Goblin Moon (15 page)

They entered a wide, stone stairwell that led down from the first floor. The deeper it went, the more she imagined a cold, leaking cell where rats nested and a Goblin lay shackled in heavy, iron chains. She remembered Cairna telling her that Goblins didn't do well in enclosed places and preferred the open air. The cottage had been built, therefore, with large open windows where cool breezes blew through the house. Kathy could almost smell the dankness of the dark abyss ahead.

But it wasn't dark. The stairwell was lit with modern fixtures, and the air was comfortable and seemed to be circulating. There were no vermin, no leaks, and no cries of the tortured echoing from cold, stone walls. She could have been on a tour of any old castle in the British Isles. By the looks of it, this particular castle was in much better repair than most.

They finally came to a long hallway. She was astonished to see well-appointed offices that contained the latest computer equipment. It could have been any office building in London. The hallway branched off and Hugh turned left. Several feet ahead of them was a heavy metal door containing a coded locking device. Hugh quickly punched in some numbers and the door opened.

"This area is where we keep our medical supplies for emergencies,” Hugh explained. “It also serves as a makeshift operating room if the necessity should arise. All of this level was once a dungeon. It makes a perfect workspace and keeps our day-to-day operations more secretive. When no one is working down here, the entrance to the entire level is sealed with a series of coded locks much like the one on this door."

Kathy was impressed. She felt silly for having envisioned some barbaric dungeon, but the Sorceress’ own words had led her to that conclusion. She'd imagined Tearach tied mercilessly in some horrible, dark place.

As if he gleaned some of her thoughts, Hugh smiled and said, “We do have some dungeon spaces left, but the Goblin isn't in ‘em. At least, not
yet
."

Kathy didn't want to think about what would happen if Tearach's behavior got him hauled off to those dungeons. Hugh led her down a shorter hallway. Kathy saw a fully equipped scrub room on her left and a room with autoclaves and other medical equipment on her right. Her guide stopped in front of the last room. Before she could ask questions, he nodded toward the door. “He's in there. One of our physicians is with him. I'll go in and let them know you're here."

When Hugh left, Kathy expelled an amazed breath. Everything about this place and these people was one big contradiction. They wanted to keep most of their traditions alive, yet they had access to the latest technology. In the one room containing the medical equipment, there was a laptop computer sitting on a clean work bench. Kathy walked toward it and stared. The wallpaper design depicted a Merlin-like figure casting a spell. Fairies watched in awe from shadows, and elfin creatures huddled within the Sorcerer's robes. She might have laughed at someone's ironic sense of humor, but her concern for Tearach overrode that indulgence. She walked back to the hallway and waited.

A moment later, Hugh looked around the corner of the door and nodded. “You can come in now."

Kathy walked into the room. A tall man with shoulder-length brown hair was leaning over a hospital bed. His back was toward her, and he was trying to hold down a very angry Goblin.

"Damn you, stay still! I'll shoot you so full of sedatives you'll wake up in the middle of someone else's life. Now calm down!” the man ordered.

"Let me up, Owen! Take these bloody restraints off me or, by Herne, I'll kick your Druid ass when I get free.” Tearach let loose a string of curses unfit for even the walls to absorb.

Kathy could feel his anger. It was almost palpable in its intensity. The doctor turned, and she was struck by the man's attractiveness. He smiled at her and held out his hand.

"I'm Owen Delaney.” He glanced over his left shoulder. “When I'm not subduing wild men, I'm a doctor practicing emergency medicine at Lady of Mercy hospital in London."

"I suppose you know who I am,” Kathy smiled and offered her hand in return, letting it linger in his a little longer than necessary. His bright smile was very inviting. After everything that had recently happened, it was like seeing a ray of sunshine.

He nodded. “Yes, everyone knows who you are. And I'm sure you'd like to talk to Tearach alone.” He looked at Tearach. “Mind your manners, or I'll be in with enough sedation to bring a draft horse to its knees."

He smiled again at Kathy, gently touched her shoulder and left. Hugh nodded to her and followed the doctor.

