The Witch (9 page)

And there was no way she was taking her mother where she suspected she’d end up going.

The monster in her dreams was never getting close to her mother. No matter what Loren had to do. “You need to stay here. I need to…I need to do this. And I’m afraid…I’m terrified that while I’m doing it you’ll be hurt. I can’t do this if you’re not safe.”

“And I’m just as scared…for you. You’re all I’ve got, Loren. But I get it. You’re more than just my daughter, you’re one of these people. And I can’t understand why you.”

“I…”

“Why didn’t you tell me? I would have tried to help you someway. Been there for you even more.”

“Because you matter too much. I…I’ve had other mothers, other parents. But…the thought of anything happening to you is so, so much worse.”

“So I’ve been one of many. I get that. It’s a bit hard to swallow, but I get that. But that doesn’t mean I can’t help you.”

“Yes, it does. And you’re not one of many. I loved them, of course I did. They were my family. But you and I—we’ve been each other’s only family for a very long time. I can’t bear the thought of you being hurt. And if I can keep you safe by going alone, then that’s what I’ll do. I have to. I have to know that you’re here, safe. With Becca and Jade and their families. Keeping them safe, too.”

“And because I’ll get in the way.” Her mother pushed the hair off of Loren’s shoulder, then put her hands on Loren’s cheeks. “I can’t help worrying. I’ve done it your whole life. And even in a strange world with some pretty freaky looking creatures I will always worry and try to protect. I love you, and I have from the very moment I knew you were in me. I can’t change that, and I won’t. And I don’t care about any other mother you may have had, I don’t care if there were fifty of them—“

“Eighty. I think.”

“Whatever. Eighty, one hundred eighty, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that I love you and I will always do whatever I have to in order to protect my baby girl. And if you think that means me staying behind, then dammit, that’s exactly what I’ll do. I won’t like it. And I’ll be right here waiting until you do need me. I’m your mom, it’s in the job description.”

Loren just hugged her, clung to her like she had when she was a little bitty girl and the nightmares would come. When she’d wake from the night and it would hit her that her father was never coming home, that she and her mother were alone.

And probably always would be. “I’m so scared.”

“Baby, everything worthwhile is terrifying at times. You trust in your Fates, or whatever you call those divinities you are always talking about, and just like your father always did. I’ll trust in my God to protect and keep you safe. To help you do the right thing. Am I terrified something will happen to you. That is my only nightmare, sweetie. And to know that you are capable of jumping between worlds, of standing shoulder to shoulder with vampires and demons and werewolves, scares me out of every last bit of wits I have. But if this is what you are meant to do, don’t I have to support you in that? I’m your mom, part of the job is helping you do the things you are supposed to. No matter how much that hurts me.”

And Loren knew that it would hurt. They’d both be hurting before it was all said and done.

She just hoped she’d be alive when it was all over.

Yeah, she’d definitely be talking to Becca and Jade before she left Thrun for the next part of her journey.

The girl had a pack on her back, and the women surrounding her were all wet-eyed and sad. Jushua immediately filled with the urge to throw up his hands and back away. He so did not want to deal with weepy females. He couldn’t think of a damned thing worse than crying women.

What had the witchie done now? The healer’s female had a stoic look on her face—she really was an exceptionally beautiful female for a former human woman—but she stood strong at her friend’s side.

It took him a moment to realize something had most likely had happened.

Or was about to.

A large hand landed on his shoulder and Nalik was there. “She leaves soon.”

Jushua frowned. “Where is it she goes? She just arrived in Thrun yesterday.” He wasn’t sure he trusted the girl, and to give her free reign throughout the realms…it did not sit well with him, not at all.

He wasn’t even entirely certain who she was, or what she was. And with her being able to do things no ordinary girl should—like stepping through worlds without a key—there was too much they didn’t know of her.

“She claims she’ll know when she opens the barriers between worlds. And that this is what the Fates have in store for her. She is apparently a big believer.”

Nalik’s tone told Jushua what he needed to know about that idea. His reborned brother felt just as negatively about the Four Fates as Jushua did.

Fates had screwed with him for five thousand years. And nothing they’d done yet had convinced him they knew what they were about. “Who goes with her?”

“I do not know. You volunteering?”

Sometimes the reborned retained some of the original soul’s characteristics. Nalik’s smirk was exactly like his brother Kilan’s had been. Jushua had found it just as irritating then as he did now.

“Depends. If duty calls, then I shall meet it.” Jushua walked across the courtyard to where the girl was. His mother was near, he could sense her presence now, something he had started to do within the last millennia. Had his mother and the witch spoken?

He knew his mother had strong feelings for the girl this Loren had been, but would those feelings of affection and guilt transfer to this new day and time? He knew his mother was gathering the reborned around her, and he’d worried for her sanity.

Laquazzeana often went mad, after all. And the knowledge that the children she’d lost so long ago were being returned to her could very well be enough to send her over the edge of madness.

Especially if those children were lost to her once again.

Dekimos was there. It was to his side that Jushua went. Dekimos was quite for a while. When he turned to Jushua there was a resolve on his face that had Jushua immediately tensing. “She goes to Evalanedea.”

“Like Three Hells she does.” That was off limits. No one was allowed to return to his homeland. That was a decree he had made to his own people the day they’d fled. He would never forget those dark days. Every one of the people he’d led had lost most of their loved ones, and everything else they’d ever had.

