Though Deirdre was nothing more than an invisible, floating mist, she still felt as if she had a body. She moved her arms, shifted her legs, and turned her head.
So when she sensed something in the chamber with her, something that wasn’t a wyrran, she turned and watched in awe as the black cloud poured up from between two stones to surround her.
“Deirdre, Deirdre, Deirdre. Why are you ranting so?” the hard, deep, cold voice asked. The voice was soft, almost mellow, but she knew it could turn vicious in a heartbeat.
“My magic is gone.”
The voice in the cloud laughed coldly, its evil evident. “Of course it hasn’t. You can speak to your wyrran, and even Dunmore. Do you think that is done without magic?”
“Nay,” she said. “But that is nothing to the magic I had.”
The cloud was so thick she couldn’t see out of it. She knew what it was, or rather who. It was
“I warned you about taking the Druids too soon. Dunmore is having difficulty finding one for you. It could take weeks. Months even.”
Deirdre cringed. That wasn’t what she wanted to hear. “I will kill Dunmore if he fails me.”
The cloud laughed again. “Ah, but you are an insatiable one. Do you think your revenge cannot wait? The MacLeods will still be there.”
“I need Isla.”
“I wondered when you would get to her. Be careful there, Deirdre. I warned you that Isla was stronger than you realized. Making her turn
But Deirdre wasn’t worried. “She’s mine to control. There is no way for her to break the connection between us. As long as she’s alive, she’s mine.”
“Hmmm,” the cloud said. “I don’t think you can still control her.”
“Why do you say that?”
“She’s with the MacLeods.”
Deirdre stilled. She knew he would never lie to her. “She cannot escape me.”
“Your anger is fierce, Deirdre. Feed off of it, nurture it. You will have vengeance and what better way to begin than inside MacLeod Castle? Use Isla to kill the Druids. Then let the Warriors kill Isla.”
“Aye,” Deirdre agreed. “Can you assist me?”
There was a moment of silence before the cloud began to thin and disappear back into the rocks. “You will have your wish, but I will expect something in return.”
“Anything you want.”
“I’ll let you know what that is later. For now, grow your magic.”
Deirdre instantly felt stronger. She waved a hand in front of her face and actually saw her fingers instead of nothing as before.
She concentrated on Isla, letting her fury build until it consumed her. Her magic increased enough that she could see herself in the mirror.
Deirdre wasn’t whole yet. She could see through her body, but she was close, so close.
She would have Isla and her vengeance. And once Isla was back in Cairn Toul, Deirdre would punish her again and again until her anger was appeased.
It could take centuries, but Deirdre would have the time. There was nothing that could stop her now.
Isla put a hand to her forehead. The headache had begun not long after the morning meal as a dull ache and had only increased as the day progressed. No matter what Isla did, nothing would relieve the throbbing.
“What is wrong?” Ian asked from beside her.
Isla raised her head and forced a smile. “My head aches.”
“Still?”
She saw the worry in his eyes. “I’m just concerned about everything. I’ll be fine.”
“Have you asked Sonya to heal you?”
Isla wouldn’t ask for help unless the pain became unbearable. She raised a brow and went back to sweeping out the cottage. “If I don’t feel better by the time we’re done here I’ll go to Sonya.”
“Why doona I believe you?”
She smiled in spite of her pain.
“Does your head ache often?”
“Nay. In fact, this is my second since arriving here.”
Ian scratched his whiskered jaw. “And before?”
“None like this.” Her head always ached before Deirdre took control, but this felt different. Still. Could it be Deirdre?
Her blood turned to ice. It couldn’t be happening already. If Deirdre had her magic, she could have easily gotten control of Isla’s mind.
Isla’s shield would have dimmed Deirdre’s magic, but not enough to prevent it. Unless Deirdre was still very weak. None of which boded well for them.
If Deirdre was strong enough to cause Isla’s head to hurt, then it was only a matter of time — a very short time — before Deirdre was strong enough to take over completely.
Isla dropped the broom and started out the cottage door. She had to tell the MacLeods. She took two steps outside before she ground to a sudden halt.
The sun blinded her and increased her agony until she could hardly breathe. She doubled over and bit her lip to keep from crying out. She reached out her hand for the cottage to help guide her when strong, familiar hands took hold of her.
“I’ve got you,” Hayden said.
Isla had never been more relieved to be lifted in his arms. She wound her arm around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder.
“What happened?” he asked.
There were footsteps and then she heard Ian say, “It’s her head.”
“It hurts,” Isla whispered. “The sun hurts my eyes.”
Hayden rubbed his check on top of her head. “I’ll get you somewhere safe. Trust me.”
It never entered her mind not to. As long as Hayden was near, she knew she was safe.
THIRTY-TWO
Hayden hated the taste of fear in his mouth. It was made worse because he could see the hurt etched on Isla’s face. She kept her emotions in check, so to show anything she must be in a terrible amount of pain.
Her hands held onto him tightly while she kept her head buried in his neck. Her body was tense, and she was much too pale.
He wished they had already been at the castle or that he could jump as Fallon did from one place to another without so much as a thought.
The walk to the castle was taking longer than Hayden wanted. At first he had taken long strides, but it must have jarred Isla because he heard her gasp in pain a few times. Hayden had shortened his steps while he tried to dodge any rocks that he might trip over.
Hayden could feel Ian’s presence behind him. He didn’t care. It allowed him to hold Isla while Ian could talk to the others and let them know what was going on. All Hayden wanted to do was get Isla somewhere dark so the sun would no longer harm her eyes and her head.
“We’re almost there,” he murmured. “Just a little farther, and I’ll have you in your tower.”
Her only response was a light pressure from her fingers on his neck. Hayden had never felt so powerless. He didn’t know what was wrong or how to help Isla, but he would find a way.
