Lost Wanderer Awakened - Book One of the Airendell Chronicles (64 page)

“Yeah right!” Morna snickers. “I hope the
boys, er, men have made it okay.” Morna changes the subject.

“I expect they will be here soon,” Luca says.
“What are you thinking we need to do from here on out?”

“I don’t know Luca. Honestly, I am
overwhelmed with concern for everyone. I need to get focused on the
mission.” she admits as she rubs her throbbing temple. “I have a
headache, it’s making serious thought difficult.”

“What would you think about gathering
everyone in the Gateway? I noticed there were quarters there. I
think everyone would fit. It would be a good place to headquarter.”
Luca asks.

“Check with Ari,” Morna suggests. “What would
we do with the girls? Is anyone of our group strong enough to put
protection spells on them? I doubt that my magic is good
enough.”

“Ari and Almeda think the gateway is a
perfect spot to headquarter. And as to your second question; Aideen
could do it. She could pass it off as physical exams, she could
extend protection to your staff too.” he suggests.

“Sounds good.” Morna says. She looks up and
sees they are driving past their thicket, and reaches over to
squeeze his leg.

“Don’t start that love,” he admonishes. They
both laugh happily. He goes up the dirt road until he comes to a
parking area. Morna throws some food stuff and drinks in her bag
and they take off to explore the area before the others show up.
Morna pulls out her phone to call Damian. “Damn, no signal.
You?”

Luca checks his, “I’m good. First chance I
get, you are getting a better phone. That piece of ancient junk
could have got you killed at Brigid’s clinic. Samantha called me
because she couldn’t reach you. I can’t believe you have such an
old phone.”

“Well, until a month or so ago I rarely used
it.” Morna shrugs as she stops to wipe the sweat off her forehead.
“Please call Damian and see where the boys, uh, young men are.”
Morna asks as she stops to drink a bottle of the water.

“They are about 20 minutes out.” Luca says.
“Are you okay Morna? You are really flushed.” Luca asks, looking
very concerned.

“Luca, I think I am being attacked again. Or
I am just very sick. But something is wrong.” Morna admits. “I feel
kind of like I did when I was trying to deliver Aideen.” A sliver
of fear crawls up both their spines. Suddenly, Morna collapses.

Luca catches her before she hits the ground.
She’s burning up. Obviously running a high temperature. He debates
about his best course of action. He is worried to leave her
anywhere until she is awake, but he needs to lead the young men to
the entrance. He fishes his phone of his pocket and calls Damian.
“How far out now?” “Hurry.”

Luca disconnects the call and makes another
immediately. “Breena, something is wrong with Morna. Before she
collapsed we had decided to set the gateway up as headquarters. I
need everyone but Aideen and Carrick here as soon as possible.
Please put my daughter or Carrick on the phone.”

“Lucian, what is wrong with Morna?” asks
Carrick.

“I am not sure,” Luca answers. “Right before
she collapsed she said she felt like she was being attacked. Just
now she fainted and she is very, very hot. She has been unconscious
at least 5 minutes. But I need you to help Aideen. Before Morna
fainted she wanted us to make sure the girls and staff at the
Bridge are protected.”

Carrick interrupts, “Lucian, Rinda and I did
that this morning. They should be safe, for the time being. I think
we all need to come there, now.”

Luca agrees. He hangs up and calls Brigid to
fill her in. George says he will ask his grandmother to come check
on Morna. As a shaman she is able to counteract some kinds of evil
magic. Brigid asks specific questions about Morna’s condition then
she says, “Keep us posted. We will join you guys as soon as
possible.”

“Fine, the others are on their way. Morna and
I thought headquartering in the gateway would be a good idea. See
you here when you can get here. Be careful. We have reason to
believe our enemies are firmly entrenched in this area. The guard
for this gate has been gone 2 possibly 3 days. It’s not a good
sign. Well, I need to go, Damian and Bronwyn’s sons are here now.
See you soon.”

He hangs up and walks back to the Daytona.
Before he tops the ridge where he can see the young men he hears
them all admiring the car. Damian is especially enthralled, saying,
“I bet it has a 440.” When he tops the hill Damian sees Morna in
Luca’s arms. He flies to Luca’s side. Elias and Micah are not far
behind.

