Divine by Mistake (45 page)

I kicked my way to the surface, pleased to hear ClanFintan sputtering beside me as the roaring current grabbed us and carried us away from the edge of the river.

“Relax,” he yelled above the water. “Swim with the current!”

I did as he said, stroking with the fast-moving water, always angling toward the opposite bank. The water was cold, and soon the numbness began to scare me.

“Stay with me!” ClanFintan yelled. “Almost there!”

A finger of bank jutted out in front of us, and ClanFintan grabbed my hair with one hand and a low-hanging branch with his other, hauling us both into the rocky shallows.

“Ouch!” I said as he tried to disentangle himself from my hair.

“Come.” He took my hand and we walked unsteadily together out onto the shore, where we collapsed.

I heard his painful groan as he shifted his weight from his backside.

“I hate to say this, but you really should go back into the shallows and wash the mud out of those wounds.”

He nodded tightly and forced himself to his feet, stumbling back into the river. I followed him, helping him splash the cold, clean water over his damaged body. Happily, the pouch that held the remaining ointment was still around my neck, and I spread the rest of it on his wounds. He was shaking violently. The fresh cuts on his shoulder bled freely.

“Can you change back now?” I asked.

He gave me a tired nod, and I stepped away from him so he’d have room to call The Change. I closed my eyes against the light and the sight of his pain. When the brightness faded and I opened my eyes, I was relieved to see that he looked more solid and powerful in his true form.

“Let’s go home,” I said, holding out my hand to him. He took it and helped pull me up the steep bank.

We easily found the tracks the legion had made on the way to the Temple of the Muse, and began retracing our steps. At first I walked next to him, refusing his insistent offer that I remount.

“No, you’ve been through too much.” I tried to reason with him.

“As have you.”

“Oh, sure. Look who has all the gaping wounds.”

He snorted at me.

“And, correct me if I’ve forgotten, but I think you’re the only one who’s changed his body’s form in the last twenty-four hours.”

“You are my wife.” He said it as if that explained everything.

“Yes, and I’m more than capable of walking for a while.”

He opened his mouth to continue the argument.

“Wait, let’s compromise,” I said reasonably. “I’ll walk until the moon rises to the middle of the sky, then I’ll ride you without arguing about it.”

He made a noise under his breath that sounded like he didn’t totally believe me.

“You are a stubborn woman.”

“Thank you.”

That made him laugh, and he looped his arm around me.

“We smell bad.” I smiled up at him.

“Again?” He chuckled.

“I guess that’s what I get for marrying a horse.”

I could see him cocking one of his eyebrows at me in the new moonlight. “That is not all you get.”

I laughed and sent a silent thank-you to my Goddess. He sounded like himself again.

We walked in companionable silence. I breathed in the fresh night air, and enjoyed the solid feel of my husband’s arm around me. We would make our way back to the temple, and from there figure out how the hell we were going to get rid of those damn creatures.

A noise in the forest to our left startled me, and I laughed in relief as the white tail of a deer blazed in the silver night. But the deer brought something else to mind.

“Do you think we’ll run into any of the women from the Muse? Or Dougal and Vic?”

“Dougal and Victoria are probably well ahead of us. I do not know about the women.” His voice was sad and low. “When it became apparent that we could not hold the creatures, I sent part of the legion to the river, and part to the temple. No centaur would have passed a woman without giving her aid. If they made it across the river, the centaurs would have hastened the women to Epona’s Temple. They, too, should be ahead of us.”

If any of them had made it…I knew we were both thinking it, but we left the thought unsaid.

“The moon is over our heads,” he reminded me of my compromise.

I stopped and looked intently up at him.

“Are you really okay?”

“Yes, love.” He brushed a curl back from my face. “My wounds will heal.”

“Then I’ll ride. I admit I am kind of tired.”

He lifted me to his back.

“And hungry?”

“Don’t even mention food. You know I’m starving.”

“Alanna will have a feast ready for you.” He glanced over his shoulder at me, and his eyes widened. “Look,” he said, pointing down the path in the direction from which we had just come.

I looked, and saw that my footprints each had a star in the middle of them. As we watched, they shimmered and glittered, as if they had just fallen from the sky and landed where my feet had been. Then I blinked, and the play of light vanished.

“Magic?” I spoke reverently, like I was in church.

“Perhaps there is more magic within you than you realize.”

ClanFintan took a few strides forward, and then broke into his familiar ground-eating canter. I leaned against his back, thinking about magic and goddesses and love…and fell immediately asleep.