Tearach glared at Owen's retreating figure. All he could think about was getting free and tearing into him. Then Kathy walked into the bedside light. He lay back, closed his eyes and hoped the action would be enough to will her away. She was the last person he wanted to be near. For her to see him trussed up like some penned hog was demeaning to the core. Not that he had much pride or dignity left as it was.

"What do you want?” he ground out.

Kathy glanced at the nylon restraints holding him to the bed. There were triple the amount a human would need, but Tearach wasn't human. His hands clenched and pulled at the constricting wristbands. “I was hoping there was a way to get you out of here and take you home. Cairna almost made herself ill from worrying over you. The Sorceress has had to sedate her."

His eyes shot open and his gaze met hers. “She's all right, isn't she?"

"For the moment. But she won't stay well if this keeps up. It isn't just her physical state. Her emotional state is pretty fragile. She thinks your present predicament is her fault."

He shook his head. “This has nothing to do with her."

"Where have you been? Everyone's been worried."

"That's none of your concern or anyone else's,” he snapped.

Kathy paused for a moment before continuing. “Lore says you throttled some of his men when they asked the same question.” She saw a contrite look pass briefly across his handsome face, and he stopped struggling with the restraints.

"I
did
hurt them."

"I'm sure you're not very popular right now. Why did you fight them?"

He closed his eyes again. “I ... I don't know.” Frustration ate at him. He was consumed with both it and his guilt at having struck out at people who were his friends. It was as though everyone and everything in the world had become an enemy. His people were dying and he'd failed them. At every turn, he'd failed.

Kathy pulled a chair up to the bed and sat down. “You can talk to me or not. But I won't leave until things are settled between us.” When he remained silent as stone, she tried again. “All right. I'll stay here and annoy the hell out of you until you talk. You can fight or scream obscenities until the walls melt, but I won't leave. All you'll succeed in doing is having that doctor come back in here with a needle the size of a ten-penny nail. It'll be filled with a sedative, and I'll still be here when you wake up. So, what's it to be?"

"Damned your white hide!” he spat out.

"Okay. We'll start there. Are you angry because I'm
white
or because you're
green
?"

He raised his head and shot her a murderous glare. She just stared back. “Go away!"

"Are you angry with Cairna?"

"I love Cairna. I could never be angry with her."

"But she hurt you. Is that why you're fighting people?"

"
No!
Go away!” He pulled at the restraints again.

"You're acting like a child."

"Then leave and you won't have to put up with it,” he growled.

She took a deep breath and silently counted to ten. “I'm sorry I ran away from you. It was one of the most stupid, juvenile, cowardly, mean ... You can stop me anytime, you know."

The soft tone of her voice was like ice on a burn. He didn't want to listen. It was as though he was being compelled to do so. “I don't really blame you for that. At least, not anymore."

His response encouraged her. She leaned forward and placed her forearms on the bed. “Talk to me."

He swallowed hard, took a deep breath and tried to begin. “It's ... so ... I don't know..."

"Just start anywhere,” she softly murmured.

"I was angry with you for hurting Cairna. Hurt because she sided with you, and I...” His voice cracked.

Kathy gently placed her hand upon his strong chest. She could feel his heart racing and the look in his eyes was so heartbreaking. Granite would crack before that ungodly, sorrowful look.

"I went back to Exmoor. There's still not one living thing there.” He paused long enough to gain a little control. “My people are dying. The Sorceress thinks she can wave a metaphorical magic wand and make the problems go away. And the worst thing of all is that my own baby will go on a fire with the ghosts of hundreds of others. I don't want to see the look on your face when I take it away. It'll be the same look I've seen dozens of times before. I'd rather be dead than see that horrible gaze one more time."

Tears filled her eyes and she leaned toward him. “There's more, isn't there?"

Tearach forced back the lump in his throat, ignored the pain in his chest and kept going. “As hard as I
think
the entire process is on me, the parents of all those dead children are left behind with empty hearts and no hope. My people will die. We were here before the ancient Celts. My own bloodline sat at the right hand of King Arthur. We walked with the sun upon our faces and our heads held high. Humans were our equals. Now, we hide in shrubs and take their leavings, grateful for even that."

