Last Wish (Highland Magic #4)

Taylor joined us, taking in the situation in one glance. Deftly he examined the wound. I didn’t need to read his expression to know how grave the situation was. I grabbed hold of Morna’s hands. ‘Let go,’ I told her, hoping my voice didn’t betray my panic. ‘I need you to let go.’

For a moment I wasn’t sure she’d heard me then one hand moved away from the lethal blade and flailed upwards. ‘Integrity,’ Morna whispered.

‘Don’t talk,’ I said. ‘Conserve your strength.’

‘Integrity,’ Taylor said, his voice strained. ‘The blade is too deep. There’s nothing you can do.’

I paid him no attention. His skills lay in first aid, not mortal wounds; he didn’t know everything. I yanked off my jacket then pulled my T-shirt over my head, before bending over to dab at the wound and clear some of the blood so I could get a better look. Maybe the blade wasn’t that long. It was possible that none of Morna’s vital organs had been hit.

She moaned in response. ‘Stop,’ she gasped.

I ignored her. ‘Blood loss,’ I muttered. ‘We need to stop her from losing more blood.’

Taylor tried again. ‘Integrity…’

I growled at him and pressed down, trying to staunch the flow. Tipsania reached round me to help. A heartbeat later Angus was with us. ‘What the hell happened?’

‘We need to get her to a hospital.’

He nodded. ‘There’s already an ambulance on the way.’

‘Is there anyone here with the Gift of Healing?’ I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

‘No.’ His was face was pale. ‘Why would Fomori demons come here? Why would they do this?’

‘Integrity,’ Morna whispered again. ‘Take it.’

I stared at her face. ‘What?’

‘Take it,’ she repeated. Her pupils were unfocused. A tear rolled from the corner of eye, trickling down her lined cheek.

‘I told you to be quiet,’ I choked.

‘It doesn’t hurt any more.’

‘Morna…’

‘Take it.’

‘No.’

Angus shook his head. ‘I don’t understand. What is she talking about?’

Morna’s lips moved again. Tipsania’s face was bloodless as she looked at me. ‘She says it’s her time.’

Morna blinked. ‘Do it.’

I couldn’t begin to imagine where she got the strength to speak. I clenched my teeth. ‘Don’t you dare give up, Morna Carnegie. It is not your time. The ambulance is on its way and this time tomorrow you’re going to be scolding us all from a comfy hospital bed.’

She smiled sadly. ‘No, I’m not. Take it, Integrity. You’ll need it.’

I heaved in a ragged breath. ‘You’re too weak. It will kill you.’

‘I’m…’ Her chest rattled as she struggled to speak. ‘Already dead.’ She clutched at me. ‘Take it now.’

I glanced at Taylor. Sorrowfully, he gave me the tiniest shake of his head and rocked back on his haunches. Tears flowed freely from Tipsania’s eyes and Angus had to glance away. Only Morna was calm. She fixed me with a serene gaze. ‘Do it.’

My tongue darted out, wetting my dry lips. I rubbed furiously at my own eyes and then focused. I could see the swirl of magic within her. She was right – it was already leaking away, dissipating into the ether. She had only seconds left. My body was racked with uncontrollable shivers while Morna’s skin seemed to grow paler by the second.

I released the breath I was holding and did what she asked, pulling her magic inside me. The force of her Gift almost overwhelmed me as it flooded my system. I fell back, dizzy and sick and gulping for air, just as Morna’s hand dropped and she went completely still.

Tipsania gave a choked sob. Through blurred vision, I saw Angus reach down and close Morna’s eyelids. No. It wasn’t going to happen like this. I wasn’t going to let it. I threw back my head and screamed. ‘Bob!’ Then Angus was by my side and hauling me up to my feet and away from Morna’s body.

Taylor rushed round and grabbed my shoulders. ‘Don’t do it, Tegs.’

‘Bob can get here. I still have a wish left. I can…’

He cupped my face and forced me to look at him. ‘It’s wrong. You know it’s wrong.’

I didn’t give a toss. Bob had told me before that he didn’t have the kind of power to resurrect people but I’d make him do it ? no matter what it took. I opened my mouth to yell for him again. This time I’d make damned sure the genie heard me.

Taylor slapped my cheek, stunning me into silence. ‘Morna wouldn’t want this.’ His voice hardened. ‘You don’t want this.’

I stared at him for a long moment then I sagged against Angus, barely able to hold my own weight. That’s when I really started to cry.





Chapter Twelve


I don’t know how much time passed before I finally stood up again. I declined Taylor’s offer of help and brushed myself off, then swung my head with bitter malevolence towards the two supposed Fomori demons. They were encircled by a large group of stony-faced MacQuarries. The Chieftain stood to one side, his arms folded and his expression grim. I walked over, forcing my arms to remain loose by my sides.

‘Chieftain Adair.’ He inclined his head. ‘Words cannot express my sorrow. We granted Morna Carnegie sanctuary and failed. This loss is ours to bear.’

‘It wasn’t your fault,’ I said dully. ‘I’m the one who sent her here with Tipsania.’ I glanced back at my old nemesis who was still kneeling beside Morna’s body, her face slack with shock. ‘And besides, if we’re going to go down that road then Lily’s death was down to me.’ I tilted up my chin and met his eyes. ‘And we both know that’s not true.’ I knew that the guilt about what had happened here would affect me for the rest of my life but I also knew that I hadn’t wielded the blade: I hadn’t killed Moira. I was going to have to work hard to remember that.

Straightening my shoulders, I walked over to the two captives. ‘Who sent you here?’

The nearest one hawked up a ball of phlegm. Before he could spit it in my direction, a MacQuarrie Sidhe cuffed him hard on the side of his head. He reeled down to the ground, making a demon-shaped dent in Morna’s pretty heather.

I shook my head. ‘Don’t.’ I hauled him upright and stared into his eyes. They still looked like Fomori eyes.

‘They’re demons,’ Chieftain MacQuarrie said. ‘We should execute them and be done with it.’

‘They’re not demons,’ I replied. ‘Not that that should make a difference.’ I pointed to the brilliantly blue sky, which had only a few fluffy clouds scudding across it. ‘The sun is shining.’

If the MacQuarries were confused, they didn’t say anything. I ran my tongue across my teeth and took a deep breath then I grasped ahead with the full force of my soul, ripping away the last of the magic that remained there. Morna’s killer let out a howl of anguished pain. I just prevented myself from flinching and turned to his companion and did the same to him. Then I stared at them. They weren’t demons but neither were they Sidhe. I crouched down by the first one. ‘Hey,’ I said softly. ‘Remember me?’

Ramsay, the surly human who’d been on Chandra’s crew when I was ambushed on my way to my Clan Lands, glared at me. ‘Thought you were dead,’ he grunted.

‘Ta dah,’ I answered with a grim smile. ‘I’m not.’