Powerful Magic (45 page)

          
They began to mutter, a low buzz of sound.
 
Patient, he waited until they had finished.
 

          
"However, I will not be your savior.
 
Not now, not ever. I will do what is necessary to help you fight this battle, but I will do it as a warrior, not someone to be worshipped.
 
Do I make myself clear?"

          
Behind him, he heard Rhiannon gasp.
 
Megan squeezed his hand in encouragement.
 
The elders of the council however, said nothing.
 
It seemed almost that they had expected this.

          
Finally, the oldest of them, a wizened Faerie named Arwydd, stepped forward.
 
"Come with me then, Kenric of Blackstone.
 
We have no choice but to accept your terms, for you are our last hope.
 
It is time for your training to begin."

          
Rhiannon would not look at him.
 
He sensed her disappointment.
 
Did she not see that he had no choice?
 

          
Kenric stepped forward, pulling Megan with him.

          
"Leave your woman here."
 
The old one said without looking back at them.
 

          
Kenric stopped.
 
Megan tugged her hand free.
 

          
"But--"

          
"The training is for you alone."
 
Rhiannon whispered, her dissatisfaction plain in her voice.
 
"I will watch Megan.
 
Go."

          
Torn, he hesitated.
 
Megan and Rhiannon exchanged a long look, then Megan gave him a small shove in the back.

          
"Go, you big lug."
 
She laughed, though he could detect no mirth in the sound.
 
"I'll be fine.
 
I told you before that I wanted to explore Rune."

          
So he went, praying under his breath that he did the right thing.
       

#

          
Sending Kenric away was the hardest thing she'd ever done. When his concerned silver eyes touched upon her face, she wanted nothing more than to throw herself into his arms.
 
Only there did she feel safe, only there did she know that, no matter whether he wanted to admit it or not, she was cherished.
 
She was his soul half.

          
Yet, because she had to, she let her gaze travel over his beloved face, and laughed casually.
 
While inside she couldn't help but wonder how it could be that such a man could be meant for her and her alone.
 
He was powerful, radiating confidence in his masculinity.
 
With his broad shoulders and massive arms, he looked like the warrior he was.
 
She found him beautiful, from the chiseled perfection of his face, inside to his soul.

          
And she had to send him away.

          
No matter that it was only temporary.
 
At this moment, at this crossroads in time, she felt his loss as keenly as if it were permanent.
 
For Rhiannon had told her, on that night when they had spoke, of what this training entailed.
 
For days, maybe weeks, Kenric would not be allowed to see her or touch her or even think of her.
 
He needed to become entirely focused on his training, on the power.
 
She could not, would not, hinder him in this.

          
But it struck her now, watching the man she loved walk away, how dangerous this battle could be.
 
Heart in her throat, she tried to contemplate life without him, and utterly failed.
 
Having found him, she could no more go back to her shadow existence than she could live once her heart had been cut from her chest.
 
It was then that she realized she wanted to stay in this time forever, to live with the man she loved for the rest of her natural born days.
 

          
As if she sensed the thoughts that tormented Megan, Rhiannon came and enveloped her in a hug.
 
Still, Megan strained to see one last glimpse of him, knowing it would have to sustain her until he returned to her side.

          
When Rhiannon indicated to Megan that she was to follow,
 
Megan squared her shoulders, took a deep breath, and went.
 
Perhaps there was something she could learn, something she could do that would help in some small way.
 
  
"He will be fine."
 
Rhiannon assured her, Edmyg trailing along behind them like he was afraid to let Rhiannon out of his sight.
 
Megan could definitely relate.
 

          
"How long will this training take?"
 

          
Rhiannon smiled gently.
 
"Two weeks."

          
Two weeks?
 
Megan sighed.
 
Two weeks without Kenric?
 
She didn't know how she would survive.
 

          
The other council members followed at a discreet distance. For the first time Megan wondered - if they had used some spell to bring her here, they could use some spell to send her back to her own time.
 

          
"Rhiannon, I--"
 
Hearing the panic in her own voice, Megan stopped, took another gulp of honeysuckle scented air, and began again.
 
