Page 24 of Dark Medicine

He raced around the building and saw Roman running on a path around the duck pond, his short legs faster than Spook would have guessed. He looked over his shoulder, judging the distance between him and Spook, and then took a hard turn down a trail in the woods.

Flip looked at George, his mouth wide open, his face broken out in sweat. The man was shaking uncontrollably now, most likely certain that his life was ending on this day.

“Who. Is. He?” asked Flip through tight lips.

“I-I don’t know. I told the other man, him,” he cried, pointing to Adam, “that I never met him. Roman knows him. All I know is that he’s an American with a lot of money.”

“An American?” questioned Kane. “How do you know that?”

“I heard him talking once without the voice thing.” Kane and Flip looked at one another, confused. “You know the thing that makes his voice different. He was telling Roman that he was enjoying the beaches of California, but he was sick. That’s why he wants the girl. He knows she can heal. He said, ‘all my millions, and I’m still dying.’ That’s exactly what he said. I swear!”

“How does he know that she can heal him?” asked Adam.

“I-I don’t know. I swear to God, I don’t know,” he cried. Spook walked around the corner of the pub and shook his head.

“He disappeared into the forest,” he said breathlessly.

“Ye’ll never find him,” said George. “The forest is his home. He knows the trails, but I know that he’ll follow the caravan, the one you were at…” he looked away ashamed.

“Why are you with him?” asked Adam.

“I have no one else. He gave me a home.” George looked twenty, but Adam guessed he was much younger. His face had no signs of facial hair, his muscles not fully developed yet, and his eyes showed a youthfulness that still had not diminished.

“Where are your parents?” asked Kane. The boy shrugged, and Kane let out a long slow breath, folding his arms across his chest impatiently.

“They kicked me out for fighting at school,” he said quietly.

“Go home,” said Kane. “Ask for forgiveness, and go home. Roman will lead you to your death.”

“I can’t,” he said, sniffling. “They told me I couldn’t come home. It wasn’t the first time I was caught fighting.”

“Shit!” said Kane, running his hands through his dark hair. He wasn’t about to let the boy return to the gypsy family. He would take him back to the inn and try to convince the old man and his wife to put him to work. They owed Kane for not tearing apart the house when Fiona’s room was broken into. This would be their penance. “You’re coming with us.”

The boy looked up at Kane, half filled with hope and fear. His eyes grew large and then suspicious, all in a matter of seconds.

“Don’t worry, we won’t hurt you,” said Flip in an exasperated tone.

It was too much to hope for that someone might actually take an interest in his well-being. He’d prayed that he could find a way to get out from under Roman but didn’t have the courage. Were these men actually willing to give him a chance?

“I might remember something else,” said the boy shyly. “The man, the American, he said he would find the ‘others’ too, but he needed the girl first. Maybe he was talking about all of you?”

Kane stared at Adam, then Flip and Spook. What the fuck was happening, and who in the hell was this man? The key was their gifts and how they’d received them. Kane thought of Aislinn and Fiona back at the inn with the Brennan sisters. His future wife was waiting for him. Priorities. He would marry the woman of his dreams, and then he would find the man responsible for this chaos.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Fiona patiently watched as Aislinn tried on her tenth wedding dress in the small village boutique. She was much shorter than Fiona was, her curves more prominent and feminine. Her long sable-brown hair lay in waves against her back, her almond-shaped chocolate-brown eyes so large and wide. She was a striking woman, thought Fiona. It was easy to see why Kane fell head over heels.

Growing up, Fiona wished for a sister. She adored her brother, but they never seemed to be in the same place for very long, and their age difference made it difficult to develop a friendship. Attending university in America, she discovered that her accent was a novelty and attracted friends, but only until the initial ‘newness’ wore off. The cliques would eventually take hold, and she was left on the outside of the group once more.

“What do you think?” asked Aislinn. She turned in an ivory, sweetheart neck dress. The lace sleeves stretched to a vee at the back of her hand, the fitted bodice showing her luscious curves. It was simple elegance, no frills, no bling, just soft, sweet elegance. Perfect for Aislinn.

“It’s stunning, Aislinn,” said Fiona, smiling. “Kane won’t know what hit him.”

Aislinn giggled a soft, lilting laugh.

“Oh, I think he knows all too well what hit him,” said Aislinn. “I think this is the one. It’s simple yet elegant and perfect for a garden wedding. I want a colorful crown of flowers for my hair.”

“I think it’s a lovely choice, dear,” said Angela, standing in the doorway. Caroline stepped in behind her, carrying a long, pale pink satin dress. The scooped neckline was subtle, the back scooping low but not too low. It was simple and clean, perfectly designed to give the bride her spotlight.

---