Fate's Hand: Book One of The Celtic Prophecy (13 page)

Chapter 16

Leo quietly entered the bathroom to find Brenawyn slumped on the wide lip of the tub with her head against the painted wall. The sweatshirt was in tatters on the floor, the scissors still bearing the traces of clipped fleece lying on the edge of the sink. She looked up through eyes too wide and dark set in a face that was slightly sunken. Her cheekbones pressed against her pale skin and dark shadows had developed under her eyes.

“I’m sorry.” She gave a small smile and sat up, “I got in here and took one look at my reflection and I couldn’t stand the thought of ever wearing these clothes again. I needed them off me immediately.” She bent to clean the mess, but Leo knelt and bundled the sweatshirt up carefully to cover any blood stains and pulled it away.

“Hush, it’s all right. I’ve got it.” Leo responded, clutching the bundle to her abdomen so her shaking wouldn’t be as obvious. “I should have come up sooner.”

Brenawyn absently waved away her concern, “No, it was better that I was alone.” She looked away. “God, I need to scrub my skin until I feel clean.”

“Do you need any help?”

“At first I thought I did, but now, having it off me, I don’t feel so nauseous.”

“All right, I’ll get you some towels and the lavender soap. Do you want me to pull out your nightgown and robe?”

“Yes, please, then we need to talk. Is Alexander still here?

Leo nodded, “Yes. He’s cleaning up.” She turned as she was leaving, “Brenawyn, please call if you need help dressing.”

Leo heard the faint sound of the shower as she descended the stairs to talk to Alex. The back door was open and she found him sitting quietly on the wicker loveseat on the back porch. She moved to join him, and he scooted over to allow her to sit beside him. “Is she aaricht?” he asked.

“She’s in shock, I think,”

“Understandable. ‘Tis one thing ta ken tha’ violence exists, but ‘tis quite another thing having ta experience tha’ violence personally. It’s a shock th’ first time. With repeated violent experiences, th’ shock dulls.”

“You seem to know of what you speak,” Leo responded quietly, eyes drawn to his face.

Alex nodded, “It distances ye from th’ act.” He paused for a long moment then sadly continued, “It was better for me ta ha’ it so, considering my task. I wouldnae wish it on Brenawyn, though.”

“Why would you say that? I would think that having some mental distance to violence would allow you to think clearly, without letting fear cloud your thoughts.”

“On the surface yer correct, but thaur are repercussions ta it too. Suffice it ta say, I am no’ connected ta life anymore. It doesna matter ta me if someone is cruel or violent towards me. Pain fades. But throughout th’ years, it doesna matter if they are gentle and loving, either. Life happens around me, people grow, they get old, and they die—but not me. I am a fraud. I ha’ interacted with people, women. A’m sairy. They are fleeting, and I ha’ ne’er allowed myself ta get too close. People ha’ family, friends, relationships—but not me. Wha’ could I offer ta any o’ those? I cannae ha’ a lasting relationship with anyone because my sole purpose for living for 660 years is ta find Cernunnos’ daughter, the high priestess of th’ Auld Ways.”

Leo reached over to grasp his hand but said nothing. They sat that way in companionable silence for a while then she turned to him, “What are you going to do now?”

“Leo, I ha’ ta show ye something. Do ye ha’ a flashlight?”

“Yes, it’s in the kitchen, I’ll get it for you.” She moved to retrieve it but Alex’s hand on her arm stopped her.

“Whaur is it?”

“It’s in the first drawer under the counter next to the dishwasher.” Leo said resuming her seat on the wicker loveseat.

He returned after a moment with the flashlight in hand, “The shower is still running but we may no’ ha’ much time. Come with me, it’s in th’ yard.” Alex stood and helped Leo descend the porch steps, careful not to rush her. Once to the bottom he let go of her elbow and walked to the spot where Brenawyn was attacked and flipped on the light, handing it to Leo when she approached.

“Shine th’ light haur.” Alex squatted in front of the light and looked up at Leo, “This is whaur her blud was first spilt on th’ ground.”

“Wh…what is that?” Leo asked, bending forward to get a better view while keeping the light focused on the same spot.

