The Yearning.docx

The Yearning.docx

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TheYearning

TheYearning

HannahHowell

CONTENTS

Prologue

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Prologue

Scotland桝.D.1000

揘ay!

?

/p>

MorvynGaltwokeshakingandsweatingwithfear.Thescentofmagicwasthickintheair.Shescrambledoutofherbedandyankedonherclothes.Shecouldfeelhersister抯anger,feelhowRona抯brokenheartwastwistingwithinherchest,changingintoahard,uglythingthatpumpedhatethroughoutherbodyinsteadoftheloveitonceheld.Morvynknewshewouldnotbeintimetostoptheevilhersisterstirredup,butshehadtotry.ShegrabbedhersmallbagandracedtowardRona抯cottage,prayingashardasshecoulddespiteherfearthatherprayerswouldgounheeded.WhenshereachedRona抯tinyhome,shetriedtoopenthedooronlytofinditboltedagainsther.Thesmokecomingfromthehousewassoheavywiththescentofherbsandsorcerythathereyesstung.Shebangedagainstthedoor,pleadingwithRonaassheheardhersisterbeginherincantation.

揘ay,Rona!

?

shescreamed.揅ease!

Youwilldamnusall!

?

/p>

揑damnbutone,?

repliedRona,揳ndwelldoeshedeserveit.?

Placingherhandoverherwomb,Ronastaredintothefireandsawthefaceofherlover,herseducer,herbetrayer.Hewasmarryinganotherinthemorning,forsakingloveforlandandcoin.Shewouldmakehimsufferforthat,asshenowsuffered.

揜ageforrage,painforpain,bloodforblood,lifeforlife.?

Ronaswayedslightlyasshespoke,strokingherbellyasshetossedafewmorepainstakinglymixedherbsintothefire.

揜ona,please!

Donotdothis!

?

/p>

揂smineshallwalkalone,soshallyours,?

Ronacontinued,ignoringhersister抯pleas.揂smineshallbeshunned,soshallyours.?

/p>

Morvynscrambledtofindsomethingtowritewith.Sheneededtorecordthis.Asshesprawledonthegroundtotakeadvantageofthesliveroflightseepingoutfrombeneaththedoor,sherealizedshehadnoink.FrombeneaththedoorshecouldseethesmokecurlingaroundhersisterandsawRonatossanotherhandfulofherbsuponthefire.Morvyncutherpalmwithherdagger,wetherquillwithherownblood,andbegantowrite.

揧ourfirstbornsonshallknowonlyshadows,?

intonedRona,揳sshallhisson,asshallhisson抯son,andthusitshallbeuntiltheseedoftheMacCordyshallwitherfromhateandfadeintothemists.?

/p>

Morvynscatteredherblessingandhealingstonesinfrontofthedoor,prayingtheymighteasetheforceofthespell.

揊romsunsetofthefirstdayTheMacCordybecomesaman,darknesswilltakehimasalover,bloodwillbehiswine,furywillstealhissoul,yearningwilldevourhisheart,andhewillbecomeacreatureofnightmares.?

Ronafeltherchildkickforcefullyasifinprotest,butcontinued.

揌ewillknownobeauty;hewillknownolove;hewillknownopeace.

揟henameoftheMacCordyswillbecomeafouloath,theirtaleoneusedtofrightenalltheGodly.

揟husitshallbe,thusitshallremain,untilonestepsfromtheshadowsofpride,land,andwealthanddoesashisheartcommands.

揢ntilallthatshouldhavebeenfinallyis.?

/p>

Morvynsatbackonherheelsandstaredatthedoor.Shecouldnotbelievehersisterhadactedsorecklessly,sovindictively.Ronaknewthedangersofflingingacurseoutinanger,knewhowthecursecouldfallbackuponthemthreefold,yet,inherpain,shehadignoredallthedangers.Morvynplacedherhandoverherheart,certainshecouldfeelthepainandmiseryofcountlessfuturegenerations,thoseoftheirbloodaswellasthoseoftheMacCordys.

ThecottagedooropenedandMorvynlookedupathersister.

InthelightofthetorchRonaheld,MorvyncouldseetheglowofhateandtriumphinRona抯blue-greeneyes.Ronathoughtshehadwonsomegreatvictory.Morvynknewotherwiseandwasnotsurprisedtofeelthestingoftearsuponhercheeks.

揜ona,howcouldyou?

Howcouldyouhavedonethis?

?

sheasked.

揌owcouldI?

Howcouldhe?

?

Ronasnapped,thenfrownedwhenshesawtheblooduponMorvyn抯palm.揥hathaveyoudonetoyourself,youfoolishchild?

?

/p>

Morvynbegantopickupherthingsandreturnthemtoherbag.揑hadnoinktomarkdownthewords.?

/p>

揝oyouwroteinblood?

?

/p>

?

慣isfitting.TheGaitsandtheMacCordysshallbebleedingforagesafterwhatyouhavedonethisnight.?

Shefelttheheatinherstonesassheputthemawayandhopedthepowertheyhadexpendedhaddonesomegood.

揧oucannotkeepsuchawritingabout.Notonlyisitconsideredasinforyoutowriteatall,butthosewordscouldcondemnme,condemnusall.?

/p>

揧ouhavecondemnedus,Rona.Youknewthedangers.?

/p>

揢nproven.Thatisproofofsorcery,however,?

shesaid,pointingtoMorvyn抯writing.

揑shallwritethetaleuponascrollandhideit.Mayhaponeofourbloodwillfinditoneday,onewiththewitandstrengthtobanishtheevilyouhavestirredupthisnight.?

/p>

揌ehadtopayforwhathehasdone!

?

