Page 107 of Into The Light

They all wore the same war-paint and tattoos, each with different patterns and colors covering their tanned faces and bodies. The men’s impressive sizes rivaled Aiden and Thorne, but none stood as tall as Lothaire. Each wore a primitive loincloth made of the same leather that the woman wore, each in various shapes of revealing dresses and outfits similar to our guide. Though their clothing and tattoos varied between them, each one shared one identical trait... menacing stares that sent shivers rippling across my skin.

They followed us as we pushed past them down the trail into the forest. One look at Aiden and I shoved back the fear threatening to send me running back to the raft to leave with Mark.

No. I wouldn’t leave his side and these people were our only chance.

We reached a small village surrounded by thatched huts that looked similar to the ones we’d stayed in when we were in Bora Bora. The warriors filed in behind us and we all followed the woman to the last hut on the end. She pushed open the door and turned back, gesturing to us to follow her in.

We exchanged worried glances before following her inside. This was Aiden’s chance, our chance, and I wouldn’t lose my nerve now. His eyes opened and met mine, and that familiar flutter danced around inside me. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for him... and now was my chance to prove it.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Aiden

I struggled for breath while Lothaire set me down on the ground of the small hut. Emilia appeared at my side, and I settled my head back into her lap. I was slipping. The small amount of life left inside clawed at me to leave, but every time I felt my body submitting to its demands, I looked at her.

Her face, her eyes, the promise of a lifetime of kisses from those lips and I felt the fight return. I clung to every breath, willing my chest to rise and fall and demanding that my heart keep beating. It beat for her and I didn’t want to leave her. I’d just found her, and I wasn’t ready to leave her.

My eyes moved between Thorne and Annella and finally settled on Lothaire. I’d never seen fear in his eyes until now. He saw me fading, and his desperate expression screamed to change me back before the last ounce of lifeforce slid from my body... before he said goodbye to another brother. But I was so close... I was so close to the life I wanted that I couldn’t give up now. I gave him a look and reassured him with my eyes. Told him that he needed to wait. I wasn’t going to let go.

Not yet.

Our stare broke when he lifted his head to the movement behind me. I tried to follow his gaze but the pain in my body wouldn’t let me turn my head. With a breath I settled deeper into Emilia’s lap and waited.

“Who are you?” Annella asked, her eyes fixated on someone behind me.

A woman’s voice, shaky from age, spoke in a language I hadn’t heard in centuries. It was the Pict language that I’d only heard several times in my life before the change. If the stories were true, then she was likely the matriarch, the one powerful witch amongst them. Legends said one Pict held all the power... all the magic. When they died it passed to the next woman chosen by fate to carry on the magic. The power would transfer at the moment of death, and a new leader would be reborn.

“I’m sorry,” Thorne said, looking to the young warrior woman who brought us here. “We don’t speak your language.”

“Liùsaidh says you not welcome here,” the young woman said.

“Liùsaidh is her name? What is your name?” Thorne said, his naturally charming demeanor coming through.

There was a pause before she answered. “Catrain.”

“Catrain, a beautiful name.” I couldn’t see him, but I knew he showed her the smile that had melted many a woman in our day. “Could you please translate for me?”

Her silence hung over us. “Yes.”

“Please tell her we need her help. We are desperate to save him. Please,” Thorne continued.

After another pause Catrain spoke in her language, passing Thorne’s message to the woman I still could not see. When Liùsaidh responded, she spat out the sharp and pointed words I didn’t understand.

Catrain translated. “She says no. You abominations and should be dead. You go now.”

“You need to fix him!” Lothaire stepped forward, but an invisible blast sent him slamming backward into the wall. I couldn’t see her, but I knew it had come from Liùsaidh, confirming the rumors I’d heard as a child of the power of Pict witches.

“No! Stop!” Annella shouted, shooting to the space between them. “Please, we mean you no harm.”

Lothaire growled and crawled up to his knees, shaking the debris from his hair while he stood.

“This is not productive,” Thorne said, trying to calm the tension in the room. “Will you not help him?”

“Please.” Lothaire softened his eyes and raised his hands in submission. “He needs your help. He wants to be human. Please... let him.”

Catrain translated again. The witch’s response held the same anger and condemnation.

“She say no. Now go,” Catrain snapped.