“Ye want me ta take it slow ta be sure about Brenawyn, but Leo… we doonae ha’ time.” Picking up a double handful of the substance on the ground, he stood, bringing several dozen dead earthworms into Leo’s sight.

Gasping, she took a step away, “But, you can’t… there are many ways to interpret an omen. How do you…. how can you know if it’s the correct interpretation?”

Dropping the worms on the ground, “Come. Ye ha’ ta see something else.” Alex walked to where the dog had collapsed. “Shine the light haur.”

Leo hesitantly did as she was told. Illuminated in the light of the flashlight were foot-tall grass and flowers blooming in profusion. Speechless, she scanned the surrounding newly-cut, well-manicured lawn and realization started to dawn. “Is this where Spencer fell? Where she tried to stop his bleeding?”

“Ye ken th’ answer ta that. She saved her dog’s life haur. The residual magic she used spread oot underneath and around him, prompting th’ growth o’ th’ grass and th’ flowers. She needs ta be taught noo, afore something else happens. Tonight’s events should be reason enough.”

Leo turned her back to him and walked a distance away. She looked up for a long moment at the lighted bathroom window. Alex could see Brenawyn’s muted silhouette against the frosted glass of the window.

Leo turned, “Come back into the kitchen.” Without aid, she climbed the stairs, slamming the screen door as she entered.

When he reached the door, she had already seated herself at the kitchen table. She looked up at him when he entered and gave a tired smile. He sat across from her.

“Earlier, you asked why Brenawyn was raised the way she was. Love was the reason. Brian Farraday, the man my daughter married, was a religious man, a devout Fundamentalist Christian. He accepted the way Margaret was, but he was never going to abide his daughter being raised that way. After Brenawyn was born he changed. He threatened us, that if he ever found out that we were teaching her the ways, he would make sure that we would never see her again. He had the money and the connections to do that. He found out my role with the protection spell. He took them away for years—eight long years, the longest of my life. I would get packets of pictures every so often, just stuck in an envelope, no letter attached or return address. Then one day they were at my door, the three of them. I never asked her what made him change his mind because I was so happy that I could see my girls. Brenawyn didn’t know me. She was reserved and shy. She took a liking to my cats and carried them around, one under each arm, and at night they lay curled around her sleeping form.”

Alex smiled. “So she always had an affinity for animals?”

“Yes. Oh yes, it seemed like they followed her home. Cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, once a silver fox, you name it. I have seen her sit in the garden with dozens of butterflies flitting about her, or other times when sparrows landed in her hand.”

“She still thinks she’s ordinary after tha’?”

“Of course, I can do that too, and so could her mother. On a smaller scale perhaps, but that was all the evidence that she needed.” Leo looked up. “Don’t look at me that way. I was afraid that he would take them from me again. Just because he changed his mind about letting me into her life didn’t mean that I wasn’t afraid of Brian’s doing it again, and this time permanently. So I enjoyed them until Margaret became ill. I tried to help, talk her into going to the doctor at least, but she didn’t want any of it. Brian was eerily reticent about it. He would leave for longer periods of time, and during one of these absences, she died in her sleep.”

Alex put his hand on her arm, rubbing gently. “Parents shouldnae outlive their children.”

Leo nodded her head and pulled her hand away. “There is a reason I am telling you this.” Alex nodded. “Brian was contacted and he came back immediately and then after the funeral, he took her away. He went into her bedroom where he found her with the cats. I was standing behind him. He tried to pry her fingers from the cats’ fur, the boys took exception to this rough treatment and hissed and clawed him, causing Brenwayn to nestle deeper in the blankets and their fur. I told him to let her take the cats. His first response was a curt “no” over his shoulder. The tears from her eyes softened him though, and he released his grip, sat back on the bed and asked her if she wanted to take them. She sniffed and said that the cats had names, Frick and Frak, and they wanted to go with her. She let them go, brushed back her hair, and ran her hands over her face wiping away the tears. She came over to me, slipped her hand into mine and pulled me over to the rocking chair. I sat down, and she climbed into my lap. Brian sighed and went out to the kitchen leaving us to sit like that for a while.”