"I need to talk to you."

          
"Go ahead."

          
Glancing at Edmyg, then at the others, Megan shook her head.
 
"In private."

          
With a regal nod, Rhiannon smiled.
 
"I understand." She cast a look over her shoulder to where Edmyg waited.
 
For a moment the mask of Queenship slipped, and Megan saw naked longing reflected on Rhiannon's lovely face.
 
She could definitely identify.
 
As a matter of fact, Rhiannon's preoccupation with Edmyg was making Megan downright uncomfortable.
 
She almost felt guilty breaking it up.

          
Still, what Megan wanted to discuss was important.
 
"It will just take a few moments of your time."

          
With apparent reluctance, Rhiannon dragged her gaze away from Edmyg.
 
"For now, duty calls.
 
You need to rest. But later this evening..."

          
Duty my foot.
 
Megan had seen the red hot looks the two were exchanging when they thought no one was watching.
 
But Megan couldn't really blame her.
 
With this major battle looming over all of them, Rhiannon might be wise to grab what little opportunities she had.
 
Were their places reversed, Megan would do the same.

          
They arrived at the multi-faceted, crystal door to the room Megan had used last time.
 
With another hug, Rhiannon left her, closing the door behind her.

          
Too keyed up to remain in the room, Megan began to pace. Certainly it would do no harm if she decided to do a little exploring.
 
Rune was so beautiful she should have wanted to see more of it.

          
But all she wanted to see was the one thing that had been denied her. Kenric. And, while she completely understood intellectually the necessity of his isolation, that didn't mean she had to like it, nor understand it.
 
If it would take she and Kenric together to save Rune, why separate them now?

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

          
Rhiannon found her in the gardens.
 
Megan had wandered among the lush, exotic blooms feeling like she was in some tropical island, which unfortunately, made her think of honeymoons.
 
This made her only long for Kenric even more.

          
In the midst of inspecting the fragrance of one particularly ripe flower, she heard the tinkling sound of small wind chimes, looked up, and saw Kenric's half sister.
 
           
"Rhiannon."
 
Megan managed a smile.
 
Still she fought to keep the panic at bay, this along with her sudden, fierce longing for Kenric had her feeling at the end of her rope.

          
Rhiannon inclined her head regally, though her answering smile was not unkind.
 
She waved her hand and a bench appeared, made of cool, white marble.
 

          
Grateful, Megan took a seat while she struggled to put her thoughts in order.
 
She'd spent hours rehearsing what she wanted to say, needing to make sure she got it right.
 
Now though, every one of her prepared speeches seemed to have flown out the window.
 
All she knew was that she had to make certain Rhiannon understood what she wanted and pray the Faerie Queen had it within her power to grant it.

          
But before Megan could open her mouth, Rhiannon spoke. "Do not worry about Kenric.
 
He has within him the makings of a great mage.
 
Once he is trained, with you to enhance his power, I believe he will defeat Myrddin easily."

          
"It's not so much Kenric that I'm worried about."
 
Megan said.
 
"At least, not yet.
 
It's me.
 
I don't want to go back to my own time."
 
The words came out in a breathless rush.
 
"And I’m worried that once my task here is completed, I’ll have to."

          
Rhiannon laughed, the bell-like sound oddly soothing.
 
"Well, if you do, it won't be through me."
 
The humor in her voice was dry. "Though I brought you here, I can't send you back."

          
Dumbfounded, Megan stared.
 
"Are you serious?"

          
"Yes.
 
I don't know how.
 
Kenric asked me the same thing."

          
"He did?" Cautiously, Megan asked what she most wanted to know, "Did he want you to try?"

          
Again Rhiannon laughed.
 
"Quite the opposite.
 
But Megan, he is concerned that you yourself want to return."

          
Megan hung her head.
 
"That's my fault."
 
She said in a small voice.
 
"I kind of let him think that."

          
"Why?"

          
"I thought I wanted--"
 
Her voice broke and she couldn't finish.
 
Rhiannon said nothing, waiting until Megan had composed herself.