Chapter 7 #2
His words meant madness. Utter chaos. Everything that meant anything to her was right here in Jasper Mills.
How could she go to Scotland, to this mysterious Taroc Na Mor?
She hugged away from his touch. “I can’t think with you doing that.
I don’t know what to do. Why did you have to show up here and turn everything upside down?
I had my life all straightened out until you showed up. ”
“I came here to protect ye. If I hadna come, ye would have met the same fate as yer mother. Or perhaps something even worse.” He blew out a heavy sigh, dropped his hand, and took a step back.
She whirled and stared at him. “What do you mean or something even worse? What do you know about my mother?”
His pained expression spoke volumes. That and the way his gaze dropped reminded her of Sophie’s guilty look every time she escaped from her kennel.
She took another step forward. “Tell me something. If your Guild of Barac’Nairn has been around for so long taking care of the Sullivans of Taroc Na Mor, then where were they for my grandmother and my mother?
Why is this the first time your Guild of Barac’Nairn has appeared in my life?
Where were they when my mother needed them?
Where were they when I had no one to raise me but my grandmother? ”
“We failed them.” His deep voice cracked with remorse as he bowed his head. “I can make no excuses. We lost track of the Sullivan lineage, and through our carelessness, allowed them both to die.”
“And now you expect me to uproot my life and go traipsing off to Scotland like a good little girl with no argument?” The sting of the Guild’s failure soured in her stomach.
Bile burned the back of her throat. “You stand there and tell me your Guild screwed up, and yet now expect me to trust you with my own life?”
“Aye,” he replied with a weary sigh. “Because if ye do not, ye will die, as well.”
“You don’t know that. And how many times do I have to tell you that my life is here?” She stabbed the air with her finger. “Why can’t you understand that?”
“I understand more than ye realize.” He took a step forward, his hands trembling as though he wished he could shake her.
“Ye’ve nay bothered to live a day since yer husband died.
All ye do is tend yer animals and weep o’er his grave.
If ye dinna come with me to Taroc Na Mor, the town will soon bury ye beside him.
Is that what ye want? Is that what ye wait for, Hannah?
” His eyes flashed with fire as he moved closer.
“It is time to live. Jake has moved on. Now that I have come, ye can move on, too.”
“Jake has not moved on. Jake is just dead. I know. I watched them put him in the ground. Don’t you ever speak of him again! You have no right.” She choked back the tears closing off her throat. The old blade twisted in her chest; the festering wound cracked open and burned worse than before.
Taggart grabbed her wrist. “Enough of this foolish bantering. It is time ye spoke to yer husband’s spirit and settled this once and for all.”
“Ye must do exactly as I say and not argue.” Taggart glared at her with an arched brow, waiting for an agreeable response.
“I can follow instructions,” she said. He didn’t have to speak to her like she was a child. “Let’s get this over with so you can scoot back to Scotland and I can get on with my life. How about that?”
Taggart gave her a subtle smirk then rested both hands on top of Jake’s tombstone, palms turned up. “Let us see how well yer first lesson in necromancy goes.”
Hannah slid her hands into his grasp. They disappeared as he closed his massive grip.
The intense heat of his calloused touch disturbed her, and she didn’t want to know why.
She stole a glance at his face and immediately wished she hadn’t.
A sudden surge of emotional energy made her catch her breath.
His thumbs stroked the backs of her hands, sending a surge of exciting heat through her.
What a mesmerizing touch. She tried to shake the sensation away.
Had to be nerves about what they were about to do.
“Close yer eyes, lass, and dinna speak until I tell ye it is safe to do so.” His voice echoed rich and mellow through the silence of the woods.
She closed her eyes, and allowed the deep, vibrating purr of his Scottish accent ripple across her senses. An involuntary shiver raced up her spine as the rumbling tone caressed her.
“When I speak the words and the veil lifts, Jake’s spirit will cross the void and join us.”
