Concentric Circles Part 11

Meekal smiled and spoke slower. "Fire Tears. She's a shadow phoenix. It's a great honor to have such a destiny."

"A phoenix?" She sat down hard on a chair.

"Aye, but she isn't here right now," Meekal said. "You can meet her later."

The room spun out of control. Everything before Shayla's eyes blurred, but not from tears. She was sure the speed of her life had just picked up and pa.s.sed her right by.

Swoosh.

Around the edges of her mind, she thought of home, her mom, friends, and her lousy job. She groaned. None of that fit into the world before her right this minute.

Meekal knelt. "Hey, love. It's gonna be okay." He rubbed her arm in a soothing caress.

Sudden sadness welled within her, its poignant power overtaking her thoughts. How does this fit in? She closed her eyes and tried to even her breathing.

"Gail told me that the sgian dhu was an antique. She thought it was a family heirloom. I told her it wasn't. I just bought it in Cleveland last month. Now, you tell me I'm the Guardian for some shadow phoenix and all this is connected with the knife? How can that be?"

"'TIS TRUE, La.s.s."

"Shayla," Meekal said, voice resonating with patience. "The Guardian always wields CIARANLEXISS. He appears in the lives of the Chosen One, when the time is right. You've trained in martial arts haven't you? That's how you knew those moves you made today."

"Yes. But I trained for enjoyment. Exercise."

He became more insistent. "It's just another aspect of your destiny. You trained even if you didn't know why."

"It's gonna be okay, cous."

She looked up at Harry, pain poking around in her forehead from just one more new magical thing in her life. "How can you be my cousin if Meekal isn't?" She felt his amus.e.m.e.nt around her aura and heart almost like the juggling of a Jell-O mold.

"Well, you are if you want to go back to ten eighty-one."

Trying to accept the connection between their hearts, Shayla attempted to push the growing sensation of frustration away. So many new concepts.

Meekal's eyes danced with humor. "That's when Keira and Mikah were married. Mikah was FyrTaehhers' second Guardian."

She shook her head, tasting her lower lip yet again today. "Okay, if that's true, then why am I the Guardian and not Harry. He's the guy, after all."

Chaeli finally spoke up. "I'm surprised you would ask that, Shayla. But you should know Mikah's mum was the first Guardian. There have been seven other women in the position since then."

She dropped her gaze to the knife. The feel of it clasped in her hand soothed the onrush of emotions. Its carvings against her sensitive palm served as a message from the past. A surge of energy went through her; the same she had felt the first time she touched it. "Just one more thing to accept, I guess. I have to be truthful though."

She looked at the faces circling her. "All of this isn't as important to me right now as how we are going to protect Meekal and the Well."

Chaeli smiled, taking CIARANLEXISS in her hand, she ran her finger over the asp on the black handle. "I've already contacted Meekal's grandparents. They'll arrive this evening. We also have some friends who have helped us in the past. They will be here tomorrow." Chaeli handed the knife back. "You'll need this. How is your magic progressing?"

Meekal chuckled. "She called for Dragar's wand, and then broke it before returning it."

"Excellent."

"All in a hectic day's work," Shayla replied, fighting the heat in her cheeks.

Chaeli went to the bookcase and pulled out a book. "This will help you in conjunction with the book Meekal already loaned you. I'm sure you can peruse them before everyone arrives. I'll leave you to it."

Shayla looked at the book placed before her, 'Simplified Travel in the Wizarding World,' by Myra Wickett d'Arc. "Travel?" She pulled it closer. The book, heavy in her hands, as she looked up to find Chaeli gone. She swallowed another dose of trepidation and gazed at Meekal, puzzled.

He gave her one of his half shrugs that she now understood as being a habit. "She wants you to learn to wind-ride with intent."

"Unt uh," she said, shaking her head in protestation. "No way. I hated it."

"Shayla," he said, trying to sound rea.s.suring. "It'll be okay. You rode to the Tor with me. It didn't bother you that time."

Now at boiling point, she glared at him. Agitated, she stood, twisted her hair up, and poked the knot with two hair sticks from her back jean pocket. She knew her loose hair sticking out wildly everywhere was a sharp contrast to the peaceful atmosphere in the library. She growled, not caring, and paced in front of the double windows, frowning and muttering under her breath.

"Shay, it'll be fine."

