Goblin Moon (12 page)

She pulled on her clothing, raked her fingers through her wet hair and walked toward the nearest clearing. Tearach leaned against a tree, his arms folded across his chest. Without a word, he turned and walked away. She followed. The thought came to her that she could bolt and run. Using the brush and trees as obstacles, she could easily outdistance a man Tearach's size. She'd often done so when training with the other firefighters. But Cairna's words came back to her. Tearach would be beaten, possibly to death, if she left. And there were guards everywhere. One of them might be able to catch up with her.

Cowardice wasn't in her nature, but the reality of the situation was rapidly sinking in. She didn't even know where she was. These people could be crazy. If she was pregnant, what would happen to her baby once she had it? What would happen to
her
? Hadn't ancient Druids made human sacrifices to their deities? Maybe that was the real reason the Sorceress wanted a child of mixed blood.

All sorts of doubts began to emerge. She was frightened, but it would never do to let her captors see it. Above all else, she wasn't anyone's victim. Her father had raised her to be strong and independent and to use her wits when things got rough. She held her head up, pulled her shoulders back and walked on. There would be time for a decision later. For now, she'd play out the charade with the Sorceress.

They reached the cottage in silence. The sun was just beginning to rise. From the movements in the woods, Tearach knew the guards had been watching his home. They'd probably watched as he'd led Kathy away from the Moon Pool. Everyone would surmise the mating ritual was done. He wouldn't have to send for the Sorceress after all. He was sure she would come on her own. Rumors would inundate the entire forest in no time.

He began to see why Kathy didn't want anyone to know about their tryst. Why she'd been so sarcastic about sending for Shayla. They'd both be the center of gossip. Not because they'd made love. That kind of thing went on with regularity in these woods. But they'd both be held up to severe scrutiny. Just like insects under a microscope. First, everyone would wait to hear if Kathy was pregnant. Then, they'd watch to see if the pregnancy progressed normally, as Shayla had promised.

As they entered the cottage, he decided it wasn't fair to either of them. And he was still cursed with the thought that their child, if one existed, would die. Tearach's insides felt like rock and his heart sank. His pride was completely shredded. Was Kathy feeling the same way? How in the world would he ever know? She didn't seem to need him or anyone else, and she was keeping her opinions to herself. He watched as she pulled the curtains aside and looked out the living room window. Even an untrained eye could see movement in the trees and bushes outside.

"Have they been watching us all night?” she angrily muttered.

He sighed wearily. “No, Kathy, they're not
voyeurs
. They just watched long enough to figure out we've been to the Moon Pool. It's a sacred place for mating. I wouldn't have taken you there, but it's Goblin tradition. And we've little enough of that left to us.” He purposely avoided the topic of the whiskey, and how they'd made it to the pool to begin with. That wouldn't help their situation now.

"So, when does she get here?"

"The Sorceress will be here soon. I'm sure word got back to her quickly."

"It's too bad your communication system can't be put to use in the real world. There are people who'd pay good money to have a network so efficient."

He passed a hand over his face, mental exhaustion taking its toll. “Spare the sarcasm, Kathy. I don't like this any better than you."

Again, he'd confirmed his dislike of the entire ordeal, and his scowling expression confirmed his words. She turned back to the window and decided to keep her mouth shut. If she wasn't declared pregnant by whatever hocus-pocus Shayla used, Tearach would be expected to do his duty until she was. The Sorceress might even use more than drugs to make them more amenable, and it would certainly take some kind of altered state of mind for her to repeat last night's performance. Her mind was made up. Promise or not, she had to leave. Tearach could accept the consequences. As hard as it was for him to make love to an outsider, perhaps he'd find a good beating more acceptable. She wasn't going to be anyone's science experiment.

"She's here,” Kathy said as she turned away from the window.

"Whatever's going on in your head, don't anger her, Kathy. It won't make things easier for you."

Kathy tossed her head and snorted. “You don't seem to mind getting on her bad side."

