Page 40 of Sigils & Spells

With no other option than to comply, I take a tentative sip. It’s surprisingly pleasant. I was expecting a grassy taste with all the herbs in it, but the drink is comforting. It’s sweetened with honey and there’s also a floral note I can’t identify. I sip a little more before I start to feel strange.

Unsteady on my feet, I reach out for something to grab onto. Rowan rushes forward and puts an arm under my shoulder to hold me up as the glass drops from my hand. It doesn’t break, just thuds onto the thick carpet, but what remains of the drink splashes everywhere.

“You will feel better in a moment.” Rowan’s voice is odd, tinny. She turns to the others. “Go and prepare yourselves. I will get Cait ready for the ceremony.”

“Ceremony? What ceremony?” My words are slurred.

Rowan doesn’t answer me, just leads me into the bathroom. She eases me down to sit on the floor and turns on the taps to run a bath. There’s a bottle on the edge of the tub. She unscrews the lid. The scent of rose fills the air as she pours a generous measure of the fragrant oil into the running water. Hmm, that’s nice.

As the bath fills, she helps me to my feet and starts to unbutton my shirt. I bat my hand away. Though I feel strangely detached from the world around me, I’m not incapable.

“I’ll do it myself.”

Rowan inclines her head.

“As you wish,mo bhanrigh.”

My fingers are shaky, but I manage to get off my blouse and bra. Then I go to work on the buttons of my jeans. I have a bit of a struggle to get them off, but eventually manage to undress completely. Rowan helps me to step into the bath. I don’t know if it’s because of the drink she gave me, or if the warm water is the cause, but I feel so relaxed. I’m not even slightly uncomfortably when she starts to wash me with a soft cloth.

“You’re going to look so beautiful,mo bhanrigh.”

“What does that mean?” She’s called me that several times now.

“My queen.”

“Hmm.” I’m so relaxed, I really can’t think about why she’s calling me that.

Leaning my head back against the back of the tub, I close my eyes.

A man steps out of the shadows, but I don’t see his face. He moves toward me and my body thrums with nervous anticipation. His hand dips into the water and he gently strokes my thigh.

“I missed you, Cait,” he says. “Have you missed me?’

I don’t reply. My body is so relaxed, I can’t even summon words. I just lie there as he runs his hand up and down my leg. I let my thighs drop open, inviting him to touch me there, but he doesn’t.

“I need you to understand something, Cait,” he says. “You are mine and it’s time to come home.”

Time to come home? His words make me stiffen. A frown creases my brow. What does he mean? Where is home? He wraps his fingers around my arm and leans in close to whisper in my ear.

“Do as I ask, my love, and all will be well. Refuse me and people will suffer. Cormac will suffer.”

On hearing the familiar name, my eyes spring open. Cormac? Who is he? I know the name, but I can’t place it. I sit up and allow Rowan to wash my hair as I try to untangle the thoughts flooding into my mind. I’m starting to remember things. At least, I think that’s what’s happening. I get a sense that the man in my dreams is real.

“Are you well,mo bhanrigh?” Rowan asks. “You’ve gone white as a sheet.”

“I’m fine.”

Rowan helps me out of the tub. I stand there as she dries me with a fluffy white towel and rubs a delicately scented oil over my skin. Then she leads me out to the bedroom and sits me down at the dressing table. As I look in the mirror, but it’s like I’m not really here. It feels like I’m in a dream, only this time I know with absolute certainty I’m not.

The words of warning replay in my head as Rowan brushes my hair with a pretty silver comb. If I don’t co-operate, people will suffer. I can’t allow that to happen. Rowan blow dries my hair carefully and leaves it to tumble in soft waves over my shoulders. She goes to the wardrobe and retrieves one of the long white dresses from it. The diaphanous gown she dresses me in is beautiful, but despite it covering me from neck to ankle, I’m as exposed as I would be if I wore nothing at all. Rowan fetches me a pair of soft, silver slippers from the wardrobe and I step into them.

There’s a knock at the door and Val comes in, carrying a crown of roses.

“You look so beautiful,” she exclaims as she comes and places the circlet of flowers on my head.

“Thank you,” I murmur.

Taking an arm each, the two women lead me downstairs. The other students are all gathered there. Dressed in black robes, they look somber. Rachel’s eyes are red and puffy, as if she’s been crying, but she’s there alongside the others all the same.

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