Shadow Highlander

THIRTY-FIVE

Deirdre screamed and threw the ewer beside her against the wall. The shattering did nothing to calm her. The long tendrils of her hair lifted around her, searching for something, anything, to grab onto and kill.

But she was alone.

The spell had been perfect. She had known the Druids would be in MacLeod Castle and knew there would be one who couldn’t withstand her magic. It had surprised Deirdre that it had been the leader of the Druids. Deirdre hadn’t expected the elder to have such a weak mind, and therefore be capable of being manipulated into allowing Deirdre to take over.

It had been a flawless plan. Get into Mairi’s mind and have her convince the Druids to leave the castle. That had been the easy part.

But once Deirdre had realized there was something important about the Druid named Reaghan, she had dug deeper into Mairi’s mind. Mairi didn’t know much other than that Reaghan had cast a spell on herself to keep something hidden in her mind, something Reaghan and the others wanted kept from Deirdre.

Deirdre thought it would be simple to persuade Reaghan to leave with the others, but Deirdre hadn’t taken into consideration the Warriors — and the bond that had grown between Reaghan and Galen.

Galen. Deirdre had known his powers were great. She had seen his potential when he’d been in her mountain, but he had fought against her and everything she threatened him with and offered him.

It hadn’t been just his power that had been immense, it had been his mental strength as well. He stood against her as none but the MacLeods ever had.

Deirdre knew she had lost Reaghan when the Druid refused to leave, but Deirdre had added magic to the pathetic amount Mairi had. She had almost killed Galen. With a little more time she could have eliminated Galen and taken Reaghan.

Instead, Mairi had been killed when the Druids and Warriors worked together to overcome the elder.

The only reward was that the Druids of Loch Awe would now be hers. The brainless wretches had actually feared the Warriors at the castle. It had taken but a little push to send them running right into her wyrran’s waiting claws.

It was only a matter of days before the wyrran would bring the Druids to her and their magic would be hers.

And one less Druid would roam her land.

*

Reaghan lifted her hand covering the wound from Galen’s chest and saw the blood which coated her fingers. Her heart hammered from Mairi’s attack and Odara’s words, but it was enough that Galen was alive.

Galen had risen with the help of others and now sat at the table. Reaghan’s mind was in a whirl with all that had happened and all she had seen.

She could still feel the magic within her, magic she hadn’t thought existed. Reaghan could barely feel it now. It was almost as if it hid unless she was in a situation where she needed it. It was the only explanation she could think of.

“Odara, I think you had better explain yourself,” Galen said, his voice carrying in the great hall.

Odara shrugged. “It’s as I said. Someone was in Mairi’s mind. Mairi might have been a wee bit concerned about so many Warriors in one place, but she trusted Reaghan’s instincts. The things Mairi said … I’ve never heard her say such awful things before. And I’ve known her my entire life.”

“It was evil,” Reaghan said. “I felt it when she touched me.”

“Aye,” Odara said with a nod, as she descended the steps slowly. She walked to stand beside Mairi and sighed. “‘Evil’ is the right word. As elders our first concern is always the safety of our people. Regardless of how Mairi felt about any of you, she should have known we were protected here.”

Reaghan walked to stand near Mairi. “Who would want to penetrate Mairi’s mind? And to what purpose?”

“Deirdre,” Ramsey said.

Fallon nodded. “Without a doubt. But I’m as curious as Reaghan. Why Mairi?”

“And why would she want Galen dead?” Logan asked.

Reaghan raised her eyes to Galen. His brow was puckered and his jaw clenched. He looked at Mairi’s body as if she could somehow tell him why she had tried to kill him.

Suddenly he rose and squatted beside her. “She’s not dead yet,” he murmured.

Reaghan took a step forward when she realized what he was going to do. “Galen, nay!”

But it was too late. He placed his hand on Mairi and closed his eyes.

Everyone in the hall waited with bated breath until his eyes snapped open and he stood. Reaghan started toward him when she saw how pale he was, how his eyes couldn’t focus.

She reached him before anyone else and wrapped her arms around his back. “You need to sit.”

He nodded and swallowed, his breathing ragged and harsh, as if it pained his body to inhale. The fact he leaned his weight onto her told Reaghan he was weaker than she had first thought.

