Across Time Part 16

well, there was a bond between them that was stronger than even Cate's bond with Liam.

The other thing that surprised Cate was how much she liked Jessie.

There was a courage within her that reminded Cate of herself before she met Maeve and turned away from the sword. Jessie would be the warrior Cate was not. Cate had given up her swords and daggers for verses and craft work, knowledge and mystery. She had turned her back on warrioring and hadn't regretted it for a moment. Still, there was something wonderful about the warrior seed Jessie carried within her.

She was a fighter. She didn't know she was a fighter, but buried deep down inside, from pasts Jessie knew nothing about, were warriors from days long gone.

Cate wondered as she traversed the deeper areas of her soul, How many other lives has my soul lived where the warrior seed sprouted to save others? Unable to save her family or protect Liam, Cate vowed to herself that, if they lived through the invasion, she would continue her quest into the future as well as the past to keep her people alive. She owed it to herself, and to those who had helped her bring her gift to life. She even owed it to Jessie and the warrior within her.

"So, you do like her."

Cate opened her eyes to find Maeve staring down at her. As she had done dozens of times before, Maeve had been able to tell what she was thinking. Grinning, Cate nodded. "I do."

"I can tell because you visit there more than you have in the past."

Maeve tapped Cate's temple with her finger.

108 *109.

Cate eyed her with mock caution. "You are worried. You never attempt to do that unless you are worried. What frightens you so?"

Maeve waved the question off with the flick of her wrist. "What else do you like about her?"

"She has courage, Maeve, and pa.s.sion. I admire the strength of her energy. She is not afraid of much. I believe she can be of great service."

"I admire your courage, my friend. Do you see the spirit you both share is filled with courage and pa.s.sion? No matter where you go or what you've been, your soul carries with it that which you admire in Jessie." Maeve threaded her arm through Cate's and pulled her closer.

"Walk with me."

"Where are we going?"

"You shall see." As Maeve walked, she pulled Cate closer. "William has come to town bearing news that the Roman army is on the move.

Suetonius Paulinus is gathering his forces together for a surge."

"But Suetonius is governor, Maeve."

"He is also a general, first and foremost. Remember, in the Roman world, a man gets his political power by the number of enemies he destroys in battle. I am afraid William is correct. Suetonius Paulinus is planning an attack."

"The attack?"

"We believe so, yes."

Cate nodded. This was not a surprise to her, but she was a bit taken aback by how quickly the Romans were gearing up. Had they a seer as well? Did they know that the Druids were searching for a means to escape the onslaught?

"You believe in Jessie." It wasn't a question.

"I do. I believe she can do this. She may not be as receptive as Lachlan would wish, but I believe she and I can do this together."

Maeve grinned. "It is odd to hear you referring to yourself in the future and saying she."

Cate shrugged. "You should feel how strange it is to feel her inside me. She knows, Maeve. She knows something is happening and she wants to help, but there's that thing hovering in her world that prevents *

108 *109.

her from truly letting herself out of it. It is time to break through and explain to her what we need. I am a Druid. Jessie is not. She does not have the skills I possess. She needs my help."

Maeve sighed, but said nothing.

"How are Angus and Quinn faring?"

"Quinn has established contact and rapport of some sort, but does not know of the time in which she resides."

"She?"

Maeve nodded. "Indeed. Quinn was not prepared to be in the world of a woman. It has made it more difficult for him to concentrate on the task at hand."

"I can well imagine. I suppose this might have been harder if Jessie were a young man. Quinn was aware that the soul has no gender. His surprise is-well-surprising."

"Indeed."

"I should like to speak with him soon."

"Lachlan would prefer it if you did not for now. He believes you stand the greater chance of reaching Jessie than Quinn does his female self, and Lachlan does not want Quinn to interfere in anything you might be thinking or feeling about the future."

"It is a strange future, Maeve."

"It is a strange present, Catie. William spoke to Lachlan and I in private and told us that Boudicca, Queen of the Iceni is raising her own troops in Britannia to rebel against the Roman forces."

Cate stopped walking. This was big news; news she had not foreseen. "She plans to attack?"

Maeve shrugged. "William was unclear, but he said it appeared so.

She has sent word to the highlanders and others that anyone wis.h.i.+ng to be free is invited to join her." Maeve pulled Cate forward as they stepped closer to the lake. "I have heard great and wondrous things about Queen Boudicca. They say she can best any man and is fiery proud of her heritage. If she does decide to attack first, it will not be without preparation."

"She risks much attacking first, Maeve. If she does not defeat Suetonius Paulinus, he will destroy her."

110 *111.

Maeve swallowed hard and looked away. "They already killed her husband and raped her daughters, Cate. She is beyond that point by now. She lives for vengeance and vengeance alone."

That news chilled Cate to the bone, bringing painful echoes of the deaths of her own family at the hands of the murderous Romans.

Maeve wrapped her enormous green cloak around the two of them and leaned closer.

"Maeve, even if she wins, the Romans will only send more troops.

What those men want, they have nearly always gotten."

"By blood if not greed, I know. But one does not pluck the reed from the water just because the ripple is coming."

"Maeve, the reed stands not a chance. Time is drawing near. I must break through to her somehow."

Nodding, Maeve walked them to the largest oak tree on the sh.o.r.es of the lake and stood for a long time, basking in their ancient wisdom.

"Lachlan and I believe a quest to the Otherworld will enable you to break down the last of Jessie's barriers."

The Otherworld was a place of mystery and wisdom, where one went for guidance and aid. If Lachlan was sending her there, that meant he was afraid the Roman Army would attack before she could find the answers they needed. Time was of the essence now more than ever. She did not know if she was ready for the Otherworld, but she was willing to do anything Maeve and Lachlan asked her to do. There was too much counting on her not to.

