- •I brushed a trembling hand through my hair. What was going on? What happened? I was looking at the vases and…
- •I tore my eyes from the box and back to the—
- •I raised my eyebrow like Spock and waited.
- •I looked quickly at Suzanna. She was no damn help; her eyes were squeezed shut and her lips were moving in what looked like some kind of silent prayer. Jeesh.
- •I should have been nominated for some kind of Greco-Celtic Academy Award for Best Voluptuous Ascent to a Throne. God, it felt good to sit down.
- •I could see my door guards (yes, they did appear proportional) snap crisp sword salutes as the horses reached the doorway and entered the ro—
- •I could feel my jaw setting, but before I could respond, Alanna stepped in. Gracefully, she took my hand and helped me to my feet.
- •I had to clear my abused throat before I could squeak out an “I forgive you.”
- •In a formal, stilted voice he said, “Please excuse the interruption, my Lieutenant had matters of great import to discuss with me.”
- •I shut my eyes. Of course Dad wouldn’t want me to get hurt. If only it were that simple.
- •I opened my eyes. Seeing clearly—finally.
- •I looked at those high stirrups. And the tall mare. And considered my thirty-five-year-old body.
- •I mean riding a horse (one that’s actually alive) for several hours. Alternating between trot, canter, walk, back to trot. On a thirty-five-year-old butt. Without breakfast.
- •I reached down and patted her neck fondly. There are some things about this world that were just plain cool.
- •I sighed melodramatically and gave a big pretend sob while I wiped pretend tears from my eyes.
- •I just wanted to pee and then go back to sleep.
- •I closed my eyes and tried to relax, think, forget about my stomach and keep warm.
- •I straightened and took a step closer to Epi, hating the guilt he made me feel.
- •I swallowed a piece of cheese and took a quick drink of wine. “I had to see about my dad.”
- •I looked down at my half-eaten sandwich. “Are you still willing to take me there, knowing the creatures might be there?”
- •I felt a little like a mother whose four-year-old had just toddled happily off to preschool without her.
- •It was midmorning when I spied some lovely brush cover (and some soft-leafed plants) next to another stream that bisected our roadway.
- •I felt suddenly all Marilyn Monroe–like as my eyes went to half-mast and a moan escaped my lips.
- •I managed to moan some semblance of thanks.
- •I had to agree with him on that.
- •I had only taken a couple steps when I heard Dougal’s hooves thud behind me. I spoke over my shoulder to him.
- •In another world, he’s still alive.
- •I heard a snort of laughter from behind me.
- •I sniffed the air.
- •I swear, a rush of electricity shot from his teeth straight to my crotch.
- •I know it was unusual, but I didn’t know what to say.
- •I smiled at Dougal and saw him practically squirm with pleasure. If he had had a puppy’s tail, I’m sure it would’ve wagged vigorously—and he probably would’ve wet himself. He really was cute.
- •I translated that as centaur for “You’re full of crap.” But I acted as if I didn’t speak the lingo.
- •I curled my body around him and snuggled against his warmth.
- •I nodded my yes against his chest.
- •I didn’t see any fish frying. But I still smelled cooking food.
- •It took a moment for me to realize they were waiting for my permission.
- •I even managed to wave. Thank God I’ve watched a lot of pbs specials about The Royal Family.
- •I had to interrupt her. “Alanna, I can’t stand this ‘my Lady’ stuff. Can’t you call me something else?”
- •I squeezed her hands and turned back around. “At least she was a smart slut.”
- •I opened my mouth to interrupt.
- •I tried not to babble incoherently and to remember that I was dressing for my husband, not for a spot on a tv evangelism program.
- •I nodded at her to go on.
- •I shivered, remembering the weird mirror vision of myself I had glimpsed in the pot as it burst into a fiery ball.
- •I rubbed my fingers and took a wary half step away from it.
- •I blinked in surprise. “No, I didn’t know.”
- •I looked at Alanna and sighed. “Alanna, pour yourself some wine and sit here with me.”
- •I’m telling you, this guy could go on a lecture/training circuit and make a fortune teaching the Non-Octopus Technique to semi-bald, divorced, middle-aged men.
- •Intrigued, I nodded.
- •I smiled but felt the definite stirrings of nervousness.
