“Why? Do you want to rule the world?”
“That, and rid it of every Druid. The whole lot of you.”
“Why?”
Grainna stood close. “Because I can.”
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She broke off when the sound of a horse grabbed her attention. “You!” Grainna snapped Matthew out of his catatonic state. “Look.”
Lancaster drew his sword and left the cottage.
Tara yelled to her husband, Watch out!
Grainna moved quickly and struck the warnings from Tara’s head.
Her head snapped back. She tasted blood again.
The rope on Tara’s ankles restricted her movements. She cowered in the corner, rocking and singing—hiding her true intention. She let tears slip from her eyes in a look of desperation, which wasn’t difficult to do.
Grainna turned to the sphere and searched inside. Swirls of smoke billowed beneath glass.
Tara saw Duncan and Lancaster, sparring under the glistening glass.
****
Duncan circled the cottage, listening to his wife sing. She is standing by the door. Lancaster barged out of the small home.
Duncan waited, his back pressed to the cottage.
Sunlight reflected off Lancaster’s blade. Steel swooped down.
Duncan missed its weight by an inch. He somersaulted away, landed on his feet and leveled his weapon.
Matthew appeared as a warrior ready for battle.
His build, however, was no match for Duncan’s.
“You don’t want to do this, Matthew. She’s controlling your mind and actions.”
Lancaster said nothing. His eyes darted around, searching for a way to attack.
They both crouched and waited for the other to lunge.
“’Tis time for you to go home, Matthew.
Everyone is looking for you.” Duncan’s soothing words were an effort to snap the man out of his 269
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trance. The steel grip Grainna held on him proved too powerful. Duncan tried slipping into the man’s mind. But the witch kept him out.
Lancaster glanced away.
Duncan took advantage and moved forward.
Surprisingly, Matthew raised his sword and retaliated with much more strength than Duncan anticipated.
Still, Duncan had him panting with only a few minutes of sparring. He didn’t want to kill the man who had no ability to stop himself.
Duncan lifted a hand and pushed a wind through the tops of the trees. A large branch cracked under the force of air and dropped across Lancaster’s back.
He went to his knees.
Duncan pounced and brought the blunt end of his sword down.
Lancaster crumpled to the ground unconscious.
****
Grainna roared in anger when Lancaster’s body hit the ground. The vision in the glass globe incited her rage. She pulled a knife off the table and advanced upon Tara. Grainna’s sudden movement forced Tara to slide up the wall and onto her feet. She swung her hands toward the witch. Sparks and flames flew from her fingertips.
Startled, Grainna stood back, brushing at the flames caught on her skirt.
Tara fumbled with the ropes binding her feet, desperate to get loose.
Grainna stood tall, no longer aggressing with her body. Instead she started to chant in a language all her own.
Just as she kicked the ropes around her ankles free, Tara felt the air leaving her lungs and couldn’t draw it back in. She clenched her throat trying to 270
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breathe. But no air came. She panicked. Tara screamed in her mind, pleading with Duncan to hurry.
Tara stood between Grainna and the door. In a swift movement, Grainna grabbed her from behind and placed the knife to her throat.
The knife didn’t scare her, but the lack of oxygen did. The room started to swirl and dim.
Duncan heard her cry and left Lancaster.
The walls shook with the weight of the door flying out. He stopped and took notice of the blade Grainna held at Tara’s neck.
Smiling, Grainna leered down at Tara. “One breath, my dear.”
Tara felt air return to her lungs, her vision cleared.
Duncan stood paralyzed at the door.
“Come no closer, Druid warrior, or you will watch her die.”
Tara’s eyes glossed over again, she could think of nothing but air. I can’t breathe.
“Leave her, ’tis me you want. I took her from you. Your fight is with me.”
“I will have you both. Your family has caused me so much time in this retched body. Stealing the virgin’s right out from under me.” She spat at Duncan’s feet.
Tara was slipping out of consciousness. Her body started to fall.
“Not yet, my dear,” Grainna whispered in her ear. “He hasn’t suffered nearly enough.”
Tara managed one breath.
Duncan moved toward them.
“Uh, uh, uh.” Grainna pressed the blade into Tara’s flesh. Duncan froze. His jaw set in a deadly lock. Tara saw the scene through his eyes. His heart and body ached.