Fighting Fate: Book 2 of the Warrior Chronicles (35 page)

“Why not?”

“He’s already pretty cocky.”

Taryn grinned. “Yes, he is. Better add that to the list we already started.”

Jordon approached and kissed his daughter, giving a pretend shudder. “Not the dreaded list. What’s my son’s list titled?”

Daisy grinned at him, showing a missing molar. “Stinky Black Knight List.”

Taryn blushed when Jordon winked at her. Lord, the man was a winker. “Seems apropos to me.”

“I helped with the title. Taryn’s was way to long.”

Jordon nodded as he sobered. “It’s always good to have a concise title when making a list.”

“That’s what I said.”

Taryn listened and laughed and felt her heart opening more and more to this new family. She caught Mary Campbell’s eye and saw that her mother was smiling. She wasn’t sure why Mary was so happy about Taryn’s position here, but she was. Daisy was pulling on her dress, and lifting Taryn’s hand, demanding her attention again.

“Look at the honker Jesse gave Taryn.” Daisy said, holding Taryn’s hand up for Jordon to see. “Just look at all those notches.”

“Facets, love. Diamonds have facets, not notches.”

“Well there’s lot’s of them.”

“There sure are.” Jordon smiled at Taryn warmly. He seemed to enjoy teasing her while trying to put her at ease, an arresting combination in any man. In an innately charismatic man like Jordon, it was devastating.

“It’s a bit much.” Taryn said, the words making her blush since she found herself spitting out her every thought again. She wanted her filter back, but it seemed to have evaporated.

Jordon’s smile was all male. He was used to ostentation and extravagance, needing neither, recognizing both when he saw them. “No, ten carats would have been a bit much. My son chose wisely.” Jordon raised her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it before drawing her in for a hug. “It’s perfect, Taryn. And so are you. Go gently with him. He wears his heart on his sleeve, just like his mother. They may seem tough, but where their hearts are concerned, they are all goo.”

A short man, whom everyone referred to as Thorson, stepped into the room and announced, “Dinner is served.”

After dinner, Taryn stood. Heart beating parade music in her chest, she addressed her family, old and new, focusing her eyes on Mari, her new-found friend. “I have something I’d like to share with all of you.”

Silence and fifteen sets of eyes greeted her.

“I found something in Glastonbury.” Taryn shrugged. This had been so much easier in her head. “Well, more precisely, something found me, since it fell into my hands, but that’s neither here nor there. Oh…hell. Mari, will you please hand everyone a box?”

Mari stood, collected the bag from Taryn and went around the table handing out gold foil wrapped boxes to everyone. Taryn looked to her left where Lauren sat. “Guess I’m not bringing much light, am I?”

“It’s a work in progress. Relax. Ease into it.”

Mari sat back in her seat, next to Shay, who couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her. He was acting like a teenager, touching her every time she was close enough to reach. For such a tough guy, he sure was touchy-feely with Mari, who didn’t seem to mind.

“When I was being dunked in the well-”

Jesse interrupted, “nearly drowned.”

“-when I was in the well, a small gold item fell into my hand and I managed to bring it home with me. What you have in those boxes is an exact replica of what found me. Mari, Magnus and Seamus created a mold using a lost wax method and voila you can’t tell the original from the ones in boxes. Go ahead. Open them.”

Paper tore, boxes opened and curious gazes met hers, except for Olive’s. Olive picked up the pendant turning it in her fingers, examining it, paying special attention to the runes and the ogham.

Daisy was the first one to slide the pendant over her head. “What is it, Taryn?”

It was Olive who answered. “It is a goddess symbol. The one rumored to be around Ceridwen’s cauldron. Thirteen of these were supposed to surround the exterior. There is a wood cutting with this image in some of James’ research materials. I believe he came across it in the early seventies. I didn’t believe it was real.”

Olive looked at Taryn, eyes narrowing. “You found this in Glastonbury?”

“Yes.”

“Did you find the cauldron too?”

A shiver went through Taryn at Olive’s tone, although there was nothing blatantly objectionable in it. Something made her hair stand on end and she was suddenly cold. She’d never been comfortable with Aunt Olive on those few occasions as a child when she was alone with her. She’d buried that feeling over the years, yet here it was washing over her again. She swallowed past the lump in her throat, reaching for her water glass, taking a drink before she answered.