"Kal," she said, cringing at the shakiness of her voice. "I'm scared." She glanced around at the calm collection of wisdom surrounding her in the form of written works, and then let out a sigh that was half groan. "I felt as though I was being ripped apart the last time."

"That's because you fought it, love." His voice was gentle and coaxing. He stood and walked to her, stopping to run his palms up her arms.

"Kal," The tremble in her voice stuck roughly in her throat.

"Kal," Harry said from his seat at the table. "Why don't you take her for a couple of rides? That way, she can get used to it."

She shuddered and a cold chill traveled down her spine.

"He's right, Shay," Meekal said. "Come on, love."

[7] Journey into Mayhem Shayla groaned when they landed. She stepped away from Meekal's embrace, shaking her head. "No more right now. Can't stand it," she said, rasping through the tremors that washed over her.

He took her elbow firmly, yet with gentleness, eyes expressing concern. "Shay, it didn't affect you like this before. What's wrong?"

A sigh of entangled emotions erupted. The sensation and sound rattled forth, even from her perspective. She looked around at their surroundings, attempting to dispel deep-rooted qualms. They had landed in a wooded area that boasted a clearing with a stone circle. "Where are we?"

"Midmar Circle," he replied, caressing her forearm and taking her hand. "I thought you might like to see a couple of stone circles while we island hop."

"Humph." She began walking the perimeter, trying to force the shakiness from her knees. Three stops in less than five minutes was rough riding. She reached up and pulled the sticks from her hair, allowing its comforting blanket to cascade.

"Are you going to continue avoiding the topic?"

She planted her feet to the gra.s.sy ground, stubbornness spinning in her mind. She turned her head, tossing him a frown over her shoulder. "If you must know, my stomach lurches every time we, oh I don't know," she said, tossing her hair back, "fly?"

"Wind-ride."

She growled.

"We're near Echt, Aberdeens.h.i.+re. Midmar Kirk is right over there." Meekal caught up to her, reached for her hand again, and waved off to the left. "The Kirk owns the property which is the reason the circle is so well maintained. Do you see the dirt circle linking the stones? Midmar Kirk is the only caretaker who does that. Cullerlie is cut in the same manner; however, it has kerbed cairns in the center."

Shayla surveyed their location. They were in a circular clearing bordered by trees, a church and tombstones. The fall breeze whispered through nearly empty branches. Green turf, neatly trimmed, surrounded the outside of a stone circle, and bordered a round path where the stones stood, exposing the bare ground, creating a perfect earthen circle. The inner sanctum returned to well-trimmed turf. Shayla swiveled her gaze back to Meekal. "Kal, why are we doing this?"

He entwined their fingers, and squeezed gently. "Doing what? Talking about the beautiful monument in front of us?"

Exasperation sent her eyes into a dizzying roll. She pulled their joined hands up to motion toward the nearest stone. "Island hopping."

Seriousness etched his face. "Because, my love, we need to be sure you can escape if the situation becomes dire. I already know you can kick their a.r.s.es. I just need to know you can get out. Wind-riding is one of the ways to accomplish that. Dragar's piffle of black smoke can't compete."

"Why's that? And, I noticed you seem to have distain for someone who uses a wand. What's the root cause? Malvenue chasing you when you were a kid?"

"Wind-riding is just a cut above-better. No, I'm not automatically prejudiced against wizards who use wands. Some of my best friends use them. It's more..." He led her to the rec.u.mbent alter stone, placed his strong hands on her waist, and picked her up.

Shayla gasped. She was not accustomed to people lifting her so easily. "More?"

He set her on the stone before leaning in to breathe across her ear. "All right. So maybe Malvenue chasing a fifteen-year-old kid does have something to do with my opinion of his minions, former or otherwise. But, what you need to understand is that I want you to be able to journey on your own. No matter what the circ.u.mstances are. It takes practice." In slow motion, he pulled back and ran his hand up her arm. "Shay," he whispered huskily.

She swallowed.

Meekal pushed her back, leaned forward, and began to kiss her with rising urgency. "Relax," he said, flicking his tongue against her neck.

A s.h.i.+ver of antic.i.p.ation t.i.tillated her. She arched closer, seeking more intimate contact. "Kal," she breathed, sucking in his scent. With a moan of longing, she pulled his mouth to hers. Kissing deeply, she wrapped her legs tightly around him. b.u.t.terflies of longing pooled in her belly.

He nibbled her lips.

