Page 54 of Shaw

We must capture the Norsemen alive so she may take her time with them, for her pleasure and our convenience.

While the enchantress amused herself with the raiders, Speal would sail to the cove on the mainland where she had agreed to meet with Fiacail’s new master, Duxor. She knew depending on the sovereign’s mood the parlay between them could end only in a few ways. Derdrui would either agree to provide anything in exchange for the location of Caladh, or use her power to force the immortal merrow to reveal what he knew of the MacMar’s island. If the merrow’s magic proved a match for that of their sovereign, then they might end each other.

All Speal wished was to free her sisters, and bring Fiacail back to rejoin the Cait Sith. If she had to die to see that done, so she gladly would.

Mace came to join her, and wrapped a woolen shawl around her broad shoulders.

“You neednae conceal your thoughts just yet, Sister. The effects of our princess’s gluttony shall last until sunset, surely.” She leaned against the railing as she peered at the horizon. “We should sail for the meeting place. By now the Norsemen likely landed in their homeland.”

She shook her head. “They abandoned most of their crew, and their slaves, they’re too small to row. With but a single sail on their longboat I expect we shall overtake them shortly. How shall we deceive the Norse so they believe us their raider brothers, escaped from Insii Orc?”

“Vikings all look much the same.” Mace’s body blurred, growing taller as braided white-gold hair fell around her now-manly features. She then refined her appearance by adding a light coat of soot to her flesh, and brown-black bloodstains on her rough raider’s garb.

“I’ve a better idea.” Speal closed her eyes, shifting into the form of a slender, golden-haired Norsewoman who had been gutted and left for dead in the highlands nine centuries past. Dispatching her had been a kindness, or so she had thought until she absorbed her memories. “We shall play escaped slaves and lure them close.”

“Then we must hurry our changes.” Mace nodded toward a small patch of red, white and brown that had appeared on the horizon. “Look there.”

For a moment the temptation to change direction and ignore the longboat almost overwhelmed her. Then she thought of the lash wounds on the otherworldly lad, and how the raiders had left behind their brothers to be slaughtered. “Bid our sisters bring a brazier and all their bows on deck.”

Chapter Fifteen

Watching Nyall pace around the garrison armory aggravated Shaw. After relating all that had happened to him and Julianne he had silenced the captain, who seemed now to be at odds as to the next word he should utter, never mind what action he should take. Returning to the hall and assuring the safety of his woman was all Shaw wanted, but he also knew he could no longer keep the clan ignorant of the true nature of the beast inside him.

“’Tis naught I may do about the DayBridge and their punishment, nor what the monk told us of such past lives as he believes we lived.” He waited for Nyall to reply, and when he just stared at him he threw out his arms. “What would you bid me do, then? ’Twas likely half-truths or lies. ’Twillnae change what was done–”

“’Twas truth.” The captain faced him, his expression one of grim resignation now. “You’ve druid blood, as does the laird and Fletcher. The council told Connal that your lady màthair shares a bloodline with the Pritani.”

He made an impatient gesture. “Her tribe, they’re no’ druids.”

“Aye, only in ancient times they shared bloodlines with the magic folk,” Nyall corrected. “From what you told me, ’twould seem in time outcast druids from the DayBridge tribe became the Pritani slavers who took you from us. If she shared other lives with you, then Mistress Scott must possess druid blood as well.”

Before Shaw could reply, a horn sounded, one that had not been used by the watchers for years. He picked up a sword with one hand, catching the dagger Nyall tossed to him with the other. Inside him the beast billowed up like a black cloud, but instead of taking him over it waited, poised and silent, as it never had. He glanced at the captain, who nodded, and then immersed himself in the darkness. With the spirit enveloping him, he poured out of the garrison hall, up the side of the stronghold and over the roofs to the watch tower.

When Shaw could see through his own eyes again, a blinding flash of blue-green light burst in his face, only to fade into the bronze-blue of Julianne’s eyes. “My lady, what–”

“The ring didn’t bring me back just for you,” she said, seizing his hand. “I know what’s going to happen, and it’s today. I can stop them from reaching the island, but you have to save the kids.”

Dread bloomed inside him, gripping the beast and his own heart in ebony claws. “Dinnae leave me again.”

“You don’t understand. That’s why you came back with me. We have to do this together. We always go together, you and me.” She seized his hand. “Like chess pieces, piano keys, and salt and pepper, remember?”

She spoke of their fate as if it were meaningless, and Shaw realized for them it was. For as long as a mortal realm existed, they would always return to live again. “Aye. What need I do first?”

“Hold onto me.” When he nodded she wrapped her arms around him, and a darker green light enveloped them both, blinding him to everything but her.

Looking into her eyes as her boon took them away gave Shaw the sense of having done the same countless times before now. The beauty and warmth of Julianne’s gaze set him awash with tenderness and reverence, for what man could fill his heart with anything less for such a love?

I love her.

The words echoed inside him, huge and terrifying and yet entirely natural, as if such had been a part of him for so long he’d been born with her already inside his heart. If the monk had spoken truth, they had shared countless lives before now. As the dark green light faded, and a wooden deck appeared under his boots, a sense of the Pritani spirit came over him with a soft, humming vibrance, as if the beast were humming inside him.

Beauty. Our beauty.

Heavy footsteps thudded behind him, and Shaw pushed Julianne to the rear as he drew his dagger. MacLeir loomed in front of him, his expression exasperated as he flung out an arm and pointed at one of the gaps in the barrier.

“It’s okay.” Julianne squeezed his arm before she nodded to the ferryman. “I know. I saw what you did and everything else from the forest. Can you take us out to the longboat before they get close enough to see the island?”

MacLeir nodded, and after giving him a narrow look went to raise the sails.