Hayden reached his hands out to help Galen sit but Reaghan quickly said, “Nay. Let him recover before you touch him.”

“I’m sorry.” Hayden jerked his hands away and backed up a step. “How can we help?”

“Water. He needs water.” Reaghan reached down and tore a strip off the hem of her chemise. She wiped the sweat from Galen’s brow, her heart in her throat.

His eyes were closed, his hands fisted as they lay on the table. He shook, and his skin had taken on a waxy look. The more he sat without speaking the more apprehensive she became.

As soon as Larena handed her a goblet of water Reaghan lifted it to Galen’s lips. “Drink for me,” she urged him.

He parted his lips and let her pour some of the cool liquid into his mouth. Once he swallowed, she gave him more. Little by little he drained the goblet until nothing was left.

“Reaghan,” he whispered.

She set aside the goblet and wiped at his brow again. “I’m here.”

Ramsey sat opposite Galen and glared, though Reaghan saw the worry reflected in Ramsey’s silver eyes. “Galen, you fool. Why did you take such a risk?”

“Had to,” Galen murmured.

Reaghan laid his head on her shoulder. “Nay, you didn’t.”

“Can you talk?” Lucan asked.

Reaghan frowned. “It can wait. He needs to lie down.”

“Nay,” Galen said, and covered her hand with his large one. He lifted his head and took in a shuddering breath. “Lucan is right. I need to tell everyone what I saw.”

Reaghan was pleased to see Galen’s color was returning. But it was his eyes that caused her heart to plummet to her feet. He had seen something, felt something, that had wrenched out a piece of his soul.

“Galen.”

He smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. His hand lifted and he ran his fingers along her cheek. “It had to be done.”

Her breath locked in her lungs at his touch. How she had missed his warmth, his strength. She had been such a fool to stay away from him.

Galen dropped his hand and slowly rose to his feet. If he continued to touch Reaghan he would pull her into his arms and kiss her. He barely had the strength to continue to hold himself up, and there were things he had to tell the others. “I did manage to see something in Mairi’s mind.”

“Why?” Ramsey asked. “Why would you try such a thing?”

Galen turned his gaze to his friend. “No one else could.”

“That doesna mean you risk your life,” Hayden said.

Arran shook his head, his arms crossed over his chest. “Foolish, just as Ramsey said, but it was also brave.”

“Aye,” Duncan and Ian replied in unison.

Galen wanted to laugh. Brave? Nay. His concern had been for Reaghan and his family at the castle.

“What did you see?” Quinn asked.

Galen forced his body to remain standing though his legs shook like a newborn colt’s. He hadn’t been this weak since he had controlled the soldier’s mind decades ago. “Deirdre, just as we suspected. I’m willing to guess she managed to discover the Druids hid the artifact.”

“And that the artifact is here,” Fallon ground out. “Shite. That’s why she wanted the Druids to leave.”

Ian ran his hand back and forth over the top of his shorn hair. “That still doesna explain why she wanted Galen dead.”

“It has to do with me, doesn’t it?” Reaghan said.

Galen closed his eyes, wishing with all his heart the artifact were anyone but Reaghan.

“You were the only Druid who had made a connection with a Warrior. Couple that with the fact you are the artifact and it’s no wonder she went after Galen,” Odara said.

After a moment Reaghan swallowed and folded her hands in her lap. “This is just another reason for me to try and find a way to break the spell.”

Galen wanted to fold Reaghan in his arms, to protect her forever.

“It nearly killed you, didn’t it?” Broc asked him.

Galen leaned on the table as his strength waned. “I had to look deeper than I have before. That is all.”

Logan let out a string of curses and slammed his hand on the table. “God’s blood, Galen, you cannot lie to us. You nearly killed yourself gaining that bit of information, information we could have guessed.”

“Maybe,” Galen said, and lifted his head to look at Logan. “But we couldn’t have guessed that Deirdre is sending the MacClures to attack us.”

“By the saints,” Cara whispered as she buried her head in Lucan’s chest.

Camdyn leaned across the twins. “How do you know such a thing?”

Galen licked his lips, his mouth and throat parched. He reached for the ewer of water, but his arm shook so much he couldn’t pour it.