Shayla growled, biting him in play.

"You've got the wrong idea, love. Escape to the other side."

Antic.i.p.ation s.h.i.+fted gears. She groaned and tightened her legs.

Meekal grunted. "You're relaxed now. Go."

Shayla closed her eyes tightly. Everything squeezed her as if shooting her out of a tube. Air propelled her forward. "Argh!"

Meekal laughed.

"d.a.m.n!" Shayla stood opposite Meekal. A groan erupted and she leaned on the closest stone for support.

"You did it!" Meekal jogged across the circle and pulled her into an exuberant hug, kissing her fervently.

"Kal, I feel like I'm gonna throw up."

"Oh." He stepped back, looking her over carefully. "Feel better?"

"I've been worse," she grumbled, and then stumbled into the circle. The awesome energy pulled her into its heart. She sat and spread her long legs out, resting on the gra.s.s. After another look around at the stones, Meekal, and trees, Shayla plopped back expressing her exasperation with noise and hand waving.

"This is insane," she said, wis.h.i.+ng for the ability to push the emotions and the swirling in her stomach away. She watched as the grey clouds in the sky skittered across the blue canvas in compet.i.tion.

Meekal sat next to her. "Not really. I've seen much crazier occurrences."

Irritation swelled in her belly, rising upward and choking in her throat. She coughed in an effort to release it. "Why do you suppose it upsets my stomach so much? It didn't feel like that at the Tor or the Inn."

He reached forward and placed his hand on her stomach. "I don't know, are ye setting?"

Shayla glared and smacked his hand away, not in the mood to joke.

Meekal sn.i.g.g.e.red.

Heat burned her cheeks. She increased the intensity of her glare.

He smiled and raised gentle fingers to brush along her cheek and jaw. Then he became serious.

Watching his expression closely, Shayla's breath hitched. I wonder if it'll ever fade? This wanting.

"Maybe it's because of the memory of Syther."

She sat up abruptly, and crossed her legs, Indian style. "Maybe," she mused, pus.h.i.+ng away her previous thoughts. "It was horrible. But then again, so was the getting there. I felt torn apart and afraid." Her voice trailed off into self-disappointment and sadness. She looked down at the tattoo on her thumb. "A Guardian is supposed to be brave, huh?"

"Shay," he said, in a low purr, "you need to remember this is all new to you. It hasn't even been two days yet. Here you are, in another country, learning things you probably always thought were myth. Actually, your journey to this point has taken bravery. I don't think you really need to worry about that."

"Not everything is new to me." She spoke so soft, her voice was nearly lost on the breeze. Tension tightened entwined fingers, making her knuckles white. She refused to meet his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

Shayla pulled her lower lip in, biting it nervously. She sighed, and then whispered, "Well, I told you about Mrs. Moore."

"Yes."

"There were," she said, and then paused. A deep breath and a quick glance at the bordering trees steadied her. "Well, other times, you know." She returned to biting her lip.

"Shay."

"I've done things like what I did with Dragar's wand before. You know, called for things. It was always when no one was around. Especially my mom."

"You said you didn't believe in magic."

"Yeah. I know. What can I say? Truth is I never did."

"Humph."

"It's true." A weird and wonderful sensation traveled through her at the simple admission. She felt unsure whether it was acceptance, antic.i.p.ation, or a measure of both. "Even when things happened, I told myself it wasn't real. I was just imagining things."

"Shayla," Meekal said with firmness. "Now, that sounds crazy. When something happens, the simple truth is, it happens."

She gave a small shrug, and reached for his hand. Enjoying the feel of his strength, she tilted her head and ran her other hand over his fingers. "I'd do something crazy like know when a traffic light was going to change or call for a Kleenex when I knew I would sneeze. Once, I forgot a clean towel for my bath. All I did was say, 'towel.' One appeared, all warm and toasty."

Although he squeezed her hand, Meekal's face registered disbelief.

She squeezed back, lowering her head to hide behind her hair. "Then I'd turn right around and deny that anything magical could ever happen." She brought her gaze up, waiting for his reaction. His eyes journeying over her face in a loving caress gave a sense of protective warmth.

"I think what's happening when you wind-ride is a culmination of your disbelief and the memory of Syther. You have it all jumbled in your mind. That makes it more difficult. You need to get clear about your intention and focus. Then put the memory of Syther somewhere so it won't bother you."