The Gazing Globe (18 page)

"Thanks a lot!" Blain bit out.

"As long as Hugh and Shayla were close by, I knew nothing would happen to you. They wouldn't let it."

"But it wasn't Hugh or Shayla who passed out in my arms. It was you. Weren't you the one who first confronted her?"

"I wouldn't call what I did a confrontation. I sort of acted like a speed bump and slowed her down a little until the real cavalry arrived." She sighed. "I'm a bit tired."

This was the strangest situation Blain could ever imagine, but dealing with his problems could wait.

Afton's were imminently more important now. "You'd better rest, honey. When you're feeling up to it, we'll talk. I need your help and...I trust you," Blain said softly as he stroked her hair.

"I'll do everything I can to help. I'll always be here for you, Blain." She gazed up into his sage-colored eyes.

"Just sleep now. Okay?"

"Will you do something for me?"

"Anything. All you have to do is ask."

"Would you hold me? Just for a while?"

"Sure, sweetness. For as long as you want."

Blain pulled her into his arms and let her rest against his chest. Her color seemed better, her breathing was sound, and she was coherent. Whatever had happened to Afton seemed temporary. Shayla and Hugh didn't seem too upset by the girl's physical state, but he wasn't leaving her tonight. He'd hold her all night long if that's what she wanted.

And he vowed that, no matter what it took, no one would fight his battles again. He had powers of his own, and he'd damned sure learn how to use them.

***

Hugh watched as Shayla put the kettle on to boil- "You know that woman wasn't Hannah Biddies. At least that's not what we called her over thirty years ago."

Shayla nodded. "I know, though I wasn't really sure until she changed from that old hag's disguise into her true form upstairs. She was very good at masking her presence and true identity. I can't believe someone from the Order could practice such black magic, or why anyone would believe it would give them omnipotent powers. But they must have wanted those powers very badly. Some would have died for it all those years ago. But our records of who they might be are scattered and inaccurate. Freyja's minions made sure they would be. They destroyed a great many of our archives while Freyja and I fought and it became apparent that I would win."

"That's the nature of black magic. It lures you in and destroys your sanity. It creates monsters out of those who were once normal people. But did you suspect this all along?" Hugh asked.

"Yes. And so did you, if I'm reading you correctly. I suppose neither of us spoke of it because we didn't want to admit one of them got away or that more could be out there."

"Aye. I wanted to let the dead stay buried. There was so much bloodshed all those years ago." Hugh sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Should we tell Blain and Afton?"

"Blain's feelings are still very precarious. Although this will only muddy the waters for him, I'll tell him tomorrow. I promised I'd keep nothing from him. I must keep my word. You may tell Afton in your own way."

"I understand, my love. And I think I can see Arthur's and Syndra's position much better now."

Shayla nodded. "We'll never know exactly what they found out. And there are still some things I don't understand. I have a feeling this isn't over, that our confrontation upstairs was just the beginning."

"Aye. But what if Blain won't come with us now?"

"He must, Hugh. He must come with us or he'll surely die."

Eight

"Blain.Afton. It's morning."

Shayla placed a hand onAfton's shoulder and gently shook her awake. Afton didn't want to move. Her head was pillowed against Blain's chest, and Shayla sensed she felt safe and warm there. But today was the Summer Solstice, or Coamhain. Preparations had to be made for this evening's celebration. A bon fire needed to be built, but the breakfast feast came first.

Afton lay there, feeling a little homesick. She'd never been away from her family during such an event.

And the entire Order would be missing the Sorceress.

"Ah, good, lass. You're awake. How are you feeling?" Shayla sat on the opposite side of the bed from Blain. She gently stroked Afton's hair away from her face.

"I'm fine, Shayla. What happened? Hannah.

"She's gone," Shayla interrupted. "Now if you're feeling up to it, I need some help to prepare for tonight's celebration."

"Wait just a damn minute!" Blain sat up and blinked as the morning light blurred his vision. "Last night you fought some kind of lightning-throwing woman you say was Hannah Biddies. Now you're ready to have some celebration over it?"

