Fallen Page 13

  Runic symbols and hammered gold patterns chased and spun in mocking circles before her eyes as Maddie climbed the stairs to the gatehouse. Her skills had always worked before, so why had they deserted her now?

  Lyon hated what Izzy was doing to her. He hated feeling her weariness and frustration, but there was no way to escape it. Maddie had made a promise and he had to let her complete the work she had agreed to perform for this stern American. But there were many things that Izzy Teague did not know.

  And there were things that Maddie did not know either.

  One was the unmistakable fact that her change had speeded up. If they didn’t find a way to balance their energy soon…

  Lyon closed his eyes, forcing away fear and darkness. That was the way to madness. There were hard choices to make. He had hoped there would be more time, but it was not to be given them.

  “Hey. Why the dark look?” Maddie slid her fingers over his arm and smiled up at him. “Something wrong? Something you haven’t told me?”

  As ever, she was quick to pick up his mood. But she needed to rest, so Lyon did not share his worries yet. Instead he forced a smile. “It is fascinating to see this skill of yours for patterns. Have you always had it?” He prayed she would not realize he had changed the subject.

  “You’re changing the subject, Lyon.”

  So much for his hopes.

  “But I’ll go along with it. I’m too tired to dig for deeper meanings. Frankly, all I want to do is fall into bed and sleep for about a thousand years.” She blew out a little breath. “Not literally, of course. Don’t get any ideas. I still don’t know all that you’re capable of, but I don’t want to find out by waking up a few centuries in the future or the past.”

  “I have not that skill.” At least it was not managed as easily as she described. “You need not worry.”

  “Oh, I am worried. Very worried. This job of Izzy’s is getting nasty and complicated. I didn’t tell him this, but you and I both know I’m not up to par. I don’t ever get sick, I have the constitution of a horse, and yet…right now I feel flattened.” She frowned at the heavy wooden door to the gatehouse as Lyon pushed it open for her. “I don’t suppose this has anything to do with what you warned me about?”

  He wouldn’t lie to her. But he wouldn’t complicate her worry by giving her unnerving details. “It is happening as I expected. Rest now. Finish your work for Izzy Teague. We will find a way to deal with what must come.” Lyon expected her to argue and demand answers. It was a sign of her exhaustion that she did neither.

  She simply sank down on the deep white coverlet and sighed in relief as Lyon pulled the curtains closed. “Don’t let me sleep too long. Half an hour. Okay, make that an hour.” She studied him with sleepy her eyes. “Promise me?”

  “I promise.”

  Lyon had no intention of keeping that promise, of course. He would let her sleep as long as she could, right up to the moment that Izzy returned with new information for her to analyze.

  “Good. This is important to him. It’s probably important to a whole lot of people. I’m not going to wimp out just because I don’t feel good.” She closed her eyes and rubbed her head. “I never did get that Advil.”

  “You will not need it,” Lyon said softly. She was half asleep when he knelt beside her and ran one hand over her neck, massaging the sensitive muscles behind her ears and along her forehead. He felt the hammer of her pulse and the drum of her blood as if it was his own, so closely linked they were now. He could sense every knot of stress and the weight of her pain. All were as clear and sharp as if they were his own. Using that awareness, Lyon he touched her slowly, freeing the muscles along her head and neck, letting her slide down into exhausted relaxation because he knew she was too stubborn and honorable to give up easily.

  It was only part of the reason that she fascinated him.

  “Feels good. Afraid I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep…” Her voice broke on a little sigh. “Don’t forget. Have to wake me up. I have to work—”

  “Of course I will.” He did not find it easy to lie to her. And he did not excuse himself with the knowledge that it was for her own good. The truth was always more powerful. A lie stole a little part of you whenever it was spoken. Lyon did not only know this—he could see it happen and all the ways that a spirit was dampened and diminished beneath the force of a lie.

  He could see many things that Maddie did not know about yet.

  But he was not the hero she took him to be. He was not without much sin and blame. And he did not excuse or forget that blame.

