Chapter Thirty-Four
Dyna
The storm came on them in a flash, lightning bolts renting the air while thunderclaps blasted quicker and louder. The rain was mild at first but soon came in pounding sheets that rattled everything.
“Diamond!” Derric shouted over the balcony railing into the hall. “I need to put the chest in front of the window to hold the fur against it. The rain is coming straight in. Help me.”
“Da, watch the bairns.” She raced upstairs, taking two at a time.
How she hated a wet floor on the stone of their chamber.
“I’m coming, Derric.” She opened the door and her eyes widened, listening to the howl of the wind as it came across the sound.
“I knew this view would prove to be bad.” She’d begged for the chamber facing the sea because she loved the sound of lapping waves. “Bloody hell, this is a mess!”
“I need to get another fur on it as protection after we move the chest.”
She hurried to the other side of the solid trunk and helped her husband move it over in front of their one window.
It took them a bit to maneuver it with the furs, but they managed.
Once it was in place, she breathed a sigh of relief, grabbing one of Derric’s tunics to wipe up the rain on the floor.
Once she sopped everything up, she let out a low whine, grabbing her head.
“What is it, Diamond? Who is it?” He lifted her up into his arms, cuddling her close.
“Derric, check the bairns. I have a powerful headache. Something is happening.”
Derric set her down and helped her out of their chamber and over to the balcony so they could both look into the hall to see that all was well.
Maitland left the chamber, then returned quickly. “Mama’s got a sudden headache.” He glanced up at the balcony. “Dyna? What’s wrong?”
“Headache.” She cradled her head with both hands as she let out a low moan.
Derric picked her up in his arms and headed down the stairs.
“The bairns, Derric. Where are they? I can’t see right now.” Her voice came out in a strained tone they rarely heard from her, but the pain was so outrageous that it hurt to speak.
“All three are in front of the hearth, though I’m moving them back. The flames are dancing from the wind.” Her father had already gotten out of his chair and approached the bairns. “Move back. Sylvi and Tora, if you move back, Sandor will move back.”
But Sandor got up and ran in circles around the great hall, giggling and slapping at something.
Her father whispered, “Nay, not again.” He glanced up at his daughter to see if she’d noticed Sandor’s behavior.
Sloan pushed himself to standing. “What the hell does all this mean?” He spun in a circle, staring at Dyna and Sandor and Connor.
Lennox said, “The two seers have headaches, and Sandor is chasing ghosts again.”
“Bloody hell!” Dyna roared. “My head!”
Drew entered with Avelina in his arms. “Dyna? You too? Her headache is horrible.”
Her father stood in the middle, looking from one place to the next, uncertain what it all meant. “Dyna?”
“Just make sure the bairns are away from the fire. I don’t know what is happening.”
Drew set Avelina into a chair near the hearth. “It started so fast that I didn’t know what to do.”
Avelina moaned as she held her head. “Water. I need water.”
Tora ran over and tugged on her grandsire’s plaid. “Up, Grandda. Up!”
Dyna whispered, “Nay …” Now it was Tora too. She knew what was coming, sadly.
Her father lifted Tora into his arms and gave the sweet lass all his attention. “What is it, Tora? Tell me everything.”
Her hand cupped his cheek and said, “The boat bwoke.”
She pushed to get down, but Connor held firm. “Whose boat, Tora? You have to tell me who is in the boat.”
“Sona.” Then she shoved away and hopped down.
Her father then went after the youngest of the bairns. “Who is chasing you, Sandor?”
“Unca Shakie chaseen me aden. ’Top it, Unca Shakee.” Then he paused, grabbing his belly and giggling. “He tickle me.”
“Uncle Jake, what is it?” Dyna bellowed. “Help me, please!”
Sandor stopped and stared up at the rafters. “Unca Shakee say bad men chaseen Sona.”
“Where are they, Jake?”
“In da boat. Behine her.” Sandor took off running, then stopped quickly and began to play on the floor again, Sylvi and Tora joining them.
Then Sloan paced, cursing. “It’s this storm. Their boat crashed. But where? And is someone with Sheona or is she alone? Or does Clyde already have her?” He stopped and stared up at the rafters. “What the hell do I do?”
Dyna said, “The parapets, Derric. I need to go up.”
Derric replied, “Hell nay, Diamond. It’s storming out there. You’ll be hit by lightning.”
“I have to go up there too,” Avelina said. “Or this headache will never stop. Maitland, help me. Drew can’t get me up those stairs.”
Maitland handed Grant over to Maeve and helped his mother to the stairs, picking her up when she stumbled. Dyna climbed behind him, Derric supporting her.
Sloan shouted, “I’m coming with you!”
Lennox was next. “Aye!”
Dyna waved them up. When they finally landed on the parapets, forcing the heavy door open, Avelina and Dyna each sat on stools, settling next to each other with everyone’s help, linking their hands.
Derric covered Dyna with a mantle, doing his best to keep the pelting rain from her face. “Damn storm.”
Avelina kept her back to the downpour, Drew behind her.
“What do you see, Dyna?” Avelina whispered.
“The boat. Two people in it. I see the abbey behind it.”
Sloan said, “It’s Sheona. It has to be. What else? Is it raining?”
Avelina let go of Dyna’s hand to massage her forehead. “The rain is pelting Sheona. The waves are beating against the boat. I see a tree falling into the water, sending large, battering waves their way.”
“Who?” Sloan bellowed. “You say ‘their way?’ Who is with her? Taskill? Clyde? My father?”
Dyna screamed, holding her head, tears now pouring down her cheeks. “Nay, nay!”
Sloan moved toward her, but Connor held him back. “Leave her be. Let her do this.”
Sloan closed his eyes and stepped aside, waiting, Lennox behind him, clasping his shoulder.
Avelina wailed, “Nay! Look out! The wave is coming! The giant wave will …”
Dyna cried, “The boat! It’s Taskill, Sloan. Taskill and Sheona. But …”
“But what?” Lennox and Sloan bellowed in unison.
Dyna dropped her hands and stood, Avelina doing the same, the two turning toward them. Dyna shouted over the storm. “The waves hit the boat, and the boards exploded. Sheona and Taskill are in the sea.”
“Shite!” Sloan bellowed. “Come on, Lennox. We have to find them.”
Maitland said, “You’ll never find them in this storm, Sloan. You could lose your own life on the way. They could be close to shore. They’re both strong swimmers, are they not?”
Lennox said, “Aye, and Taskill won’t leave without her, Sloan. Maitland is right. In good weather, we’re over an hour away. They have to save themselves. As soon as the storm ebbs, we’ll head to MacClane Castle.”
Connor said, “Do you see anyone else, Dyna? Anyone on shore? Any boat nearby?”
Dyna shook her head, but Avelina nodded. “I do.”
“Who?” Sloan asked. “Who?”
Avelina smiled and whispered, “Lia. She’s on the shore watching.”
Lennox clasped Sloan’s shoulder and said, “That’s a good thing, I believe.”
Dyna prayed they were right. Her headache had disappeared.