He took a deep breath and growled out the rest. “I feel like ... like a hunted animal trapped against a wall. I know everything I am, all I care for, is going to perish, and all I want to do is fight until the end. That's how I felt after returning from Exmoor. I just wanted to fight anyone or anything that got in front of me."

Kathy wanted to crawl into some hole and weep. Apparently, no one had once given a thought to what this man had gone through for eight long years. He had been expected to do his duty, regardless of the toll it took on him. The families of the dead had some small comfort with each other. Tearach had no one to whom he could turn. Kathy was certain he'd never shared what he was feeling with another living soul. He'd have considered it a gutless weakness. Especially in light of the suffering others endured. His next words confirmed her conclusion.

"There you have it,” he finished. “My poor answer to an unsolved problem. I wish with all my heart that I could have been a better leader."

Tearach didn't steel himself for her response. He no longer cared. Having emptied his heart, there was nothing left but a dark hole in his chest. Nothing left to hurt. The rage it took to strike out was gone. So, almost, was the will to even take the next breath. He made one last resolve. When his child died, so would he. A poor leader could save his pride, and that of his people, by choosing death. In centuries past, this resolution would have been expected, even demanded, from him. The decision calmed him as nothing ever had. His race needed someone who wouldn't falter in the face of despair.

But Kathy's response wasn't what he'd expected. She slowly untied the restraints and pulled them away. Then, as soft as a warm breeze, she pulled him to her and held him close. There were no tears or words. She just held him for a long time.

Finally, she moved away and placed a gentle hand against his cheek and whispered, “Let's get you the hell out of here."

When they emerged from the room there was no one in sight. They left the castle without anyone questioning their movements. Kathy would have commented upon the ease with which Tearach had left, but she knew the Sorceress would come looking for them eventually.

The second Tearach opened the cottage door, Cairna pounced down the stairs and leapt toward him. She wrapped her arms about him in a crushing embrace. “She's brought you back. Oh, Uncle Tearach, I was so worried about you. I'm sorry for what I said. I'm so sorry..."

"It's all right, Cairna.” He hugged her back. “Let's not speak about it again. Besides, I've decided you were right. I want to see the baby born, and I'm ashamed of my attitude. I've only been thinking of myself."

Kathy watched Tearach's face when he made his apology. He was telling Cairna what he thought would end her fears and mend the rift between them. She knew nothing had changed as far as his real feelings were concerned. His eyes, when they met Kathy's, were cold as winter. For some reason he was going to play the charade to the end, and Kathy feared his motives.

He and Cairna comforted each other for several more minutes. Tearach finally sent the emotionally spent girl to bed, promising to talk about the baby in the morning. When the door to her room closed, his facade dropped. He walked into the living room, poured himself a very large measure of scotch and drained the glass.

"Why are you lying to her?” Kathy stood behind him and waited for his answer.

"It's what she wants to hear.” He shrugged. “If everyone wants to believe this curse, or whatever it is, is over, then let them. It's not worth tearing people apart any longer."

"What will you do? Pretend you believe everything will be all right for the next few months?"

"If that's what everyone wants, then why not? I can't and won't fight this anymore. I'm through trying."

The despair in his voice almost broke her resolve to stay calm. “What will you really do when the baby comes?"

"Hold it for as long as I can and love it forever.” He wearily turned toward the staircase. “I'm going to bed. Wake me when the Sorceress gets here. I'm sure she'll come around sunrise."

Kathy wanted to go after him and make him talk to her. There was a deadly calm about him that seemed surreal. Even the anger in his gaze was better than the empty shell he'd become.

She'd once seen a man jump from a bridge. He'd had that same glass-cold look just before taking the leap. She didn't know when or how, but she sensed Tearach was planning the same ending.

Her heart constricted at the thought. “Like hell you'll die,” she whispered. “You're too loved to end up like that. Whether you believe it or not, you're going to live and so is this baby."