Dardaptoans had once numbered close to two million. He’d had barely of fraction of that under his protection after that day. And to keep them safe he and his mother had sealed the remaining portkeys that led to Evalanedea with almost all of the powers and gifts that he had possessed.

It had taken five thousand years for him to regain some of those skills.

“How does she think she will accomplish something that has not been done in five millennia? Does she think she is that powerful?”

“She goes. We both know she can open the worlds with little effort. There is a reason for that. And Jushua…I am going with her.”

              **             

He knew when the witchie first saw him. Almost felt her gaze land upon him. Jushua fought to keep the smirk off his lips.

She most definitely had not counted on him. He strolled up to her.

He had always enjoyed tormenting the witchies when he could. And why not? Life should be full of such simple pleasures.

And he wanted to see those pretty Druid eyes again. See if he could figure out what it was about her that was unsettling him so.

She drew him. He’d wondered long into the night if it was mere sexual attraction—which he’d felt for a few women in the last five thousand years, he wasn’t dead after all—or something more that was drawing him.

Something witchie, perhaps.

No, trust wasn’t at the forefront of his mind when he looked at her.

“What are you doing?” She was a bold one and he admired her challenge. She didn’t want him to go, yet she knew that was exactly what he was planning. What would she do about it? “I don’t remember offering you a ticket on this crazy train.”

He didn’t quite get her reference, but it wasn’t too complicated. “My brother goes, I go. Someone has to watch his ass.”

“I’ll watch his ass, it’s a fine one. But you…you aren’t supposed to go on this trip. Shouldn’t you stay home…with your mother?”

**

Loren knew her words were snarky, but the last thing she wanted was Jushua around. He rubbed her so far the wrong way she was surprised she wasn’t back in Colorado by now.

But he seemed pretty resolute. And he was protecting his brother, how could she blame him for that?

And who knew? A seasoned warrior familiar with where she suspected they were going might just come in handy. “I give the orders. You start arguing, you take a hike, ok?”

“We’ll see how that works out. Now, my darling witchie, where is it we are going?”

She looked up at him—way up, darned giant—and smiled. “Evalanedea. City of Darda, to be exact. I know you’ve heard of it.”

His eyes narrowed and his hand dropped to the weapon at his side. “You think that wise? You know the curse, I am sure.”

“I know it. And I know that I am to go there. Whether you are remains to be seen. And it’s up to you.” She sobered. He deserved to know more than what she was telling him, but she was afraid to reveal too much. Too much knowledge sometimes changed the future, and messed with the Destinies in ways they did not like. “Darda. I know there’s risk; believe me, I’ve had nightmares about it for years. But that’s where I’m supposed to go next. The Four Fates guide, and I follow.”

“Following blindly will just get you screwed, sweet witchie. Don’t forget that.”

“Trust me, I won’t.”

“So you are set on this?” Someone asked from behind the big warrior. His mother stepped around him. “Why must you all go?”

“Because we are meant, mother. Do not try to stop us. This is what must be done.” Dekimos was there, too. When had he arrived?

It was him she’d been waiting for, hadn’t it?

“Do not go,” Eaudne said. Her words broke at the last. Loren fought back the compassion. If Eaudne fell apart, would she be able to do this?

She resisted looking at her own mother, knowing her mother was probably feeling just as much fear as Dekimos’ was.

“Eaudne, the Fates…you know they guide us this day.”

“There have many nights I have damned the Fates, and until my sons return to me safely, until you do, I will continue to do so.”

“Mother,” It was Jushua who spoke. Eaudne looked at him. He had his hand on her shoulder and she leaned against him. Dekimos was the one who stood apart. “We both know that things come full circle. If Deki says this is where we must go, then we go. He will not go alone. Neither will I. And neither will she. But we all must go.”

Loren’s mother wrapped her hand around Loren’s. She wanted to throw her arms around her mother and cling. Like she had when she was a small girl and the nightmares would come. Her mother would hold her, and make everything go away.

But no mother could do that for her now. “We need to get going, if we’re going to do this…”

“At least take some men with you. Take an army. Anything.” Eaudne pleaded.

“That would put us in even greater danger. The Wolden mercenaries have invaded Evalanedea, and patrol all borders. We would not make it into Darda with an army,” Dekimos had a pack on his back and a sword on his hip. His eyes were bleak. We need to get going. It is dark in Evalanedea now. We can go, find a place to wait, then travel farther by daylight.”

“And how do you intend to get there? We broke the portkey path thousands of years ago.”

“I do not need it.” Loren released her mother then looked at her one more time. “Mama, I love you. Stay here, stay safe. I’ll be coming back for you. I promise.”

Her mother raised her chin. Her eyes were wet but her words were firm. “See that you do. If not, I’m grounding you for one hundred years. Got me?”

Loren looked at the three other people nearby. Mara stood trembling in the cool wind. A tall man Loren had met the day before stood at her back. Jade and Becca were side-by-side, their guys on either side of them.

The people who loved her most.

Would this be the last time she ever saw them?

Doubts hit her, and she almost turned around and ran back to her room.

But…if she didn’t do this, what would happen? To her, to them and their families? Becca’s children were beautiful, they deserved a safe place to grow up.

And what she was supposed to do was change the course of a war, wasn’t it? Hadn’t that been what she’d dreamt for years?

Dear Fates what was she supposed to do?

Go forth. Trust.

She almost swore she heard a voice, a familiar one, answering her question.

And the answer she’d received was the right one.

She looked at her mom one more time. “I love you.”

“I know.”