- •I like to think I’ve attracted my share of men, but one hundred guards is just plain gluttonous.
- •I turned and began beating a hasty retreat down the empty hall.
- •I heard a ripple in the crowd. Suddenly, centaurs surrounded us and members of my guard were rushing from the temple to join them.
- •I took all of this in, but I found it hard to stop staring at the doctor. I knew this man, or perhaps I should say I knew this man’s mirror image—very well.
- •I turned back to face ClanFintan and tugged on his arm until he bent for my quick kiss.
- •I frowned at her. “Don’t worry about it. It just means she’s crazy about him, too.” She looked like that explanation helped. “You two aren’t married in this world?”
- •I shrugged. “Whatever, but we might be here for a while, so feel free to sit and pour yourself some wine. After all, grapes are my favorite breakfast fruit.”
- •I looked at Alanna’s worried face and sighed. “I can’t do this anymore,” I said to her. My eyes sought ClanFintan’s. “I don’t want to lie to you anymore.”
- •I returned his smile before looking nervously back at ClanFintan.
- •I wanted to throw my arms around him and bury my face in his heat, but I could feel Alanna’s and Carolan’s eyes boring joyfully into our romantic interlude.
- •I shouldn’t have been surprised. I already knew he was a biter.
- •I kissed him lightly on the cheek.
- •I felt ClanFintan’s startled reaction, which made me remember that the map that zapped me had shown all the land to the east of the river as centaur lands.
- •I remembered their horrible, ground-eating strides and had to agree with him.
- •I tried not to get distracted by the lovely image he was painting, and the thought of what it might look like now.
- •I searched my memory, wishing the biology electives I had taken in college hadn’t been ten-plus years ago.
- •I smiled my thanks at her before turning back to Carolan. “Well, what do we need to do?”
- •I found myself suddenly encompassed within the centaur’s strong arms.
- •I swear, underneath the layer of sweat and yuck he blushed. “Perhaps it has slipped my mind.”
- •It was the assistant who had been sent to get the dead child’s parents. I could see the shadowed forms of two people standing behind her in the hallway. I squared my shoulders and walked toward them.
- •I complied happily, resting my forearms against the ledge on which I had been sitting. He swept my hair out of the way and began rubbing soap all over the back of my body.
- •I remembered his little tкte-а-tкte with my guards and grinned. “You won’t have to.”
- •I rejoined Alanna, pulled the robe over my head and walked down the stone stairs into the warm pool to give myself a quick morning bath.
- •I smiled at his accented pronunciation.
- •I studied her face, thinking I saw a familiar expression.
- •Victoria caught my eye and raised her eyebrows at me. “I know a young centaur who would be happy to be our runner.”
- •I mean, please, I am an English teacher. Some things just aren’t acceptable.
- •I frowned and continued to dry myself.
- •I gulped and tried not to look worried.
- •I snuggled comfortably against him. “Are you sure it was just me? I think you cast some kind of spell or something.”
- •I wriggled around, pressing myself against his hard chest so that I could breathe in his ear, “Why not?”
- •I smiled at him and patted his arm like he was a cross between a teenager and a puppy. “Thank you, Dougal. It’s perfect.”
- •I thought poor Dougal might faint.
- •I laughed, but my eyes gravitated to my husband’s handsome profile. As if he felt my gaze, he turned his head in my direction and smiled warmly from across the fire.
- •It was wide and sturdy, and I didn’t have any trouble balancing on it. I looked at him and grinned happily.
- •I playfully slapped his hand away and smiled through my eggs. “You’re so fresh.”
- •I turned my face into the breeze, shaking out my own hair, liking the way it was lifted off my shoulders. I breathed deeply, stretching my sore muscles, and…
- •I closed my eyes and whispered, “Please don’t make me go down there.”
- •I had the disconcerting feeling that she knew who I was. On impulse I slid off ClanFintan’s back, and took her hand in mine, squeezing it warmly.
- •I leaned over and whispered to ClanFintan, “Isn’t Terpsichore the Muse that danced at our handfast?”
- •I tried more delicious food than I could keep count of, then, satisfied, I leaned back against my husband’s warm chest to enjoy the talent of the Muses, and the delicious quality of their red wine.
- •Vic covered his hand with her own. “Fight the battle with a clear mind, my friend. I will protect Rhea with my life.”
