There’s naught.” She opened her eyes and blinked the hot burn of tears away. “I need to get closer, Cherub. I’m still too far away.”
“I’ll take you straight into the castle myself, the moment I’ve restored my strength.” Cherub had expended such a great deal. “Soon, very soon.”
Julia faced the castle once more. Several warriors heaved slabs of stone from the rear of a cart and handed them to a stonemason and his team who disappeared around the other side of the keep. Another cart rumbled past the inn and down the bumpy trail toward the castle, the rear stacked with the same stone blocks. “They are at work on constructing the outbuildings.”
“Aye, I’d say ’tis a relatively new keep.”
“Is there aught more you need, my ladies?” The maid rose from the blazing fire and dusted her hands against her aproned skirts.
“Nay, thank you for your aid. We’ll be fine now.” Julia smiled at the lass.
The girl dipped her head and closed the door behind her as she left.
Cherub pushed her hood back and picked up a drying cloth from the side table and dabbed her wet cheeks.
Julia pulled the garden door shut, slid her sapphire jeweled hairpins from her tangled hair and set them on the side table.
“Here, let me aid you with your hair.” Cherub patted the chair before the looking glass. “We’ll need to get rid of the spots of blood at the back if you wish to keep Tavish calm.”
“I cannae believe I hit my head again. ’Tis just as well I didnae hurt myself too badly.” She sat and Cherub carefully cleaned the blood away. Sighing, she sank even deeper into Tavish’s mind and rolled around within the exquisite space. “
The chamber is lovely and looks right out over the loch toward the castle. There’s a door leading to a private garden.
”
“
I’d rather you be right here with me in this main room. Hurry it up, love.
”
Cherub set the washcloth aside then gently worked the comb through her hair and detangled the knots.
“I’m not quite sure what I did afore this merged link took form.” She smiled at Cherub over her shoulder. “Although now I’m mated to Tavish, I hate to think of only living in the future and completely leaving my kin here behind.”
“You’ll never have to leave them behind. I’ll gladly bring you and Tavish back and forth through time as needed. My duty is to my people and I will never forsake any of you, no matter what time or place you reside in.” Cherub finished tidying her hair then brushed her own and set the comb down. “All done.”
“Thank you.” She hugged Cherub, squeezed her extra tight. “Never have our people been so lucky as to have you as our princess.”
“’Tis my pleasure to aid my people, however and wherever I can.” Cherub squeezed her back. “You are my sister, just as Arabel is.”
“
Julia, how much longer will you be? I can’t stand this separation.”
“
I’m coming.
” She walked to the door with a grin. “Tavish is getting anxious.”
“So is Kirk. Mated men are quite the handful at times.” Grinning and with her hood back in place, Cherub swished past her and led the way along the corridor to the main room.
Julia followed, weaved past a score of patrons seated at small tables then alongside a fire roaring within the wide hearth. Each table was separated from the other by wooden screens, and farmers and travelers all partook of the stew and tankards of ale while they chatted. In the far darkened corner, the men sat with a clear view of everyone within the room and the front door. She joined Tavish as he stood, his gaze sweeping over her.
“Do you feel better?”
“I do.” She sat down and Tavish slid in next to her, securing her safely between him and Tor. Leaning against him, she pressed her cheek to his shoulder and allowed the peace of the moment to roll through her. Being this close to him soothed her very soul. “My mate,” she whispered in his ear. “Always mine.”
“Aye, always yours.” He slid one arm around her back, and stroked his thumb in a slow circle over her hip.
Mmm, she wriggled even closer, almost purring under his delicious touch. She’d missed him terribly while they’d been parted. Thankfully she’d been out of it for most of that time, would never have wanted to experience the endless hours of fear as he unfortunately had. “Thank you for saving Matthew’s life. I cannae wait to see him.”
“He’ll make a full recovery, and I don’t doubt he can’t wait to see you either. As soon as he woke up from surgery, he told me what had happened to you. Until then, I’d had no idea.”
“I never want to lose our link again.”
“Agreed.”
“Here we go, my lovelies.” A barmaid flounced in, a tray of tankards in hand and her bountiful breasts almost spilling from her blue kirtle’s low neckline. “My apologies for the wait.”
“Thank you.” Tor accepted a tankard from her.
“One of the lasses will be out shortly with your meals.” Raising an appreciative eyebrow at Tor, she leaned in and gave him a rather stunning eyeful of her wares. “Be sure to holler out if ye need aught more. I have a willing hand, no matter what ye might need it for.”
“Cheeky, lass. Go on with you.” Tor swatted her bottom, which sent the lass giggling as she sashayed away.
