A Circle Of Crows Read online

  "Colin, perhaps we should move on. I have seen light on the horizon."

  * * * *

  Bella placed Finn in a sling and mounted the mare. At this point in her recovery, she did not think she could tolerate anything more than the horse walking, but no longer could she just sit at the cabin and wait, with no news and no way of contacting anyone. She had chosen this horse since it was old and calm and and she didn't think it would spook.

  Dragging Ellena's body onto a stretcher, Bella rode the horse out to where Mari had been buried. It had taken her two days to complete the task, but she could not bear the thought of scavengers going after Ellena.

  As she rode, her thoughts turned to her husband, as they usually did when she was alone, and she thought of how truly fortunate they were to be together. So many people she knew were unhappy or unable to understand one another, but Bella and Sam had experienced neither. Now that almost a year had gone by since they were separated, she could think of him without crying; and she used her memories of their time together to get her through difficult periods, which were just about every day.

  Having Finn had rekindled the pain, and she was more emotional than she had been before. However, Finn had also revived her determination to find her way back home. If Rae had managed to come through so recently, it must still be possible. If her mother had taught her anything, it was that nothing worth pursuing was ever easy, as cliché as that may sound. Determining not to give up, she knew her family would be together again—Finn, Eva, Sam, her sisters and her niece.

  She smiled at the absurdity of life. One year ago, she had been infertile and just about gave up hope of ever having children, and now, when she returned, she would have two.

  When the horse reluctantly began to trot, Bella winced with pain from the movement.

  She slowed the horse down to a walk again when she could see the town since she knew she would be in for it if Kate saw her trotting. She was already going to hear about it for being on a horse as it was.

  She dismounted and looked down at Finn, who was remarkably asleep. He was such an easy child to care for compared to the twins, who were always colicky and in need of constant attention. Anxiety for their safety hit her again as she hurried into Kate's clinic through the back entrance.

  As Bella entered the examining room, Kate was finishing sewing a wound on a young man's arm. Squirming with pain, he saw Bella enter. He attempted to appear normal.

  "Hello, Bella,” said Kate without even looking up from her task.

  "Kate. Anything I can do?"

  "Yes. Ye could hand me that bottle of whiskey on the counter. I have almost finished here and want to be sure no infection sets in. This young lad is Keegan, another one from the resistance forces."

  Bella laid the sleeping Finn in a cradle that had been placed in the clinic for her.

  Bella handed the whiskey bottle to Kate. “Keegan, have you heard anything of Commander McCullough?"

  His eyes grew wide and somewhat fearful, and Bella realized that this boy was no older than sixteen or seventeen, just a few years older than her Morgana.

  "A small search band followed the commander after we saw smoke in the distance. Commander Oliver was concerned. When the band reached the area, we found the bodies of two of the Black Ones, and many of those vile birds. Also, some of the commander's supplies had been burned. We do not know what happened ... a small force is attempting to find them. Commander Oliver is continuing with the orders he was given until he hears differently."

  Bella put her hand on the exam table to steady herself.

  Kate peered over the top of her square spectacles at her. “Bella, you alright?"

  "Yes, I'll be fine. Kate, I think I've changed my mind. I'm not feeling very well. Maybe I am trying to assist too soon."

  She turned to gather up Finn and slip the baby sling around her neck. He never even stirred.

  As she walked unsteadily toward the back door, she could hear Kate's voice calling after her, “Do not do anything stupid, you daft cow! You all but died a few weeks ago. Colin can take care of himself!” And the door slammed on the rest of Kate's rant.

  Mounting the old mare, who began to trot, Bella barely perceived her pain. “Raena, Raena. I swear to the heavens, you have a bulls-eye painted on your chest. Whenever you're around, things soon go to ruin."

  * * * *

  Rachael waved as Sam and Eva stepped off the front porch and headed down the path hand in hand. Sam smiled at Eva so sweetly, Rachael was reminded of how he once looked everyday. He was one of the most lighthearted young men she had ever met ... until this new turn of events happened anyway.

  She watched till they turned the corner on their way to Eva's preschool. Rushing through her instructions to her new hostess—whom she had to hire to replace her two sisters—Rachael told the woman the schedule for breakfast and lunch. Once again, the inn was alive with activity. She had run an ad the previous week and the inn was filled, with the exception of the Spring Room, where Sam was still living. He offered to move back to the cottage to take advantage of the business, but the thought of him over there alone was more than she could bear. She had moved the mirror from the Autumn Room into Sam's to avoid any potential mishaps or disasters with it.

  The activity in her home made things seem almost normal again, except for the gaping hole caused by the absence of her sisters.

  She glanced into the dining room and all the patrons appeared engrossed in their meals. She stuck her head into the kitchen and everything was going well in there, too. Breakfast was being cleared away and lunch was being prepared. Her stomach rumbled at the smell of the chili on the stove. Having lost ten pounds, Rachael was aware she looked dreadful, but she hardly had time to think about it.

  She walked quickly into her suite and logged onto the Internet, and began her google search on mirrors—ancient, antique, and oh, maybe mirrors from hell?