  One day she would see the darkness in him. He could not delay the moment much longer. And the thought of losing her respect left him shaken.

  Lyon’s body hurt, but he did not complain. His need burned cruelly, like acid that ate down through every level of skin.

  But his control held. He swore grimly that it would continue to hold. He would not claim her by violence, nor by misunderstanding.

  Not…unless there was no other choice.

  Yet as he walked down the stairs, his good intentions seemed to mock him from the darkness outside the abbey.

  Something rose out of the darkness and slammed down on Maddie's chest.

  She clawed her way up through shadows, through smoke and anger and fear. She felt cold, but the cold seemed to come from somewhere outside her, where an etched gold disc spun through empty space while her head ached hard and she fought to breathe. There was something about the disc. It was close—something she should have seen.

  The gold face turned slowly. Rune symbols slithered past her, mocking and quick, challenging her to follow. But she didn’t understand. No patterns took shape. No meaning or order of any sort emerged.

  Maddie closed her eyes on a moan of pain, daggers sharp at her forehead, the migraine waves getting worse.

  Silver circles gleamed through the darkness, spiraling out and then closing tight. The spirals felt somehow familiar, but also frightening. She closed her eyes, struck by a sudden, sickening sensation of falling. And she knew if she let go and fell in that place she would be lost—lost completely and forever. Her body and her soul would be torn apart, swallowed. Blasted to dust and erased as if she had never existed.

  She searched desperately for something to grab onto, but there was only cold air and angry voices. Only the smell of fear and burning flesh.

  Stop.

  She heard her own raw, shuddering voice of protest. This was a dream. She kept telling herself that, how it had to be a dream. But there was blood all around her. Real blood lay cold and dark against her hands. On the sheets. On her bare arms, bare legs.

  On her conscience.

  Some of the blood was hers. Most of it was Lyon's. And she had caused his horrible death. His face was scratched, his body severed by angry claws. His agonizing cry of pain echoed in the air.

  Maddie screamed…and couldn't seem to stop.

  Lyon turned from the back of the gatehouse and ran up the stairs, his heart hammering.

  The scream had come from Maddie's bedroom.

  She was at the door, swaying, her face white when Lyon found her. He lunged and caught her when she would have fallen. But she twisted in his arms, fighting him blindly.

  "Nay, do not fight so, Maddie. You are safe, heartling." Lyon felt a wave of relief that she was alone and unharmed—at least as far as he could see. "Do you understand that all is well?"

  "No. I saw it—the blood." A hoarse sound tore from her mouth. "All over my hands. And on you. Dear heaven, it was everywhere, Lyon. They had marked you, cut you terribly. It was because of me—because I was too weak to stop them—”

  "Shhh." Lyon gripped her shoulders tightly, fighting through her terror and her guilt to make her hear. "There is no blood here. Look at me. I am sound and unharmed, just as you are."

  Maddie blinked. "You're sure?" She ran trembling fingers across Lyon's face and neck. "You wouldn't hide if something was wrong, would you?"

  "I would not. 'Twas
but a dream, my heart." But also it was a forewarning, Lyon sensed. He would alert Aeryx to a coming threat, not that his old friend would need reminding. The Fallen ones were his oldest enemies. They would find no welcome while Aeryx watched the abbey.

  "But...I saw blood. I felt it..."

  Lyon scowled at Maddie. "Only you seem to be hurt." He turned over her palm and muttered angrily. "By Heaven, what have you done to yourself?"

  Maddie touched the dark line on her palm where blood was drying. "I must have scratched myself while I was asleep. I don't remember any of it. It was too awful—I was too worried about you."

  Lyon cupped her palm, unable to answer. She worried about him? This was the source of her panic?

  Yet again she left him speechless. For centuries no others had wasted a thought to his safety or his hopes. Only she had done this.

  Lyon’s heart raced. He sensed all her power and fierce light, captured in that line of blood and on the warmth of her skin where their bodies met. He had sworn to guard her, to teach her—but now, with no warning, need for her struck, stripping him bare.