The serving lass who’d shown them to their chamber hurried through the kitchen door and across to them with a platter of breads and cheeses. She set it on the scratched wooden tabletop while another lass with an apron tied around her waist brought out a tray holding bowls of stew. She passed one to each of them, laid out spoons then whisked back to the kitchens.
Kirk slid his dirk from its sheath, sliced the bread and handed them each a piece.
Julia dunked hers in her stew and bit into the end. Delicious. The richly flavored beef juices danced on her tongue and the hot meal warmed her belly.
“Where are your hairpins?” Tavish tucked an errant lock of her hair behind her ear. “You had them in before you left for the chamber.”
“Oh dear.” She patted her head. “I left them on the table when Cherub combed my hair. They were a gift from my parents and I cannae lose them.” She slipped off the bench. “I’ll be back in a moment.”
“I can retrieve them for you if you wish.” He rose.
“Nay, I’ll be quick.” With one hand on his shoulder, she pushed him back down then snuck around the room and down the darkened corridor. In the chamber assigned to them, she picked up her hairpins and pinned them back in place. These had been the very last gift Mother and Father had given her.
These sapphires match your eyes
, her mother had said then slid a matching set into Arabel’s hair as well. Mother had hugged them both, held them tight. That moment was embedded in her mind, her precious hairpins a most treasured keepsake. Soon, she’d hold Mother again. She had to. For if they truly were dead, then her grief would rise as sharply and as painfully as it had the first time. Mourning them all over again, would break her heart.
Outside the window, the rain eased and the clouds broke apart. A glimpse of blue sky dotted through. She thrust open the garden door. At the castle, a guard shouted and the portcullis rose from within the arched front gate, its clunky sound reverberating along the shore and across the grassy field toward her.
Horses’ hooves pounded and a dozen armed warriors rode out of the bailey. In single file, the warriors galloped along the trail leading farther around the craggy tip then disappeared.
Another warrior rode out of the keep in leather pants and a thick fur vest over a dark shirt. He galloped along the grassy verge of the inner channel of the loch and on a direct path toward her. His fiery red hair brushed his shoulders and his dirty blood-red aura swirled all about.
’Twas Jeremiah.
Her heart leapt within her chest.
“
Tavish, Jeremiah rides this way.
” A gentle hum whispered through Julia’s mind and her heart lost one very necessary beat.
“
Are you certain?
”
“
Very.
” Clutching Jeremiah from behind sat a cloaked woman. “
Mother’s with him. I hear the gentle hum of her aura.
”
“
Stay right where you are. I’m coming.
”
“Mother!” She screamed her name as she stumbled outside. Rushing along the path with her mother’s gentle hum increasing in tempo, she yelled frantically and waved her hands.
Jeremiah hauled his horse to a stop next to her and sneered, a look of victory sparking bright in his eyes. “Well, well. If it isnae Julia, my wife-to-be. About time you arrived.”
“I will never be your wife. I am here to rescue my kin and naught more.”
“Julia?” Mother pushed her hood back, heaved free of Jeremiah and jumped to the ground. Mother grasped her, held her tight. “What are you—I cannae believe you’re—how did you—oh goodness, I’ve missed you.”
“You’re alive. You’re really alive.” Tears pooled in her eyes and flowed down their mashed cheeks. “Where’s Father?”
“At the castle. He’s gravely ill and Jeremiah agreed to bring me to the healer for the herbs I need. I must bring his fever down if he’s to survive.”
“I agreed on one account.” Jeremiah bounded to the ground, his holstered claymore bobbing at his back. “You were to keep your hood in place and no’ expose yourself, even to the healer.”
“But my daughter—”
“Julia!” Tavish roared her name as he raced across the field toward her, Tor, Cherub, and Kirk one step behind him.
“Damn it,” Jeremiah spat. “And now we have even more Mathesons here on our land.” He grabbed Julia around the waist, tossed her up onto his destrier and bounded in behind her. Arms pinned tight either side of her, he slammed his knees into his horse’s flanks and they flew back along the trail toward the castle.
“Mother! Tavish!” She shoved against Jeremiah’s punishing hold. Behind them on the trail, Tor nabbed her mother and whisked her back through their chamber’s open garden door. The others had gone, had disappeared in the blink of an eye.
A breeze churned the grass and whipped the long stalks about then a blast of wind hit her. Jeremiah’s horse reared onto its hind legs and whinnied. Its hooves crashed down and she went flying.
“Got you.” Tavish scooped her out of thin air and plastered her against his rock hard chest. Cherub and Kirk stood right behind him. “Let’s just get one thing straight, for once and for all. Where you are, is where I need to be.”
“Aye, I agree.”
“Julia, come.” Cherub nabbed her hand and tugged her backward.