She bit her lip, aching to ask questions, but he had told her not to speak. She waited, eyes squeezed shut, her heartbeat pounding in her ears.
“Taruamis aranu visri!”
Golden light flooded her mind, shimmering like brilliant, sparkling dust. The iridescent beam traveled with a distinct purpose through her thoughts. The mysterious energy vibrated with laughter and warmth. Jake’s essence flooded her mind.
“Do not speak aloud to him, Hannah. Ye must communicate by thought only. Not yer voice.” Taggart’s lips brushed against her cheek as he whispered the instructions.
The warm energy swirled and twisted.
“Jake? Is it really you? Can you talk to me?”
“It’s me, baby. Thanks to your new friend here, you’re finally able to hear me instead of me just listening to you rant and rave at my gravesite. By the way, now that you can hear me, thanks for the headstone. I really like it. All the way from a castle in Scotland? Nice job, hon.”
“You’ve heard me all these years when I berated you about leaving me alone?” A guilty sheepishness washed across her. She had cursed him so many times, she’d grown tired of hearing it herself.
“Trust me, Hannah. Every word echoed repeatedly and clearly across the realities. Now it’s time you listened to me and gave us both some well-earned peace. After all, this is an eternity.”
She stiffened. Taggart squeezed her hands and held tight when she tried to pull them away.
“I don’t like the sound of that.”
“It’s time, Hannah, and you know it. It’s time you moved on to something and someone else. I guess you could say I’ve moved on to my next assignment, and now it’s time for you to finish yours.”
“I can’t finish my assignment without you. You promised me children. Remember? We were supposed to grow old together. What about that assignment, Jake?” The tears burned out from under her closed eyelids, etching a wet trail down her cheeks. She started shaking.
“We were wrong about that assignment, baby. You know how much I loved you. We had our good times, but our paths decided to separate. I have seen the future. You have a bigger destiny, and it’s time you moved on.
“I hate you, Jake. You never really needed me.”
“No, you don’t hate me. Your feelings are just hurt. Now stop being pouty and get on with it. Move on to the next chapter in your adventure. You know there’s nothing like the rush of a new challenge. Even love can’t measure up to that. You knew for me, it never could. Admit it, Hannah.”
“Go back to the hell from which you came. That’s where you belong!” She tore her hands free.
Taggart caught hold of her and cradled her to his chest. “Hush now, lass. ’Twill be all right. He has gone back to his place. His spirit will trouble ye no more.” He stroked her hair and held her closer. “Shh, dear one. Dry yer tears, aye? ’Twill be all right. I promise.”
She tucked her face into the curve of his neck and rubbed her closed eyes against his warm throat. “I don’t think he ever loved me as much as I loved him. I can’t believe I wasted all those years.” She hiccupped and choked on a sob. “Now I know for sure he never needed me like I needed him.”
For the first time in too many years, she allowed herself to sink into the comfort of another’s touch.
She drew in a shaking breath, his scent fought away her misery.
Some sort of spice. She pressed closer, breathing in again—oil of clove?
Or maybe not. But it was pleasant. And soothing.
Then it changed. She picked up the barest hint of a fresh sea breeze.
She fought the comforting nearness, forcing her eyes open and pushing away.
Men meant nothing but pain. Look what the last one had done.
He caught her up into his arms like a babe, stroking her hair as his heavy sigh rumbled between them.
“Some never love as deeply as we love them, either because they canna do so or because they simply refuse. Come with me to Scotland, Hannah. I promise to protect ye and help ye forget. Scotland will heal yer wounds. Taroc Na Mor will make all the difference. I promise. It will make yer life better.”
She sniffed and risked a glance up at him.
Maybe she could at least visit the land and then return to her mountain.
At least he couldn’t say she hadn’t given it a chance.
“I will come to Scotland. For a little while anyway.” She twisted and peered down at the ground, then patted his chest. “And you can put me down now.”