/p>

揌ewaswrong,butsowereyou.Thepoisonyouhavespitouttonightwillinfectusall,thevenomseepingintoourbloodlineaswellashis.Todosuchmagiconthisnight,atthebirthofanewcentury,onlyensuresthepoweroftheevilyouhavewrought.?

Morvynstoodupandlookeddownatwhatshehadwritten.揑fearyouhavestolenallhopeofhappinessforus,butIwillnotallowthistoendangeryourlife.Itwillbewellhidden.AndeverynightfortherestofmylifeIshallpraythat,whenitisfound,itwillbebyoneofourblood,onewhocanfreeusallfromthetormentyouhaveunleashedthisdarknight.?

br/>

ChapterOne

Scotland?

435

SophieHaystumbledslightlyasanotherfiercesneezeshookhersmallframe.Alinenragwasshovedintoherhand,andsheblewhernose,thenwipedherstreamingeyeswithhersleeves.Shesmiledathermaid,Nella,whowatchedherwithconcern.ConsideringhowlongshehadbeenscramblingthroughthisancientpartofherAuntClaire抯house,SophiesuspectedshelookedworthyofNella抯concern.

揑dinnaekenwhatyethinkyewillfindhere,?

Nellasaid.揙ldStevensaidherladyshipne抏rcameinhere;thoughtithaunted,andhethinksitmaynotbesafenow.?

/p>

?

慣issturdy,Nella.?

Sophiepattedthestonesframingthefireplace.揤errasturdy.Therestofthehousewillfallerethispartdoes.Thefactthatthatstonewasloose,?

shepointedtotheoneshehadpriedawayfromthewall,releasingthecloudofdustthathadstartedhersneezing,搘aswhattoldmethatsomethingmightbehiddenhere.?

/p>

揂ndyedinnaethinkthisplacebehaunted?

?

/p>

Sophieinwardlygrimaced,knowingshewouldhavetoanswerwithsomeverycarefullychosenwordsorNellawouldstartrunningandprobablynotstopuntilshereachedBerwick.揘ay.Isensenospiritsinthisroom.?

ShewouldnottellNellaaboutalltheotherswanderinginthehouse.揂llIsenseisunhappiness.Griefandalittlefear.Itwasstrongherebythefireplace,whichiswhyIwassearchinghere.?

/p>

揊ear?

?

Nella抯darkeyesgrewwideasshewatchedSophiereachtowardtheholeinthewall.揑dinnaethinkyeoughttodothat.Fearandgriefarenaegood.Godkenswhatyemightfindinthere.?

/p>

揑amcertainlynaystickingmyhandintherewithanyeagerness,Nella,but,?

shesighed,揑alsofeelImust.?

SheignoredNella抯mutteredprayers,tookadeepbreathtosteadyherself,andreachedin.揂h,thereissomethinghiddenhere.?

/p>

Sophiegraspedacoldmetalhandleontheendofwhatfeltlikeasmallchest.Shetuggedandfeltitinchtowardheralittle.Whoeverhadputitintothisholehadhadtoworkveryhard,foritwasatightfit.Inchbyinchitcame,untilSophiebracedherselfagainstthewallandyankedwithallhermight.Thelittlechestcameoutsoquickly,shestumbledbackwardandwasonlysavedfromfallingbyNella抯quick,bracingcatch.

Asshesetthechestonasmalltable,Sophienoticedhermaidedgecloser,hercuriosityobviouslystrongerthanherfear.Sophieunfoldedthethickoiledleatherwrappedaroundthebulkofthechest,thenusedacornerofheraprontobrushasidethedustandstonegrit.Itwasabeautifulchestofheavywood,ornatelycarvedwithrunesandafewLatinwords.Thehinges,handles,andclaspwereofhammeredgold,buttherewasnolock.Sherubbedherhandstogetherasshepreparedherselftoopenit.

揥hatareallthosemarksuponit?

?

askedNella.

揜unes.Letmethink.Ah,theyaresignsforprotection,forhope,forforgiveness,forlove.Allgoodthings.Thewordssay:

Withinliesthetruth,and,ifitpleasesGod,thesalvationoftwopeoples.Howodd.?

Shestrokedthetopofthechest.揟hisisverraold.Itmusthavejustmissedbeingdiscoveredwhenthefireplacewasaddedtothehouse.Iwouldnaebesurprisedifthisbelongedtothematriarchofourlineoroneofherkinswomen.?

/p>

揟hewitch?

?

Nellatookasmallstepback.揂curse?

?

/p>

揑doubtitwhensuchmarkingscoverthechest.?

Sheslowlyopenedthelidandfrownedslightly.揗oreoiledleatherforwrapping.Whoeverhidthiswantedittolastaverralongtime.?

Shetookoutthelongestoftheitemsandcarefullyunwrappedit.揂scroll.?

Shegentlyunrolledtheparchmentandfoundanothersmallonetuckedinside.Whenshetouchedtheerraticwritinguponthesmallerparchment,sheshivered.揃lood.慣iswritteninblood.?

/p>

揙h,mylady,putitback.Quickly!

?

WhenSophiesimplypressedherhanduponthesmallerparchmentandclosedhereyes,Nellaedgedneareragain.揥hatdoyesee?

?

/p>

揗orvyn.Thatisthenameoftheonewhowrotethis.Morvyn,sistertoRona.?

/p>

揟hewitch.?

/p>

揂ye.Noink,?

shemuttered.揟hatiswhythisiswritteninblood.Morvynhadnaughtelsetowritewithandshewasdesperatetorecordthisexactlyasitwassaid.?

Sophieopenedherselfuptothewealthoffeelingandknowledgetrappedwithintheparchment.揝hetriedtostopit.Sodesperate,soafraidforusall.Sheprays,?

So