Jeremiah bounded from his horse, landed on the ground and stormed toward Tavish. He swung his claymore from its holster and Tavish thrust his sword high and blocked Jeremiah’s fierce blow. “Who are you?” Jeremiah scowled at him.
“Tavish Matheson, Julia’s mate and her handfast husband.”
“If you’re her husband, then you stand in my way.” Jeremiah came at Tavish, slashing again and again in a clear attempt to take him down as quickly as he could. “Be prepared to die. Julia will be my wife afore the end of the day.”
* * * *
Tavish sprang forward and fought. It was time for Jeremiah MacKenzie to learn that no one would ever take his wife from him, a message he intended to make certain got through. He certainly had no greater incentive than to fight for his woman. He slashed and Jeremiah met each of his deadly strikes.
“Whistle out if you need me, Tavish.” Eagerly rocking from foot to foot, Kirk palmed his sword from the sidelines, his gaze narrowed on Jeremiah. “I want in on this fight.”
“This is my battle, one I intend to win.” He was a Matheson, and no one ever tangled with the ‘Son of the Bear.’
“Those are strong words, Matheson, but you’re on MacKenzie land and we dinnae spill our own blood here, only that of our enemy’s.” Jeremiah’s gaze glinted with determination and he slammed his blade hard into Tavish’s, one hard strike after another.
Tavish grunted and fell back a step then bounded back. He struck, his blows strategic as he came at Jeremiah first on one side and then the other, all wielded in order to weaken his enemy. He blocked Jeremiah’s next high swipe then dropped low, rolled clear and came up on his adversary’s flank and struck again, swiftly and surely.
“Nice move, Tavish.” Kirk gritted his teeth. “Now bring him down so we can find Julia’s father and be done with this lot.”
“I’ll be right with you.” He met each of Jeremiah’s blows with the same intensity as the aggressive warrior heaped on him.
“Tavish!” Julia pulled free of Cherub and rushed toward him, her golden locks streaming behind her. “Dinnae get hurt, no’ one scratch. Do you hear me?”
“Get back.” He glared at Kirk. “Keep her behind you and safe.”
Kirk hustled Julia out of the way.
Jeremiah struck his ribs, the blow ricocheting and rattling his teeth. Damn it. He should have been keeping his focus on the warrior he fought and not on his mate. Julia screamed as MacKenzie swung again.
He caught the next blow and arms shaking, shoved his two-handed sword hard against Jeremiah’s. He heaved forward and battled. Whisking his blade through the air, he caught MacKenzie off guard and sliced into his arm.
Jeremiah grasped his bicep and growled as blood poured through his white-knuckled fingers. Not a death blow, but a damaging one all the same for a warrior who would need his sword arm if he wished to fight.
“This battle isnae over.” Snarling, Jeremiah nabbed his horse, bounded onto the beast and rode toward the castle, his injured arm swinging loose at his side.
He should have expected the man to run once injured, wanted to chase him and put an end to the fight only Julia ran toward him and he caught her in his arms and gripped her tight.
“We have to reach my father afore Jeremiah does.” She clasped his face and kissed him. “Thank you for coming to my rescue.”
“You’re to go straight to your mother. Tor will watch over you while Cherub, Kirk, and I see to your father’s rescue. We’ll find him, that I promise you.” He dug his fingers into her hair and kissed her with all the fierce need contained within his soul. Seeing her in MacKenzie’s hands had nearly halted his heart from beating. “We’ll meet you on the hill where we first arrived. Tell Tor. He’ll get you and your mother there without any issue.”
“My father is ill, sick with a fever. Mother never had the chance to explain more than that. Be careful.” She kissed him again. “Stay safe and come back to me.”
“Always.”
Julia raced back to the inn and he wiped his blade on the grass, sheathed it then grasped ahold of Cherub. He had a mission ahead of him, one he couldn’t falter in. “Let’s be away.”
“Hold tight. We are running out of time and I’m going to make this flight quick.” Cherub cloaked the three of them and took them high. They flew over the curtain wall and descended down into the bailey before the tower house.
Jeremiah galloped through the main gate. “Secure the keep. Our enemy has arrived,” he bellowed and all hell broke loose.
* * * *
Fear and worry coiled deep in Julia’s gut as she left Tavish and ran back to the inn. Leaving her mate to fight this battle without her at his side had been the most difficult thing she’d ever done. With her heartbeat a raging mess, she stumbled through the garden door and inside the chamber. She drank in the returned sight of her mother. Even though she looked pale, dirt smeared across her cheeks and her skirts ragged, she was still alive and that was all that matter.
“Mother.” She grasped her close, ran her hand over her fair hair pulled back into a long plait and let the tears flow. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Mother rocked her in her arms, the gentle hum of her aura a sweetly soothing sound she’d known since the day of her birth and that had only ever brought her comfort. “Tor just explained everything to me, that you’re mated to his brother, Tavish, and that you’re here to rescue your father and me.”