“What is wrong with Mother?” Damian asks
urgently.

“She fainted, but before that she said she
thought she was being attacked magically. Let’s get inside the
gateway and find her a place to rest.”

Micah looks at Luca, “Isn’t that Morna?” At
Luca’s nod, Micah looks confused. Damian figures out the cause of
his confusion quickly.

“Morna has sort of adopted me. I am her
protector. Apparently I suck at it.” offers Damian, looking
embarrassed.

Elias snorts and says, “That sounds like the
Morna I remember, adopting a vampire I mean.” The brothers laugh.
Then Elias says, “Kid, I am not sure what you could have done to
block an evil spell. But I understand how you are feeling.” Then he
looks to Luca, “Are you sure she isn’t just ill?”

“No, Elias at this juncture I am sure of very
little.” Luca admits.

By now they are inside the gateway, and have
found a bedroom in the guard’s quarters. Luca lies her on the bed.
She is sweating profusely, very flushed, and breathing very
raggedly. Micah takes his backpack off, and removes his stethoscope
and thermometer. Elias retrieves the blood pressure cuff. The young
men go to work. “Damian has been watching all this with great
interest. You guys doctors?”

“Yep,” the brothers answer in unison. “Micah
is an OB/GYN and I am an ER doc. Most of our Guild are in the
healing or teaching professions. It’s just our thing.” says
Elias.

After using the tools of modern medicine to
evaluate her condition, Micah holds his hands over her and slowly
moves them over her body from head to toe. Micah’s head snaps up
and looks at Luca. “How long ago was she exposed to the venom?”
“

“Early Sunday morning.” replies Luca as he
rakes both of his hands through his hair in a gesture of
frustration.

“Venom?” demands Damian. He snarls at Luca,
“What the hell did you do?”

“Easy Kid!” says Micah. “He wouldn’t attack
her if that’s what you are thinking. Calm down before we have to
take you out so we can care for our Godmother and commander.”

Damian calms himself with a visible effort.
“Then who bit her wrist?” he demands. Damian had paid more
attention to Morna at the mention of exposure to venom and saw the
nearly invisible scar on her wrist from the vampire bite.

“Damian, that happened in the fight with the
three vampires that attacked her in Chicago. It didn‘t affect her
any more than when you or I are bitten by another of our kind.”
Luca reminds him. “But yes, the initial exposure that has changed
her physically, came from me. It was inadvertent.” Luca speaks,
quietly, calmly.

Morna laughs weakly. “Please calm down
Damian. I am feeling better. I have been aware the whole time, just
trapped inside my own body. What are you boys doing? Something is
working, I can feel it.” she mumbles weakly.

“Morna, ma’am, this is Micah. Elias and I
have examined you, we think someone is putting a spell on you to
paralyze you, it affecting your heart, all your muscles, your
breathing. But Elias and I have been weaving a spell that is rather
like an old buffer spell, but it is woven in the tissues and organs
of the body. It’s not a cure, just a temporary move until we can
trace the source of the spell, and stop the person weaving it. But
this really doesn’t feel like weaver magic. It’s very different
than anything either one of us have ever encountered.”

Elias moves closer to Morna’s head, he
lightly touches her cheek. “Pretty Morna, can you sit up?”

Morna laughs, “I don’t look anything like I
did when you used to call me Pretty Morna.”

“You are still my Pretty Morna, our favorite
Godmother. Now please try to sit up.” Morna sits up slowly. “Oh my,
you boys are absolutely gorgeous men now aren’t you? When did you
ascend? Elias? Micah?”

“Later, Pretty Morna. Are you strong enough
to weave a spell?” asks Elias.

“Doubtful, I am feeling very weak still and
my head hurts like hell.” she replies uncertainly. “Which spell? I
am woefully out of practice. I need to be taught the lore again.”
Luca is holding one hand, and Elias is holding the other. Morna
notices her hands, and looks at Luca, “How come I still look like
the 14th model?”

“I don’t know Morna, you didn’t resume your
original form when we came down this time, perhaps because you were
paralyzed.” suggests Luca.

Elias looks at Luca thoughtfully, and then
says, “Luca, how good is your buffer spell?”

“Breena said it was excellent at our home.”
offered Damian.