  She was engrossed in the computer, and when she heard Chloe barking, she glanced at the time on the screen—eleven thirty a.m.

  "Crap!"

  She flew out of her chair, grabbed her coat and raced out the front door, Victorian gown swinging ridiculously around her as she made her way down the sidewalk, headed for the preschool.

  * * * *

  Christian led the way toward another narrow opening in the rock, followed by Colin with Raena riding behind him.

  They entered the crevasse and all was silent again, but very cold. There was vegetation growing here, and the horses slid on it.

  "Did your da ever mention this in his writings, Colin?” requested Christian, who was craning his neck to look behind him.

  "No, mate. I have neither seen, nor heard the likes of it.” He glanced around looking for danger, but he was distracted by the feeling of Raena's body touching his as she held onto him. Da was right. Family women are best left at home as they distract us from the task at hand. Did I just categorize her as a family woman? My family? Yes, I did.

  "Colin?"

  Christian's voice broke him away from his thoughts and as he looked up, he could see snow falling, though it was not due for at least three more months.

  "Be on your guard, Christian. There is something volatile about this place."

  "Aye, volatile, but I am not afraid. Are you?"

  Colin reflected a moment, and he found he felt no fear.

  "No, I am not afraid.” He stopped short as Rae slipped off the back of his horse onto the snowy ground.

  "Crikey, Colin. She lost too much blood. Look at her head."

  A red patch surrounded her head where it had landed in the snow.

  "Help me get her up, Christian."

  Colin removed his saddle from the horse, but left the blanket.

  They hoisted Rae onto the horse, then Colin tied her hands together around its neck.

  "Not the safest, but I do not know what other choice we have."

  Colin grabbed the reins and began to lead the mare behind Christian, their footprints clearly outlin
ed in the snow, which was falling heavier by the minute.

  As they continued, the oddities of the landscape were distracting them, and they were not as vigilant as they should have been.

  All around, everything was covered in ice, which sparkled and shined in the light. Icicles were hanging from bushes in shades of purple and lavender. Colin stopped so abruptly, the mare ran into his back. “I believe these are the rime of color."

  "Sorry, I never heard of that, mate. Is that from your da's writings too?"

  "No, actually Bella told me of it. She was studying ancient remedies with Kate and it came up one night when she had returned from the clinic. She said Kate had only ever read about it, and had never actually seen it."

  Colin plucked an icicle, and carried it over to Raena's still form. She was shivering. Dusting the snow off her, Colin then placed a blanket over her and held the icicle over her head. It dripped slowly onto her head. When the melted drops landed, they hissed slightly as they made contact with the gashes.

  Christian's eyebrows knitted together and he urged his horse closer to Colin's. Colin held his breath as steam rose from her head.

  The snow stopped as abruptly as it began, and they could see a thick fog rolling in down the cliff.

  "Colin..."

  "I see it. Perhaps I was too hasty in removing it from the bush."

  * * * *

  Christian helped Colin untie Raena and then held her; her head bobbed on her shoulders as her unconscious form attempted to slump forward again.

  Colin mounted. This time, he tied her hands around his waist, and both Colin and Christian furiously checked the canyon for hazards.

  Out of their peripheral vision appeared blazing white streaks; when they turned their heads to see it, it had already passed out of their line of sight.

  "Keep still,” said Colin sternly.

  A huge blurred mass of fog and light hovered above their horses and stopped.

  Christian put his hand on the butt of his sword, but Colin stayed him. “They have not proven to be malicious."

  The sun broke through the cloud cover and shone down into the valley. Slowly, the fog began to thin. Christian turned to face Colin again and said quietly, “Colin, what were those?"

  "I believe they were the Antioch."

  Christian let out a long deep breath. “We are in a land where myths are reality."

  "I do not think they were myths at all,” said Colin, as he gazed down at Raena's head, now completely healed.

  Chapter 34

  Night had fallen. Bella continued rushing around, gathering the supplies she thought she would need on her journey. She stopped and looked around the cottage at everything it contained, trying to commit them to memory. It had become a home to her. She had come to regard Colin as a brother during her time here, and the memories of Mari lingered as well.

  She had purposefully kept Finn awake most of the day, so he would sleep during the evening. She gathered him into her sling and put it around her neck. Walking out the front door, she closed it without looking back.

  She tied the pack of supplies to the horse, then rechecked the saddle cinches. For this ride, she had chosen Tempest, one of Colin's new horses. At only a year old, he was stubborn as a mule. He was most likely the fastest in the barn, and Bella had the feeling she would be needing speed in the days ahead.

  She mounted and he performed the typical skittery dance of a young horse. Tugging back on the reins, she murmured, “Easy, boy."

  He began trotting down the path to town, which was the slowest pace he could manage.

  Finally, about half a mile away from the cottage, Bella gave him his head. He bolted with a speed she had never witnessed before, so she checked Finn to make sure he was fine.

