Across Time Part 38

"Flight?"

Maeve nodded. "If we wish to live another day. Thank the G.o.ddess we were able to s.h.i.+p many away."

"The boats cannot make it back in time."

"I know."

"We must retreat into the woods. The Romans are afraid of our woods."

Maeve agreed. "The Druids from Mona wish to fight to defend their home, even unto death. Collect as many others as you can. Get them to build up the fires and tell them to escape into the groves. They ought to go in as far as they can."

"But the fires-Jessie said-"

"I know what Jessie said, my love, but without the cover of fire, we shall die much sooner."

"What of you? What are you going to do?"

"I am a Druid priestess, Catie. It is my job to call forth the spirits of *

250 *251.

the Otherworld to ask their a.s.sistance in this, our darkest hour."

"I will not leave you."

Maeve barely grinned. "Of course you won't. Come back here once you have sent word."

"Must I be the one to go?"

Maeve reached out and touched Cate's cheek. "Fear not. I shall be safe, as will you. Go quickly and return as fast."

"Have you seen it? Our safety? You know the outcome of this?"

"I know that you and I have much to do in this life yet. Go now, and be swift afoot."

Cate nodded and left, wis.h.i.+ng she did not have to leave Maeve alone at all. This was not how she thought it would go. Something was terribly wrong. Had she misunderstood Jessie, or was Jessie's message too late? In trying to save Maeve, had Cate, in fact, d.a.m.ned them all?

Those questions died on her lips because after she told their leaders of the retreat plan, she saw the one image before her she had gone across time to prevent: Roman soldiers were quickly bearing down on Maeve, who was so deep within herself and the Otherworld, she was not aware of the great threat approaching her.

"Maeve!" Cate cried out, plucking a dagger from the neck of a dead Druid, raised it high in the air and without another thought plunged it between the soldier's shoulders preventing him from swinging his sword in an attempt to cleave Maeve's head from her body.

"Maeve!"

This time, Maeve opened her eyes in time to see the flat end of a sword hit Cate on the side of the head, sending her to the ground like a dropped rock. In an instant, everything went black for Cate, and she did not see Maeve rise from her kneeling position, remove the dagger from between the dead soldier's shoulders, and ram it into the armpit of the soldier who had struck Cate.

All Cate saw was blackness. All she heard was a familiar voice trying to bring her to life.

"Cate? Wake up. It's me. You've got to wake up or we're going to die."

"Jessie?" Cate asked, feeling woozy, but able to get to her feet. "Oh.

252 *253.

We're in the Dreamworld, aren't we?"

Jessie started toward the mist and pulled Cate through it.

"Am I dead, then?" Cate asked when Jessie did not answer her.

"Well, if you are, so am I, and since I have no idea what dead feels like, I think we ought to just a.s.sume we're both still alive."

Cate shook her head, as if trying to gather her wits. "But-what are you doing here?"

Jessie helped Cate sit on the same stone she always sat on. Kneeling in front of her, Jessie held Cate's hands. "I haven't given you the most important piece to this puzzle. I came back because without it, you'll all die on Mona. There is one who can save you if you can reach her in time."

"Her?"

Jessie nodded. "Queen Boudicca."

"Boudicca of the Iceni? Why would she help us?"

"She has nearly one hundred thousand warriors ready to attack the flank of the Roman Army. If you can get word to her that Paulinus's men are on Mona, she'll know it would be a good time for her to strike.

Paulinus will have to pull his men off Mona in order to face the greater threat of the Queen and her army."

"How does that save us?"

"It will keep Paulinus from destroying you outright. He will be forced to withdraw to face Boudicca, and when he does, you and the others can escape to Iona and Snowdonia, where your people will be safe."

Cate's eyes lit up with hope. "Then we must reach her at all cost."

Jessie nodded. "In the history books, she is advised by someone to attack Paulinus just as he invades Wales. That someone, my little Druid priestess, is you. You absolutely must get off this island and find your way to Boudicca."

Cate inhaled deeply and shook her head. "Queen of the Iceni will have no audience with the likes of a Silurian priestess."

"She will if you tell her that you know she has a scar the shape of an X over the inner right thigh she received in a battle earlier this year."

Cate stared at Jessie.

252 *253.