“No, Aunt Olive. I didn’t find the cauldron. I wasn’t looking for it or the Goddess. It just kinda came to me.”

Olive’s smile spoke more of hate than love, then she blinked and the look was gone so quickly, Taryn thought she must have imagined it.

“What are these marks on the bottom and the sides?” Daisy asked, seemingly fascinated by her present.

Magnus answered for Taryn this time. “Those are runic symbols on the bottom and ogham on the sides.”

“What do they say?”

“The runes are easier to read. They say: Real love transcends time. The ogham is a little tougher to decipher.” Magnus said. “But mom and grandpa are pretty certain it says: Spirit within Spirit without.”

“I understand the first saying. It’s like happily ever after reincarnated.” Daisy said, eliciting chuckles from around the table, especially from Magnus who wasn’t immune to her thirteen-year-old charm. “But what does that spirit thing mean?”

Olive answered, and this time Taryn could detect nothing but her aunt’s inner scholar in her words and her tone. “It is a reference to energy magic.”

“You mean our pendants are magical? Cool.”

“Indeed. Where is the original, Taryn?” Olive said.

“I have it in a safe place. After Lauren is through authenticating it, I plan to take it back to where I found it. Now that Mari and her family have made these, we’ll share this find with the whole world through these pendants. Magnus is donating eighteen of them cast in sterling for the Calatrava’s gift shop, to go with the other Celtic jewelry the art museum is selling. Mari’s also going to sell them in her shop and online. The knowledge and the beauty of the old ones will be available to the masses. Hopefully it will make people ask more questions and learn more about the Celts and their beliefs.

She took a page from Jordon’s book and winked at Lauren. “I’m doing my part to shed the light in an accessible way. The Celts loved their jewelry, after all.”

“How very plebian of you, dear.” Olive said.

That ugly feeling was back.

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

Thorson had breakfast prepared by the time Taryn showered, changed into cargo capris, a sunshine yellow tank-top with a peace frog Reed had given her and boat shoes Jordon insisted she wear for this morning’s outing. They were slippery indoors and she slid on the carved wool carpet on her way out the door. She was wearing her pendant. Mari put a bail on the original one for her, and Taryn wore it from a leather cord. An energy radiated from the small figurine, making her feel stronger, bouncier, if such a thing were possible. She was also wearing her charm bracelet and the diamond Jesse gave her. As far as jewels went, she was way over-dressed, but she was beginning to like it: the warmth of the gold, the flash of the diamond, the coolness and the tinkling of the sterling at her wrist. She was digging it all.

Jesse saw her slide across the carpet. “I’m familiar with that feeling. Those shoes suck indoors, but Jordon thinks everyone on the boat should wear them. I’d rather be barefoot than in those snowboards.” He ran past her laughing. “Good luck on the steps.”

She watched him take the stairs two at a time in his tennis shoes. She held the railing tightly, easing herself all the way down. Everyone was at the breakfast table when she arrived. There was food everywhere: bowls of yogurt, muesli, berries, half a smoked salmon, half broiled salmon served cold with a lemon dill sauce, crab-cakes, and so many different kinds of eggs, eggs Benedict, scrambled, over easy, soft boiled, even coddled. There was even a plate of scones and some of that haggis that Magnus and Seamus loved so much, only in smaller links.

She filled her plate three times before saying to the group, “So what’s up for the day?”

Henry gave the itinerary for what everyone had planned for the morning. Then he got to her. “You, Lauren, Jesse and Jordon are going to be going out on Jordon’s boat for a tour of the lake. That’s why you’re wearing those shoes. Jordon wanted to take you across the lake to eat lunch at the Geneva Inn. He loves that place.” Henry nodded to Olive and Mary. “Your mom and your aunt are the only ones who haven’t declared themselves yet.”

Mary said, “I think I’ll go into town with Reed and Mari and shop. There’s a wine shop I’m told is world class, with daily tastings. I’d also like to buy you some shoes, honey. Those dirty brown things you insist on wearing could use replacing.” Mary popped a strawberry into her mouth, smiling. “Maybe I’ll get you some frog sandals to match your shirt.”

Reed hit Mary’s arm. “Hey, I got her that shirt.”

“I know.”

“It’s too bad you two aren’t getting along.” Taryn said, feeling somewhat left out. Maybe she could catch up with them after lunch and share some lady time. She didn’t get much of that with her job and she was feeling the urge to indulge in some female companionship.

