Voice Of The Demon (Book 2) (50 page)

Wonderful news and terrible news. Bishop McCauly has been rescued. I don’t know how or who did it – but he’s finally out
of prison. I’ve no idea where he is. Selar’s in a rage about it and Eachern has been charged with finding McCauly. Unfortunately there’s nothing I can do to stop him.

But surely you must have some influence over him?

Only a little – and I have to use most of that to stop him from throwing Micah out. Besides, I’m back at Elita at the moment and Eachern is out roaming the countryside. But that’s not the only news.

Why was Jenn back at Elita?
Tell me.

Kenrick has been found. He’ll be reunited with Selar in a couple of days . . .

Serin’s breath!

I’ve heard no word about the Queen but I fear the worst.

And the Princess? Samah and Kandar?

Nothing. I dare not ask. I’m hoping to get some word to your mother soon as she may have heard from Duke Kavanagh what happened. Fortunately there’s been no mention of where Kenrick was found, so I can only hope the whole thing is still secret.

Gingerly, Finnlay sat up with his back against the board. He reached out in the darkness and drew a candle closer, waving his hand to bring the flame to life. Then he clasped his hands before him and took a deep breath.
Are you all right?

Me? Of course. Why shouldn’t I be?

Well, I was just wondering why this should be such a drain on you. You’re easily as powerful as Robert. I can’t imagine why mindspeech – even over this distance – should make you tired. From what you’ve said about it before, it doesn’t work like other powers. I believe you said it sidestepped your normal powers.

Silence.

Well?

It was uncanny; he could almost hear her thinking.

Jenn?

Her voice was subdued but he could still hear it clearly.
I’m quite well, Finn, I promise you. Do you doubt Micah’s ability to look after me?

I wouldn’t dare – I know what he’s like.

Then you mustn’t doubt my—

You’re pregnant!
Finnlay bit his lip instantly and held his breath, waiting for her answer.

Yes. But please don’t tell anyone just yet.

Why not? When is it due?

In about two weeks.
Her voice was still subdued – even though he’d guessed the truth. Unless . . .

By the gods!

The baby is Robert’s, isn’t it?

Finnlay! How can you suggest such a thing?
Suddenly the subdued voice was gone. Almost frantic now, Jenn continued,
I don’t know. . .

Then it is Robert’s. Sweet Mineah! The Bonding! So it was all true. Does he know? Does anyone?

There was a silence which stretched so long Finnlay began to wonder if she’d deserted him. Then,
I believe Micah knows, though he’s never said a word about it. Unlike some people, he’s far too discreet to mention it to my face.

Discreet! Jenn, what are you talking about? Don’t you realize the prophecy has just taken its first step forward? Don’t you understand what that means? If Robert was unable to withstand the Bonding then he’ll. . .

By the gods, Finnlay Douglas – I don’t give a damn about the prophecy! I’m talking about people’s lives here. I must have your oath on this: You must never tell anyone.

Well, of course I wouldn’t tell anyone outside the Enclave . . .

No one at all. Ever.
There was a brief pause.
Especially not Robert.

But he must know! You have no idea how he’s longed for a child of his own. After Berenice died he’d convinced himself that he would never—

Finnlay. I want you to listen carefully. You must never tell Robert that this child is his. Firstly, you’d endanger the life of the child itself should Robert ever let on to Eachern. Secondly, you have no idea of the damage you would do to Robert. He’d never be able to forgive himself for leaving me here to marry Eachern. I must have your word on this, Finn. Please, don’t make me threaten you.

But are you sure it is Robert’s baby? I mean, this is not the time to be making guesses.

There was a long pause, which ended with,
I can sense its aura, Finn. There’s something very powerful there, but also something very familiar. I kept hoping . . . but . . . I can’t describe it. You’ll just have to take my word for it.

And you will tell Robert? One day?

I don’t know. Perhaps. As it is, I doubt I’ll ever get the chance.

The weight of understanding hit Finnlay. Now it all made sense. It hadn’t been Selar that had driven Robert away, it had been Robert’s failure to withstand the Bonding he’d tried so hard to deny. That’s why he’d gone and that’s why he wouldn’t come back.

Subdued himself now, Finnlay replied,
You know he’s in love with you, don’t you?

