The First Spell Weaver of Airendell: Book Two of the Airendell Chronicles (60 page)

“I shouldn’t, being pregnant and all.”  Morna says guiltily.

“Morna do you really think a couple of cigarettes could harm that child?’

“No.  Thanks for protecting my boys from their mother’s outrageous libido,” Morna says with a blush.

“Mo, I am just glad you are finally allowing yourself to be who you truly are.  You have always had a hidden wild thing, and now it is vampire charged.  It must be exhausting to constantly fight against it,” Agnar says in all seriousness.

Morna shrugs and sits on the marble bench and leans against a tree trunk.  She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath and then opens her eyes and lights the cigarette.  She inhales deeply and exhales slowly.  She savors the burn, the harsh taste, the rush of the chemicals releasing their stimulant effects into her bloodstream.  “Damn, that is so good!  If I had two fingers of scotch it would be perfect.”

Agnar laughs.  “Mo, you are so one of the boys!”

“I can’t help it.  I am probably the weirdest woman to ever live.” Morna chuckles at herself.

“You are pretty weird, but not the weirdest.”  Agnar says with a laugh. 

“Well I guess we could say we are both pretty weird.  We have always had a pretty weird connection,” Morna says with a laugh.

“True enough.  I have always confided in you. You are the only person I can tell anything to and you never judge me.  You might try to kill me over something stupid, but you never judge me.  Well, until you found out I was in love with your daughter.  But seriously, our connection may be weird, but it’s always been something I could count on.  I guess my being in love with your daughter might get in the way of that?”  Agnar asks uncertainly.

“No, not really.  We are friends.  I can keep that separate from my daughter.  I am pretty good at compartmentalizing my life.  Just don‘t ever deliberately, or carelessly hurt her, and you and I will work our differences out like we always have.” Morna says simply.

“So in other words, we will kick each other’s asses on a regular basis?” Agnar asks with a chuckle.

“Yeah Ag, I figure we probably will.”  The friends spend several minutes in small talk as Morna smokes her second cigarette.  She snuffs it out and weaves a spell over the butts and the pack.

“Did you make them disappear or just hide them?”

“They are gone.  I shouldn’t do any more smoking until the baby comes.”  Morna says firmly.  “We need to leave.  I am dragging my feet about going.” 

“I bet.  You are off to possibly fight a war with your in-laws. That can’t really be easy,” Agnar says glumly.

“It’s not.  But mostly I am wondering about the wisdom of taking Aideen with me.  She‘s up to this, right?”  Morna asks quietly.

“She is Mo.  I wouldn’t say she was if she wasn’t.  I love her too much to take that kind of chance,” Agnar says sincerely.

“I’m counting on that.  We better go,” Morna says as she stands up.

When they rejoin everyone in the dining hall, Rinda is there.  She kisses Morna hello as usual.  She wrinkles her nose at the cigarette smell.  “You, Breena and Agnar and your damned cigarettes.  I think Ingrid does it too.” 

Morna laughs and then goes into the kitchen to rinse her mouth out.  Luca comes up from behind and encircles her waist with his arms.  “Morna I could smell it when you were outside.”

“Sorry.  I just wanted a smoke ever since this morning.”  She turns in his arms and kisses him passionately and wraps her body around his with a moan.  She tries to pull away reluctantly.  “You have to walk away, Darling.”

“No.” Luca says, scoops her up and takes her to the pantry.  He erects a buffer spell and makes love to her against the door of the pantry.  When they finish Morna is reluctant to stop kissing him and get dressed, but she does.  “What is wrong, love?” Luca asks quietly, he can tell she is worrying over something.

“Today is big.  Today turns the tides, one way or another.  I am certain that Kyera or Valgullveig, or both are there, and I am certain that we will be forced to take one of them out.  Perhaps even up this maddening game that they are playing with our lives.”  Morna sighs as she pulls her blouse on. 

“Mars doesn’t worry me too much.  He is powerful and unpredictable, but I don’t think he is insane like Kyera.  Those who are crazy or on a vendetta can’t be persuaded.  But Mars is different.  All that we need from him is to leave you and Kylor alone and leave our Guild alone.  Kylor seems to think that if I can gain his respect, he will leave us alone.  That seems to fit what little I know about him.  And I will make him respect me, one damned way or another.”  Morna says as she gets dressed.