- •I took the small telescope and tried to thank her, but she had already moved away and was speaking to a group of nervous young girls.
- •I heard the Huntress directly behind me, I think her name was Elaine, snort a quick laugh at my response. Nope—they sure didn’t act nervous.
- •I slid off her back, and Vic opened the door. Sila was in the middle of the room, helping patients from their beds and onto thick blanket-like pallets. She looked up as we entered.
- •I almost called her Michelle, but caught myself in time.
- •I saw that Terpsichore was walking purposefully to stand by the dark woman’s side. She looked serene and lovely and spoke in a calm, unhurried voice.
- •In response, Dougal unsheathed his claymore, and Victoria pulled her crossbow and quiver from the sling at her side.
- •I went back to work on his cuts. He stood quietly, and soon I was able to lather in the salve. That done, I reluctantly moved to the rear of his body.
- •I saw Dougal flush in happy surprise. When Vic finally raised her eyes to meet his, I thought I detected an unaccustomed shyness in her gaze.
- •I pulled one foot up, and put it out in front of me, set it down—
- •I brushed some of the clinging sand from his face, then kissed the spot I had cleaned.
- •I jerked upright.
- •I smiled at him, but ClanFintan didn’t hesitate in his pace.
- •I stepped into Alanna’s arms, returning her embrace.
- •I took a long drink, focusing on getting the trembling inside me under control.
- •I looked away, unable to watch their agony.
- •I nodded against his chest and sent up another plea to the Goddess for her to watch after the mare.
- •I could see Alanna was putting on a brave face, and I smiled in response.
- •I shrugged my shoulders in a nonchalant way. “When isn’t it in my way?”
- •I tried to come up with a pithy reply, but in actuality I was relieved when Victoria’s voice cut through the need for any further words.
- •I saw the familiar figure of Victoria firing off arrows quickly, each finding its deadly mark. Between loading and shooting, her attention suddenly wavered, and she met my gaze.
- •I pulled my attention from Alanna and what was happening around me. Instead, I listened to my heart, or maybe, more accurately, my soul.
- •It seemed the mare battled on that small hill for time unending, but my mind knew logically that only minutes had passed before dark, winged shapes completely surrounded us.
- •In the middle of my thought I felt the tremor that passed through my body as it became semivisible. I mentally crossed my fingers that I was doing the right thing.
- •If you enjoyed the eBook you just read, then you’ll love what we have for you next month!
I leaned over and whispered to ClanFintan, “Isn’t Terpsichore the Muse that danced at our handfast?”
“Yes,” he replied, keeping his voice low.
“And Melpomene is Muse of Tragedy,” Thalia surprised me by leaning toward me and volunteering. “She feels she needs to be in charge whenever there is an illness.”
“Then you’re familiar with smallpox?”
Thalia’s expression remained serene. “It is not unusual for illness to come out of Ufasach Marsh, and we have dealt with the pox before. But we were saddened to learn it had spread to Epona’s Temple.”
“We have the sick quarantined, and our Healer says it is under control.”
“Excellent.” She took a sip from her crystal wineglass before she continued in a voice pitched low for my ears alone. “Perhaps you would like to know that next to your husband sits Calliope, Muse of Poetry. Beside her reclines Cleio, Muse of History.” She tilted her head, listening, before she continued. “At the head of the nearest table, Erato, Muse of Love Lyrics, is entertaining young Dougal, who has so recently lost his brother.”
My eyes followed her introductions and I was pleased to see Dougal’s face glowing with rapt attention as the lovely Erato spoke animatedly.
“Seated at the table with the leaders of the warriors are Polyhymnia, Muse of Song, Rhetoric and Geometry, who is wearing a violet robe, and Urania, Muse of Astronomy and Astrology, who should be attired in her typical velvet robe the color of the night sky.”
“Yes, it’s exactly as you describe.”
“You have already heard that Terpsichore, Muse of the Dance, has fallen ill…” Her voice lowered with sadness. “And Euterpe, Muse of Lyric Poetry, became ill two days ago.”
“I’m sorry. Terpsichore danced at our wedding. She was beautiful.”
“And if her Goddess wills it, she will be again.”
“Thalia, thank you for explaining all of this to me. And thank you for accepting me.”