That’s not the problem, Finn. It never has been. But how did you know?

The same way you knew how I felt about Fiona. I’m not all thick. I’m sorry, Jenn. I’m sorry it’s worked out this way.

There’s no point in being sorry about things we can’t control. But you must promise never to repeat this to anyone.

Very well, I promise. I just hope you have the opportunity to tell my brother about his child one day.

I must go, Finnlay. I can sense Micah pacing up and down in front of me. If I don’t cut the connection soon, he’ll do it for me. I’ll try calling you again tomorrow night after you’ve had a chance to pass on the news about Kenrick and McCauly to the council.

I suppose I won’t be able to initiate contact?

I doubt you will for a while. This thing takes a bit of practice – it even took Robert a while. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure I could speak to you in the first place. I think, though, that mindspeech has something to do with Bonding. That’s why I can talk to Robert and why I could contact you in prison at Kilphedir. Doing it over this distance was the hard part. Take care, Finnlay – and remember your promise. I’ll speak to you tomorrow night.

And with that she was gone.

McCauly free at last. Kenrick returned to his father, with no word of the others.

And Robert would be a father in about two weeks – and never know anything about it. . .

. . . and Finnlay would be an uncle. Margaret would be a grandmother! By the gods, if only he could tell them!

Wait a moment.

Finnlay strode across the bedroom and pulled open the door. With quick strides he reached the fireplace and tossed some logs into the pit. He raised his hand to spark the fire, but paused.

This child would be Robert’s child – a Douglas, even if he never knew it.

But it would also be a Ross.

. . . and if it was a boy. . .

Sweet Mineah! If it was a boy . . . then . . .

He couldn’t form the words, not even silently. It was too tenuous, too terrifyingly close to reality. There was still two weeks before the child would be born and anything could go wrong between now and then. Why curse it by confronting the possibilities now? Especially when . . .

What if Carlan knew about Jenn’s condition? Would he see her as suddenly vulnerable? Was that why Jenn had gone back to Elita? She would be safer there than at Clonnet.

Hell!

Jenn was in danger and she knew it. But Finnlay could do nothing about it. There was only one person who could fight the Angel of Darkness.

Damn him! Why had Robert gone missing now, when he was so needed?

Of course, because of the Bonding. Robert must have been devastated with his failure. What was it he’d said? He refused to have anything to do with the prophecy because he knew what would happen. He knew how it would end.

And how did he know? Because the Key had told him, twenty years ago. But had it told him he would have a child? Probably not. Definitely not. No, Robert had said time and time again that what the Key had told him was dangerous. So what could be dangerous about the Bonding, and was the baby a part of that, and if that wasn’t dangerous, then what was it Robert was hiding? Had he gone again because he now
believed he was incapable not only of preventing some parts of the prophecy – but
all
of it? The dangerous part, too? But surely he was strong enough to withstand . . .

Finnlay’s eyes widened and he stopped breathing completely.

No. . .

‘By all that’s holy, I can’t be right!’ Finnlay sank to the floor as though his legs had lost their will. ‘Oh, Robert, I know what the Key told you. How could we have been so blind?’

But it had been so simple a thing to miss in all the fuss about the prophecy. All that time trying to work out why there would be a prophecy in the first place and where it had come from. All that going back and forth over silly things like the relationship between the House Marks and sorcery and whether the Key would ever tell them where the Calyx was and whether Carlan would destroy them all to lay his hands on something that had been promised him centuries ago—

And never once had they guessed what Robert was hiding.

Not a prophecy alone, no. Something infinitely more dangerous and terrifying.

And in trying to escape it, Robert had unwittingly left Jenn in danger from an adversary only he could face.

Finnlay straightened up, leaving his gaze on the fireplace. ‘Robert, my dear brother, I think it’s time you stopped running from your destiny.’

With that, Finnlay raised his hands, clapped them together and the fire burst into life. He turned to his writing desk with a wry smile. At least he now knew why he’d had so much trouble sleeping.

Jenn opened her eyes to find Micah leaning over her with a cup of strong, sweet brew in his hand. He was also wearing a frown.

‘How do you feel?’

