Duncan (Immortal Highlander Clan MacMar #5)

Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

J amaran sent out the patrols to again circle the island in their ongoing search for the Selseus king before he swam another circuit of the bay by himself. The beautiful blue of the sea and the abundant, colorful life around the reefs usually brightened his dourest mood, but he had been worried too long, and that worry now bordered on sheer panic.

For the better part of two days he had been trying to reach Merrick with his thoughts, as they shared their minds entirely with each other. Yet despite his efforts he had been unable to detect a single thought from the other man. That meant either Merrick had journeyed a great distance away from him, or he had died. Because he knew the king’s thoughts as intimately and completely as his own, he was also aware of how melancholy he had grown since the mortal woman he loved had rejected him.

I should ken if he ended himself, surely.

That thought had brought him to the traitor. He had no interest in listening to more lies from him, but he suspected if the king had been abducted, Duxor might know why, and by whom. When he went to inform the MacMar laird, which he would soon have to do, the more information he had, the better. At the same time he didn’t wish to alarm their allies if Merrick had simply gone somewhere on his own to sulk over Meg, which he had been prone to doing of late.

I shall see what Duxor says, and then decide.

When he finished a patrol of the entire bay, Jamaran swam to the sea caves where MacLeir had imprisoned the traitor.

What do you here? The former royal heir gave him a sulky look through the crystal bars that shimmered with the ferryman’s power. Did my cousin order you slay me, then?

Our king’s vanished. Some of your monsters’ spawn attacked the village, and the MacMar captured another posing as the maid it killed. ’Twas a wee one with yellow hair. He watched his eyes as he related that, and saw a flicker of excitement when he mentioned the maid. You ordered that thing slay a young lass ?

’Twouldnae matter if I did. He averted his gaze. The changed no longer obey me.

Jamaran used the charm MacLeir had given him to open the cave cell, and took hold of Duxor by the throat. As the traitor struggled, he dragged him through the water, swimming to the islet where the Selseus went to die. Hauling him through the shallows and onto the sands, he tossed him between some old stakes poking out of the dunes and cleared his gills of water so he could speak.

“I shall leave you here so you may strangle and burn,” he promised Duxor as he straddled him and took out a coil of woven hide cord he’d brought to bind him. When the traitor said nothing he nodded. “’Tis your death, then.”

“Wait. Wait ,” he begged. “That wee shifter, she’s called Dearg?” When he nodded Duxor sighed. “She obeys the enchantress in all things, and I reckon ever she’s done since I changed her. Always I tasted a bitter blackness in her mind, like rot. ’Twas the dark Fae witch, I vow.” As Jamaran began tying him down his eyes bulged. “What do you, Commander? I told you all.”

“You lie as easily as you breathe.” Quickly he finished binding his neck, arms and torso to the stakes, and shifted down to restrain his legs and feet. “ You shall remain on land until I find my king, or Merrick returns to the settlement.”

Duxor gaped at him. “I could die before he comes.”

“The king passed sentence on you that day you returned,” Jamaran told him flatly. “When you die for what you did matters naught.”

He tested the knots in the cords to assure he couldn’t escape before he waded back into the water. The traitor called his name over and over, and spewed more lies as he beseeched him to spare his life, but once he submerged, the clean sound of the rushing currents masked his whining pleas. For a few moments Jamaran floated through the shallows and across the outer border of the settlement, wondering if he should return to the palace and wait for his search parties to report to him. No, he could not remain there doing nothing but fretting. Nor could he stand yet another hint from the elders that, when the king died, the heir would have to assume rule over the Selseus.

What had Merrick been thinking, naming his heir before disappearing like this?

Once more he reached out to the missing man with his thoughts. My king, do you yet live? Summon me and I shall come for you.

Only silence answered him.

For hours Nicole stood at the battlements of the watch tower looking for any sign of the hybrids approaching the island. The laird had put plenty of watchers on duty to do the same, but she had grown too restless to stay inside. Thinking about Duncan only made her more unsettled. She also knew that doom was headed their way; doom that she was supposed to avert.

How can I stop an army of shifters, another army of hybrids, their mindless spawn, and the enchantress who killed my aunt?” All I can really do is heal.

The sun would soon set. If any or all of the clan’s enemies waited until nightfall to attack the island again, the watchers would have trouble seeing them, although she doubted Derdrui and the Cait Sith would stage a direct attack on the stronghold. It would be wiser to infiltrate the island and kill the clan’s vassals so they could take their places. Then when they came to work in the morning the guards would let them walk right into the stronghold.