"It's in the books, Cate, that she carried many battle scars on her body. If you prove yourself to be a powerful enough priestess, she might grant you an audience."

Cate nodded. "I am a powerful priestess, Jessie. But what about Maeve? I will not leave her."

"Maeve must lead the remaining Druids to safety until Boudicca does her part. We have to leave her th-"

"No."

"Cate, you must. Now is the time to do the right thing. You have to see the Iceni Queen, and Maeve must lead the people to safety. It is the only way."

"Lachlan can lead," Cate said stubbornly.

Jessie shook her head. "No, he can't. Lachlan is doing what he does best, and that's heal people. He can heal those with minor injuries and let Maeve take to the woods. Surely, in the woods, we are at an advantage."

Cate thought about this and ever so imperceptibly nodded. "'Tis true."

"Then you just have to suck it up and go."

Cate c.o.c.ked her head. "Suck. It. Up?"

"Be tough. Come on, Cate. For every minute you sit here, more die. You take a boat, get the h.e.l.l off the island, grab a Roman horse and ride until you can't ride any more. Trust me on this. Boudicca can save you."

Cate looked into Jessie's face and nodded. "It will be done as you say."

Jessie sighed loudly. "Good. Be strong, and Cate-"

"I know. Suck. It. Up."

Jessie nodded. "Yeah. Something like that."

Rising, Cate inhaled deeply, straightened her spine, and looked like a woman getting ready for war. Taking Jessie's hands in hers, Cate leaned her forehead against hers. "You're a great woman, Jessie.

Goodbye one last time. Perhaps, some day in the future, we shall be lucky enough to meet in our dreams."

"I hope so, Cate. Good luck, and G.o.dspeed."

254 *255.

In that moment, Jessie found herself back in the bedroom, surrounded by dust and cobwebs with Ceara waiting for her out in the hall.

"Thank goodness," Ceara said. "Were you in time?"

Jessie felt so sick to her stomach that she sat on the hall floor.

She had never imagined so much death and destruction as she was remembering now. "That was-awful. It was a bloodbath, Ceara."

"What of Cate and Maeve?"

Jessie sighed loudly. "I've done all I can for them."

"Then-"

Jessie nodded. "They were still alive. Barely. Cate got knocked in the head and so there we were, trying to figure out what to do from her dream world. She didn't want to leave Maeve, but I think I convinced her that was best."

"But there was still time?"

Jessie shrugged. "Too close to call. Cate is going to have to bust a gut to get there, and even then, she has to convince Boudicca to see her."

"Not great odds. Boudicca was not known for her patience or kindness."

"I think Cate can do it. It's what she's been trained for."

Ceara turned for the stairs. "Ah, the hopefulness of youth. I hope you're right, my dear. For all of their sakes."

"Where we going?"

Ceara stopped on the third step of the backstairs and turned to Jessie. "I am going to work to make money and pay my bills, as mundane as that is, and you-well, you need to figure out what you're going to do with the rest of your life. This life."

Jessie nodded. It was time to face the music and-well-do the right thing. "I need to talk to my folks, huh?"

Ceara nodded. "Our lives are here now, Jess, no matter how much we may both want them back there. Let your parents know who you are even as you go about finding out who that is. If you remember nothing else from this experience, remember that wisdom comes where you find it. And, somewhere in the future, your soul may very well need the wisdom you're gathering in this life."

254 *255.

Nodding, Jessie hugged Ceara and helped her down the steps.

"Thank you so much. My life has changed so much because you are in it."

"Oh, my dear, there will be many more people who will change your life if you just let them."

"Like Tanner?"

"Perhaps."

"He told me."

"Did he now?"

"Do you always take in those society would just as soon straitjacket and toss in h.e.l.l?"

Ceara's light blue eyes sparkled. "Nah. Only the good ones, and you, my dear, are most a.s.suredly that."

When Ceara left, Jessie inhaled deeply, walked over to the front porch stairs, and sat on the top stair to wait for her parents. Jumbled emotions zinged about her heart as she tried to settle into the notion that she would never see Cate or Maeve again unless she, too, learned the craft. That was on her list of top ten things to do, the first of which was to get straight with her parents.

When they arrived, Reena charged up the stairs and hugged Jessie tightly even as she sniffed her hair.

"You're choking me, Mom."

Releasing her, Reena stepped back to allow Daniel through.