Cate slowly turned, surprised. "Will you and Lachlan a.s.sist me?"

"Of course we'll help you, silly thing. But we must do so immediately. Herbert says the arming of Suetonius Paulinus' men has been very discreet and he is more prepared than he would lead people to believe." Maeve motioned for Cate to sit with her beneath the oak.

"Lachlan is coming shortly." Taking Cate's hands in hers, Maeve asked, "Catie, you must be completely honest with me. Are you scared?"

"Of what?"

"Of all we do not yet know . . . of a world so very far away from the one in which we live . . . of a person who is you, but not you. It is all right, my love, to tell me the truth. Fear is the thing that, if kept *

110 *111.

hidden, prevents us from seeing clearly, and I need you to see very clearly. I need you."

Cate brought Maeve's hands to her lips and kissed each one. "I am not afraid, Maeve. I know what must be done and I am willing to do it."

Maeve smiled softly. "That is good. You will need all of your courage, and certainly all of your wisdom to do this. You have never taught anyone, Catie, and it is not as easy as it may seem. You will have your hands full with her."

"Maeve, I would take a Roman sword through my heart if I thought it would save you from harm. Teaching Jessie sounds much less painful."

Maeve c.o.c.ked her head and looked at Cate sideways. "I do know that.

I do know how much I mean to you, Catie. I have always known."

Cate nodded, two tears dangling precariously for a second before jumping off her lashes. "I can go into the strange future if I know you are waiting for me here."

"Waiting for you? If I could reach through that portal myself and drag you back, I would. You'd best not ever have any plans of leaving and never returning. I may not be the best priestess to go through, but I'll come after you if need be. I would search every hour of every day since the dawn of man to find you again. Do not ever forget."

Cate grinned. "Never."

"Good. Then close your eyes and breathe deeply." Maeve waited for Cate to close her eyes, then produced a green leaf from one of her sleeves and crumbled it beneath Cate's nose so when she inhaled, the sweet aroma entered her nostrils, making all of her muscles relax. "Breathe deeply, my love. Lachlan will come soon, and when he does, you will enter the Otherworld, where you will be given the strength and wisdom you need to complete your task. Breathe deeply . . . and remember."

Jessie felt as if she were caught somewhere between a dream and reality, as if she were hovering in spirit form, observing someone else's life.

112 *113.

Yes . . . yes it was. She was seeing Cate's memories of Maeve when she first arrived from Gaul. How Jessie knew this, she didn't know. Cate must have been thinking about Maeve's first appearance from Gaul.

Gaul? Where in the h.e.l.l was Gaul?

Jessie silently cursed herself for not paying closer attention in history cla.s.s. G.o.d, had she paid attention to anything in her life? Now, when Maeve needed her most, she couldn't even remember where Gaul was.

But she did remember Cate's feelings about the gray-eyed woman who'd taken her under her wing and opened the world up to her. It was an intense love Jessie had never expected to feel in her life. It was deep, meaningful and intense, and so very important to Cate's emotional well-being. This was the kind of love that carried with it a loyalty that not even death could separate. It was a love that surprised Jessie because it reached right out and touched her even in this spirited state.

It caressed her like the wind on a warm summer night, filling her with a sense of belonging and joy. She remembered Cate's memories of the fulfillment of the love, and in doing so, tasted the remnants of a bond that still lingered.

Still lingered. Was that what was drawing her here? Was Cate's bond with Maeve so strong that Jessie was actually remembering it? It had to be. It was the only explanation.

Well, she may not know where Gaul was, but she knew enough to realize it was this bond that sent Cate into an unknown future she knew nothing of; a future as unfamiliar to her as the fortieth century would be to Jessie. It wouldn't have mattered to Cate which century she walked into; their love spanned thousands of years, in countless people, and existed in hundreds of ages. One of those ages was where Cate was now. With Maeve.

Rolling over, Jessie opened one eye and looked at the clock. It was a little after six in the morning and her dreams hung in the air like the smell of sleep.

"Maeve," Jessie muttered, rolling back over and staring at the ceiling. Suddenly, both eyes sprang open and Jessie sat straight up.

"I remember!" She remembered her dream, her feelings, the thoughts she'd had while discovering Cate's memories. "She's doing it for you,"

112 *113.

Jessie said, realizing that her dream may not have been a dream at all.

"But what is it? What is so important that you'd come to me, of all people, and ask for help?" Lying back down, Jessie stared at the ceiling recalling every detail, every phrase, every single piece of information she could about her dream. Once she was able to squeeze as much information out her mind, she rolled over and wrote it in her journal.

So I must keep wondering, why me? Of all the times and all the people Cate could have ventured to, why did she choose me? It's hard feeling worthy of a task (whatever that task is) when I've done nothing but screw up my own life. Now, I'm afraid of doing that to someone else. I'm afraid I might not have what it takes. And then I stop and wonder how can I even impact the past? It's already happened. I can't change any of it. Or can I? There's so much I need to know and I only have a fraction of the information needed. Does Ceara have any of the answers to my questions?

Am I even asking the right ones?

All I know so far is that this involves Maeve . . . Maeve, and a fear that hovers near Cate's heart. But what is that fear and what can I do about it from here?

I better go. The more questions I ask that go unanswered, the more confused I become.

Having written down everything she could remember, she took a shower, and started down the stairs, just in time to run into Reena on the landing.

"Going out?" Reena's voice was tight.

Jessie blinked for a second, then opted for the truth. "Yeah. I'm going to see a boy about some drugs."

"Jess . . ."

"I'm messing with you, Mother. I'm going to Del's for some coffee.

No offense, but neither you nor Dad can make a decent pot."