“You didn’t call Valgullveig insane.  What reason could she have for coming after her own sister but insanity or jealousy?” Luca says gently.

“No I didn’t.  There is something about my sister that is tugging at my memory, at my consciousness.  I just can’t get a handle on it yet…”  Morna shrugs.  “It will come to me.”  She turns to smile at her mate and says, “But for right now, we focus on Mars and whoever else might be with him.”

Luca takes her face in his hands as she bends down to put her pumps back on.  “Baby, if I was any kind of a man, I would refuse to let you go today.  I would protect my mate and my child.”

Morna stands up slowly and cups his face.  “You will protect me.  You will have my back.  You always do.  You have saved my ass many times and we both know it.”  Morna says honestly.  “But Darling, this is my duty.  You could not make me stay out of it.  If you tried it would drive a wedge between us.”  Morna pauses and looks into his eyes.  “Is my going already driving a wedge between us?”

“No, Morna.”  He kisses her lips tenderly; “As you said, baby, it is your duty.  I understood that before I married you the first time.”  Luca says quietly, and strokes her cheek.  “Promise to use the iron-lion, protect my reason for living.”

“I will.” Morna says and kisses him again.  “We have to go.  They must all know what we are doing since we just disappeared.”

Luca chuckles, drops the spell and says, “I don’t care what they know.  You are my mate, my beautiful wife.  We will love when we wish.”  When he opens the door, the kitchen is filled with the fighters bound for Mars’ realm.

Kylor laughs heartily and says, “Hear, hear Father!”  Everyone else joins the laughter.               

Morna blushes bright red and says, “Oh hell! Let’s go!  Luca, let’s go kiss the little ones goodbye.  We will meet you guys out front.”

Maria stops Luca and Morna on the way to see the children.  “I hesitate to mention this, but I can intercept any visions that Nora gets.  I usually wouldn’t even considering doing it, because it is an invasion of another’s privacy, and an encroachment on their power, but she is such a small child, I will do this, but only if you want me to.”

Morna hugs Maria, and says, “Please do!  No child should have to witness their parents doing what we are off to do today.  Thank you, Maria.”

Morna is much calmer and even happy when she and Luca say their good byes to the younger children and the adults remaining behind.  Morna feels the excitement building in her blood that she always feels before a big fight.  As they are walking away, Kyle says quietly, “Mom, Dad, don’t forget you have a wedding to go to tonight.”

“We’ll be there,” Morna promises with a big grin on her face.

“Grandmother, Damian, Maria, Rinda, Collingwood, and Ingrid are here if you need anything.  I suspect Odin and Thor will be around too,” Luca says before he and his mate walk out the front door.

CHAPTER 15 - THE REALM OF THE ROMAN GOD OF WAR

Luca and Morna join the others in the front yard.  Collingwood is waiting there for them.  “When you have left the perimeter of the residence, I will erect my barrier spell and Heimdall will erect his over it.  We will keep the children safe while you are gone.”  He assures Luca and Morna.  Morna kisses his cheek and says, “Thank you.”

Morna looks around at the fighters assembled.  She has fought many times alongside Luca, Valliant, Vali, and Agnar.  She has been in a fight on two occasions with George.  She has never gone into battle with either of her grown children.  She looks directly at Kylor and Aideen and says, “Any second thoughts?” When neither responds, Morna exhales.  “I should have my head examined for allowing you two to come along.” 

Morna paces for a few seconds in silence then throws her hands up.  “Fine, stick close to Luca and me.  If either of us tell you two to do something, do it immediately.  Do not think about it, do not question it, and definitely do not argue.  Got it?”  Morna says firmly.  When Aideen nods wordlessly, and Kylor smiles, Morna mutters again that she should have her head examined.  “Let’s go.”  Morna takes off running toward Heimdall’s without looking back. 

The group runs along in silence until they reach Heimdall’s gate.  Morna says, “I bet I know what they want.”  Lou and Annie are waiting at the gate, with their battle gear on.

“Annie, Lou, what can we do for you?” Morna asks pleasantly.

“Morna, we want to come along with you.  We are both skilled warriors.  We have a stake in this too.” Annie says bluntly.  “If mother is there, we want a chance to talk her out of this madness.