"I'm a creature of magic and belong here. As much as Shayla and I might argue, she respects me and the fact that I'm the leader of my people. I'm not so sure she'd allow you the same leniency, even if you are carrying a child."

That did it. She was out of this place as soon as it got dark. His declaration had just convinced her no permanent harm would come to him. She, on the other hand, might not be so lucky. She walked to the center of the room and kept to herself.

The door to the cottage opened as if some magical, unseen wind had unlocked it. The Sorceress walked through. Behind Shayla, Tearach could see members of the Order gathering around the cottage. They'd all come to hear what the Sorceress’ announcement would be. He began to pace. His nerves had withstood enough.

"I hear you've both come to some arrangement regarding the situation,” Shayla proclaimed.

"There's no arrangement. He and I had sex in a pond. That's what you wanted, isn't it? You put something in the whiskey we drank, didn't you? Just to get us there,” Kathy quipped.

Tearach quickly pushed Kathy behind him. Her sarcasm would get her punished. “Perhaps it's best we get on with the ceremony, Shayla. I want to know about her condition."

"And what of you, Kathleen? What do you want?” Shayla's brows rose imperiously. “And, yes, I did put something in the bottle of whiskey. What's done is done."

Kathy could have easily hurled something at her, but she wasn't going to give the older woman the satisfaction of seeing her go ballistic. “You want to know what I want? Well, I want to be left alone. I mean
completely
alone,” she furiously responded.

"Sorceress, please. Just get on with this,” Tearach pleaded, effectively silencing Kathy's outrage.

"Very well. Move aside, Tearach. Kathleen, come here."

Kathy's first inclination was to ignore the command. One look at Tearach convinced her to just get it over with. He looked as if he had one nerve left and she'd just trounced on it. She sighed heavily, stalked to where the older woman stood and waited.

Shayla closed her eyes and placed the palm of her left hand across Kathy's abdomen. She smiled and took a shiny, quartz crystal from the pocket of her voluminous white robe. It was attached to a silver chain. Shayla dangled the sparkling gem in front of Kathy's stomach.

"A girl child. You'll have a fine, healthy daughter. Both of you should be immensely pleased. This will break the curse upon your people, Tearach. You've done well.” She placed a hand upon his cheek and smiled, brilliantly.

"No,” he murmured, “it will die."

"You believe in my ability to predict this birth, do you not?"

"Yes, Shayla. I believe there's a child. But your magic doesn't extend so far as to save the baby's life. If you could have done so, you'd have saved the other children.” He hung his head in sorrow. There was nothing to be done but wait for his baby to perish.

Kathy watched his expression and shook her head. “Tearach! You don't honestly think she knows I'm pregnant? That's just superstition."

"Silence!” Shayla waved her hand and the entire cottage seemed to shake. “You will have respect for our ways, young woman. You aren't in the outside world anymore. Their rules don't apply here. You
are
bearing Tearach's child. You've seen what he is and you still won't accept that magic exists here? That all this is real?” Her hands lifted to encompass a circular direction around her. “Just to make sure you understand I'll send Cairna along with a pregnancy test. Perhaps your analytic mind will register the results of that."

Kathy swallowed hard. The building was only beginning to settle down. “Fine. Do whatever the hell you want."

"And when that test registers you're with child, what will you do, Kathy?” Tearach asked.

She honestly didn't know, especially since he believed any child of his would die. He looked as if the weight of the entire world rested on his shoulders. How horrible to have convinced yourself that your baby didn't have a chance to live. Worse, what if he was right? She watched him shake his head, lower himself into a chair and press the heels of his hands against his eyes. It was a gesture of utter defeat.

Shayla placed a hand upon his shoulder. “I tell you the baby
will
live, Tearach. Your job now is to keep Kathy and her child safe. You will forgo any of your normal duties until the baby comes. It will be delivered under the Dolmen, as Goblin tradition dictates."

He nodded without looking up. “As you wish."

Shayla raised the palm of her right hand. “I offer you both Blessings. This is the beginning of a new era. Of a race stronger than before. The Goblins will flourish and so will their power."

