The Sign of Fear Read online

  Blood. For your revenge I must have blood.

  Chapter

  21

  A sacrifice. It asks for a sacrifice.

  Blood . . . I must have blood. The Roman head’s voice was deep and loud.

  Can I do it? Fieran wondered.

  He had killed in battle. But a sacrifice was different. To make a sacrifice he would plan to kill. Decide to kill.

  He would not be killing to survive. He would not be killing because his friends and neighbors were in danger from the Roman troops.

  Fieran hated the thought of killing off the battlefield.

  But he remembered the way Conn taunted him. Laughed at him. “You will have your blood,” Fieran answered.

  Creeaaak. The jaws of the skull opened. Its teeth parted in a deadly smile. Then the eye sockets went dark. Blown out like two candles.

  Fieran stripped off his ceremonial garments. He hesitated a moment. Then he thrust them into the coals. He watched as his long robes smoldered and burned.

  His people did not believe Fieran when he told them the old chief’s spirit entered his body. They now thought him insane. Or jealous. He had no place among them any longer.

  Fieran washed the blood from his face and hands. He dressed himself in fresh garments. Green and brown, to blend in with the trees. He threw a cloak around his shoulders and fastened it with a heavy brooch as was the custom of the Celts.

  There is only one person who deserves to be sacrificed to the head, Fieran thought. Conn.

  The human sacrifice must be Conn!

  Now, how to get him? Think! Fieran told himself. Think! He began to pace around the dark cave.

  There has to be a way to get to Conn. It will be difficult. He will be well protected now that he has been declared chief.

  Fieran stopped pacing a moment. He stared at the head as if it would provide inspiration.

  Conn had to have a weakness. Everyone did. All Fieran needed to do was discover it. Once he had that, he could use Conn’s weakness to trap him.

  I can’t discover Conn’s weakness standing in my cave, he thought. I have to study him. Learn everything about him. Every habit. Every small detail.

  I’ll start with his house. Fieran always hated sharing the forest with Conn. But today he felt glad. Conn would be more difficult to protect there.

  In the forest, it will be easier for me to get to you. I know the land much better than you do.

  Fieran left the cave. Silent as a shadow, he moved through the trees. His green and brown garments blended in with his surroundings.

  When Conn’s thatched hut came into sight, Fieran hid himself in a nearby stand of trees. He had a good view of the hut’s only door. He would see anyone going in or out. He would see Conn. But Conn wouldn’t see him.

  I’m waiting for you, Conn! Fieran thought. Soon you will understand what it means to lose everything.

  Within moments, Conn came into sight. If Fieran had been a few moments later, he would have run right into him.

  Fieran immediately noticed that Conn had no guards around. He left himself completely unprotected.

  Fieran’s heart leapt up. Now I know Conn’s weakness. He believes he is invincible. He thinks no one will attack him, because he is too strong.

  But I will show him that his strength is his weakness. I will use his pride to conquer him.

  Fieran’s muscles tensed. I could kill you, Conn. I could kill you now.

  He watched as Conn opened the door to his house. Fieran crept forward.

  “You can come out now,” Conn called.

  He knows I’m here! He knows I’m watching him. Fieran jerked back. His heart thundered. His breath came in shallow gasps.

  What is Conn going to do?

  A figure in a long, hooded robe stepped into the clearing. Conn doesn’t know I’m here, Fieran realized. He wasn’t calling me. He spoke to this other person.

  Fieran relaxed. His heartbeat slowed down.

  He stared at the person with Conn. He couldn’t see the man’s face. He wore the hood pulled down low.

  Fieran heard Conn laugh. “Why are you still hiding yourself?” he asked playfully. He reached up and pushed the other person’s hood back.

  Brianna.

  A hot, sour taste hit the back of Fieran’s throat. He swallowed hard.

  Not Brianna. She loved Fieran. He knew she did.

  Conn pulled Brianna into his arms. He kissed her, a long, deep kiss.

  Brianna wrapped her arms around his neck. Eagerly returning the embrace.