“My magic is sound,” agrees Luca.

“His magic is better than sound. His
abilities exceed mine at my peak,” Morna states plainly, looking at
Luca with a small smile on her face.

“I assume you are familiar with basic brain
anatomy? You are a trained psychiatrist, correct?” (Morna and
Damian both look at Luca in surprise.) At Luca’s nod, Elias
continues, “I know you are very precise in your thinking. Can you
visualize a brain and knit a barrier around it, and imagine it is
as durable as your own skin.”

“Elias, you think someone is attacking my
brain?” asks Morna.

“That makes sense love,” says Luca. Then he
looks at Elias, “I believe I can, but please explain how you shrink
the spell small enough to localize it on a specific organ?”

“You just really have to concentrate on your
target. You are precise enough, you will be able to do it.” Elias
assures him.

“Morna, are you willing for me to try this on
you?” Luca asks.

“Of course, love. You are probably more able
than any other.” She says confidently.

“Very well,” Luca strokes her cheek and turn
his attention to the young healers. “How far down the brain stem
should the spell descend?”

“All the way to her spine, just don’t get it
too tight. You will do fine, I am sure. You can probably do as well
as Brigid could do, maybe better. And I know your concentration to
hold it in place will be greater. Unlike a buffer spell on a place,
you have to stay connected with this spell because the object is a
living, moving target. Make sense?” Said Elias.

Micah speaks up, “Damian, before he starts,
you and I should go out to keep watch. Luca doesn’t need any
distractions for this. Elias, you can maintain the spells on her
heart and lungs, correct?”

“Sure go. Luca and I got this.” Elias assures
his brother.

“Damian, you guard the outer entrance. Micah
will watch the inside access. Sorry boys, I always think I have to
be boss.” Morna laughs weakly at herself.

“Because you are.” All three young men state
in unison.

Once Micah and Damian are gone, Luca takes a
deep breath and concentrates. Breathes out slowly, and places his
hands loosely around Morna’s head. He closes his eyes, and relaxes
his facial features completely. After about 30 seconds Morna
relaxes visibly because the excruciating pain in her head, and
chest has lessened greatly. After a minute it is completely
gone!

Luca opens his eyes and drops his hands.
“Feel any difference love?” he asks, but her steady heart beat and
even breathing tell him that she is feeling better.

“The pain in my head and chest is completely
gone. I feel stronger. It is easier to breath.” she says.
“Excellent job my love.”

“Indeed,” says Elias. “You should go back to
medical school and become a brain surgeon like Auntie Brigid. “You
mapped and wrapped her brain in a very, very short amount of time.”
Elias is obviously impressed. “I am going to remove our spells, I
think yours will suffice. I suspect the brain was the target and
our spells, we were just treating symptoms. Okay, they are off. Any
change Pretty Morna?”

“No, I still feel fine,” Morna says with a
broad smile.

Luca hugs his mate, and kisses her forehead.
“Love, I am going to go tell Damian to let everyone in. I could
hear him holding them back. I want Elias to stay with you, but I
will be right back.” He kisses her again, this time on her lips and
walks out of the room.

“Pretty Morna, he should not have been able
to do that that fast. Even for a vampire, he is extraordinary!”
says Elias.

“Yes he is, but he isn’t an ordinary
vampire.” She quickly relates what they have learned about his
heritage from Ari and Almeda.”

“Pretty Morna, you said you will have to
learn the lore again?” Morna nods to confirm that. “Can I offer
some advice that I really think will help?” When she nods he says,
“What weavers call magic, I believe is simply enhanced mental
capabilities. Think of the rainbows and kaleidoscopes you made for
me as a child. As a Spell Weaver, you should not have been able to
do those things. But you figured them out. You carefully analyzed
rainbows, extrapolated spells you knew how to do, and through
logical reasoning, and experimentation, you devised amazing new
spells that our magic should not have been capable of.”

“You greatly expanded our repertoire of
warrior spells and techniques. I believe you are able to do those
things because you have a brilliant mind, a scientific mind. You
are very analytical and yet intuitive. A rare combination. As you
listen to all of the lore rely on those qualities, follow the
evidence, but do not ignore your gut. If you think a spell can be
expanded or reshaped, try it. Does any of that make sense to
you?”