Druid Knights 02: Knight of Rapture (30 page)

“Hello, George…Yes, I’m done…Meet me in the library.” She reviewed the translation one more time then went to speak to George and Cora.

“You’ve been up there for hours.” George lowered the newspaper he’d been reading.

She placed the book, her staff and the sword on the table and handed George the translation. She took a seat next to Cora at the library table.

Tired, she put her elbows on the table and pressed her fingers to her temples and waited to hear George’s remarks.

“This talks of a battle at the manor and that the family line ends.” George put the paper on the table and moved it away. She didn’t blame him. She’d distance herself from it, too, if she could.

“Yes. When Angus gave his lecture at Oak Meadow he told us the same thing, except he used the word
annihilation
. But I don’t think Angus saw this.” She pointed to a portion of the text. “Did you read the part that says if the manor falls I will never have existed?”

She understood why Arik returned. That didn’t make her any less angry with him.

“No,” Cora said as she read the document for the first time and fidgeted with the paper. “Where does it say that?”

“Only knowledge is burnished into the tower wall. It’s a leap of faith, but if the manor falls—”

“Knowledge will be lost.” Cora’s voice was low. She picked up the translation and read it again. “You don’t seem to be upset.” No, she wasn’t. Her reasoning was simple. Arik would succeed and that meant she’d be with him. “We’ve known the prophecy but not how to fulfill it.”

“The heart of knowledge combined with the purity of strength cannot be torn apart,” George added.

Rebeka took her staff and unwound the leather strap around the top. “One of the burnished runes goes under the strapping.” She pointed to the rune. “I wasn’t certain what it was so I removed the leather. That’s when I detected the circular marking.” She twisted the top of her staff. “It took a few tries but it gave way.” She pulled off the top of her staff and drew out a long metal sword.

“The Sword of Knowledge,” George murmured, sitting straight in his chair. “No, the
heart
of knowledge. I believed the blade was a story and didn’t exist.” Rebeka put the thin blade back in the staff. She wouldn’t risk setting it in place until it was necessary.

Cora glanced at her with sympathy. “It says the sword will survive—”

“All along we’ve known that I am knowledge and Arik is strength. Together we will both survive.” She left no room for discussion.

“But you can’t travel back,” Cora said.

“What have I got to lose? If I stay here and Fayne Manor falls I’m lost forever. But if I succeed…” She closed her eyes to calm down. “I won’t fail. I’m his only hope. I won’t sit by and do nothing.”

“We’ll figure this out,” George said. She detected the confidence in George’s voice.

“It’s two days to Beltane. We have very little time. What do we know about the portal?” Cora asked.

“There was one at the stones but that’s closed, and the other was the scrying mirror…it’s shattered. I don’t know of any others,” George said.

“Arik told us passage was a round trip except for Rebeka’s. This last one was a special one-way ticket?” Cora asked. “Arik used the scrying mirror for his travel. Rebeka used the stones.”

There must be something in Arik’s journal that he’d overlooked. She reached for his book, knocking her father’s journal to the floor. When she picked it up her father’s note fluttered out.

“Rebeka, keep this well hidden. It is for your eyes only. I remain, your father.” She put the note aside but the comma caught her attention. “I remain.”

A large smile spread across her face. “He didn’t go back. He didn’t use his return passage.” She smiled and was more alive than she had been in days. She was close, so close. She wouldn’t give up now.

“Who?” George asked.

“My father. He knew. Why else would he leave me this message? I’m more convinced than ever that there’s a way back. There must be another portal.” She racked her brain. She pulled Arik’s book over and searched for any information about a location.

“If Max knew he must have given you some information. He wouldn’t leave it to chance. He must have told you, indicated it to you in some way,” George said.

“George, I didn’t even know he was a druid Grand Master,” she said.

“Precisely. So he couldn’t come out and tell you. He had to do it subtly.” George paced the room, running his hand through his hair. “I’ll go through the druid documents and see what I can find.”

“I’ll go through his things again. Maybe I’ve missed something.”

She took her father’s journal, put on her MP3 player and chose one of the chants he recorded for her. More than anything, she wanted to hear his voice.

Soon she was yawning. She was no closer to solving her problem but she was a lot closer to her father. The anger, sorrow and pain of losing him had faded. Now she had memories of their time together. She laid the book on her chest, listened to the droning chant and nodded off.

In her dream she saw herself standing by the tower window watching a battle unfold on the practice fields. The Fayne Manor soldiers fought on but were outnumbered. For every foot of ground they gained, they lost two. But no one gave up. In the thick of it, men stood bloody but determined. Her eyes snapped to the distant cliff where the flash of blades caught her attention. Bran and Arik were having their private war.

Together, she must be with him. The dream shimmered at the sound of her father’s chant. She turned from the window and found herself standing at the edge of Oak Meadow, her staff in hand. A warm breeze tousled her long hair. Her nose sniffed the sweet aroma of wildflowers. The grass and splash of colorful flowers covered the field and gathered around the stone signpost. The carving on the post was crisp and clear, as if it had been recently cut. Under the spreading oak branches, a lone faceless figure emerged. His black coat flared around him. The fallen leaves in front of him scattered, clearing a path as he walked toward her.

Dad.

She’d had this dream before and knew the routine. He’d stop at the signpost, she’d turn away and when she glanced back the air would be swirling faster and faster. He’d call out…

She jolted upright, wide awake. Breathing heavily, she forced herself to remember every aspect of the dream and put it on paper. With the paper in hand she ran down the stairs.

