Free Highland Raven by Melanie Karsak Page A

voice had caused him to be off his guard. The huge man beat him down, forcing him to hide under his shield, and his blond-haired protector was nowhere in sight.
    “No,” I yelled. “No!”
    I suddenly found myself floating above the battlefield. Below me my raven-haired man and his foe struggled. I flew downward and knocked the foe away. My black-haired man rose and stabbed his enemy. He turned to face me, and it was clear he could see me.
    From behind me, someone shouted my name: “Gruoch!”
    I turned to see Sid. I was then pulled with a dizzying force back to the cauldron.
    “What do you have in the cauldron today? Eye of newt? Toe of frog?” Sid seethed at the Wyrd Sisters.
    “Peace, Sidhe,” said the ancient one.
    Sid took my hand. “Come.”
    “Come again, Cerridwen,” the younger woman called to me. “You are welcome here amongst your sisters.”
    “Hecate watches. Don’t tangle the webs of fate too soon,” Sid chided them.
    Sid led me forward into the darkness. Moments later, we emerged in the barrow near the altar of Boudicca.
    “Our roads take us to different places in the other realm,” Sid whispered.
    The barrow was dark. “Is it night?”
    “Two days later.”
    “How?”
    “That is the way of the otherworld.”
    “What do those women want from me?”
    “The Dark Goddess is an angry Goddess. Her anger at losing her people to the White Christ makes her seethe. She is full of fury, battle, vengeance, and secret magic. She is the queen of darkness and night. Those women, and you, wear her face…Cerridwen,” she whispered.
    “It is my father’s curse.”
    “It is not a curse. Call her what you will, Scotia, Morrigu, Hecate, you belong to her. It is a rare coven. They are the most powerful beings in this land. And they want you. You will be an avenger, as the fey have said.”
    “Must I go to them? They say Epona is keeping me.”
    “Epona knows the will of the Goddess as sure as they know it. And she will do what she must. But first, you must learn to be in the seat of power, not riding alongside. We will train you.”
    “Sidhe,” I whispered, repeating the name the elder of the Wyrd Sisters had called Sid.
    She grinned. “It’s just a name. I won’t be impressed until you remember what you called me when you were Boudicca. Come on. I’m starving! I hope Epona has something sweet in her cupboards.”
    I shook my head and grinned at her. My mind spinning, I followed Sid down a path between nine oak trees back to the coven.
     
    * * *
     
    When we entered the grove, we found that all the houses were dark save Epona’s. As soon as we stepped into the clearing, Epona opened her door and beckoned us within.
    On the table, several scrolls were rolled out, and I eyed them as Epona dipped into her cupboards. She emerged with bread and dried fruit.
    “How are you both?”
    “We are intact,” Sid replied.
    “Did she follow?” Epona asked Sid.
    Sid looked at me. “She did go to the other side.”
    “To the Good Neighbors?”
    Sid shook her head. “The Wyrds. I told them that they weave the threads of fate too soon.”
    Epona nodded. “They are anxious.” She then turned to me. “So what have your sisters shown you in the cauldron?”
    I balked.
    “Come, girl.”
    “A man,” I answered.
    Epona looked thoughtful. “Have you seen this man before?”
    “Peace, Lady. We’ve not eaten in days,” Sid said as she sliced bread for us both.
    Relieved, I exhaled deeply. I didn’t even know what I had seen or what it meant. Something about Epona told me that she was trustworthy, that I was safe with her. But the Wyrd Sisters also warned that Epona had her own agenda, and I had no idea what that was. I wasn’t sure what to tell her.
    Epona softened. “You know my concerns.”
    Sid nodded.
    “Tomorrow, go to the smithy and work with Uald,” Epona said to me.
    I nodded, glad she didn’t ask any more questions.
    “What are you working on?” Sid asked, looking at Epona’s