She took the cup and swallowed deeply. The hot liquid burned her throat and she would rather have had wine, but Micah wouldn’t allow it. He’d once said that his mother had drunk neither wine nor ale while she was with child and had managed to successfully bring a huge brood of young Macleans into the world without losing one. Jenn had had no choice but to bow to his directive.

‘I feel fine, Micah, really.’

He pulled up a stool opposite her, but his gaze was still full of concern. ‘You were gone so long. I take it you got through? To Finnlay?’

‘Yes. I told him about McCauly and Kenrick.’ The rest he had managed to guess all on his own. What else had he managed to work out without her help? Would he at least have the sense to keep it to himself until he could speak to her? She would have to ask him about it tomorrow night.

Jenn handed Micah the cup and levered herself to her feet. Her body was becoming more cumbersome by the day. At least she’d made it to Elita without any trouble. And tomorrow Bella would arrive – and probably fuss around her even more than Micah. Was it perhaps time to try Sealing Bella? She was here to help with the birth. Perhaps it would be safer if she did Seal her – who knew what might happen when the child made its way into the world.

The view from her old bedroom window had not changed. There was still the beautiful lake before her, the hills beyond and the forest hiding the ruins of the old mill – the place where she’d last seen Robert.

‘Micah,’ she began carefully. ‘Finnlay knows the truth. He guessed and I couldn’t really stop him, nor could I deny it.’

It was best that she not look at Micah. It would make it that much easier for both of them. ‘I must ask something of you. Something I have no right to ask. Especially after everything you’ve done for me. You stayed with me when you would much rather have gone after him. I know you wanted to.’

‘He asked me to stay with you. I was happy to.’

‘I know – but now I must ask you something.’

Micah moved to stand behind her, but still she would not face him. ‘What is it?’

‘Promise me you’ll never tell Robert the truth.’

Micah made no response: not a sound. Slowly, Jenn turned away from the window until their eyes met. ‘You of all people should understand why I ask this, Micah.’

‘And you of all people should know why I would not want to give my word.’

His voice was harsh, a tone Jenn had never heard from him before.

She swallowed hard before continuing. She didn’t want to go on, but she had no choice. ‘Believe me, Micah, I do understand how you feel. Do you think I want you to do anything to hurt him? Do you think I want you to keep such a thing from him? Do you think
I
want to? I know you serve him, Micah, and I know I have no right to ask this of you, but I must.’

Micah stared at her a moment and then glanced away, every movement reeking disapproval. Eventually he replied, ‘I learned a long time ago that to serve him also meant to serve you. I’d hoped neither of you would ever ask me to divide my loyalties.’

‘And I’d still never do that to you. I know how you miss him. I don’t ask this for my sake, Micah. I ask it for his. He must never know.’

‘But why?’

‘Because . . .’ Jenn almost faltered at this, still unsure and yet equally convinced. ‘I can’t tell you that. At least, not yet. I have to be positive I’m right. I promise I’ll tell you when I know.’

Micah slowly turned away to the fireplace where the logs
had been laid but not yet lit. ‘And if I say no? Would you place the same kind of Seal on me that you put on Eachern? Would you force me to comply?’

Sudden tears sprang into her eyes at this, at Micah’s anguish. These months had been so hard on him, knowing the real reason for Robert’s absence. And yet he’d been so very strong, a constant comfort. True to the last. He didn’t deserve this. Not from her.

‘No, Micah,’ Jenn moved forward and touched his sleeve. ‘I’d never force you to do anything against your will. If you’d rather not promise, then I will leave you to use your own judgement should Robert ever come back.’

‘Did you extract such a promise from Finnlay?’

‘Yes. I had to. I knew that if I didn’t, he would blurt it out at the first opportunity.’

‘But you would leave me to make my own choice?’

‘Micah,’ Jenn pulled on his arm, making him turn and face her. ‘I trust you as Robert trusted you.’

Micah closed his eyes and nodded slowly. ‘Yes, I know. I’m sorry. I guess I just . . . well, it doesn’t matter. It’s your decision, Jenn, not mine. But please, don’t ever expect me to lie to him because I won’t – and that’s as much for your sake as his.’ With that, Micah reached out and squeezed her shoulder. Then he left her alone in the cool of the evening with only her thoughts for company.