“You are very welcome, child.” She straightened, still smiling, and clapped her hands together twice. The room fell silent in expectation. “Allow us to entertain our brave centaur warriors.” Her smile was as bright as the chandeliers. “And may all of our Goddesses bless you tomorrow.”
The Muse Erato was the first to rise. She began a touching song about a young peasant girl who won the heart of a Chieftain’s son, and the feats he had to accomplish before his father would consent to their marriage.
I tried more delicious food than I could keep count of, then, satisfied, I leaned back against my husband’s warm chest to enjoy the talent of the Muses, and the delicious quality of their red wine.
Erato was followed by Calliope, who expertly recited a rousing epic poem about the first centaur High Shaman, which concluded to the thunderous applause of her audience. Then Polyhymnia sang a hauntingly beautiful ballad that reminded me of something I could have heard on an Enya CD. As several dancers entered the huge chamber and began a sensuous dance, accompanied by pulsing drums, I felt my eyes begin to grow heavy.
ClanFintan’s arms encircled me, and I tried to swim back to wakefulness.
“Shh, child, sleep.” Thalia’s motherly voice drifted into my semiconscious mind. “Your Goddess calls.”
And blackness overcame me.
This time I wasn’t eased out of my sleeping body by a delicious dream. Instead, I felt my spirit wrenched upward, through the diamond-encrusted dome in response to the order Come!
I hung above the enormous temple, momentarily disoriented. The temple looked misty and confusing—and I realized that clouds had rolled in with the night, obscuring the familiar landmarks of the mountains and river. But laughter and music floated in the night around me. Despite the bad weather, the Muses’ temple was alive with esprit de corps—in other words, morale was damn good.
Too soon my body began moving in a westerly direction. I began passing over the fields that separated Laragon Castle from the Muse, catching only occasional glimpses of the green beneath me through the low-hanging clouds. I hadn’t gone far when I began to feel an uncomfortable sensation in the pit of my stomach.
My body slowed—then stopped.
My heart was racing, and I heard the blood pounding in my temples. Below me, just outside the western edge of the temple’s grounds, the misty fields were thick with the moving bodies of the Fomorian army. They were approaching silently, using their wings to increase their insect-like gliding strides.
No! I closed my eyes and willed my spirit back into my body…
I leaped up, interrupting the lovely dance as I screamed the word aloud, “No!”
“Rhea!” ClanFintan reached for me. “What is it?”
I gasped for air—my body was shaking violently. “They’re coming! Now! The Fomorians are almost on the temple grounds.”
The room erupted in pandemonium, and ClanFintan shot to his feet, raising his arm and shouting for silence. Centaur and human obeyed.
“Then the time has come,” he addressed the centaurs with the confidence of an experienced leader. “Herdsmasters, assemble your warriors on the western lawn. Dougal, send our swiftest runner with orders to skirt the Fomorian line and get to the humans. Tell them we await their aid. Loose the pigeons with the same message. And remember, centaurs, they must not break through our lines.”
Bless them, Beloved.
I was filled with a sudden calm, and my voice rang out across the huge chamber. “We are counting on your courage. And you are courageous. I know it because courage is not measured by the crude vulgarity of claws and fangs overpowering women and hacking apart unprepared men. Courage arises from a sense of duty, and the firm resolve of goodness and right. And that is what I see before me—your nobility and integrity. May Epona’s blessing and grace go with each of you. My love surely does.”
A shout of “Hail Epona!” rang to the domed ceiling. Then the room exploded into a sea of moving centaurs.
The Incarnates of the Muse were making their way toward Thalia. The blind priestess’s face was serene. She spoke in a calm voice to the women who surrounded her.
“Priestesses, our students know they are to assemble here. Keep them busy, it will help to keep them calm.” The Priestesses murmured agreement, and they began calling to the young students who had begun arriving as the centaurs were leaving.
“Mistress Thalia,” Sila addressed the Priestess, “have your students begin boiling large quantities of water, and tearing linen into strips for bandaging. I will check on the ill ones and inform them of what has happened. Then I will return here to help your students prepare for the injured.”
“Thank you, Sila.”
“Victoria!” ClanFintan called the Huntress to his side. He put his hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes as he spoke. “While I am away, I entrust to you the safety of my wife.”