when
MacGillivray attacked. Ye brought mi ta the hunting cave.”
Jasper simply nodded. Padon’s brows pursed as he stared at
Jasper. “Ye did no cross over ta the Garden o’ Angels. Why? Why do ye still
linger?”
“I gave Akira mi oath o’ protection.” Jasper’s chin tilted
and his shoulders squared. Lynn noted he stood several inches shorter than
Padon and wasn’t as broad but he wasn’t a small man by any means. No, he held
his own in his time, she bet.
Padon circled Jasper then stood to face him again. “Ye swore
an oath o’ protection with mi piuthar . Ta protect her?”
“Ye king’s jester,” Jasper snapped. “Ye and I both know
Akira needed no protection. The oath was ta protect ye from the wrath o’
MacGillivray. He found out about the anti-curse and realized he made a fatal
mistake. If anyone spoke it, the MacKinnon brathairs would live at night
but no by day. It was a chance o’ revenge he could no take so he placed a
bounty on the statues. They were ta be destroyed so ye would never be freed.”
“And nay one soul spoke the words ta free mi until now.”
Padon’s tone sounded perplexed. “Why? Why not free mi and mi brathairs so we could seek vengeance on MacGillivray?”
Jasper floated around him, making Padon’s head turn to
follow his path. “Akira kept the anti-curse ta herself. She said it be only
half a life and no fair ta her brathairs . She gave each o’ ye ta
different trusted clans who swore an oath ta hide ye until thy path ta total
freedom could be found.”
“Freedom has been found?” Padon questioned.
“Aye.” Jasper nodded. “But we need ta get ye ta Castle
MacKinnon ta learn it.”
As if fate had another nasty card to play against them, the
storm took a turn for the worse. Lightning brightened the night sky. Thunder
roared like an outraged lion. Gale-force winds and driving rain switched into
high gear, making it too dangerous to travel, so it was decided to wait it out
even if it meant staying another day in the cave. Silence fell between them.
Lynn moved closer to the fire and snuggled deeper into the deerskin. Words
escaped her. She didn’t know what to do or say so she didn’t do anything but be
there for him if he chose to talk.
Padon absently poked at the flame-licked logs with a long
stick. His expression gave away nothing of his thoughts but Lynn figured the
story Jasper had shared with him had to weigh heavy upon him. When he wasn’t
squatted beside the fire, he paced like a caged animal. Lynn knew he had to be
trying to sort things out for himself. He’d fallen to a curse trying to save
his family only to wake in a cave centuries later. That had to be hard to
digest, so she understood the long period of silence. It had to be his way of
handling it. So she waited until he was ready to discuss it with someone. Then
she’d do her best to help.
She stood and gathered her clothes. They were finally dry.
Her boots were still a bit damp so she left them where they were beside the
heat. She walked into the back tunnel out of view. Light filtering from the
fire made it possible for her to see as she dressed. Coolness coated her flesh
and she knew Jasper hovered behind her. It didn’t matter that she stepped into
her panties and jeans in front of him. She knew he wasn’t looking at her and
his words confirmed it.
“Do ye think he will forgive mi?” Though his voice was
hardly above a whisper, she heard him easily.
“Forgive you for what? You did nothing wrong.” Lynn pulled
on her shirt over her bra then turned to face him. Sadness wafted from him and
unlike Padon’s, Jasper’s face hid nothing.
“I was not there ta save him.”
“Give him time to think things through. I doubt he harbors
any anger toward you.” Lynn did her best to console the deeply distraught
ghost.
“Time be something I no longer have.” His head hung low as
it shook.
“I don’t understand,” Lynn said. Confusion pursed her brow.
“You’re a spirit, you have
MacGillivray attacked. Ye brought mi ta the hunting cave.”
Jasper simply nodded. Padon’s brows pursed as he stared at
Jasper. “Ye did no cross over ta the Garden o’ Angels. Why? Why do ye still
linger?”
“I gave Akira mi oath o’ protection.” Jasper’s chin tilted
and his shoulders squared. Lynn noted he stood several inches shorter than
Padon and wasn’t as broad but he wasn’t a small man by any means. No, he held
his own in his time, she bet.
Padon circled Jasper then stood to face him again. “Ye swore
an oath o’ protection with mi piuthar . Ta protect her?”
“Ye king’s jester,” Jasper snapped. “Ye and I both know
Akira needed no protection. The oath was ta protect ye from the wrath o’
MacGillivray. He found out about the anti-curse and realized he made a fatal
mistake. If anyone spoke it, the MacKinnon brathairs would live at night
but no by day. It was a chance o’ revenge he could no take so he placed a
bounty on the statues. They were ta be destroyed so ye would never be freed.”
“And nay one soul spoke the words ta free mi until now.”
Padon’s tone sounded perplexed. “Why? Why not free mi and mi brathairs so we could seek vengeance on MacGillivray?”
Jasper floated around him, making Padon’s head turn to
follow his path. “Akira kept the anti-curse ta herself. She said it be only
half a life and no fair ta her brathairs . She gave each o’ ye ta
different trusted clans who swore an oath ta hide ye until thy path ta total
freedom could be found.”
“Freedom has been found?” Padon questioned.
“Aye.” Jasper nodded. “But we need ta get ye ta Castle
MacKinnon ta learn it.”
As if fate had another nasty card to play against them, the
storm took a turn for the worse. Lightning brightened the night sky. Thunder
roared like an outraged lion. Gale-force winds and driving rain switched into
high gear, making it too dangerous to travel, so it was decided to wait it out
even if it meant staying another day in the cave. Silence fell between them.
Lynn moved closer to the fire and snuggled deeper into the deerskin. Words
escaped her. She didn’t know what to do or say so she didn’t do anything but be
there for him if he chose to talk.
Padon absently poked at the flame-licked logs with a long
stick. His expression gave away nothing of his thoughts but Lynn figured the
story Jasper had shared with him had to weigh heavy upon him. When he wasn’t
squatted beside the fire, he paced like a caged animal. Lynn knew he had to be
trying to sort things out for himself. He’d fallen to a curse trying to save
his family only to wake in a cave centuries later. That had to be hard to
digest, so she understood the long period of silence. It had to be his way of
handling it. So she waited until he was ready to discuss it with someone. Then
she’d do her best to help.
She stood and gathered her clothes. They were finally dry.
Her boots were still a bit damp so she left them where they were beside the
heat. She walked into the back tunnel out of view. Light filtering from the
fire made it possible for her to see as she dressed. Coolness coated her flesh
and she knew Jasper hovered behind her. It didn’t matter that she stepped into
her panties and jeans in front of him. She knew he wasn’t looking at her and
his words confirmed it.
“Do ye think he will forgive mi?” Though his voice was
hardly above a whisper, she heard him easily.
“Forgive you for what? You did nothing wrong.” Lynn pulled
on her shirt over her bra then turned to face him. Sadness wafted from him and
unlike Padon’s, Jasper’s face hid nothing.
“I was not there ta save him.”
“Give him time to think things through. I doubt he harbors
any anger toward you.” Lynn did her best to console the deeply distraught
ghost.
“Time be something I no longer have.” His head hung low as
it shook.
“I don’t understand,” Lynn said. Confusion pursed her brow.
“You’re a spirit, you have
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