Threads of Destiny

Chapter Twelve

Scrubbed clean from head to toe, Kathryn felt better than she had in months, though her muscles ached and she had twinges in some strange parts of her body. All the unusual activity, she surmised as she walked down the stairs.

Thankfully, some kind soul had left her a clean pair of pants and a tunic, as well as a pair of short leather boots, so she hadn’t had to put on yesterday’s soiled clothing. She wasn’t wearing any underwear though. Both her bra and panties had been in need of washing, so she’d cleaned them as best as she could in her bath water and left them hanging to dry. It felt odd to be bare beneath her clothing.

She’d been sorely tempted to stay in her room but this was her last day here. If she didn’t look around the castle today she’d lose her chance and she so wanted to see everything. She was nothing if not curious.

Her booted feet made hardly any sound as she went down the stone stairs. She rubbed her hand along the wall, marveling at the building techniques. The castle was very well made. When she reached the bottom, she steeled herself before poking her head around the corner. The large room was almost empty. Many of the tables from the day before were gone and only a few remained.

Mara was busy at the head table but raised her gaze and glanced toward the doorway. “Come in, child. You must be hungry.”

Kathryn went forward, purpose in every step she took. “I could manage a bite.” In truth, she was famished for the first time in recent memory.

Laughing, Mara shooed her into a chair. “I’ll get you something.”

“You don’t have to wait on me.” She felt uncomfortable letting the older woman do for her when she was quite capable of getting her own breakfast.

“Of course I don’t have to.” Mara patted her shoulder. “But you’ve been through a few stressful days. Let someone else take care of you for a change.” Mara disappeared down a short hallway before she could protest. Relaxing in her chair, she looked around the room. A huge fireplace dominated the center of one wall.

It was so big that several people could stand upright inside. The walls were all made of thick stone but the room was fairly well lit from windows near the top of the ten-foot walls. Most of the windows were made of plain glass but there were several with colored glass. The sunlight shot through the stained glass windows, creating cheerful patterns on the walls.

Above the fireplace several large swords were crossed and mounted, the jewels in their handles glinting. The wall opposite the fireplace was filled with a variety of very large tapestries, some of them at least four feet tall and even wider. The scenes on them varied from battles to daily life. All in all, it had a homey feel for a room so large.

Mara bustled back into the great hall carrying a tray with a steaming hot bowl of something that resembled oatmeal, some brown bread, thick slices of white cheese, a small bowl of berries and an apple. “I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I brought a bit of everything.”

“You certainly did.” Kathryn inhaled as the food was placed in front of her. The mouthwatering smells of fresh bread and honey made her stomach growl. Wasting no time, she dug into the bowl of hot cereal. It tasted nutty and was flavored with honey and, if she wasn’t mistaken, cinnamon. “Delicious,” she told Mara between mouthfuls.

“Good.” Mara settled in the seat beside Kathryn.

“Where is everyone?” She barely stifled a groan of pleasure as she added a handful of the tart red berries to the bowl and helped herself to another mouthful. She couldn’t remember when food had ever tasted so good.

“Jarek is out at the stables and Christina is still upstairs with the children.” Kathryn rested her spoon in the empty bowl and exhaled. She was pleasantly full but she still had room for a piece of the fresh brown bread. Maybe with a slice of the cheese. Helping herself, she bit into it and the flavor exploded in her mouth. She chewed and swallowed and then had another bite.

“Everyone else packed up and went home,” Mara continued. “After what happened yesterday, no one wanted to tempt the ire of the sorceress.” She paused, tapping her fingers on the arm of the chair. “Or you.” That surprised Kathryn. In spite of what had occurred, she hadn’t thought that the warriors would step back from the challenge. She guessed that she’d underestimated the power of the tapestry. Of course, she still couldn’t quite believe that she’d seen what she’d seen either. It had been an incredibly powerful moment.

She studied the woman sitting patiently beside her. She wore an ankle-length dress made of a sturdy fabric that had been dyed a flattering green. The bodice was embroidered with threads of different colors, their pattern a profusion of flowers. A belt that matched cinched the waist. Mara’s long gray-black hair was coiled on top of her head and her blue eyes twinkled with a combination of warmth and humor. But there was both wisdom and compassion in those eyes. Kathryn looked away, suddenly uncomfortable beneath Mara’s knowing gaze.