  Conn lifted his head and ran his fingers down Brianna’s cheek. “We did it!” Conn said. “We beat that stupid weakling Fieran. We fooled everyone. And now no one can stop us.”

  Brianna smiled. She stood on tiptoe and pressed a kiss on Conn’s jaw. “No one can stop us,” she repeated.

  “It was so easy!” Conn cried. He threw back his head and roared with laughter. “I can hardly believe how easy.”

  “I told you it would be,” Brianna replied.

  “You told me,” Conn admitted. “You were right. And I was wrong. I could not believe what idiots the others are. They thought you were my victim. They never considered the possibility that a woman could cast such a powerful spell.

  “But you did,” Conn continued. “And your spell convinced them that I was the chosen one. Now we will have everything we want.”

  Oh, Brianna. How could she have done that to him? She knew he had always dreamed of being chief. She knew it meant everything to him.

  She would never have known any fire spells if not for me, he thought. She had never experimented with fire before I began to teach her.

  Now her power is stronger than mine. And she used it to defeat me.

  Fieran watched Brianna. It made him feel sick.

  “Together we are more powerful than all the others put together,” she vowed. Her eyes shone as she gazed up at Fieran’s lifelong enemy. “I love you, Conn. Nothing will ever come between us. I’ll stand by you until the day you die.”

  Chapter

  22

  Fieran’s stomach twisted. For one terrible instant, he feared he would be ill.

  It’s all true. All the terrible things Conn said about Brianna. All the things I didn’t want to believe.

  They are true. Every single one of them.

  Brianna doesn’t love me. She betrayed me. She helped Conn to become chief.

  Fieran wanted to run away. Go somewhere where he would never have to see Brianna again. Somewhere where no one knew anything about him.

  It is too painful to stay here, he thought. And without Brianna there is nothing here I want.

  No, Fieran thought. No. He would not let the pain stand in the way of his revenge.

  Revenge!

  Brianna must share Conn’s fate, Fieran thought. Her betrayal was worse than Conn’s. At least Conn did not pretend that he cared for me. Brianna must die too.

  Fieran imagined the expression on Brianna’s face when she realized he planned to kill her. He imagined her begging and pleading with him for her life.

  But I won’t listen, Fieran thought. I’ll never listen to Brianna again. I will make her pay for everything she’s done.

  He imagined his sharp knife slashing downward. Her heart’s blood spraying out of her. Bright red and still warm. Exactly what the head required.

  Which should he kill first? Conn or Brianna?

  His oldest enemy, he decided. Conn.

  I will deal with you later, Brianna, Fieran promised. I will let you live. For now. Only for now. Your turn will come.

  Fieran crept from his hiding place. He made his way back home. His mind already working on the plan for his revenge.

  So Conn thinks he is invincible, Fieran thought. He thinks that I am stupid and weak. He will soon see how wrong he is.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  A week later, Fieran felt ready to set his plan in motion. He dressed in his most threadbare clothes. Then made his way to the Celt’s hilltop village.
>
  He had a message for Conn.

  The people flocked from their homes as Fieran approached. They muttered and whispered, staring at him.

  When he reached the village no one spoke to him. The crowd formed a large circle around him. They stared at Fieran in silence.

  Fieran knew what they were thinking. They had all heard that he had lost his mind. They all knew he was banished.

  Once, he had been a great hero among them. Now he was in disgrace. They don’t know what to say to me, Fieran thought. They don’t know how to treat me.

  It humiliated Fieran to appear before his people as he did. It hurt his pride.

  But Fieran had no choice. He needed the people to believe he had given up. He needed them to believe Conn had broken him. He couldn’t take any chances. He had to convince them.

  If I don’t, Conn will suspect something. I must not let him see my strength.

  A ripple of movement passed through the circle. Out of the corner of his eye, Fieran spotted long robes. Good, someone summoned one of the spell-casters. Fieran’s plan was working perfectly so far.

  Fieran threw himself facedown in the dirt. He grabbed the hem of the spell-caster’s robe. “Please,” he begged. “I want to be reunited with my people. I repent for my accusations against Conn. My own pride blinded me. Now I want to acknowledge Conn as my chief.”

