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“Ach, you’ve grown into a fine young woman,” she says.
“Thanks, Mom,” I say. “This is Duncan, my fiancé.”
I gesture towards him, and she turns to give him a good look. My cheeks flush as her eyes move over his bare chest, his bulging muscles on full display to the world, but Duncan doesn’t know the meaning of the word embarrassment. His chest is full, his shoulders square, and his stunning blue eyes dance with delight while he smiles as broadly as anytime I’ve seen.
“M’lady,” he says, repeating himself.
“Duncan,” she says, pursing her lips as she continues her examination.
I shift from one foot to the other, unreasonably uncomfortable as my mom does an eval of my boyfriend. It’s not an experience I’ve ever had before. Dad was completely different, more laid back and accepting than Mom seems to be.
“It’s an honor to meet you, ma’am,” Duncan says.
“You love her?” she asks, then shakes her head before he can answer. “What am I saying? Of course, you do. You’re… you.”
She looks at Dugald, who nods in response as the two of them share some inside knowledge. I puzzle on this for only a moment before all her words click and I get it. She knows who I am. That Duncan and I keep coming back. That Dugald, Duncan, and I have been living out a love triangle that spans not one lifetime, but hundreds.
“How do you know?” I ask.
Mom smiles and shakes her head.
“Of course I know,” she says. “You think I am a fool? I know my bloodline. I knew my destiny and yours. Why do you think I tried so hard to stop it?”
And even that makes sense. Many of my lifetimes have not ended well. My choices have not always been the best and she sought to save me from all of it. But fate had other plans, apparently.
“There will be time for reunions and sharing later,” Dugald says.
“You can wait your damn turn,” Mom snaps. “I’m not forgiving you yet.”
“Nor should you,” Dugald says. “I do not deserve it, but that does not change the facts. This time things are worse than you can possibly imagine.”
“What does that mean?” she asks, looking to me for answers.
I drop my eyes and purse my lips. Duncan may not know embarrassment, but I do, and I know full well I screwed this all up. The entire world is in danger because of me.
“Mom, I told you, that I, uhm...” I swallow my pride because I realize I’m being stupid trying to be coy. As Dugald says, there’s no time. “I set the darkness free.”
“Oh,” she says. “The Tree?”
“Is almost dead,” Dugald says darkly. “Could be by the time we return.”
Mom nods, closes her eyes, and composes her face. When she opens them, she grabs the pouch on her side and pulls out the book.
The book is more of a tome. It’s four or five inches thick. The heavy covers are thick leather and the pages inside are papyrus with worn, wrinkled edges. She hefts it up to her chest, clutching it tight.
“Quinn, this is the book of spells,” she says. “These are blood spells. Not just anyone can cast them and not everyone who can is able to achieve the full power of the spell. Our blood will.”
The floor rumbles, shaking beneath our feet. The wind outside the tower howls like a banshee calling to all who can hear. All of us look around, expecting something worse, but it sounds like an intense storm. If I really pay attention I can feel the tower sway, but not so much as to be alarming. Yet at least.
I reach for the book, but Mom takes a step back.
“No,” she says, shaking her head.
“Amelia,” Dugald says. “You must give her the book.”
“No,” she says, looking over at him. “Our blood.”
“It will not work, and you know it,” Dugald says.
