Read Online Earth's Hope by Ann Gimpel - Free Book Online

enough Lemurians gather forces, probably not.” Gwydion’s voice held a harsh edge. He grabbed his staff, carved with runes, and spread his arms. Power eddied around him, and his face became stern. A loud cracking noise pounded against her ears. Aislinn squared her shoulders and moved to face the cataclysm pressing against the magic she’d shielded herself with.
    “Kra! Royce! Vaughna!” Gwydion cried. “Full power. Doona hold back. Berra. Make certain no one enters the house.”
    “I’ll help with that,” Bella squawked. “I’m small enough to fit inside, and I can alert you if I need help.”
    “While ye’re at it, make certain the brood stays in one place, probably the kitchen.” Gwydion reached a hand skyward as if to stroke the raven who perched ten feet above his head and called, “Thank you.”
    “Don’t mention it.” Bella disappeared through an open window.
    Gwydion narrowed his eyes and focused on Cronin, Daniel, Eve, and Timothy. “Will you follow my direction?”
    “Aye,” Daniel said. “I speak for Seekers.”
    After exchanging glances, the other three nodded, but Aislinn sensed their reluctance. The Celts had hung them out to dry here in the U.K. No wonder they’d be suspicious and uncertain about taking orders from one.
    Gwydion drove his staff into the dirt; it crackled with blue-white light. “Hunters and Healers attack from the left. Mages and Seekers, take the right flank. Kra, Royce, and Vaughna will strike from the air. Arawn, Bran, and I will harry them from the front. Fight well.”
    “What about me?” Aislinn asked.
    Gwydion glanced at her. “Stay near me, lass.”
    She snorted. “Rune and I will go where we can do the most good.”
    The master enchanter opened his mouth to argue, but closed it a moment before Aislinn felt thick, sticky magic roll over her warding. Everyone fanned out to discharge Gwydion’s orders.
    Her eyes widened. Lemurians streamed toward them. There must’ve been fifty or sixty, and they weren’t bothering with illusion, probably to conserve their power. They looked like what they were: seven foot tall reptiles who walked upright on their hind legs. Their scaled hides were gray-green, and their whirling eyes reminded her of the dragons’. When she’d gotten sucked into working for them—because her only alternative was death—they’d looked like very tall humanoids with masses of thick, golden hair. They’d always swathed their bodies in robes and favored heavy silver and gold jewelry, but their eyes had never changed.
    She loosed power and watched it bounce off the nearest Lemurian. Not going to work. Aislinn switched to mind speech. “Last time I fought these things, their warding was only in front. Rune and I will sneak around behind them.”
    Power bubbled from Gwydion and Bran, and they funneled it into the thick of the Lemurians, but didn’t have any better luck than she’d had. The dragons shot fire at their enemy, but the Lemurians were just as impervious to flame as the dragons. For one wild moment, Aislinn wondered if they’d had some long-ago common ancestor.
    “Lass!” Gwydion’s mind voice was terse. “Call Dewi back here. I’ve tried to reach both her and Arawn, but neither are answering. Mayhap your MacLochlainn bond will serve us better.”
    “Once I’ve done that, cover me.”
    “Agreed, but only if ye agree not to tell Fionn I allowed you to march into the lion’s den.”
    Aislinn felt for the threads that bound her to the dragon and plucked them. “Get your ass back here now. We’re under attack.”
    She hunkered next to Rune. “Remember how we took them in the corridors beneath Castle Trim?” One sharp nod told her he did. “We’re going around to the back of their lines. I’ll do my best to shield our presence with magic, but once we’ve killed the first one, they’ll be onto us.”
    “I’m ready.”
    Her throat thickened. Rune was so loyal it smote her. He’d follow her into certain death because