“I know this has been difficult for you,” Mara began.

“Yes, it has been.” Merely thinking about everything that had happened in the past few days was enough to make her breakfast churn in her belly. She took a deep breath and turned her thoughts away from it. She wanted to concentrate on the here and now, not on the past or the future.

“But the tapestry has brought you here for a reason. You are one of the few women who could thrive here. One who could make a difference.”

“What do you mean?” Kathryn was curious to get the other woman’s perspective.

“She means that with your skills and training you could benefit people from all around and not just those in this castle.” Christina had come up beside them while they’d been talking. She was dressed similarly to Mara, in a dress dyed a deep, earthy-brown, her long blonde hair captured in a thick braid that hung to her behind. “And that’s not to mention the fact that you’re a descendant of the sorceress who crafted the magical tapestry and you have the knowledge to bring it forth.”

“Yeah, well, that was pure luck.” She felt the need to tell these women the truth.

“When I did what I did yesterday, I had no idea if it would work. I mean, the chant is only words, right? There really isn’t any such thing as magic.” Except yesterday there was. The more she thought about it, the more confused Kathryn was by everything.

“Sometimes you simply have to accept the fact that you can’t explain everything.” Christina leaned against the table, crossing her arms over her chest. “Some things are just meant to be.”

“I’m a woman of science, not magic. I believe in what I can test and see.” And the fact that she couldn’t figure it all out was frustrating her.

“Then how do you explain Marc traveling to your side to save your life and the tapestry bringing you all here?” Christina’s voice was sharp, her irritation clear.

“I don’t know.” Exasperation rang in her answer.

“Don’t fret.” Mara patted her arm. “Know that you are here for a reason. It is up to you to find it and decide if it is worth staying. In the meantime, why don’t I show you my herb garden?” Pushing back from the table, she stood.

Kathryn took a deep, calming breath and allowed her attention to be diverted. “I’d love to see your garden. I have some questions about several of the plants that were in the salve you gave me to put on Tienan’s wound.”

“I thought you might.” Mara started for the door. “Christina?”

“I’m coming.” Christina pushed away from the table and followed them but she stopped when she came alongside Kathryn. “Please don’t break his heart. Marc’s already been through so much.”

Jealousy, anger and pain all shot through Kathryn at the possessive tone in Christina’s voice. Marc had slept with this woman. Granted, Christina was Jarek’s wife and she and Marc hadn’t slept together in a while but still it made Kathryn’s gut burn.

Marc was hers.

She shook her head to try to get that thought out of her brain. She had to go home.

There was no place for her here. A sharp pain bit into her stomach and she rubbed it absently.

“I’m sorry.” Christina’s voice was softer, her tone apologetic instead of accusatory.

“I didn’t mean to make your stomach act up.”

“It’s not your fault. It’s been like this for a while now.” For some reason, she didn’t want Christina feeling bad. In spite of it all, she liked the other woman, who was kind by nature.

Mara spoke up. “Come along. We can stop in the kitchen. I can make you a tea that will help settle your stomach.

Trotting behind, she followed Mara down to the kitchen where she quickly steeped some herbs in hot water, creating a tea. Wooden mug in hand, Kathryn sipped the tasty brew as Mara and Christina took her on a tour of the castle and its grounds, introducing her to everyone who crossed their path.

Marc hurried down the stairs, strapping on his sword belt as he went. He knew that Kathryn had eaten and was long gone as he made his way down to the great hall. His conversation with Tienan and Logan had taken longer than he’d anticipated. They’d had many questions they’d wanted answered and he’d found that he had many questions of his own, not only about their lives on Earth but Kathryn’s life as well.

Both men had refused to tell him more than the basics, informing him that it was up to Kathryn to tell him the rest if she so chose. What they had told him was enough for him to know that her entire life had been a living hell.

He rubbed his sternum as he hurried across the hallway toward the kitchen. He planned to have a bite to eat and then go for a long ride. One of the servants had informed him that Kathryn, Christina and Mara were touring the grounds. As much as he wanted to be with her, he was glad she was talking with the other women and exploring his home. Maybe that would influence her decision to stay. Or maybe it wouldn’t. Only time would tell and that was quickly slipping away.