“Then you sat me up.” Leo and Alex turned at once, surprised to find Brenawyn in the doorway, “wiped my face with your handkerchief, kissed my cheeks, and said that you would miss me. You stood me on my feet, went over to the bed and handed me Frick and Frak. Dad took me from you that day, and I didn’t return until four years later—to stay.”

Brenawyn stuck out her bare foot, wiggled her toes, and laughed. “I’m sorry; I guess you didn’t hear me come down. I always could sneak down those stairs.”

“Come sit with us. Can I get you anything?” Leo asked pushing back the chair to stand.

“Don’t get up Nana, I’m fine.” Brenawyn answered, taking a seat at the table. “And I feel much better now. I’m glad you’re still here, Alex. I have a feeling you are involved in this, but I don’t know how, yet. There have been strange things that have happened since, and neither of you seem all that shocked. Maybe I’m paranoid and in need of therapy, but you two seem have had secret suspicions confirmed. Don’t look at me that way. I’ve seen the looks that you two have shared. Now is the time for truth. What is it?”

Leo’s eyes fell to the table and she heaved a sigh and muttered, “I don’t even know where to start…. I never wanted this to happen.”

“Like it or no’, it’s happened. Tell her wha’ she wants ta ken; wha’ she should ha’ kent all along,” Alex admonished.

Leo turned blazing eyes on Alex, but their fire was soon banked by a look of innocent confusion from Brenawyn. “Honey, I don’t want to bombard you with information without giving you time to acclimate. Let’s start with answering your questions. You have questions, don’t you?”

Brenawyn turned to Alex, sat back in the chair and folded her arms over her chest. “Okay, who are you? And I want the real answer. I’m not buying the whole visiting college professor gig anymore, because something isn’t quite right here.”

“I am wha’ I ha’ claimed. Check with th’ personnel department at th’ college if ye need verification. As for th’ rest, ye ha’ an idea. Ye saw evidence o’ it a week ago. Ye just refuse ta believe yer memory—convinced yerself tha’ yer eyes played tricks on ye again. Th’ woman at th’ rest stop and yer attacker tonight were linked. Aye, Brenawyn, th’ glowing eyes were real. Just as it was real when ye saw th’ glowing runes on me; they were glowing in response ta ye. It wasna a figment o’ yer imagination. Ye doonae need therapy.”

Alex stood and stepped away from the table, “So ta answer yer question, I am something more than a college professor. I am th’ protector and keeper of th’ lore of Druidism.”

Whatever Brenawyn had expected it wasn’t this. She looked at him and then at her grandmother and burst out laughing. She laughed so long and hard that her sides started to ache. “Oh God, thank you, I needed a laugh after tonight.”

She stifled a recurrent case of the giggles when she recognized the identical masks of reprimand worn by her grandmother and Alex. “What? Oh, come on, give it up. Things like that don’t happen. Nana, your eyes have appeared to glow in the past, but you already have exceptionally bright blue eyes. Truth be told, it’s a really good trick, I could never fathom how you did it, but I suppose the right amount of tears welling would make them seem brighter.”

“What did I tell you, Alex? She is skeptical.”

Pivoting around in the chair, Brenawyn looked at her grandmother with her mouth agape. “Do not tell me that you believe him, Nana? I mean come on! This is not one of your stories—this is reality, for Christ’s sake!”

Leo threw her hands in the air and firmly commanded, “Show her,” and walked out of the room. Alex stared after her for a moment, lost in thought, and then brought his eyes to bear on Brenawyn, who still sat in the chair, eyebrows raised, staring at him incredulously.

He opened his mouth but Brenawyn interjected before he could utter a word, “Wait, before you say anything…it’s too much, too complicated. I am putting a stop to this. I thought I would go out with you tonight and have a good time…probably have a wonderful evening. You are a very attractive man and God knows how long it’s been since I’ve been on a date, but now I see that it wouldn’t be that simple. God, it’s never simple! If I’m not delusional then you are—either case is a recipe for disaster. I’m sorry.” She stood and slowly moved backward towards the hallway door holding herself tightly with crossed arms shaking her head. “I would like you to leave now.”