The door opened behind her. The Sorceress turned and whisked through it, and then the door closed. Several moments later cheering erupted outside. Tearach knew the others had been told and believed Shayla's prediction. But he couldn't. He'd seen so many children die. Kathy's human blood couldn't make that much of a difference.

"Shayla has told everyone, hasn't she?"

"Yes, they were waiting to hear the news. I should imagine they'll all celebrate."

"Tearach, there's a fifty percent chance that I'm not..."

"You
are
pregnant, Kathy. The Sorceress has never been wrong about such a thing. But even the Sorceress of the Ancients doesn't have the power to save a life when there's no apparent cause for the death."

"All right, let's say, just for the sake of argument, she can predict such things and that I'm pregnant. Why would she seem so sure about the safety of your child?"

"I don't know. Perhaps it's because that's what she wants to believe. But my child doesn't have any better chance than the others, and they all died. In this case, I believe only science can give us the answers we need. It has something to do with Exmoor. The Sorceress and her people should be concentrating on looking for the source of the medical or environmental problem."

Kathy listened to his contradictory words in amazement. On the one hand, he accepted there was enough magic to predict a pregnancy, but not enough to predict a healthy birth. Kathy was completely confused, but his logic in looking for another source of the problem was inescapable. Mixing her blood and his wouldn't ensure a healthy baby. She turned and mounted the staircase.

"Where are you going?"

"To my room. I'm tired and I've had enough commotion for one day."

He mounted the stairs two at a time until he caught up with her. “That might be best. Come along."

Kathy followed, expecting to be led to her room. He took her arm and urged her straight toward
his
. She balked, staring at him as if he were insane. “What do you think you're doing?"

"From now on, you'll stay in my room where I can keep an eye on you.” When she gasped in surprise and tried to back away, he took her arm and gently pushed her through the door. “I'll sleep on the floor if it makes you feel any better. But my bed is bigger than yours. You'll be more comfortable there, especially when the baby begins to grow."

"You're too bloody much! If you think I'm staying in here with you, then..."

"Enough!” Tearach slammed his fist into a small table. It crumbled beneath the blow. “Between you and the Sorceress, I've had all I can take. After last night, we both need uninterrupted rest. Now, sleep there...” He pointed toward the massive bed. “...or, by Herne, I'll pick you up and tie you in the damned bed. It makes no difference to me."

She raised her hands in a mock gesture of defeat. “Fine, have it your way. For now. But, if you think this is going to go on, you'd better stock up on furniture.” She pointed to the shattered wood on the floor.

Tearach angrily pulled a blanket from a chest, threw it on the floor, and then proceeded to undress. Kathy turned her back, sat on the edge of the bed and pulled off her tall, doeskin boots. That was the extent to which she'd undress. She fell back against the pillows, pulled half the forest green spread over her and faced the other side of the room.

She now understood what it meant when people said there was a deafening silence. Over an hour later, she laid rigidly still, waiting for some sign Tearach was resting. When she couldn't stand it any longer, she carefully slipped from beneath the covers and reached for her boots.

"Planning on a walk?” Tearach asked, without changing his position.

"I have to go to the washroom,
if
you don't mind."

"You don't need your boots for that, Kathy."

"Fine! The floor is cold. I'll just get pneumonia or something. I'm sure you don't care."

His only response was to pull the blanket further up around his granitelike shoulders. He was facing away from her when Kathy saw the vase. It, like everything else in the huge room, was heavy and large. A man's room to be sure, the place was beautifully decorated with geodes, crystal collections and pottery. Rugs were scattered about the floor and warmed the otherwise cold, oak space. There was a wall-sized fireplace at one end of the room surrounded by a marble mantle and frame. It was really lovely. And she hated that she was going to have to break what looked like a hand-cast, pottery vase. But break it she would. Right over Tearach's head.

She padded toward the doorway, making enough noise to appear as if she couldn't care less what he thought or if she disturbed him. Any furtive or suspicious movements would immediately alert him. She picked up the vase, and before she could change her mind, threw it. It flew toward the back of Tearach's skull.