“Well, that’s one worry we don’t have.” Dani smiled, relieved. “Trust me when I say I know for a fact that your brother will not succeed in taking over the world.”
There were distinct advantages in having seen this world from the future.
“You base this upon yer perception of time and upon where, when, you come from.”
Christiana’s words hit far too close to home. How could she possibly know about Dani being from the future?
“I see the need to deny in your eyes, Sister, but I ken the truth of when you come from. I have seen yer home in my Dream Visions. So I ken the reason you would feel insulated from my brother’s plans, but you must understand, yer concept of time and place has no meaning here. Torquil would wield the powers of the Alfodr. His actions could change the very fabric of the world that Skuld herself has woven. The time you remember may never come to pass.”
That couldn’t be.
And yet, here she sat in front of a campfire, seven hundred years from where she belonged, companions to a Faerie and a descendant of Odin. By what right could she possibly claim anything couldn’t be?
“How do we stop him?”
Her life in her own time might not have been the best, but she certainly didn’t want to think of the ways it could have been worse if Torquil had ruled the world she’d lived in.
“I canna say. I’ve no seen the outcome of his plans.”
“Say what you will of his future intentions.” Elesyria leaned back, stretching out her legs in front of her, “I’ve more of an interest in the here and now. You say you believe he already follows. Can you be sure of that?”
“Without my rune stones, the only way I have to tell is the Dream Vision, though even that will no always give me what I seek.” She shrugged, a small smile playing around the corners of her mouth. “The Magic has a mind of its own.”
“And then some,” Elesyria agreed. “In that case, let’s have at it, shall we? Is there anything we can do to help you?”
Christiana shook her head and lay back flat upon her woolen, arms crossed over her chest. Within seconds her breathing slowed.
“I’ve never seen anyone go to sleep that fast.”
“It’s not sleep,” Elesyria corrected. “You’d be more correct to think of it as being in a trance. She’s connecting with the Magic on a whole different plane of existence.”
Though Dani knew all of this was real, it just never got any easier to accept.
“Well, trance or sleep or whatever, Malcolm will be back soon and I’m sure he’ll be ready to eat.”
She pushed up to her knees to lay things out so they’d be ready when Malcolm returned. She placed her knife next to the bread and cheese before getting up to wander around the edges of their campsite, gathering sticks and kindling to toss into the fire.
She gave the spot where Christiana lay wide berth. It felt uncomfortable to go too close. Granted, the woman might be in a trance and not asleep, but she didn’t want to disturb her either way.
“Did you feel that?” Elesyria sat up straight and ran a hand up and down her arm as if warding off bugs. “It has the touch of the old Magic.”
“Could it be from what Christiana is doing? From the vision thing she’s having?”
Dani had sensed something odd when she’d walked past the woman, like static electricity that made all the hair on her body stand on end, but she’d been convinced it was just her imagination.
Elesyria clasped both hands around her arms, her head shaking slowly as she rocked back and forth. “Maybe. I cannot say what it is for sure. But I can say for a fact that I do not like it.”
Squatting down next to the fire, Dani tossed her armload of wood down and nudged some of the flatter stones close in to the fire. This would be a good night to utilize the bed-warming trick Hamund had taught her.
Her heart caught at the thought of the easygoing Hamund and what Torquil had done him and to her other friends, her last memories of them hanging from that horrible pole.
She struggled to push the image from her mind. Dusk approached rapidly, and dwelling on those memories sent a chill of apprehension racing down her spine. Hopefully Malcolm would return soon and banish all the negative thoughts eating away at her nerves.
A noised sounded in the underbrush and she was on her feet, already headed in that direction to welcome Malcolm back when a totally unexpected figure emerged from the trees only feet from where Christiana lay.
“Dermid! What are you doing here?”
Malcolm would be furious. After all he’d done to make sure his brother had stayed behind, Dani was sure they were in for a scene when he returned.
