Midnight's Captive(50)

For several minutes they sat in silence. Malcolm knew there was more Larena wanted to say, and she was struggling to find the right words.

“Arran and Ronnie finished the sketch of the necklace as it was described in the ledger from the dig site,” Larena said.

Malcolm wondered how long it would take Arran and his woman to get the sketch right. Within that necklace lay the spell to bind the gods inside all Warriors forever.

“It doesn’t match the one from the Web site Gwynn found talking about Druids,” Larena said into the silence.

“That’s too bad.”

Fallon and the others were searching desperately for the necklace, but Malcolm wasn’t sure they would use the spell even if they found it. How could they battle evil such as Jason Wallace as humans?

“Any leads?” Malcolm asked the expected words.

“Gwynn scanned the drawing into the computer yesterday, but so far nothing has come up in her search.”

Malcolm watched another tourist boat pass. “I doona believe you’ll find it. Whoever transferred the spell into the necklace, and then hid it, knew how important it was. It might have stayed buried for thousands of years in that chamber, but I wager whoever took it also knew what it was.”

“So you don’t think we’ll find it?”

“Nay,” he answered. “I think it’s something being kept safely guarded. Ronnie’s ability to find magical objects might bring you to it. Have you asked her?”

“She’s tried. So far nothing.”

Malcolm knew how important it was for Larena to have children. It’s all she had ever talked about. She and Fallon had held off having children because of the battle with evil they waged.

“We’ll find the spell, Larena. You and Fallon will have the children you want.”

She sniffed through the phone. “I’m not so sure anymore. I can’t even bring up the idea of babies to Fallon since…”

Her voice trailed away, but Malcolm knew all too well she was referring to the night she died. He hadn’t been at the castle, but one look at Fallon’s face when they met at Wallace Mansion to attack had told Malcolm everything.

“I still remember the first time you saw Fallon,” he said. It had been at Edinburgh Castle four hundred years earlier, when Larena was hiding the fact she was a Warrior.

Larena laughed softly. “He hadn’t wanted to talk to me.”

“You just had to get his attention. I didna agree with you sneaking into his chamber to do it, however.”

“Ah, but it worked.”

Malcolm turned his back to Loch Ness. “I knew Fallon loved you before he did. All I had to do was look at him as he watched you. It was there on his face. Even then, he would’ve done anything for you.”

“I know,” Larena replied softly. “I want you to have that same happiness.”

“Keep me informed of what’s going on with Charon,” he said, and ended the call before Larena could say more.

She meant well, but he didn’t want to hear how she wanted him to find someone and fall in love. Love. How could he care for someone when he had nothing inside him?

He was empty, his soul drained of everything good that he’d been.

What kind of woman would want someone like him?



The break of the new day only drove Charon harder. He had the unshakable feeling Jason had already found Laura.

During the brief darkness of their summer nights, Broc had taken to the skies and searched for Laura, to no avail. Charon wasn’t the only one who was disappointed. Broc wasn’t handling it well that his power had failed them.

Broc folded his giant indigo wings and crossed his arms over his bare chest. “There’s something going on here.”

Charon’s gaze searched the thick woods around them. “Aye. I know Laura had to stop and rest. We should’ve caught up with her by now.”

“Should have,” Ramsey said.

Phelan gave a short whistle that had the others rushing to his side. “Look,” Phelan said to Charon as he pointed to the ground.

“That’s Laura’s boot print,” Lucan said.

Charon’s stomach tightened with dread. “With several others all around it. They found her.” Just as he’d feared.

The realization slammed into him like a truck. He had known it, but the truth staring him in the face made him ill.

“Wait,” Ramsey said. “I’ve found more of Laura’s tracks, and she’s alone.”

Charon rushed to see what Ramsey found. Elation erupted through him as they began to follow her tracks. For the next forty minutes, they pursued her trail, lost it, and found it again numerous times.

He wanted out call out to Laura, but since they didn’t know if Jason and the droughs were still around, Charon couldn’t chance it.