Everyone here is going to die eventually, even the immortals.

“See anything else slithering out of the water and sprouting arms and legs?” Caroline came to stand beside her, and offered her the jug she was carrying .

“Not yet.” She didn’t bother to sniff the open jug but took a healthy swallow from it before she handed it back. “Nice. Wine?”

“Maybe. The ferryman makes it, and he can’t answer questions.” The diver set the jug on the edge of the wall before she regarded her. “Too tired to work in the infirmary?”

“There are no more wounded that need healing. The laird sent home the vassals that wanted to be with their families to prepare for the funerals.” Her anger with Duncan after the scene in the great hall had also left her emotionally drained. “I’m back to being useless again.”

“You don’t have to be.” Caroline removed a small sack from her pocket and tucked it into her hand. “I found this washed ashore on my islet, but I need to go check on Val, and see if she was able to read that shifter’s mind. Take it to the infirmary for me?”

Before Nicole could think of an excuse the diver left her literally holding the bag. From the bulge in the hemp cloth she could tell it was another orb, which meant it was a forest bomb or an imp egg. Since both were bad news she couldn’t toss it over the tower wall or bury it somewhere. The only place it would be safe was inside Duncan’s cabinet of Fae curiosities.

“I’ll just give it to him and leave,” she muttered as she went back down stairs and made her way to the infirmary. If he wasn’t there, she’d call one of the guards to wait with the object until Duncan returned.

Inside the dimly-lit chamber, the hearth had burned so low it had been reduced to a few feeble embers. Stretched out on the pallet in the corner lay Duncan, his long limbs shivering under the woolen blanket he’d wrapped himself in. Nicole set the orb on the closest table and rushed over to him. B ut as she reached out to him, he opened his eyes and caught her wrist with a gloved hand.

“I’m no’ ill,” he said, rasping out the words.

“I need to teach you how to lie better.” She climbed onto the pallet, wrapping her arms around him as he stiffened. “The other healer is here, just relax and tell me who you treated.” As the spasms started in her belly she caught her breath. “Uh-oh. That pregnant girl who works in the kitchen had her baby?”

“Aye, Jamma’s the màthair of twins.” As his tremors slowly stopped and hers began he took the blanket and wrapped it around her. “The delivery, ’twas swift.”

Nicole gritted her teeth as the contractions he’d transferred to her grew more intense before they abruptly faded. “Thank heaven for small favors. I am so glad you can’t get me pregnant. ”

“Now you lie,” he chided as he pulled her into his arms and rubbed his hands over her shivering back. “You’d make a gentle and kindly màthair , much as your own, I reckon.”

“I don’t know if my mother was anything like that.” As the last, wrenching contraction tore through her she blinked away the tears of pain. “She returned to Elphyne when I was just a toddler. Because most people thought she’d run off with another man or killed herself, no one ever talked about her.”

Duncan rose from the pallet and poured a mug of water, which he brought over and had her drink as he helped her to sit up. “Why did you touch me just now? You swore you’d never help me again.”

“Thanks for reminding me.” She lifted the mug from his hand, held it higher, and dumped it over his head before she climbed off the pallet. She gestured to the table. “Caroline sent you an orb for your cabinet. Have a lovely evening, Healer.”

Nicole almost made it to the door before a final, wrenching pain made her double over and nearly collapse. Twins, he’d delivered twins, and she was beyond stupid for taking the pain from him when he needed to suffer, no, he wanted to suffer–

Duncan grabbed her and cradled her against his chest. “Cease running from me. ”

“Then quit trying to protect me from everyone and everything.” She looked up at him. “What happened in the village is just a preview of what we’re facing. When the enchantress arrives, it’s going to be much, much worse. The only way we can save as many people as possible is together.”

“Does seeing me suffer please you? For I cannae enjoy watching you in pain. Time and again today among the wounded I wished order the guards take you out of the village.” He pressed her close. “Curse the Fae and their facking boons.”

Before Nicole could reply the laird came in carrying his wife, whom he placed on the pallet. Lark, Caroline and Julianne came in after them, while Meg stood out in the passage, her face wet with tears.

“She screamed and swooned after but touching that hybrid once.” Connal knelt down beside her. “I’ll never permit her touch another for as long as she lives.”

Nicole exchanged a look with Duncan before they went over to Valerie.