Reaghan took it from him and filled the goblet. Galen then lowered himself back onto the bench and drank. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand when he finished.

Just thinking about what he had managed to do left him shaken, his soul scarred. It had taken more of his power than any of them could have guessed.

Delving into Mairi’s mind hadn’t been the problem. It had been letting go. Deirdre’s hold on the elder had been complete. The wickedness which swarmed Mairi had tried to suck him in as well.

Being near such malevolence and willingly using his god to seek answers was not something he had ever done. Or something he ever wanted to repeat. Yet, he would do it all again if it meant Reaghan could be safe.

“I felt Deirdre in Mairi’s mind. It was as if Deirdre had scraped Mairi’s brain, leaving marks much like our claws would. The evil was everywhere. As soon as I sensed Deirdre I followed her, and somehow the next thing I knew, I saw a glimpse of her mind.”

“Holy hell,” Quinn murmured.

“I saw her plan for the MacClures to attack us,” Galen said, suppressing the shudder that racked his body at touching Deirdre’s mind. “They have already gathered their men.”

Fallon linked his hand with Larena’s. “Galen, I doona know how you did it, and I doona want you doing it again, but I’m grateful for your power. We can prepare and be ready.”

“The MacClures won’t get through my shield,” Isla said. “They will do as anyone without magic and continue on.”

Galen wished she were correct. “Wyrran are with them.”

“It fooled the wyrran before,” Ian said.

Isla grimaced. “That was before Deirdre knew I was here. Now that she does, my shield won’t stop the wyrran. It will slow them, though.”

“That’s all we need,” Camdyn ground out.

Galen wiped his hand down his face. His strength was returning, but more slowly than he would have liked. He needed to be ready for battle. As it was, he was useless.

Sonya pointed to the door as she said, “There are Druids out there who are in danger.”

“That was their choice,” Odara said. “They knew what awaited them, and they chose certain death over these walls.”

“We aren’t going after them?” Sonya asked, her eyes round with disbelief.

Fallon sighed and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. “I vowed never to keep anyone prisoner, Sonya, and that’s exactly what I would be doing if I brought those Druids back.”

“They don’t know what they’re doing. It’s wrong of us to leave them to Deirdre,” she argued.

“I need everyone to stay inside the castle walls,” Fallon said. He looked around the hall. “No one leaves. No one. We have no idea when the attack will come, but we will be ready.”

Quinn rubbed his hands together. “Arran, Ian, Duncan, Hayden, and I will set up first watch.”

“I can take a quick flight over the area to see how close the MacClures are,” Broc offered.

Fallon nodded. “Good idea, Broc. Stay high enough so they cannot see you.”

“Of course.” Broc removed his tunic and started for the castle door, his skin already turning the dark, indigo blue of his god.

Galen watched as Broc’s wings spouted from his back. “I can take watch.”

“You will rest first,” Lucan said.

Galen wanted to argue, but he knew Lucan was right. He was no good to anyone in his current condition. “Just for a little while.”

“I’ll help him,” Reaghan said.

As soon as her slender hands came in contact with him, all Galen could think about was taking her in his arms and holding her. He wanted to part her sweet thighs and bury himself to the hilt.

He was afraid to touch Reaghan, afraid he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands from her. She had pulled away from him yesterday and created a chasm Galen was afraid he’d never be able to span.

Galen put his arm around her shoulders and allowed her to take some of his weight. He was thankful she was there so he didn’t have to try to make the climb to his chamber by himself.

With the Druids now gone, Galen once more had his chamber, which was on the opposite side of the castle from Reaghan’s. He guided her to the room and pushed open the door.

Galen lifted his arm from her shoulders and stumbled into the chamber to collapse on his bed. He fully expected Reaghan to leave, so when he sensed her beside him, his heart beat double time.

“You shouldn’t have put your life in danger.”

He shrugged. “These people are my family, and that includes you. I would do anything to protect you.”

“You saw more in Mairi’s mind than you told us, didn’t you?”

“I did,” he admitted. “I saw evil more deadly, more intent, than you could imagine. I fear for us, Reaghan. I fear nothing we can do will ever defeat Deirdre.”