"No, Blain. That's not what's happening," Afton told him. "It's the Summer Solstice. It's the time of year when the sun is at it's greatest force. It's a very special time for us."

"Yes, we celebrate the chasing away of evil and a time of plenty. It just so happens that this year, the celebration coincides with what happened last night." Shayla patted his hand reassuringly.

"And what did happen, Shayla? What happened to Mrs. Biddies? If that was her." Blain waited for an answer. When he saw Afton look toward Shayla and the older woman's responding glance, he knew exactly what had happened to her.

Blain stood, walked to the open window and hung his head. "She's dead, isn't she? You actually took someone's life."

"She'd have destroyed you, Blain. If she had her way, she'd have murdered any member of the Order who stood against her," Shayla explained. "The woman knew about us and came here to fight. If she had to take a number of lives in the process, she wouldn't have hesitated."

"This can't be happening. It can't be, " Blain whispered He gazed out the window and saw a sunny day, just like any other. But a death had taken place in his home.

"Afton, if you're well enough to get up, leave us alone for a time. Hugh is downstairs and has some tea brewed. It'll help you feel much better."

Afton did as she was asked, but she hesitated at the door and glanced back at Blain, wanting to go to him. If Shayla wasn't careful, he could be on the brink of renouncing his heritage. If that happened, he'd be forever separated from the Order or worse. She quietly walked away, praying to all of creation that Shayla could make him understand.

"Come and sit," Shayla said as she patted the bed beside her.

Blain turned to face her and was about to refuse, but her expression exuded kindness and patience.

The woman didn't look like a killer. But neither did his uncle. He seated himself beside her, and she looped her arm through his.

"No one in the Order is allowed—or predisposed, for that matter—to hurt other living souls without good cause, Blain. But we must protect ourselves. Compared to outsiders, there are so very few of us left, and so few parcels of suitable land on which we can survive. We hide and lurk. We creep about and play at being shadows. Such is our life."

She paused for a moment then continued, "Once we numbered in the thousands and walked the earth among men. We held our heads up proudly and dwelled among kings. Now, we would be hunted into extinction. Can you imagine what humankind would do to us—and themselves—to gain our powers?

Our existence depends upon what each member of the Order does on a daily basis. We scheme and devise ways around the outsiders' laws in order to exist and protect the land. We use magic to forge documents and to travel. There are only a few places on earth where our children can play in the sunshine. Even in those rare spots, they're always guarded and can never move about freely. If they survive to adulthood, they might be allowed to travel, but only as necessity dictates. Our young learn the games of survival, not the games of simple childhood. Everything they're taught is in an effort to help them stay alive and remain undetected. Someday soon, changes will have to be made or we won't exist at all."

"The woman last night...she would have killed Afton, wouldn't she?" Blain asked, his voice breaking.

"Yes. Afton got in her way. I didn't want to tell you this, but there may be more out there like Hannah Biddies. And I must also tell you that she was once one of Freyja's minions. Her sister, if I recall. I only recognized her when she changed form. Her real name isn't important. She's dead now. But if she escaped the Order when I took over, others might have done the same. And those others might do what this woman did to you. They're very good at hiding their real identities. Do you understand?"

Blain slowly clenched his hands. He understood. Perfectly. They might come after him again. "What could I possibly have that they want?"

"I'm not sure, Blain. It could be they wanted to kill you simply to get even with me, or to follow Freyja's bent interpretations of the laws. I'm not certain."

"All of this is getting harder and harder to accept. At first, it was new and fantastic. Now, it's become a fight for survival. I don't know what to do."

"I can't promise you things will be easy if you pledge yourself to the Order, but I can tell you that you'll never find more peaceful or loving creatures. Like all societies, there are a few among us who are bad apples, as they say. But for the most part, we live happily because we love and help one another. It's the only way we've survived. We protect each other."

"And that woman last night was in the minority?"

