It was near dawn before we arrived at the Menai ferry to take us over onto the island of Anglesey. The moon had started to slide away, but the sky was lightening in front of us as we made our way westward through the thickly forested hills. The smell of bonfires from the various celebrations still lingered over the land.
As we approached the bridge that would allow us to cross over from Anglesey onto the holy isle, the sky had finally begun to lighten, casting a red-gold light out across the crashing shoreline. The salty scent of the sea mixed with the smoke…
Smoke that was far too dense to be the lingering residue of the previous night’s midwinter bonfires.
“Devyn?” Something was off.
He had already halted.
“Stay with Marcus,” he commanded shortly as he rode ahead at a gallop.
“Damned if I will,” I muttered, and urged my horse forwards in pursuit. The druids were under attack, but who would dare to touch the holy men and women? They were deeply respected, and more than a little feared.
I had my answer as we reached the top of the hill and looked down on the fleet of tall ships anchored in the bay. They were flying the flag of the Empire, and Londinium.
The community below us was burning, and the sentinels were showing little mercy to those who tried to flee, striking them down with gun and blade. I would show them no mercy either. I jumped down from my horse as I centred myself and reached for the power in the forest around me, just as Callum had taught me. I willed the elements to come at my command.
As so often happened when I consciously tried to summon the energy, it failed me. But no, this wasn’t that. It was gone; it wasn’t there.
This I recognised from before. “I can’t feel anything. I’m blocked.”
Marcus looked at me with widened eyes. “Me too. It’s gone.”
“We’ve got to get help,” But how? We were many hours’ ride from Conwy. The ferry – they could send someone to Conwy to raise a resistance force.
“I’ll go to the ferry. They’ll be able to raise the alarm.”
“Let me go,” I countered. “If there are any injured people down there, at least you can be of some assistance, even without your magic.”
“No,” he said. “You stay here. It’s too dangerous. Stay out of sight. I won’t be long.”
I watched him mount and ride away and then looked about for a place to hide. My saddled horse would give me away if any of the soldiers came this way, so I took off the saddle and bridle and shooed her away. Free of the tack, she was happy to be gone.
The growing dawn light overtook the firelight visible in the sky. Devyn hadn’t returned. He should have been back by now. The bond between us was wide open; but with the handfast cuff curbing it the thrum of his anger on seeing the fire in the sky had quickly faded once he rode away.
The trees were bare in the winter landscape, making me feel vulnerable and exposed. A thick holly bush was my best option and I crawled into its hollowed centre, feeling like a coward as I waited for Marcus to return.
But I couldn’t touch my power no matter how hard I tried, so what use would I be to anyone? I felt blocked, but how could that be? It had to be something I ate or drank last night at the feast. In all the excitement of the night and the revelations about the baby, I had failed to notice it, but now I felt that same slightly blunted edge that I had experienced at the hands of the council in Londinium. I had been surrounded by friends – well, maybe not quite friends, but not enemies either. Who at Llewelyn’s table could have slipped something into my food or drink to cut me off from my powers?
“Cassandra,” the hushed call came from nearby. Marcus was back. I extricated myself from my hiding place.
“Marcus,” I hailed him as he walked further on in search of me. I ran over to him. “Did you raise the alarm?”
“Yes. The ferryman has a way of signalling along the coast. They’ll be on their way now.”
“How long before they get here?”
“I don’t know. They’ll be faster than us once they’re on the move because they will be travelling in the light, but it’ll take them time to gather their forces.”
“They’ll be too late.”
“We could go closer,” he suggested. “Whoever attacked the druids is probably gone by now. I should check to see if I can help.”
Anxiety was gnawing at me now. Devyn had been gone so long. I needed to know what was going on. Even if the attackers were still there, we could keep out of sight until help came.
“I’m coming with you,” I stated. I would not be talked into staying behind a second time. Marcus’s eyes met mine. Something flickered in his – a moment of hesitation. I readied myself for an argument. He seemed to resolve it for himself and put his hand out for me.
With my own horse having gone gods knew where at this point, I had to clamber up in front of Marcus. The light of the burning buildings scorched the dawn sky as we made our way closer to the community by the beach.
We climbed a hill to the sound of flames crackling and cries of pain, eventually coming to a circle of great oaks at the crest of the hill. It was the centre of druidic ritual and bodies lay fallen by the great rock in the centre.
I made to get down to see if we could help, but Marcus restrained me.
“They are beyond our help,” he said.
“You can’t know that.” I squinted at the forms on the ground.