“I’m all right,” the laird’s wife said, groaning as she sat up on the pallet. “No, please don’t,” she said as Nicole reached for her. “Reading Dearg’s mind was absolutely harrowing for me. She’s almost as sadistic as the enchantress. ”

Julianne made a face. “I bet sifting through her head totes wasn’t a party.”

“I’ll be all right, sweetheart.” Valerie regarded her husband. “Derdrui intends to kill the MacMar and the Selseus, and arm herself with Merrick’s crown. She’ll first use it to amplify her powers so she can murder the rest of the Cait Sith, including those made into hybrids by Duxor. Dearg was the only one she promised to take back with her to Elphyne, because she is the only shifter that the enchantress has under her complete control. I can’t tell you when they’ll reach the island, but it will be soon.” The laird’s wife rose somewhat unsteadily, and looked into Nicole’s eyes. “If you know anything about what the enchantress has planned after she wipes out the MacMar, please tell us now.”

“Yeah, why does she want to go back to Faeworld?” the lifeguard asked. “She was like in jail there, right?”

Nicole silently apologized to her aunt for breaking the last of her promises before she said, “Merrivane said the reason my grandfather ordered her and my mother back to Elphyne was because of Derdrui’s threats against the Fae king and his supporters. She promised once she exterminated the MacMar Clan that she would come back for them. My aunt said there were too many Fae who would rally to protect the king, so it was an empty threat.”

“Unless she plans to use Merrick’s crown to meld the Fae king with Dearg,” Valerie said. “That would allow her to seize control of Elphyne through an imposter, and take her revenge against the Fae. Once she rules the Fae otherworld, she’ll have ultimate power over the mortal realm, and all the humans she could want to torture and kill.”

“You believe that’s been her plan all along?” When the laird’s wife nodded, Nicole sat down quickly on the exam table so she wouldn’t fall on her face. “We have to stop her.”

Lark hugged herself. “How can we fight the enchantress, the Cait Sith and the hybrids?”

“I hate to make things worse, but Jamaran sent word that Merrick disappeared,” Caroline put in. “Half of the Selseus are out searching for him. If they don’t find him soon we probably can’t rely on them to help defend the island.”

The seamstress made a soft sound. “What if that shifter already killed him so she could take his crown for Derdrui?”

“You have to let me go and face the enchantress.” Nicole regarded Valerie and then the laird. “I look just like Eilonwy. My aunt said I even sound like her. All of her attention would be on me. ”

Connal frowned. “You’ve no boon you may use against her, lass.”

“No,” Nicole said, watching Duncan lock the cabinet where he’d stowed the orb, “but I can get close enough to use one of Duncan’s Fae weapons against her. There’s a jar of newborn imps we caught that obey me. I can order them to attack her.”

“Wait, we don’t even know if they’d have any effect on a pureblood Fae,” Caroline said.

“No, no, don’t you see? This is why we were all brought here. This last battle with that evil witch,” Julianne said suddenly. “I mean, V can read minds, so that’s how we know what Derdrui has planned. The rest of us have to be the weapons now.”

Nicole saw the doubt on the other women’s face, but something told her the lifeguard was right. “How can we do that, Julianne?”

“Lark, you can use your lift thing to smash the hull of the Cait Sith’s boat when they get here, just enough to start it sinking so they can’t sail away again. I can do my thing so we can get on the ship. Then maybe Caroline has to stop time. I’m not sure about all the details.” She thought for a moment before she brightened. “We don’t even have to kill Derdrui, you know. Nick just needs to make her tell the truth to the shifters.” As Valerie frowned at her she added, “They still don’t know who she is. ”

“No, they don’t,” Valerie murmured. “Even Dearg didn’t know—but we need proof.”

“The clan is the proof. So am I.” Everything was coming together like pieces of an impossibly difficult puzzle, Nicole thought. “I can do this.”

“’Tis too dangerous,” Connal said. “The enchantress may command all the shifters. Even if she doesn’t, if she throws Mistress Fairburn in the water, they’ll attack you.”

“That evil bitch murdered my aunt Eilonwy, Laird,” she reminded him. “By escaping imprisonment in Elphyne, she forced the Woodland Fae king to order my mother to leave the mortal realm forever. I grew up with no mom and a heartbroken dad. This is why your enchanted ring brought me here, so I could expose Derdrui for what she is. I’m the only one who can. Please, let me do this.”