"Yes. We don't allow evil to enter our presence. We shun it and turn away if we're allowed to do so.

Last night, it had to be confronted. While our magic is only used to serve, it may also be used to protect.

But it is never abused. Those who do so threaten us all by drawing attention to our existence. If any of the Order misuses their powers to hurt anyone without just cause, they suffer what we refer to as the judgment."

"Death?" Blain asked.

"Sometimes, but that penalty has rarely been used. We live simply and love in abundance. There's little need for judgment or punishment of any kind."

Blain hung his head. He couldn't deny what he was, but the conditions of accepting his heritage scared the hell out of him. His own parents might have been killed if they hadn't run away from the Order. But things had to have changed or he'd be dead already. And he couldn't deny the fact that someone had been trying to harm him. Since Shayla's arrival, the harm had stopped. Until last night.

He stood up and glanced around. The walls closed in on him, and he felt more alone than at any other time in his life. How could he forget what he'd turned into in the woods? When the transformation had taken place, he hadn't felt evil or malicious. All he'd felt was wonder, curiosity and awe.

But for the laws which drove his parents away, wouldn't he have been born a part of this Order?

Wouldn't he have been one of those who now lived each day to survive? Wasn't that what he'd do from now until the day he died? Especially now that he knew what and who he truly was? "Am I allowed a choice in what I do from here on out?"

"Because you were born never knowing about the Order, you won't be forced to accept it now. But if you don't, you'll never see any of us again. And if anyone should find out about us because of you..."

"You'd kill me?" he asked as he turned to her.

Shayla saw the tears in his eyes. "That's one law that even I can't reinterpret, Blain. I must protect all those who depend upon me," she whispered. "Please don't force me to make that choice. I love you as I would have loved my own son."

He dropped his head back as tears streamed down his face. "I want to believe in all of this. I can't deny what I turned into in the woods, but it's so damned hard."

Shayla went to him and pulled him to her. Like a lost child, he lowered his head against her shoulder and wept.

Someone had died in his room, and he was being asked to accept the circumstances which caused the death. Somewhere in the world, a magical order of creatures existed from day to day on no more than the trust they placed in one another. He could deny their existence and lose his uncle, the only living relative he had, or accept the situation and allow magic into his life. It was the same terrible magic that had caused a death, and the same wonderful enchantment that had allowed him to physically alter himself into a creature of legend.

"Think and rest, Blain. Tonight is the Summer Solstice. Coamhain. In our tradition, it's a time to celebrate. We shall light a bonfire this evening and celebrate the goodness and wonder of life. We'll put aside the horror and evil. The bad things have passed away for a time and have left only the good. Until tonight, stay here and rest. We'll see to the chores." She hugged him once more and walked out of the room.

Blain stood and remained motionless for a very long time. He had a choice to make and no matter what he did, nothing would remotely be the same again.

***

"It's time," Hugh announced. "May I begin?"

Shayla nodded.

Afton watched Hugh walk forward and stretch out his hands. Using powers she could never hope to imitate, he caused fire to leap from the bottom of the stacked wood.

When the blaze was burning well, Hugh joined her and pulled the hood of his long white robe up over his head. She did the same. And as the flames grew even higher, Blain didn't appear. Afton thought her heart would break as surely as if it were made of brittle glass. If Blain hadn't shown himself by now, he'd probably decided to have no part of the Order or its ceremonies. That meant they would leave for Europe and none of them would ever see him again.

Afton clasped one of Hugh's hands tightly in both of hers. How horrible it must be for the older man to have searched so long for his brother and sister-in-law only to find them dead. Then to find a wonderful nephew he never knew existed and lose him as well. But Hugh kept his face toward the flames so she couldn't see his expression. His feelings were being masked from her. Perhaps it was his way of hiding how awful the moment was for him.

"Join hands," Shayla ordered in a voice that shook.

"Wait, Shayla. Please, wait a few more minutes," Afton begged.

"There's no use prolonging this. It seems Blain has made his choice," Shayla sadly responded.