  The urge to bind her body and spirit to his left him blinded. His control shredded beneath primitive need. Lyon fought the hunger in angry silence—and felt his strength waver.

  "What is it?" Her fingers brushed his face. "Something is wrong, Lyon."

  "Memories. It will...pass." His voice was harsh. Lyon knew that what he felt for her would never pass.

  "But Lyon—wait. I almost forgot. I saw the clue. It came to me while I was asleep—”

  "What clue?" He tore his focus away from the heat of his taut muscles where their bodies touched. "I do not understand."

  "The runes—I know now. I saw the pattern." Maddie's voice was strained with excitement. "It was no word code at all. It was numbers, Lyon. The marks represent numbers." She smiled in triumph. “Numbers.”

  "How can you be sure of this?"

  "Because I saw the pattern," she said impatiently. "It's what I do, remember? There were only 10 symbols on the disk. The flag-shaped rune was most frequent. I think it is a 1. The other repeated symbol could indicate a zero. But Izzy can crack the rest of the details. It's all math and frequency algorithms now. That's where he works his particular magic. He doesn't need me for that."

  She frowned, wriggling free of Lyon's grip. "I should go tell him now. It's important for him to—”

  "Tell me what?" Footsteps echoed as Izzy moved through the doorway. "What was all that noise up here?"

  "I had a bad dream. But the pattern came to me in the dream, Izzy. Those rune marks represent numbers, probably a decimal set, given the repetitions."

  "We didn't think of that. The Anglo-Saxons usually used Roman numerals. But for a code...". He broke off, frowning. Thinking hard. "So where does that take us next? What do the numbers mean?"

  Maddie stared through the window. "Did you find any photos with the back of that disc yet?"

  "No luck."

  "When you do, my hunch is you'll find more of those same marks. And those will be numbers too."

  "A number code?" Izzy looked unconvinced. "Not necessarily. It could be a geographical code. But there were no maps that old, at least no maps like the ones we know today. So these can't be simple map coordinates."

  Maddie shoved a hand through the chaos of her hair. "They might represent cities or even houses by size or importance. Or maybe they mark a location, given by its distance from a key spot. It might be a reference to an important contemporary book." She frowned at him. "Did the Anglo-Saxons have books?"

  "Lots of them. Their illuminated versions of the Bible are considered to be—”

  Maddie interrupted him impatiently. "You can deal with the details, Izzy. I'm no historian. I can't tell you how to interpret the location or meaning of the numbers based on their historical importance. I can only give you the pattern, and this pattern is based on numbers. If you don’t believe me, give me my computer and I'll—"

  "I believe you. Right now you look exhausted. Lyon was right about that. I'll pass this information on to someone I trust and let her work the details. At least now we know what we're looking for."

  "I could check on possible locations using population reconstructions. If you want me to try—”

  "No way." Izzy pointed to the bedroom door. "Go. Rest. Now. That's an order. Not that you ever listen to me." He shot a look of grudging respect at Lyon. "You'd better stay here and keep an eye on her. For some reason she appears to listen to you and no one else. I'd like to find out why that is, but right now I have work to do."

  He shook his head, muttering as he closed the door behind him.

  Lyon frowned. "Was he right? Do you listen only to me?"

  "Maybe. But don't let it go to your head. I'm not into any passivity and submission stuff. My inner goddess gets pounded hard if she tries to tell me to do that." Maddie wrinkled her nose and made a snort of disgust.

  "I am not certain that I understand what you mean by inner goddess.” Lyon smiled faintly. “And I cannot imagine anyone giving you orders easily."

  "Oh they try. It just doesn't work out very well."

  "Because you are determined. And independent."

  "I've been called other things," Maddie muttered. "Most of them weren't very nice."

  "Names do not matter. Your nature is strong and that will always make you enemies. But it is beyond time you had your rest. Once your friend hears back about those symbols, we will all be very busy. Unless—”

  Lyon glanced behind him, out the window beyond the trees. Shadows gathered along the sloping lawn, darkening the edges of the moat. The air felt thick and heavy. It would be a moonless night, he sensed.

