Part 31 (1/2)

The thralls began a garbled account of events since she had pa.s.sed out. Giving in to temptation, Simon laid his head on Meg's lap. His slow unicorn mind recognized that even though she was no longer virgin, he was drawn as irresistibly as the first time he'd seen her. Though the other two young women were probably virgins, they didn't attract him in the least. Let them find their own unicorns.

Meg listened gravely to the explanations as one hand delicately caressed Simon's ears. When Jemmy finished the story, she said, ”So Drayton is gone. I suppose I should regret the loss of a life, but to be honest, it doesn't trouble me much, considering that he was willing to kill hundreds of men because they didn't fit into his own mad view of the world.”

”That was my thought.” Breeda's smile was a knife blade. ”Though not in such pretty words.”

Meg glanced at David, who was stirring. ”Moses and Jemmy, can you take Mr. White back into the main church? Find him some water and stay with him until he's recovered. He's a lovely man, but it's best he not be exposed to more magic. Tell him a falling stone knocked him out when the earth shook.”

With luck, David would remember nothing of what he had seen in the Lady Chapel. Meg sent a spell to encourage that as Moses and Jemmy lifted David, then carried him into the main sanctuary.

Turning to Lily and Breeda, Meg said, ”Drayton is the one who inflicted the unicorn spell on Lord Falconer. In legend, virgins have great power over unicorns, and we found that a touch of my blood to his would return him to his natural form. Unfortunately, now that I am wed I can't do that.” No need to mention that she'd only been a bride for an hour or two. ”Will one of you share blood with him?”

”Of course,” Lily said immediately. ”Do you have a knife?”

Simon scrambled to his feet as Meg resorted to an earring wire for a quick stab into his shoulder, then Lily's finger. Gently Lily rubbed her finger against the wound in his shoulder. Blood met blood, and . . . nothing, no matter how hard Lily rubbed.

Grimly Meg realized that she had expected this. ”Breeda, are you willing to try?”

The Irish girl flushed. ”I'd slice my wrist with a dagger for his lords.h.i.+p, but I . . . I'm no virgin. I was ravished by a drunken soldier when I was thirteen.”

No wonder the girl was so fierce. ”If you don't mind, let's try it anyhow. You have the blood of a warrior, and perhaps that will help.”

Another pinhole was p.r.i.c.ked in Simon's shoulder. He bore it stoically, but Breeda's blood was no more effective than Lily's.

”I'm sorry, my lady,” the Irish girl said. ”Is there anything else I might do?”

Meg shook her head. ”I don't think so. Thank you for trying.”

Simon began pacing restlessly around the chapel. He had regained his strength, and with it the unicorn wildness he feared. How long could he remain in unicorn form before he irrevocably lost his human nature? He'd already been transformed once today for the ride from Lady Bethany's. Time was running out, like the sands of an hourgla.s.s.

Lily asked, ”Is there some other way to break the spell?”

”Apparently the only person who can break this sort of spell permanently is the person who created it,” Meg said tightly. ”Drayton.”

Breeda looked stricken. ”I didn't know, my lady.”

”Don't blame yourself. Even if Drayton were alive, he would have died rather than lift the spell.” Meg released her breath, trying to clear her mind. ”When Falconer is in human form, it's possible for him to stay that way indefinitely as long as he doesn't lose his temper. But I don't know how to change him back.”

”My lady, even if you're not a virgin, you are his wife. Perhaps your blood will still break the spell,” Breeda suggested shyly.

It was a worthy idea, but didn't work. After admitting failure, Meg wiped the blood from Simon's s.h.i.+ning flank, increasingly anxious. He was radiating nervous energy. If she hadn't sealed the door, she could take him outside. . . . No, that wouldn't be wise, not when over two hundred chattering mechanics and engineers were moving around the main chapel and outdoors. The magical s.h.i.+elding over the Lady Chapel was the only thing that gave them privacy here.

What had Simon once told her about the essence of magic? That it was will. She had used that advice, and her will had served her well.

Taking a deep breath, she walked up to Simon and caught his long head between her hands. ”You are going to return to yourself, my lord husband. This marriage has just begun, and I will not let it end so soon.”

As she spoke, she visualized Simon in human form. The height, the broad shoulders and long muscles, the s.h.i.+ne of his blond hair. He was her friend, her lover, her mentor, and her husband. Hers. And she wanted him back.

Deliberately she sought the light-filled s.p.a.ce where she had channeled the ley lines and saved the chapel. Energy flowed from her, s.h.i.+mmering with the rich dark tones of the earth. This would always be part of her, she realized, even when she was far from a ley line. By surrendering to the earth energy, she had made it her own.

Return, beloved.

Under her hands, the elegant equine head began to change. Heat roiled outward. She skipped backwards, not wanting to interfere with his transformation. As Lily and Breeda gasped, Simon's form was blurred by raging energy.

The transformation moved more swiftly than usual, and in a few moments he was himself again, albeit sprawled naked on the cold stone floor. He managed an unsteady smile. ”You've learned a new trick, my love.”

”Thank G.o.d!” She dropped onto her knees beside him, tears of relief streaming down her face.

”Here, my lord.” Lily lifted Simon's ripped coat from the floor and spread it over him, then tactfully withdrew. ”Breeda, let's see how our lads are doing.” Together they left the Lady Chapel for the main sanctuary.

After the younger women left, Simon exhaled roughly and wrapped an arm around Meg's waist so he could pull her down next to him. ”How did you do that? For you are most certainly no longer virgin.”

Laughing, she rested her head on his shoulder, so tired that even sitting up was too much effort. ”I willed you to return yourself to your own form.” She paused, startled, as she realized her body was refres.h.i.+ng itself from the earth energy around her. This could prove useful in the future. ”I believe I can break this spell whenever it's needful. That's not as good as removing the spell altogether, but-good enough, I think.” She grinned. ”So if you lose your temper and grow a horn, I can bring you back again.”

Simon looked thoughtful. ”There was something rather splendid about being a unicorn. Because of the danger of being overwhelmed by the animal nature, it would be foolish to spend much time in that form. Yet . . . perhaps on rare occasions it would be . . . amusing to run free again. As long as you can restore me.”

Meg kissed him on the forehead, right where the horn would be. ”We must experiment with this. I would hate to lose my magnificent unicorn forever.”

Simon smiled before turning serious. ”Send someone to the main house to steal some clothing for me so I can sort out this technology forum. It's quite a good idea, after all, so it seems a pity to waste the opportunity. People can a.s.sume Drayton has gone back to London for some reason.”