  When she arrived in town, she secured Tempest and made her way around to the back of the clinic, where she entered the infirmary. Only two of the ten beds were full, and quietly, she walked up the middle aisle till she spied the boy she had seen earlier in the day being stitched by Kate. Likely, Kate had provided lodging for the boy before he returned to the rest of the rebel forces.

  She gently shook him. “Keegan. Keegan, wake up."

  He opened his eyes. “Is there a problem, Miss?” As he stared at her, his eyes opened and he rubbed them vigorously. He swung his legs over and sat on the edge of the cot.

  "Actually, yes there is. I am Commander Colin's ... cousin. And I need you to take me to the encampment so I may speak with Nathaniel. It's of a most urgent nature."

  By this time, she was thanking God to have provided her with a sixteen year old instead of a seasoned soldier, who surely would have told her to go back home immediately.

  "Alright. Do we need to depart right now?"

  "Yes, stealth would be advisable. So we should take advantage of the cover of night."

  He got up, then followed her out the back door of the clinic, and turned to her. “Just let me get my horse."

  * * * *

  Rachael sat in front of the computer, again. Knowing her time was limited, she glanced at the clock. Since Sam had taken the girls to the movies, she wanted to make the most of her time alone.

  So far, all her digging had turned up nothing, zilch, nada. She had even gone to see some antique dealers and taken Gran's drawings and not one of them was even slightly helpful.

  She had realized that the reflective surfaces all tied into nature somehow. At least the ponds and lakes did anyway. After she had researched the time of year of the children's disappearances around a body of water, she then checked what the lunar cycle had been at the time of the abductions. They all occurred during a full or blue moon, except for those inside the inn. They did not fit the pattern with the other disappearances. Morgana's did coincide, but the date scrolled above Gran's illustration of passing into the mirror did not. Rachael wished she had her sisters here to get their opinions. Picking up the picture beside her computer, Rachael stared at their faces.

  She jumped involuntarily when she heard barking from the second floor, and she could tell it was both dogs. She shot out the door and up the stairs, heading for the Winter Room. She flung open the door and looked wildly about, but no dogs.

  She heard them again, in Raena's suite.

  Marie, the new live-in maid/concierge, came out of the bathroom upstairs and said, “Is everything alright?"

  Patrons were also beginning to peer out of their rooms, to find out what all the ruckus was about.

  "Everything is fine. The stupid dogs just need to be put out, that's all. Marie, please go and make sure all the guests are comfortable.” She hoped her face appeared calm, and was not reflecting the panic welling up in the back of her throat.

  In search of the dogs, she went into Rae's suite. Solomon was growling in the next room. Entering Raena's hallway, she saw both dogs there—hackles raised and ears lying flat against their heads.

  She looked around for the source of their agitation, but saw nothing ... which made her even more nervous. “Crikey, Rae. No wonder you drink."

  Then she heard it, ever so slightly—scraping sounds, clicking like small animal claws ... directly above her. She looked up and saw the trap door entrance to the attic.

  "Perfect,” she said to the dogs. She didn't dare rush back downstairs for the shotgun; she was sure that had not been included in the inn's brochure. Free shotgun blast with each night's stay! She went into Rae's small living room and taking a brass candlestick from the mantle, she walked back to the hall.

  As she pulled down the stairs to the attic, the noise changed to a sound like the wind blowing in the trees. She crept up the stairs and reached up to turn on the light. Flicking the switch, she involuntarily shrieked at the vision before her eyes. Every inch of the attic was covered with crows. They were perched everywhere she looked—on her old stroller, portraits, summer lawn furniture—and then something caught her eye. She shook her head while holding onto the railing for support, disbelieving what her eyes were telling her.

  The
crows were flying in and out of the attic ... through a large, golden mirror. In it, she could see an azure blue sky, peppered with black winged bodies as they darted in and out. Then she saw something very large and black shoot across the sky ... much too large for a crow. She quickly shut off the light, then hastily closed the attic stairs.

  "The rabbit hole has come home."

  * * * *

  Colin was sitting watch on the sloping hillside while Christian and Rae slept around the fire. He knew they were getting close. Now out of the snowy terrain, he could detect the odor of sulphur in the air again.

  Down by the fire, Raena stirred. She slowly looked around, disoriented. Spying Colin on the hillside, she made her way to him on wobbly legs. When she reached him, she lost her footing and fell.

  He eased her down and she ended up sitting between his legs with her back to him.

  "You should not be up here. You can barely walk."

  "I'm fine, I feel much better."

  "Ahh, I see now where your sister has acquired her personality traits..."

  "Actually, I'm not sure who would win a stubborn contest between us. It's a family inheritance."

  "I see,” he said, then without really planning to, he kissed her full on the mouth. She returned the kiss with vigor. As he wrapped his arms around her, he could feel her shivering.

  "Rae, you are shivering. Please go back to the fire. You will be of no help if we make it home and you are still as ill as you are now."

  She looked into his eyes, unclear if she had understood him correctly.

  He looked off into the distance, scanning again for danger. “Many people never find love once in their lifetime, let alone twice."

  "You're right. I've been waiting my whole life for someone who loves more than himself."