  Moonless and more.

  "Unless what?" Maddie looked back through the window. "Talk to me, Lyon. If there is something wrong…"

  He chose his words carefully. "I feel something stir. I can tell you no more than that. But Aeryx will let nothing and no one pass him on this restless night."

  "You think someone may try to break in?" She took a deep breath. "Just like in my dream. Those things—” She looked away, her hands locked at her waist. And then she gave a shaky laugh. "Maybe what I had wasn't a dream. Maybe it was a warning. If so, I'll be ready. They won't take you from me."

  At the door she turned slowly. Her eyes were dark with determination when she looked at Lyon. "I will go to rest. But on one condition."

  Lyon hid a smile. She was the least submissive person he knew. And he liked that trait of hers most expressly. "What would that be, heartling?" he murmured.

  "One thing and one thing only. That I don't go to bed...alone tonight."

  Lyon didn't move.

  He might have grown up out of the floor itself. "Don't ask it, Maddy."

  She smiled with iron will. "But I do not ask. I command. You told me this was in my power. So I'm claiming that power—and claiming you. No, actually that’s wrong. I'm claiming us."

  For the space of a moment hope flamed in his eyes. Then it was carefully banked. "It's been a long day Maddie. I think it would be wiser if –"

  "I've never been wise, Lyon. And I'm not starting now." She rose, her hands sliding around his chest. Maddie felt the stir of instinct far older than reason as her body began to come alive. When she looked down, her silver circles flared out in shining wings. Then they settled gracefully, one on each of Lyon's shoulders.

  As if they'd always been there and were meant to be there.

  When he would have stepped away, Maddie followed. Her fingers tightened on his back. "You're not getting away tonight, Crusader. I'm not letting either of us get away. This is my choice." Her mouth curved. "I can finally read your patterns. Didn't you hear Izzy? I'm very good at that."

  His eyes darkened. "You have no idea about me or my past. I have years of blood on my hands, Maddie. Death and sacrifice have cost me more loss than you can imagine."

  “No.” She cut him off with one palm pressed gently to his mouth. "I don't care. Don't t
alk to me about the past, Lyon. Talk to me about the future. When you touch me, I can almost see it.”

  Lyon felt desire stab through his body. Her words burned into his skin. "Maddie, I must be sure that you understand –"

  "I understand all that I should. Everything that I used to know is gone. There is only you, and only this. You said this thing between us must be faced. We both must make a choice – or we both must go mad. Those were your words."

  "So they were."

  Her head tilted back. "Then—bind me. Join us in whatever way you will."

  "It will take great strength – great courage—and a passage through death itself. Are you ready for that, my heart?"

  Lyon had to be certain, beyond all question, that this was by her choice and with her understanding. "You must come to me naked, in body and spirit both. Do you understand that? I must do the same."

  Judging by the color that stained her cheeks, she understood well.

  "So this is a really big deal?"

  When he nodded, Maddie slid her fingers through his and locked their hands tightly in answer. “I understand.” She gave him a crooked smile. "Now when are you going to take me to bed?”

  Into bed.

  Such simple words. But in this case they came nowhere close to capturing the reality and the force of primal union. When they bonded, their molecules would change spin and drop out of existence for a moment in time. When they came back to movement, their motion would be reversed. Both would be stamped in that moment of change, entwined for all of time. It was simple physics in all its grandeur, yet there was nothing simple about it. The laws at work were ancient, and some of Lyon’s order whispered that the power had begun in the Holy Lands centuries before.

  Lyon had never questioned when or how. For him, it was enough that the power existed.

  "Do it now, Lyon." Maddie ran a trembling hand across her forehead. "Something is telling me that we don't have much more time."

  Lyon took a harsh breath and pulled her closer, every muscle taut, rich with power, heavy with need. "So it is given. By both your wish and mine." Her fingers tightened—and in that moment his trembled too.