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The remainder of Davot’s people clung together, hunched over—physically buffeted by storm force gales and drenched to the skin—awaiting his command. Grayson was close enough to see that there were only five of them left, and Davot. Even though he was behind Davot, Grayson could feel his rage building. It poured out of him in ugly, vindictive waves, his whole aura brittle and angry.
Grayson strode into the clearing.
Davot turned around as he approached. “Murdoch.”
“You will live long enough to regret this,” Grayson warned. “Go back to the village,” he shouted across at the remaining members of the coven. “You were foolish to mess with this.”
Davot moved to stand between Grayson and Zoë, blocking his way. Torrents of water ran down the hillside, turning the forest floor into mud. The rest of the group began to back away. Grayson saw Elspeth there amongst them, huddled against the elements, her expression resigned as she looked his way.
“Cain, I’m leaving,” she called, and then encouraged the others to go. They headed in the direction of the village for safety, stumbling through the forest as they went.
Davot cursed them and then launched himself, aiming a static-filled fist at Grayson’s gut. Grayson took the blow, but delivered one of his own. Davot cursed again, bitter Celtic words spewing from his lips.
“Grayson!” It was Zoë’s voice calling to him, and it steeled him.
He studied Davot as he dodged another blow, sensing he was too angry to focus his magic effectively. Gathering his resources, he called upon the forest to exact revenge on the warped magic that had gone on here. Davot’s feet went out from under him, and a boulder slid down the bank toward him as he tried to get to his feet. He scrabbled for purchase, knocked his head on a low-hanging tree branch, and fell.
“Come on, up the hill,” Grayson shouted to Zoë, grabbing her by the hand and hugging her to him. “Away from the village.”
“I can’t,” she said, pulling against him, her gaze flitting back down toward the village, denial and confusion resting heavy within her spirit. “I can’t leave here. I have to stay near Annabel.”
A binding spell? “Just as far as the main road. If we go back, we’ll run into the rest of them.”
Clutching at him, she looked up at him with a multitude of questions in her eyes. “What happened?” Her gaze went to the storm-filled night sky. “You did this, didn’t you?”
He cupped her face, her confusion and pain a gnawing ache on his soul. “I’ll explain as we go.”
She looked over at Davot’s slumped, mud-splattered body. “Is he…going to be okay?”
“He’ll be awake soon enough. Let’s get a head start.” Leading her by the hand he struggled through the trees, encouraging her to keep up despite the driving rain. He headed up through the forest, inland, and away from the village. He knew a place where they could take shelter, somewhere off Cain’s radar.
Zoë stumbled after him, one hand clutching her torn dress against her bared breast.
He paused, pulled the dress together and knotted the fabric on the shoulder. “Steady now. Follow in my steps.”
“I’m okay, I think, just confused.”
She didn’t look okay. She was far from okay. He had to get her away and safe as soon as he could. He measured his steps, using the low-slung branches to haul them up by, lifting her over fallen debris, pausing frequently for her to rest. The slope was treacherous and the wind had not abated. If anything, the storm had more power.
“Why were they calling to Annabel?” she asked, and her words lifted on the wind. “Why did they have me in that circle?”
He paused by a large tree trunk for shelter and rest. “I think they’re trying to bring her back to life.” There was no point in beating around the bush, not anymore. She’d seen enough now, she had to be brought up to speed and made aware of exactly what it was they were dealing with.
“Elspeth said that.” Light glinted off her eyes when they rounded. “Am I being pulled into some sort of reincarnation?”
“Well, re-embodiment would be a more appropriate term, but, yes.”
“Shit!”
He nodded.
“Is that even possible?”
“Forbidden, occult magic.” He shook his head, barely able to voice it to her. “Dangerous, evil, and totally against the laws of nature. Some people don’t know when to stop.”
“Shouldn’t w
e call the police, or something?”