  Fieran could hear the people start to whisper. “Fieran is himself again.”

  “Rise up, Fieran,” the man told him. “It gives me great happiness to see you are so recovered. Gladly, I will take your message to Conn, our chief.”

  Fieran felt exhilaration rush through him. But he had accomplished only the first part of his mission. He could not celebrate yet. He still had much to do.

  He cleared his throat. “I beg of you, say this to Conn. Say I would meet him in the circle of standing stones. In the place of power our ancestors created, I will give him my vow of loyalty. It is time for the fighting between us to end.”

  “I will do this,” the spell-caster answered. Fieran’s heart beat a little faster. He saw the surprise and fear in the other man’s eyes.

  The circle of stones was old. Older even than the spell-casters. And it was very powerful. Powerful with a magic the spell-casters didn’t understand.

  Only the very brave dared enter the circle. Only those who felt very sure of their own power.

  Satisfied with what he’d done, Fieran turned and walked from the village. He made sure he kept his head hanging down. He wanted to appear completely defeated.

  There’s no turning back now, he thought. Two of us will go into the stone circle. But only one will come out alive. When they see that it is I, the people will know they made a mistake.

  They will be forced to admit I am the true chief.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Fieran strode quickly to the stone circle. He wanted to arrive there before Conn.

  Like the Celt village, the circle of stones stood upon a hilltop. It could be seen for miles around. Fieran wasn’t sure why his ancestors had built the circle as they had. There were those among his people who claimed their ancestors used the great stones to read the stars.

  Fieran hesitated outside the circle. He felt small and insignificant as he gazed at the stones. He was mortal. But the stones would last as long as time.

  The great stones were massive. Taller than the tallest man. They had been scarred by wind and weather until they seemed to have faces. Faces as fierce and proud as Fieran’s own.

  As he stared at the weather-beaten faces, Fieran felt a swift jolt of exhilaration shoot through him. He raised his arms over his head and turned in a circle. No longer did he feel tiny and unimportant. Now, he felt part of a great chain of being.

  These are my ancestors, he thought. Their power is still strong. Today I will ask them to lend me their strength. I will ask them to help me defeat Conn.

  “Hear me, spirits of my ancestors,” Fieran cried out. “I do not come here to dishonor your holy place. I come here to right a great wrong. I come to take revenge upon one who has done a great evil.

  “Lend me your strength, my ancestors. Smile upon my enterprise.” Fieran could feel the amulet against his chest. When Conn was dead, he would bathe the amulet in Conn’s blood. Only then would the amulet have its power.

  The wind whistled around the hilltop. Fieran lowered his arms. He took a deep breath.

  I can do no more, he thought. He felt his heartbeat speed up in anticipation. The moment I worked for is here at last. He would leave the circle in triumph. Or would not leave it at all.

  Let the contest begin, he thought. I am ready for it.

  Fieran stepped between the standing stones.

  Instantly the wind died down.

  No sound disturbed the ancient circle. Outside it, Fieran could see the grass blowing in the wind. But inside the circle, all was still. The silence so powerful it almost had a sound of its own.

  Fieran’s ears rang. His heart pounded. Sweat dripped down into his eyes.

  It is the power that makes me feel this way, he thought. He shivered. The power of the stones.

  Fieran walked around the circle. The stones cast huge shadows upon the ground. The air felt cold in the shadow of the stones. An icy cold that stole Fieran’s breath away.

  He turned to the nearest of the great stones. The face on the stone stared down at him. Stern and grim.

  Help me, my ancestor, Fieran asked silently. Help me defeat Conn.

  “Fieran! Where are you?” a voice called out. Fieran whirled around. Standing across the circle, just outside the stones, stood one lone figure.

  Conn.

  I knew he would come alone, Fieran thought. He is so confident. So fearless. He truly believes no one is strong enough to do him harm.

  Fieran stepped out from the shadow of the stone so that Conn could see him. Conn moved forward between the stones. He crossed the circle with swift strides and stopped a few paces away from Fieran. The shadow of the great stone stretched out on the ground beside them.

