Time Masters Book One; The Call (An Urban Fantasy, Time Travel Romance) (85 page)

Brennan’s eyes sought the Assistant Councilor’s. Lany merely smirked at him then walked away.

“Well?” John asked.

Lany glanced between the kissing couple and Brennan. “He’s not going anywhere until Dallan wants him to. He’s still holding him somehow.”

“By the Creator, Dallan can extend beyond the Maiden’s song as well?” He looked desperately up to Lany. “He’s more powerful than any of us thought he would be. The Elders will never want him to leave service.”

“Tough what they want. He only has to serve for a hundred years.” Lany suddenly spotted company. “Oh, now you show up!”

  
John began to stand. “What?”

“Easy, Eaton. Stay on the ground a while. It’s only Kwaku.”

 
As if on cue, the Azurti entered the room from the hall followed by Zara, the Whittards, Tomy, and lastly Julia pushing along a cane-brandishing Mother MacNab.

Kwaku and Zara immediately went to Dallan and Shona who still held
themselves
locked in a deep kiss. Zara knelt and began to sing as Kwaku stood proudly, arms stretched out to either side of his tall warrior’s frame. He joined his wife in singing to the young couple as they fed themselves as best they could with what privacy was available.

Lany’s eyes grew wide. “What’s happening?”

John managed to get to a standing position again. “I’m n
ot sure. But I think I can guess
.”

Angus shuffled forward as a stunned Evan and Maggie joined them. “Do we want to know, Lord John?”

“I think we’re about to witness the passing of the guard.” John answered as they all watched Dallan and Shona break off their recent kiss.

“Oh, my living stars,” Lany began as he took a step back. Evan and Maggie, too relieved to see Dallan and Shona safe, merely stood and watched the odd rite about to take place.

Kwaku raised his own deep voice above his wife’s and threw his head back. His body lurched and moved as
the light from
his shared heart shot from his chest to join with Zara’s. The light burned a bright yellow and danced and swooped about the Weapons Master and the Maiden as their shared heart had during the
Sutyne
.

Dallan instinctively stepped away from Shona to face Kwaku. Shona went to kneel in front of Zara as Kwaku stopped their song.

All four closed their eyes simultaneously as Kwaku, now in control of all of them, began to speak. The mysterious words brightened the light
of his heart even further, only to be suddenly joined by Dallan’s blinding blaze. The two men’s hearts
twined about one another briefl
y and those watching saw something of Kwaku’s light remain with Dallan’s, embedding itself into the Highlander’s heart to stay.

Soon Zara began to speak, her words joined by those of the Maiden’s. The yellow and white light of their hearts met and exc
hanged as one took the gift off
ered by the older and wiser of the two.

The gift of wisdom.

The combined hearts of both couples grew in intensity as all four voices got louder, the story they told the same, all the cadences in unison, all the words alike. But the words were none John, Lany or Angus had ever heard, even from Kwaku. Only Kitty, now held tightly in
Tomy’s arms, briefly recognized the words that fi
lled the room.

After a moment, the strange recital faded, leaving Dallan standing, his eyes brighter than before, face locked in awe as he stared at Kwaku.

Kwaku laughed. “Now you are de one, Boyeee! Now it is you who controls
everyding
! Do you know what dat means?”

Dallan took a step forward, stopped and raised his hands in front of his face, the light of his words and song still swirling about his body while Kwaku’s had retreated. “Ye bloody heathen,” he whispered, but with awe instead of rancor. “What ha’ ye done to me now?”

 
He watched the light of his heart roam the room on its own, seeking, touching people in greeting. It swept past the Whittards who stood open mouthed next to a stunned Julia. The light landed upon Kitty and Dallan jerked slightly, sensing something special within her, but not knowing what. It wrapped itself around Angus and Lany in an almost playful manner before releasing them to hover in front of John.

John reached out to the light in front of him and let it tangle about his hand. The light then began to form.

Into the image of Dallan’s mother.

Dallan let out an anguished choke but couldn’t move.

The image looked into John’s eyes, mouthed to him the words, “thank you,” and disappeared, the light of his heart forming once again into a bright ball.

It then streaked across the room to where Brennan lay and spread over him like a blanket. “NO!” Brennan screamed, “Don’t let it take her from me! You can’t have her! She’s all I have left!”

Dallan’s heart ignored the desperate pleas and began to lift something from Brennan’s body.

A woman stood up out
of Brennan, her blonde hair flowing nearly to the fl
oor, eyes a breathtaking blue and clad in a dress similar to Shona’s.

Zara stood and went directly to Kwaku. “Lissa…” He put an arm around her and nodded, a huge smile on his face.

The woman walked away from Brennan to where the new Time Master, Dallan, stood. She glanced from one person to the next, her eyes settling on Dallan once more. “His life is in your hands. His fate sealed by your tongue. I am free.”

She walked to Zara who began to cry as she approached. Kwaku smiled tenderly and stepped away from her to stand next to Dallan.

The woman took Zara’s hands in her own. “It has been a long time, sister.”

Zara looked quickly to Kwaku, who nodded. She turned back to the woman before her. “Yes.”

The woman looke
d to Shona who still knelt. “Th
is is the twelfth Maiden of the Shamaelon house?”

“Yes,” Zara whispered.

“And that is her mate.”

Zara glanced to Dallan. “Yes.”