“I think I’ll go with Taryn.” Olive said, sparing her sister-in-law a glance. “I’d like a tour of the lake.”

Taryn looked around. Merlin was nowhere is sight. “Where’s Merlin?”

“He’s been hanging out with Thorson. The two of them really clicked. They were up all night talking about Camelot of all things. I went to bed when they started in on what they termed
that damned Scottish play.
” Said Jordon. He downed the last of his coffee, slapped the table, and continued in his over-the-top pirate voice, “All aboard who’s coming aboard.”

And their merry band left for the boat.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

Once they got to the boat and started it, Jordon jumped off. “Jesse’ll man her. I just remembered I need to be somewhere else this morning.” And he was gone.

“What was that all about?” Taryn asked Jesse.

Jesse shrugged. “That’s Jordon for you. You never know when the mood will strike and he’s off to do something he momentarily forgot was on his agenda. Only Jordon never forgets anything so he probably never intended to go with us.”

“Well that’s as clear as mud.”

“Welcome to my world.”

“Can you handle this boat, it’s rather large.”

“Oh, I can handle the big ones just fine, my lady. No worries.” Jesse grinned at her and made his way to the wheel.

Lauren sat Olive and Taryn in their seats, helping to secure them. “Would you like me to secure your bag Ms. Campbell?” Lauren asked Olive, always the gentleman.

“No thank you. I believe I’ll hang on to it.”

Taryn slapped a
Life is Good
baseball cap on her head, slid her aviator sunglasses higher on her nose, and sat back in her seat, enjoying the fine mist of lake water on her face as Jesse sped away from the dock.

They were in the middle of the lake when Olive put the first bullet in Lauren’s leg. “Now that I’ve got your attention, I’ll be taking that pendant from you.”

Lauren didn’t seem the least bit surprised. Taryn could hardly move. Lauren was bleeding from his calf, through his khaki slacks, turning the material a grotesque bronze. The sight of the blood galvanized Taryn. She rushed to Lauren, pulling off the frog tank Reed had given her as she went.

The second shot hit the deck right next to her, making a spitting noise that was all but drowned out by the movement of the boat. She didn’t know much about guns, but she watched a lot of documentaries out of professional habit, and she recognized that sound. Her aunt was holding a .22 caliber hand gun, preferred by many assassins. Accurate and lethal if one hit a vital organ or the brain stem. If not, there was hope for survival. Taryn ignored the shot and made a tourniquet above Lauren’s wound with her tank.

“Somehow, I pictured you undressing for me a little differently.”

“Shut up you idiot. You’ve been shot.”

Lauren winced as she tightened the knot. “I noticed.”

“Taryn, darling, I will shoot him again if you don’t do exactly what I say. Look up dear.”

Taryn finished off her work and did as bidden, still kneeling at Lauren’s feet. She saw Jesse in the area reserved for the captain, manning the boat. He was looking straight at her, both hands on the controls. The red dot, clearly visible on his white polo shirt, was from a laser sight. Taryn whipped her head around, looking for a shooter. There were no boats right next to them and they were at least a mile from shore. Jesse saw the dot too. The controlled fury on his face said that.

Lauren looked down at her when her eyes swung back to him in what-do-we-do-now panic. Her gaze moved to his hand where he’d moved it out of Olive’s line of vision. He gave her the hand signal he always used every Thursday before they raced. For them it had come to mean,
swim your heart out and I’ll meet you on the other side.
What he said was, “Do what she says, Taryn”

When Taryn moved away Lauren had a red dot on his chest too. “Just in case your heroism gene kicks in, Taryn, I want you to know at least one of them will die.”

“You can’t possibly hope to get away with this, Aunt Olive. You’re in the middle of a lake in Wisconsin. Even if you do manage to get away, Jordon has resources all over the world. He’ll find you and he’ll kill you.”

Olive’s smile turned as serpentine as the cold calculation in her pale eyes. Taryn hadn’t realized before that moment that her aunt was a sociopath. The old bitch hid it well. Taryn stood less than an arm’s length away from Lauren, realizing the boat had stopped and they were merely idling, rocking with the gentle sway of the waves. No one around them seemed to be paying any attention at all. No one knew they were a heartbeat from their last. Helpless anger washed over Taryn, making bile rise, burning the back of her throat.