  “You shouldn’t have come here, Fieran.”

  Fieran scooted a little closer to Conn. He hunched his shoulders up, as if afraid Conn would hit him. He made his voice weak and whining. “But I had to come here. I had to see you, Conn.”

  Conn smiled. He swaggered a little closer to Fieran. He didn’t seem afraid at all. Fieran watched him out of narrowed eyes.

  Oh, yes, he thought. That’s right, Conn. You want to come closer. You want to prove that I am weak while you are strong. But I know your strength is your greatest weakness. I know your strength will be your downfall.

  “Why have you asked me here?” Conn inquired. “Have you come to your senses at last? Have you come to beg for my forgiveness?”

  Fieran felt hot blood pound through his head. He gritted his teeth to try to still his rage. I must not lose my temper, he thought. I must not let my pride stand in my way. If I do, I will be like Conn.

  I am strong enough to appear weak. I am confident enough to humble myself. “I have,” he answered in a soft, trembling voice. “I have come to my senses. Please, I beg you. Forgive me, Conn.”

  Conn’s smile grew a little wider. Fieran took a few steps closer to him. He turned his palms up to show he did not have a weapon.

  “I did not mean to challenge you,” Fieran went on. “I did not mean to say you cheated to become chief.”

  “I cannot hear you, Fieran,” Conn said. “You must speak up.”

  Fieran bit down hard on his tongue. His body quivered with the effort it took to hold himself back. With his whole being, Fieran longed to lunge at Conn. Longed to plunge his fist down Conn’s throat and stop his hateful, taunting words.

  But surprise is your greatest weapon, he reminded himself.

  “I cannot stand it,” Fieran cried out. “I cannot stand being alone anymore. Please let me join the others again. Please let me take part in the ceremonies. I will die if I don’t have company. I’ll do whatever you say, if
only you will forgive me. Repeal my banishment, Conn.”

  Conn didn’t reply.

  “You were right,” Fieran continued. Why isn’t this working? he wondered. What does he want from me? “I was jealous. I could not stand the idea that you were chosen and I was not. I will confess this to everyone. If you will forgive me and let me rejoin my people.”

  Conn threw back his head and laughed. “Say that again, Fieran.”

  Fieran blinked. What game is he playing now? he wondered. “Say what again?” he asked.

  “Say that again,” he repeated. Patiently. As if he were speaking to an idiot. Or an animal.

  “Say all of that again, Fieran. But say it here.” Conn pointed to the ground directly in front of him. “I want to hear you say it on your knees, Fieran.”

  Fieran’s heart pounded in hard, swift strokes. He wanted to grab Conn’s head and tear it off.

  Not yet, he thought. Not when I’m so close. Not until I have Conn exactly where I want him.

  Slowly, Fieran lowered himself to his knees. His kneecaps ached as he pressed them against the rocky ground. “Forgive me,” he whined. “Forgive me, Conn.”

  “When the Romans conquer Britain,” Conn said. “When the last of the Celts have died. That is when I will forgive you, Fieran. You will be my enemy until the day you die.”

  Triumph surged through Fieran. Conn had taken the bait.

  Now, he thought. I’ve got you where I want you!

  Fieran lunged at Conn. He jerked Conn’s legs out from under him.

  Thunk! Conn’s head hit the hard ground. He cried out, and tried to roll away. But Fieran sprang up and put his foot in the middle of Conn’s chest.

  “You’re right, Conn,” Fieran panted. “I am your enemy. I will be your enemy until the day you die. And that day is coming. Sooner than you think.”

  “Not yet,” Conn ground out. “Not today, Fieran.”

  Conn grasped Fieran’s leg and twisted. With a cry of pain, Fieran toppled to the ground. Conn leapt upon his back, bending one of his arms up in a terrible grip. Fieran thrashed and bucked, trying to free himself.

  Fool! he told himself, as the pain poured through him. Idiot! You had him down, but you didn’t finish him off. You gave in to your pride. You had to taunt him.