“We’ll have her back.” Julianne slung her arm around Nicole. “Also, don’t forget she’s half-Fae, and pretty hard to slay.”

“I agree.” The laird looked at his wife. “What say you, my love?”

“We should let her try. Just know that Derdrui is far more powerful and dangerous than any Fae in our world, Nicole.” Valerie turned to Connal. “We should summon all of the mortals on this side of the island to take refuge in the stronghold. They’ll be safer here than in their own homes, and our staff will want their families with them.” She winced and rubbed her temple.

“That’s a good idea.” Nicole took hold of the other woman’s hands, removing the last vestige of her headache. “Thank you, Val.”

Connal and the other women didn’t look at the healer as they filed out after Valerie, and when he kicked the door shut Nicole winced.

“Don’t be angry, okay? I volunteered.” As he started toward her she backed up until her shoulders hit his nulling cabinet, and all the objects inside started making noise. “We have to do this.”

Duncan put his hands on her waist and lifted her up to his eye level. “We? ’Twas no’ what I heard. ’Tis all thrust upon you.”

“I’m only half-mortal,” she reminded him. “That makes me a lot harder to kill.” She frowned as a dull pain started hammering at her temples. “Ouch. She must have had a migraine.”

He kissed her until the headache faded, and then kept kissing her as he carried her out of the infirmary and strode in the direction of his room. Every guard they passed probably gawked at them, but Nicole was too busy kissing Duncan back to notice.

Derdrui spied a wall of mist in the distance, made silver-edged by the last rays of the setting sun. She breathed in and tasted old Fae magic, the same kind Prince Mar had once wielded during the Reparation in Elphyne, and it brought back all the old bitterness over his betrayal.

The fool had rebuilt all the territories he had destroyed during the war between the elementals, which she had considered a waste. He had then gifted them to all who had fought with him and the Fae king—all but the Therion. When she had confronted him about the slight to her and her people, and demanded to know when they would marry, he had all but laughed at her.

I never said that I would marry you. I cannot even permit you and your kind to swear allegiance to me and come under my rule. You are of the dark court, and I am of the light. I merely suggested it would be to your advantage to declare yourself my ally, and bid your shifters fight alongside my warriors. As it was.

That was not what Mar had led her to believe, but when she went to the Fae king with her grievance, he took the prince’s side. He ordered her to take what was left of her shifters and return to her small, dismal corner of the dark court and be content that he had never tried her for seizing the Therion crown by murdering her own brother. The king then commanded preparations begin for the wedding of the triumphant Prince Mar and the Woodland king’s eldest daughter, the beautiful and much-adored Princess Eilonwy.

“My sovereign.” Speal came to join her at the railing. “We should weigh anchor here and slip through the mist barrier on the skiffs. ’Tis likely we may land on the island without any of the MacMar catching sight of us.”

“No.” She would not slither and slink her way to her vengeance, she would claim it with all the righteous fury she had kept burning for thousands of years. “Tell your sisters to stay out of my way.”

It had taken centuries to collect all the power she would need to take her revenge on Mar by wiping out every last one of the abominations he’d sired in the mortal realm. She had saved it lovingly, holding it deep inside like some unborn babe. In many ways it was the child Mar had given her, a dark and seething horror seeded by his seduction of her, and twisted and maimed by his betrayal. Tonight she would finally release it to seek out his other children, so it could gobble them up with its abyssal maw.

When Derdrui reached the bow of the ship, she spread out her arms, and allowed her full, pure power to rise inside her. Not since the war Mar had tricked her into fighting for him had she tapped every ounce of magic she possessed. The air around her took on a virulent glow as her aura expanded, engulfing her and the front of the vessel in that shadowy, lethal power.

Open to me. At her command the wall of mist parted, revealing the enormous island it protected. Come to me, my beautiful new spawn.

The water all around the boat began to churn as sharks with mortal limbs surfaced and stared up at her with their flat, black eyes. At first dozens appeared, and then hundreds. Most had never opened their minds to the queen of their kind, and did not know how to protect themselves, so it took only a few moments to bring them under her sway.

Derdrui smiled down at them, the instruments of her vengeance. Kill every mortal on that island, and take their place.

As the shifters submerged and streaked toward the gap in the mist barrier, she pulled back the power she had used on them, wrapping herself around it to save the rest for the MacMar. She noticed Speal hovering behind her and languidly gestured for her to come forward.

“Sail through the barrier,” she told the Cait Sith leader. “I wish to lead the attack on the clan myself.”