“Did Tor explain that they’re from the future?”
“Aye, that your sister is mated to a man named Finlay, who’s from Tor and Tavish’s clan. The ‘power of three’ has been unveiled and Nessa’s prophecy set in motion.” She shook her head as if dazed. “I cannae believe all that has happened while we’ve been gone.”
“What of Father?”
“He’s so sick. A week past, he suffered a nick to his arm from one of the warrior’s blades and the wound festered and a fever rose. It rages strong and willnae abate. I convinced Jeremiah to take me to the healer. He didnae care to lose his prisoner afore the fortnight of time had expired. Jeremiah told us of the MacKenzie’s demand sent to Gilleoin.”
“Tavish is a gifted healer, one they call a doctor in his time. Father couldnae be in better hands once Tavish finds him.” She glanced at Tor. “Tavish said to take us to the hills where we first arrived. He’ll meet us there with Father, the moment they’ve rescued him.”
“Then let’s be away, before the enemy storms this inn.” Tor opened the outside door and gestured them through. “To the stables. We’ll ride.”
She gripped Mother’s hand and tugged her out the door and around the side of the inn to the stables.
Tor halted next to two horses tethered to a post, cupped his palms and tipped his head toward her. “You first, Julia. Speed is of the essence.”
She set her foot in his hold and he hefted her up then aided Mother as she mounted in behind her.
“Hold tight.” With the reins in hand, she slapped her horse’s neck and bolted from the inn, her mother’s arms wrapped firm around her waist. Tor galloped in beside her and they rode up the hilly trail to the crest. “Where’s Father exactly?” she shouted over her shoulder. “I can inform Tavish. We have a merged link of the mind.”
“Your father’s on the upper floor of the main tower.”
“
Tavish.
”
“
Tell me you’re safely away.
”
“
I am. Father’s being kept on the upper floor of the main tower.
”
“
We’ve already searched within the dungeons below and we’re heading that way now.
”
“Then hurry.
” She urged her mount onward and upward, made the top rise and sat high on her stead. MacKenzie’s stronghold sat on the jutting rock at the tip and guardsmen swarmed the battlements. “
They know you’re there.
”
* * * *
With Julia’s warning ricocheting through his mind, Tavish negotiated the cramped inner stairwell of the main tower in the near dark, Kirk and Cherub right behind him. The space was tight, designed that way to ensure a man couldn’t swing his sword should the tower be under siege. He made the second landing where a trace of light trickled through the slatted boards covering a narrow window and he nodded at Kirk and Cherub. “Two more floors to go. We’re almost there.”
He scaled the next two flights then halted at the very top, his senses on full alert. The gloomy corridor, this one lit by one single candle in an iron wall sconce, held three cells with wooden doors and a mail-clad warrior standing on guard outside the last one.
As the warrior straightened and glanced their way, Cherub nabbed him and Kirk and swiftly cloaked them.
“Tavish, I’ve got this one,” Kirk whispered.
They crept closer.
A clunk sounded and the guard grabbed his steel helm which now held a dent in the top that matched the length of a blade, Kirk’s blade. The guard’s eyes rolled to the back of his head and he slithered to the floor, his keys jangling at his side.
“Nice hit,” he slapped Kirk on the back as Cherub released and uncloaked them.
“They drop fast when they don’t see you coming.” Kirk grinned as he tapped the downed man’s steel helm once more with his sword. “The next one’s yours.”
“Thank you.” The urge to fight still flared strongly through him.
“Hopefully there won’t be a ‘next one.’” Cherub lowered to the guard’s side, hauled his keys from his belt and tossed them to Tavish. “Unlock the door and let’s pray there’s a window. I need fresh air in order to work with my element.”
Tavish turned the key and shoved the door open.
A candle flickered on the floor next to a single pallet wedged in the corner. A ratty gray blanket covered the legs of a man who could only be Julia’s father. Aleck Matheson’s arms were outstretched and each of his wrists restrained with cuffs and pulled back against hooks.
“Who goes there?” Aleck rasped, his voice weak and his gaze cloudy. He rattled the chains, his hands fisted as if he were fully prepared to fight even though immobilized. “I demand you bring my wife back to me.”
“Aleck, ’tis Cherub.” She rushed to Aleck’s side and pressed one hand to his forehead. “You’re hot, very hot.”
“Cherub?” He blinked, his body burning with a fever and the heat easily reaching Tavish. They’d arrived just in time. He waited one step back as Aleck got his bearings and understood they were here to help him, not hurt him. “Is it really you, Cherub?”