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Chapter Twelve
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2021-08-31 10:29:31Tara’s mouth tasted like she chewed on an old cotton rag for the majority of the night. To add to her misery, her head felt like someone slammed a hammer across her skull more than once. The room looked as out of focus as the rest of her. The faint murmur of voices in the distance sounded familiar, but she couldn’t think who they belonged to nor could she understand the words.
****
Joshua’s nostrils flared with rage and his eyes glowed with a wicked orange hue as he interrupted his heated conversation with the old wizard to observe Tara’s stirring. The old fool obviously gave her far too potent a dosage of the potion he admitted to slipping into their stew.
He’d been up and about for several hours with minimal residual effects.
“If you’ve damaged her in any way old man,” Joshua spit from between clenched teeth, “you’ll feel not only my wrath
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Fiona watched the shooting star make its way across the rich blue sea of the cloudless night sky while she listened to Brandon’s footsteps steadily approach. They were solid steps belonging to a man of strength, determination and confidence. The brilliant moon cast his shadow past her long before his actual arrival. She regretted involving him with this mess. After all, he was just a time traveler with no magical skills to speak of. Placing him in such a risky position when she summoned him to her in the future almost cost him his life at the mercy of that demon. Was that really fair?“You’re deep in thought,” Brandon said in a hushed tone. “Am I interrupting?”“Not at all,” Fiona replied. “I was just thinking about what to do next.”“I’ve had some thoughts of my own. If you don’t mind I’d like to pass them by you,” he volunteered.Fiona looked at him long and
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Flames danced around the light show of elusive sparks as Joshua put another branch he’d obtained from a seasoned fallen oak tree onto the fire. His mind raced with concern as he watched Lucy’s health dissipate with every passing hour. He was baffled. She looked healthy to the naked eye. She showed no symptoms of disease yet grew weaker and weaker for no apparent reason. He’d hoped the old wizard would create a potion to heal her. Now he was faced with the dilemma of taking her to Balthazar in her weakened condition or seeking aide from an old witchdoctor who lived in the most remote depths of the mountains. He weighed the pros and cons of both and decided that it would be far more advantageous for him to deliver a healthy and vibrant young enchantress to the Lord of Shadow Land than to show up with the shell of a woman who lay snuggled beneath the woolen blankets he’d brought along.Joshua sighed. He’d never been to the witchdoctor and only
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Her life force was ebbing away, making even that simple task of breathing an excruciating chore. Joshua aided her in sitting beneath the gnarled apple tree. Its rough bark cut into her back. Feeling the pain somehow reminded her she was still alive, so she made no move to adjust her position. He was off searching for more firewood. She hadn’t paid attention to the time, but it seemed like he should have been back by now. It would be dark soon. The last thing she wanted was to be alone in the wilds of the woods at night. She was completely defenseless against a myriad of predators that roamed the darkness. She hoped he’d return soon.Tara! Tara heard the voice so clearly that she swore the woman stood nearby. She turned her head quickly from left to right while she searched for its source.‘Tara, can you hear me!’ The voice echoed through her head. She wished her head was clearer, so she could tell who t
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The sun was persistent as it wove its brilliant golden rays through the thick netting formed by the tree tops and warming the ground around Tara enough to ease the damp frigidity of the blanket of morning’s dew. Joshua stood up and stretched the kinks out to his long legs and narrow waist torso while Tara admired him from beneath half-closed eyelids. Sensing her eyes on him, he looked at her and smiled.“Good morning, sleepy head,” he whispered in a sultry voice that had a seductive effect.“How are you feeling today?”He recalled how well this manner of speaking worked on her in the future when he was Dominic and was pleased it was still having the effect he wanted on her now.She closed her eyes tightly while she struggled to control her fickle body. How did she feel today? She felt like jumping up, running into his arms and kissing him silly. That’s how she felt today. Tara felt her face redden when she realize