“Fine, I would actually be glad to have you along,” Morna says sincerely.  “I hope you can reason with your mother, if she is there… but…”

“You are probably right Mo, but we would like the chance to try,” says Lou sincerely.  “If not we can either back you up or bow out, whatever you prefer.”

Morna nods at Lou and Annie, she understands what they are seeking, but she fears they won’t find it.  She isn’t very eager to have to decide whether or not she wants them at her back.  She will go with her gut when the time comes.  She meets Luca’s gaze and suspects he is thinking along the same lines.  She knows he will keep a close eye on them, and Agnar can monitor their emotions.  Morna turns to her godfather and asks, “Where exactly will you set us down?”

“A mile south of his palace.  He knows you are coming and has a garrison lining the road to his palace.  He’s a showy bastard, but he is not a coward.  I don’t think he will have the garrison attack.  I believe they are just for show,” Heimdall informs to the fighters with a chuckle.

Kylor nods.  “I expected as much, mother.”  Kylor turns his attention back to Heimdall and asks, “Is his son Quirinus with him?”  When Heimdall nods, Kylor sighs, “Now, he is the more devious of the two.  And I believe he is a coward who relies on sneak attacks and underhanded tactics.  But that’s my opinion.”

“Isn’t Quirinus the ascended, god-form of Romulus?” Luca asks.

Kylor is impressed with his Father’s knowledge and says, “Yes, that is the general belief.  But Mars has never publicly said where Quirinus came from.” Kylor looks to his mother.  “Mars will try to ignore you.  He will probably address one of the Norsemen before he even looks at you.  He will be insulting, and will do anything he can think of to degrade you, and make you lose your temper.  Because of his association with Valgullveig, he will be fairly knowledgeable about your past lives and things you have suffered.  Be prepared Mother.  I suspect he will have something unsavory to say about your being pregnant, and about me as your son.”

The group have been strapping on their weapons as they talked.  Now Morna kisses her son and says, “Darling boy, you are stating the obvious.”  She looks at everyone to see if they seem ready.  Morna and Luca have taken the lead.  Kylor and George behind them.  Agnar and Aideen after that.  Annie and Lou are behind them, with the two Norse demigods bringing up the rear.  Morna is pleased that everyone seemed to understand where their best position would be.

Morna smiles and tells Heimdall, “Godfather, I wish to go visit my in-laws.”  Heimdall laughs uproariously and opens the gate to the Bi-frost.  They enter the Bi-frost and walk toward whatever awaits.  Everyone in the group knows that they will be watched as soon as they step off of the bridge.  Luca and Morna whisper “Love you,” simultaneously as they step off the rainbow bridge.

The countryside is green and wild looking.  There are gently sloping hills in the distance, but this area is relatively flat, and Morna can see for miles.  The sun is already high in the sky and beats down mercilessly.   She nods and smiles at the warriors lining the roadway.  The group strolls leisurely toward Mars’ realm.  As the Airendell/Asgard group goes by the warriors fall into step behind them, to provide escort and send a strong message of Mars‘ strength.  Morna smiles at the ploy.  She would the very same in Mars’ position. 

Morna contacts Heimdall, she had been expecting this move but wants to confirm that her Airendell warriors are assembled where she had ordered them to be.  One garrison is led by Elias and Micah and is stationed around Airendell, a second garrison is led by Brian and Bronwyn and is stationed inside the gateway ready to march on the Roman gateway if needed.  The third assembled garrison is led by Carrick and Enya and is assembled on the plain south of Morna and Luca’s glen, awaiting the Bi-frost to transport them to Mars’ realm if necessary.  Heimdall reports all garrisons, including the Asgardian garrisons of Valhalla and Thunder Mount are on standby.  Morna nods in satisfaction.  She doesn’t believe any of them will be needed, but she would have been a fool to come without back up.

The walk to Mars’ palace is over rather quickly.  Morna’s group halts before the massive doors to a truly majestic looking palace.  The doors open slowly and an intricate flourish sounds.  A man who looks almost identical to Luca, except that his hair and complexion are much darker, steps out and announces, “Behold Mars, the Roman god of war, Ruler of the seven plagues, King of the Vampires, and Guardian of the gateway to the underworld.”