His heart ached for the child she’d been—one whose father had pushed and berated her, always letting her know that she wasn’t good enough. Tienan and Logan had known her for years but they’d known about her long before they’d met her. Seems that her father had liked to talk about her in front of others. According to both men, that had made most of the staff at work dislike her before they’d even met her.

Tienan, in his quiet, thoughtful way, had said that he’d known she’d had a kind heart from the beginning. It was obvious in the way she interacted with people.

Kathryn had only become aloof after she’d been rebuffed and ignored by her coworkers. Once she’d started working with he and Logan, she’d soaked up the positive attention they’d given her.

“They were too stupid to appreciate what a treasure they had.” Logan’s angry words still rang in Marc’s ears.

Well, he wasn’t stupid by any means and he knew what a treasure Kathryn was.

They all did. And they all agreed on one thing.

Kathryn must be kept safe at any cost.

Striding through the kitchen, he grabbed an apple, a hunk of bread and some cheese, eating most of it as he continued on to the stables. His horse, Destiny, was waiting impatiently in his stall, stamping his hooves on the straw-covered ground. “I know you didn’t get a run yesterday.” He offered the apple to the enormous warhorse as he ran his hand down the animal’s side. “I’m going to miss you, boy.” Destiny stamped once again and shook his head but he sidled closer and took the apple from Marc’s palm.

“Going for a ride?”

Marc gave the horse a final pat before turning to face his brother. “I need to clear my head.”

“Is there anything I can do?” Jarek stood, hands on his hips, looking as strong and formidable as ever. But Marc could see the concern in his brother’s eyes.

“No. There is nothing. Kathryn will make her decision when the tapestry arrives.”

“You think she is going back to her own time.”

“Yes.” Marc grabbed a blanket and threw it over the horse’s back. “Especially after what transpired yesterday.”

“Those damn idiots,” Jarek began but he broke off and began pacing. “I sent the rest of them packing at daybreak.”

“I figured that most of them would go but I expected to be facing the Dannon brothers at least and perhaps the Hunters.”

“Abrah came to me and told me that he’d thought about what Kathryn had said and she was right. The tapestry brought the bride to wherever she was supposed to be.

Plus, the way she looked at you, it was obvious to all except maybe a few blind fools that she would have no other.”

Marc was surprised but pleased. “That is good. I didn’t want any more blood shed over this. Kathryn would never stay if that came to pass.”

“He also hinted that he wouldn’t be averse to the idea of Kathryn getting the tapestry to work its magic again.”

Marc laughed, shaking his head. That sounded like Abrah.

Jarek stopped pacing and turned on his heel to face Marc. “That is the conclusion that most of us drew. She is important and not just to us. She has skills. We all saw what she did for Tienan. The woman is a healer, plus she has untapped magical powers as well.”

“She’ll deny the magical powers.” From everything Tienan had told him, Kathryn was a woman who believed in what she could see and prove. He grabbed his saddle and tossed it onto Destiny’s back, tightening the strap around the horse’s belly.

“Denied or not, they exist. Many of the men, besides Abrah, are hoping that she can somehow make the tapestry appear again, bringing another potential bride, perhaps two.”

“She will not stay,” Marc blurted. He finished saddling the horse and faced his brother. “And I am going with her if the tapestry will take me.” All the color drained from Jarek’s face and he swayed. “No.” Reaching out, he grabbed Marc by the shoulders and shook him. “No. I forbid it.” Marc laughed but there was no humor in it. “You cannot forbid me.” He felt no anger at his brother, knew his reaction came from a place of love. “She is my life.

Without her I am dead.”

Jarek jerked him into a rough embrace. “How will I survive without you by my side?”

“You have Christina and the children.” Marc swallowed the thick lump in his throat. “I will have nothing if I let her go.”

Jarek released him and turned away. He tipped back his head, shutting his eyes tight. Marc watched as his brother composed himself. When he turned back, there was only the slightest sheen in his eyes but his face looked older and more haggard than it had only moments before. “So be it.” Striding to another stall, he began to saddle his own horse.

“Where are you going?” Marc gathered Destiny’s bridle and led him from his stall.

“With you.” He quickly readied his mount. “If you are determined to go, I would share this one last ride with you, my brother.” Marc nodded and swiped his face against his shoulder, unashamed of his tears.

“One final ride.” Swinging up on his horse’s back, he waited until Jarek had done the same. Side by side, they rode from the stables, through the courtyard and out the castle gates.