Solstice at Stonewylde Read Free

of his passion. This child would one day rise up with the folk behind him to overthrow him at the place of bones and death
.
    Magus had woken in the middle of many a night in cold, sweating panic, haunted by the thought of a child of his growing up at Stonewylde, whose destiny was to destroy him. It was like something from a Greek tragedy and must never be given any credence whatsoever. How could such a beautiful act of love-making with a young girl who’d captured his heart, result in such horror? Maizie had seemed to be his destiny, his true love. Despite the differences in their upbringing, he’d recognised something in her that called to his soul, and in his naivety had thought that love would overcome all. With a pretty, intelligent Village girl by his side, he’d bring Stonewylde back to a golden age of happiness and prosperity. That was his plan and he’d intended to announce it that Imbolc after the baby’s birth, when he would crown Maizie as his Bright Maiden and be handfasted with her. But the terrible events of the Winter Solstice had put paid to that idea. So he told himself that the baby coming a month early was proof of just how wrong a man could be to ever put his trust in a happy-ever-after future with any woman.
    Magus shook his head and once more denied Yul’s paternity, hoping as always to thus negate the prophecy. He looked across at the pretty woman before him, his face implacable.
    ‘I’m sorry, Maizie, but you’re wrong and I’ll be very displeased if you continue to make these false allegations. Yul will remain at the Hall whilst I investigate his latest insubordination. I’ll deal with him as I see fit. I’m the magus and it isn’t for you to question the punishment I choose to administer, so keep your remarks to yourself. I’ll hear no more about this and you’d do well to remember your place.’
    ‘I’m sorry, sir,’ she said, lowering her eyes, although her anger remained palpable. She was still so attractive; he’d always preferred women with spirit and Maizie was certainly one of those. She’d never gone soft and fawning, never given in to him and lost her independence. She’d endured the life to which he’d consigned her with stoicism, her pride never allowing her to become anything less than the woman he’d fallen in love with all those years ago. He glanced down at the tiny girl sittingsilently in his lap listening to everything being said, and his heart twinged with remorse. She gazed up at him with enormous green eyes that seemed to search his soul. Eyes that looked inside him and knew exactly what dark truths he tried to conceal.
    ‘Bad man,’ she said clearly. ‘Bad, bad man.’
    ‘Leveret, come here!’ said Maizie sharply. Magus handed the child over to her mother, who clasped her tightly.
    ‘Anyway … I came here to speak to you about Alwyn. You know there’s been no improvement since the stroke? He’s still alive but can do nothing for himself and he’s not aware of anything. He’s shrunk to skin and bones and has to be fed through tubes. I wanted to ask if you’d agree to Alwyn entering the Stone Labyrinth this Samhain for the Dance of Death. I think he should, but as his nearest relative it’s your decision. You know the custom – permission can only be granted by the closest member of the family.’
    She took a deep breath to calm herself. If there was one thing Maizie had learnt from living with Alwyn all those years, it was self control. She nodded.
    ‘Yes, I agree he should go. Let the Dark Angel decide – ‘tis the best way.’
    ‘Good,’ he said, smiling briskly. ‘I’ll arrange for it to be done. Well, I must be off.’
    They both rose and he gazed down at her. She stood before him, Leveret on her hip, and his dark eyes softened at the pair of them. He took one of the woman’s hands.
    ‘Maizie, let’s not spoil things between us now, not after all this time and all that’s happened. You know that you’ve always been special to