“Teach them what you know you must. Their hearts will not be
completely fi
lled until the Creator has them.”

  
Zara shook with silent sobs. “I will.”

“Th
e prophecy has yet to be fulfi
lled. Time tells many things.
For now, rest, sister.
Their hearts are pure. The Creator controls all things
for reasons known only to h
im. My death was in his hands and brought you the Maiden. I disobeyed my oath and di
d not tell my husband how to fi
nd the boy. I further disobeyed him by not directing him to all the prospective m
ates of the Shamaelon house. Th
eir safety is now in your
hands. You know w
hat you are to do. My job is fi
nished. Do not let my disobedience disarm you. I disobeyed my mate, but not the Creator.
Teach the diff
erence to this Maiden. She will need it for what is to come. I fear hard times come for you and our people.”

Tears now streamed down Zara’s face and she nodded, unable to speak.

The woman released her hands and turned to Brennan. “I still love you. But know that I love my Creator more. Your choice of masters was unwise.”

Brennan’s eyes became frantic. “He told me it woul
d all work! He promised me power
!”

Lissa looked at him, her face calm. “He promised you death.” She turned from him and began to slowly walk away.

“No! Lissa! Don’t leave me! Don’t go! You know what will happ
en if you do.” His voice was fi
lled with desperation.

She turned to him. “Yes, I know what will happen.” She continued toward Dallan again.

“Lissa! LISSA! Come back! I command you to come back!”

 
She reached Dallan and stopped. “I am sorry. I did what I had to do. Lives have been lost because of my husband and myself. I have brought shame to my sist
er’s house.” She glanced briefl
y to Zara. “I have caused great pain to those around me. I ask your forgiveness, Time Master.”

 
Dallan looked into her eyes, captured and searched her, the light of his heart again within himself and Shona. “My God, lady. Yer real.”

“No. I only seem so because you are now like me. Muiraran. We do not die; no one does. We go on. I go to be with my Creat
or, but not before he has me fi
nish the work given me. I need only one thing. I need your forgiveness.”

Dallan softened his look and shook his head. “But Lady, I dinna need to forgive you for anything.”

“Yes, Dallan, you do.”

“What, lass?”

“It was I who took
your father from you. I sacrifi
ced his life in order to save yo
urs. Philip had me kill specifi
c males of a certain line. I killed your father instead of you. His blood saved yours.”

“My God, what are ye saying?”

“Philip was to kill all prospective m
ates of the Shamaelon house. Th
is
you know. I did not follow his orders. You a
re alive, as are the others. Th
a
t
is all I can tell you. You will discover them when the time is right. Your only concern now is the care of the Maiden. She is your love, your life,
your
protection. Everything for you that you shall be to her.”

Dallan’s eyes widened at hearing the words he himself had spoken to Shona the day before. “Aye…” He grasped the woman’s hands and held them tightly. “Ye did what ye had to do. As have we all.” He captured her again. “I forgive you, Lady.”

She
backed away, nodded briefl
y and slowly faded from sight.

Zara lunged forward. “Lissa!”

Kwaku grabbed her and held her close. “
Shhh
.
Let
her go, beloved. Let her go home.”

Dallan remained where he was, eyes still planted where the woman had stood. After a moment he held an arm out to Shona, beckoning her to
his side. She rose from the fl
oor and went to him, her eyes locked on Brennan’s silent, anguished form. The
look on her face was one of fi
rm resolve. All she waited for was the command of her husband.

Dallan held her to him as he brought her face up to his own and kissed
her tenderly. “It’s not yet fi
nished, lass.”

She lo
oked up into his eyes and nodded.

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I know.”

Dallan looked around himself and smiled. “Weel, lass, did ye ken we now ha’ the power to take over the world?”

John and Lany blanched.

Dallan caught the look and suppressed a chuckle.

She cocked her head. “You play at odd times, Dallan. What are you up to?”

He lowered himself to her ear and tenderly whispered, “I dinna ken, I think
mayhaps
the heathen gave me a wee bit o’ his mischievous side.
Th
e good-for-nothing put something inside me, but I’m not sure what.”

“He gave you what you will need, Dallan. A part of himself, I think.”

“Aye, lassie. That’s what I’m afraid of.” He winked at the Councilors who sighed in relief.

Kwaku began to laugh and crossed the room to where the others still stood in stunned silence. Dallan and Shona watched him before locking themselves into a needful kiss.

Kwaku marched up to John and slapped him on the back. “See! I told you
everyding
would be all right!”

Lany glared at Kwaku in John’s stead. “Why do I get the feeling you knew things would turn out this way all along?”

Kwaku laughed heartily.
“Because I did know,
Mos
-go-fi
-an!”

Lany, for once, had no response.

Kitty and Tomy, s
till huddled together on the fl
oor, climbed to their feet and went directl
y to the Whittards. A steady flow of jumbled words fl
owed out of Tomy. “I don’t believe this, this is too much for me, my momma
ain’t
never
gonna
believe me when I tell her, no one will believe any of this, I might as well quit school, my job and move into a rubber room cause no one’s
gonna
ever believe this…”

Kitty, silent for once, stood by Maggie’s side and watched Shona and Dallan.

The new Time Master and his Maiden broke off from each other and turned to face the rest of the assemblage. Kwaku laughed and took in the sight of the young couple
as they stared
at him. “You are one
togeder
now. You Boyeee are to take us home.”