“George, Cora.” She rushed into the library. Empty. Startled, she stood in the room to gather her wits. She hurried to the garage and pulled out the motorcar. The sun was setting and she needed to get there quickly. Minutes later she was at Oak Meadow. She examined the stone signpost. It appeared like any other, etched with directions. Why was the signpost in the middle of the estate grounds? Directions weren’t needed here. She pulled the grass and flowers away from the base. Short of pulling it out of the ground, she needed to make certain. She put her palm flat on the stone surface. A wave of panic rolled through her.

She didn’t feel anything.

The energy wasn’t through the entire stone but rather in bands. She placed her palm at the base of the stone and pulled it away. It tingled. The stone wasn’t placed there as a marker. It was an ancient standing stone.

She sat on the ground with her back against the stone and watched the sunset color the sky. One day. Now all she needed to do was open the portal. George had done it with Arik. She hoped he could do it again.

“Can you think of anything else before we leave?” Rebeka wanted to put the druid documents back into the sanctuary.

“No. We have your staff and Arik’s sword and you’ve replaced the documents. Have you reconsidered an enchantment? It may be safer.” George closed the gate to the armory.

“You know that’s only temporary. I’ll be ready to go tomorrow. It’ll be cutting it close but I have no other choice. Besides, magick is strongest at Beltane.” She and George entered the large cavern. Apprehension tried to wiggle its way into her mind but she squashed it. Failure was not an option.

“Who’s here? Oh, Dr. Tyler, Mr. Hughes. I was concerned when I saw the way open.” The major entered with the rest of the men behind him.

“You know about the sanctuary?” She glanced at each man, startled to see them.

“Lord Arik brought us here often. He told us about his life with his men in his time.” The men filtered around the room, relaxed and comfortable.

“You know he’s…” Truth and honesty was what Arik demanded from his soldiers. A soft chuckle caught in her throat. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

“From the past.” Jaxon’s matter-of-fact attitude made her search the faces of the others.

Loyalty
and
courage
were the words that came to mind, and
dedication
. That Arik was a leader didn’t surprise her. That these men were a team—Arik’s team—made her proud.

“Yes. He knew our stories fighting for England and to raise our families. Every detail of them and he didn’t judge us. He told us his, about his battles for the king and his struggles to keep his family safe. Some of it was hard to believe at first but he brought us here and taught us about his time and his ways. There isn’t a man here who wouldn’t stand with him,” the major said.

A rumble of agreement rolled through the room.

“He told us he needed to take care of his family. We volunteered to go with him but he needed us here to protect you.” The major appeared disappointed. A quick glance and she knew the rest of the men felt the same.

“Then you know I, too, am from his time.” The tone in the room was one of belief and support.

“Yes. He told us your story, too,” Bill said.

“Lord Arik returned to protect the manor. It will be under siege shortly. He’s gone back to be with his brother, Logan, and their soldiers.” She scanned the men. Concern was on each man’s face. Encouraged, she continued on. “If the manor falls my life will be forfeited. He’s outnumbered.”

A thundering protest punctuated by curses echoed in the cavern. “We can’t stay here and let that happen.” She glanced at Jaxon.

“Do you have any idea—”

How she would love to give Arik one hundred and fifty loyal men.

“I’ll go with you.” The major stood next to her. “I didn’t give my pledge lightly. They weren’t empty words.”

“Mine, either.” Jaxon stood next to the major. One by one, each man stood and renewed his pledge. In the sea of faces in front of her, everyone agreed.

“There may be a way,” she said more to herself. The major quieted the men. “It’s going to sound wild but I think…” Was she strong enough to bring one hundred and fifty men across time? They would have to follow instructions to the letter or they could all be lost.

Arik’s well-disciplined troop stood and waited. “I don’t know what to say. But you must know the risks before you decide. There’s a way, using a druid enchantment, that will let you fight alongside Lord Arik.” The idea crumbled before it was fully formed, leaving her defeated. So close but not close enough. “No, it won’t work.” She shook her head. There wasn’t enough time.

“Why won’t it work?” George stood by her.

“Arik’s journal goes into detail about enchantment. He considered using it to bring him and another—Logan or Doward, he didn’t say who—with him. But the design of the enchantment requires something to bind the men. We haven’t got time to make or find something for everyone. If anyone loses it before you all return, the enchantment will break and all the men will be lost between times.” She faced reality and knew she would be going alone. “No, it won’t work.” She wouldn’t let defeat take hold. Magick required intent, focus and determination. She had to remain positive.

“Lord Arik gave each of us this. Will this work?” Bill handed her the metal disk.

A wild tremble rolled through her. “I know this. Each of Arik’s soldiers wears one.”

“He said before a man’s first battle they have it tattooed on their arm. He showed us his. I’ll have it marked on my arm so it can’t be lost,” the major said.

“Unless you lose your arm,” someone in the group said, setting them all laughing. She watched as each man rolled up his sleeve. All the men were in agreement.

“There’s not enough time to tattoo each man,” she said to the major.

“I’ll take care of getting the mark on everyone. Is there anything else you need?” he asked.

“You need to know what you’re walking into. The men you’ll face are mercenaries. They are fighting outside our front gate.” The major didn’t ask her how she knew. He accepted her information as fact, which was fine with her.

“We have the advantage. Men fighting for their homes have much more at stake. We’ll fight to the end. How do we approach the field?” he asked.

“We’ll be coming from Oak Meadow. There’s a way to the manor that avoids being seen. It’s a bit longer but worth it.” She was almost giddy with excitement when she realized that this was going to work.

“You get us there by first light and we’ll do the rest. Now if you’ll excuse me.” He turned to the men. “I want all the weapons inspected and the edges honed.”

“I can help with that.” George followed the major.