I was curled up on a big rocking chair in the café of my favorite bookstore back in Tulsa (the 41st Street Barnes & Noble), and the manager (who looked amazingly like Pierce Brosnan) was telling me that I could have as many books as I wanted, free, on him, please, just choose to my little heart’s content. The wonderful chef, played by Sean Connery, was personally preparing an exquisite meal for me (which I could smell cooking—lots of garlic), and a bare-chested pool boy who looked like Brad Pitt (who knows?) was pouring me a large glass of glistening Merlot…

…And I was sucked out of DreamLand to hover grumpily over the middle of the river.

I started to whine, and then I remembered the voice in my head that had saved ClanFintan—not once, but twice—and I kept my silly mouth shut.

“Okay, I’m ready for whatever you need me to see,” I said.

No answer—except to feel myself drift upstream, retracing the path we had just traveled. I sighed and mentally prepared myself for Goddess only knows what.

The marsh glistened to my left like an open sore on the face of the land. It stretched as far inland as I could see. I shivered at the thought that we very easily could have been trapped in there forever. Lights began flickering ahead of me, turning my attention away from the depression of the marsh to the rocky area between it and the river. My body slowed as I came within view of several large campfires. They were spread up and down along the western bank of the Geal. My spirit body kept drifting upstream, until I came to an enormous circle of blazing firelight. I could see the winged creatures crouched around the fires. My body descended. It was obvious that they were all watching something that was in the middle of the ring of campfires. I saw movement within the circle, but blowing smoke from the fire obscured my view. Then the smoke cleared and my eyes widened in horror.

Within the circle, Terpsichore danced. She was naked. Her body was slick with the fevered sweat of the early stages of smallpox, which, ironically, made her skin glisten with an inviting luster. She spun and twisted, mesmerizing the creatures with her incredible grace and sexuality. Her hair clung to her wet body like an erotic veil. She writhed seductively from creature to creature. She was touching each Fomorian, leaving a trail of sweat and arousal in her wake. And, I prayed silently, disease. I watched as she danced toward the creatures who were crouching just outside the circle, being sure she touched as many of them as possible. Wings would twitch and begin to become erect, then she would spin teasingly away—and start the dancing game all over with another creature. It was like she was a lovely automaton. Her face was an expressionless mask, and I saw that her lips were cracked and dry. As I looked closer, I noticed the beginnings of the rash on her beautifully rounded arms.

Then one of the creatures unfurled itself from the ground and stepped into the circle, grabbing Terpsichore by the waist and pulling her against his engorged body. And I realized why none of the other creatures had allowed themselves to take her. Nuada had claimed her.

“Enough play,
Goddess.
” He reached out and let one claw travel down the side of her full breast, leaving a thin line of blood in its path, which he licked from her wet skin with his pale tongue. “I am ready for you now.”

He began dragging her from the circle; then he froze and glared directly up at me.

“Female!”
I heard his scream as Epona wrenched me away and back into my body.

I jerked upright.

“Nuada has Terpsichore.”

“May her Goddess protect her,” his deep voice echoed in the night.

“She stayed behind on purpose,” I explained. “She wanted to carry the pox to the Fomorians.”

His head jerked back in surprise. “Will it work?”

“I wish I knew.” Frustration was clear in my voice. “I know it’s contagious, and I know how it’s spread. What Terpsichore was doing would spread the disease to humans. I just don’t know if the creatures are human enough to catch it.”

“When will we know?”

“I’ve been trying to figure that out.” I sighed. “I think I remember that it took about a week from exposure to the appearance of symptoms. But I have no idea if the Fomorian physiology will be effected like that. My guess is that they will either get very sick, very soon, or it won’t hurt them at all.”

“Then what we need is time,” he said thoughtfully.

“And a lot of luck,” I added. Silently, I sent a prayer up to Epona that the Muse’s sacrifice had not been in vain. Exhaustion tugged at me.

“Rest, we should be near the temple by daybreak.”

With his reassuring words ringing in my ears I closed my eyes and fell into a deep, uneventful sleep.

Sometime between my dream vision and dawn, a line of low-hanging clouds drifted in from the north, bringing with them drizzle that hung like fog in the moist air. It must have been several hours past dawn, although the sun remained hidden and the morning was gloomy, when we heard a shout, and one of my warriors burst from his post near the riverbank.

“Epona be praised! You live!” He saluted me and I was touched to see tears in his eyes.

I smiled at him, but ClanFintan didn’t hesitate in his pace.

“Almost there,” I breathed into his ear.

He grunted and nodded his head, concentrating on keeping up his pace.

We followed a familiar turn in the bank, and I can honestly say I was pleased beyond words to see the bridge stretching in all its scary length high over the water.

