Chapter 4

Birgitte determinedly put one foot in front of the other as she made her way down the long and even-floored corridor. She could feel she was getting stronger, for only days before, she could barely have stood, let alone walked. She had managed to walk with the aid of Catherine the day before, but now she could do so without any external support at all. Well, that was not technically true, since she occasionally tapped the stone wall to keep her balance, but she was getting stronger all the same. The corners of her mouth crept upwards in a smile.

That smile vanished suddenly, as she felt a burning sensation in her chest, a feeling that fast blossomed into a blazing pain. She gave a choked gasp and grabbed at her chest, falling to her knees in the corridor, one hand raking down the wall. For what seemed like hours, the pain blazed through her, and she honestly feared she was about to die. But then the pain diminished. Slowly, ever so slowly the pain flowed out of her, leaving the young woman stunned and frightened.

A few minutes passed before Birgitte found the strength to get back to her feet, and she had to support herself on the wall as she walked. She did not remember having any heart diseases, but then again, her memory did not extend beyond this cavern, and its inhabitants. She neither met Catherine nor Roger, or anyone else for that matter, as she shakily made her way to her room.

Birgitte climbed back into bed, thoroughly exhausted, and soon fell asleep.

xxxxx

Kieran McCann watched as the X-caper alighted in the courtyard of Castle McCann, the wind generated by its propellers billowing his clothing behind him. A smile turned the corners of his mouth, and he stroked his golden beard, a new addition. He looked on with eagerness as the door slid open, as he anticipated seeing Maya again, the young woman who had stolen his heart. He had not seen her since Team Stax had helped him rid the castle of the animated lion statue that had chased him from his own home. Saying goodbye that last time had been one of the most difficult things the young king had ever done in his life, and could not wait to see the beautiful young woman again.

''Gentlemen,'' the young king exclaimed merrily, walking toward Ky and Boomer with arms out wide. ''It does my heart good to see you again in these troubled times. '' He turned to regard the three members of Team Tuatha. ''Any friend of Team Stax is a friend of mine. Welcome to my castle.'' Kieran turned back to Ky and Boomer, and his brow furrowed in confusion as he noted the door of the X-caper had closed, and the last member of Team Stax had not yet come out. ''Did Maya not make the journey with you?'' Kieran tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice. Ky and Boomer exchanged rueful glances. ''She is alright, is she not? Has she taken ill. Has she...''

''Maya has passed from this world, your highness,'' Boomer said softly. ''I am sorry.''

For a long moment Kieran just stood there, as the news settled its crushing weight onto his heart and pressed down, choking away the air. ''How...'' his voice was barely more than a whisper, all traces of his earlier mirth flown from him. ''What happened? How did she die?''

''Her arch enemy did her in,'' Boomer replied. ''That arch enemy is the leader of the gihox army that has invaded your lands.''

Kieran clenched his fists at his sides, his green eyes burning with grief at the loss of his love and rage at the individual responsible for her death. His scouts claimed the leader of the gihox lived in a great, black castle. The young king decided then and there that he would amass an army that would rival, or even surpass, the gihox host. He would march his army to the gates of the enemy leader, and tear the black fortress down around them.

''Come,'' Kieran said, gesturing for his friends to join him. ''I will have rooms prepared for you, and then we can plan our next move.''

xxxxx

Kieran walked into his private quarters several hours later, but he did not turn the lights on, preferring the darkness for his grieving. He walked to his bed and fell on top of it, staring up at the ceiling, feeling thoroughly wretched. Only then did he allow the tears that had been trying to break through to come forth, reducing his sight to a blurry haze. He closed his eyes, his grief swirling.

Then his eyes popped open and he rose into a sitting position, glancing about, for he could sense a presence in the room. He hurriedly got to his feet, figuring the enemy leader to have sent an assassin to slay him. The young king reached under his mattress, where he kept a dagger. The presence grew stronger, and a profound uneasiness settled in the pit of his stomach. He also had the feeling that he was being watched, though as far as he could tell, there was no one in the room except him.

A vision flashed through his mind then, a vision that showed him Maya in incredible detail, where she sat cross legged on her bed. The door to her room opened and Ky walked in, with Boomer following close behind. Maya turned to face them, and Boomer launched himself at her, wrapping is beefy arms around her, pinning her arms to her sides. Maya fought to break free, but Boomer was too strong.

Kieran could see Ky walk in front of her, drawing forth a long, curving knife with a wicked, serrated edge, and waggle it teasingly before the young woman. Her huge amber eyes widened in terror, and she fought desperately to break free of the hold, but Boomer held her fast. The young king cried out in horror then, as Ky plunged the knife into her belly, before tearing it free and stab her again, and again, and again, until Boomer finally let her go. Kieran fell to his knees as he saw Maya's body fall to the floor, blood pouring from her torn belly and forming a pool around her. Her amber colored eyes stared unseeing at her murderers, who stood above her, laughing wickedly.

The vision faded, but Kieran could not stand up right away, so shocked and pained was he by the betrayal and murder he had just witnessed. When first he and Maya had met, they had learned of each others ability to sense the kairu energy within his family chalice. He also knew that Maya had been able to see visions. And now he had just seen such a vision, and so he surmised he must have the same ability.

His expression went dark then, and he stood up and fetched a sword that hung on the wall above the fireplace. Then Kieran left the room, stalking down the corridors of his castle, determined to pay the traitors back for this atrocity. In his outrage, the young king forgot all about the strange presence in his room earlier. It never crossed his mind that the visions had been planted inside his mind by the creature that exuded that presence. By the spirit hovering invisible back in his room, nearly bursting with wicked glee.

To be continued...