As we jumped onto the bridge, another sentry caught sight of us and sent up a yell that was taken up by another, then another.

“I guess some of my warriors got away from the creatures,” I said as more and more voices were raised in excited welcome.

We crossed the bridge and made the sharp turn to the temple. Even in the gray of the foggy morning, its marble walls gleamed invitingly. People were pouring out of the temple and running toward us. From inside the walls burst a group of centaurs, led by a shimmering blonde who was followed closely by a young palomino.

“Victoria! Dougal!” I yelled as they galloped to us.

“I told her you would make it,” Dougal said gleefully.

“This one time I will allow him to be right.” Vic laughed happily and hugged me so hard I almost fell off ClanFintan’s back.

Soon we were enfolded in a wave of jubilant people and centaurs. As we went through the rear entrance, Epi trumpeted a joyous welcome. Then I heard a familiar voice, and I looked into the courtyard to see Alanna and Carolan running to join us. ClanFintan wearily helped me down. Carolan gave me a quick inspection.

“I’m fine—I’m fine. Take care of him,” I brushed him off and, after giving me one more look over, he began examining ClanFintan’s many wounds.

“Come with me,” he ordered the centaur in a grim-sounding voice.

ClanFintan kissed me quickly, whispering, “I will join you in your chambers as soon as he is finished with me.” Then he did as the doctor ordered, much to my relief.

I stepped into Alanna’s arms, returning her embrace.

“I believed you would return.” Her voice shook with tears.

“Get me out of here,” I said softly.

She slipped her arm around my waist, and began guiding me quickly through my adoring welcomers. I waved and thanked them, saying I would be fine and I just needed rest.

Still, it seemed to take forever to cross the courtyard and make our way down the hall to my bathing chamber. Before following me into the room, I heard her give orders to the smiling guard.

“Bring wine, water and fresh fruit. Then have a full meal sent to her chambers.”

She closed the door and we clung to each other like schoolgirls. I was the first to pull away.

“Oh, I’ve gotten you filthy,” I said as I sniffed and wiped the tears from my face.

“I do not care, but here, let me get you out of those things.”

For once I didn’t mind her nurturing ministrations.

“I can’t seem to stop shaking,” I said, laughing. Detachedly, I realized this must be what hysteria felt like.

Alanna took my hand and led me to the warm pool. Two knocks sounded at the door and an exuberant nymph entered carrying a loaded tray.

“Oh, my Lady,” she bubbled. “We are all so happy you have returned safely to us!”

“Thank you.” I tried to smile around my chattering teeth, “I am pleased beyond words to be home.”

She curtsied and scampered out the door. I let myself lie back in the water with a deep sigh.

“Here—” Alanna handed me a goblet “—drink.”

I did as I was told, gulping down the cool water.

“Easy, not all of it at once.”

I came up for air, waited, then took another long drink.

“Thanks.” I handed the empty cup back to her. I suddenly realized how filthy my hair was, and I wanted nothing more than to get it clean. I put my head back in the warm water, shaking it from side to side.

“Help me, I have to get clean.”

Alanna didn’t ask any questions, she simply poured a bottle of soap on my hair and set about helping me scrub. When that was done, she handed me a sponge and I lathered up my entire body. Then I dived into the middle of the pool, rinsing the filth from me. I returned to my ledge, and Alanna handed me another cup of cool water. As I drank it, I noticed my hands had quit shaking.

“Better?” she asked.

“Yes, girlfriend, thank you.”

She sat cross-legged near me on the side of the pool, exchanging my cup of water for a goblet of wine. She slid the platter filled with sliced fresh fruit within my reach. I smiled gratefully, and popped a cube of melon into my mouth, chewing slowly, letting its sweet juice cover my tongue.

“It’s so incredibly good to be home.” I breathed a relieved sigh.

“Is there not some way we could stay?”

Her words reminded me that Dougal had been ordered by ClanFintan to begin evacuating the people across the river.

“ClanFintan doesn’t think so.” I remembered the scene of devastation at the Muses’ temple. “And I think he’s right. Did any other people from the Temple make it here?”

“Yes, a large group came in just before dawn this morning, escorted by centaur warriors and five Huntresses. Carolan has tended the wounded, and they are all resting quietly now. Victoria and Dougal arrived shortly after, with word that we must leave the temple. We should be ready to begin crossing the river at dawn.”

“Was Thalia with them?”

“Yes, she is well.”

“Sila?” I held my breath.

“No,” Alanna said sadly. “No one saw her cross the river.”

“Have no more centaurs come back?”