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She felt like she was floating, or things were floating around her, she couldn’t tell which. Tara held her fingertips to her temples in hopes that the mild pressure she applied would help her equilibrium, but it didn’t. She heard, rather than saw the large dark cloaked figure before her. Where was Joshua? He’d whispered something in her ear, but she couldn’t recall what it was. Did he say they’d arrived? Arrived where? Oh, yes. They’d arrived in Shadow Land and he needed to go. Where did he need to go? Oh yes, he was going to see his beloved Luella. Wasn’t Lucy supposed to be his beloved? Didn’t he think she was Lucy?“Stand straight in the presence of our Lord and Master!” bellowed the guard as he cracked a small whip across her back.Tara screamed in pain and fell to her knees. Even if the whip hadn’t been used she was certain she’d have fallen to her knees anyway. Her legs were like rubber and h
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Luella stormed out of the bedroom. Joshua was acting very strange. He was far too preoccupied for a man just returned from a lengthy assignment. Rumor had it the young woman he brought back was the young enchantress’s doppelganger. Rumor also had it that the girl was under the impression she and Joshua were engaged to be married. How did she get such an idea? Could that rogue of a lover of hers played such a role while he was away?Although furious with Joshua, it wasn’t the reason for her rampage now. Once again Balthazar overlooked her prowess as a sorceress and sent for that decaying old man. Why would he favor a witchdoctor over a powerful sorceress? It was an insult.She was a young girl when her mother, Elspeth, brought her through the boundary to Shadow Land. It was a bold move on her part. A bold move that paid off.Born human, Luella was the daughter of a powerful sorceress who felt her abilities were wasted. She wanted a far gre
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Adam lay by the fire with his head resting on his paws. Things weren’t going well. The enchantress was sharp and suspicious. Instead of accepting him as a cute and cuddly collie that wandered into the boundary and was in need of human assistance she suspected him of being exactly what he was, a creature of the dark in disguise. He’d been laying low in an effort to gain her trust and convince her otherwise. He should have returned to Shadow Land with the witchdoctor in tow by now. If he couldn’t get the enchantress to soften soon, he’d have to abandon the idea of glory and fetch the witchdoctor. He really hoped it wouldn’t come to that. At least here, in the company of the enchantress and her companion, his life wasn’t at risk. He wanted to keep it that way. Delaying much longer would also put him in jeopardy with Balthazar. Any way he looked at it, getting the enchantress to enter Shadow Land with him was imperative.“How long d
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Things were serious. Tara was clearly dying. To add to this dilemma, they were in the company of a sorceress who’d been raised in Shadow Land and had been living under the protection of Joshua who was one of Balthazar’s most prized and powerful soldiers.After spending time with Fiona, Luella’s defenses slowly lowered and she responded readily to the woman’s questions. It was obvious Fiona was a woman with only the best intent for Dennis and his sister. Since she risked everything, including her life, to see Dennis to safety she saw the advantage in teaming up with her ideas, powers and skills.“So, enchantress, I’m at your disposal,” Luella offered.“Aye, as I am you,” Fiona replied with a sincerity that tugged at something deep inside the other woman.“Can I ask ya how ya came to be living in Shadow Land?” Fiona asked. “Much of ya has changed, but I can still see that ya are human.&
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Her backside hurt from being forced to balance on the pommel of the military saddle. The musky scent of Joshua’s skin that she’d found so alluring in the past repulsed her now. She seethed inwardly as the reality of everything that occurred set in and the memories came forth. As his arm tightened around her waist and her body stiffened, the saddle irritated her all the more. She didn’t care. He’d fooled her twice. There would be no third time.Her mind raced with what to do. She was no longer disoriented and weak, but did he realize that? Perhaps it would be in her best interest not to let him see that she was well and healthy. At least until she could figure out a plan of action. As much as it repulsed her to do so, she leaned into him and feigned fainting. His hand came up to stroke her hair and her nostrils filled with his scent. She felt repulse and it took considerable effort to maintain control to hide it. He slowed his horse down to a gent
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“The doppelganger is an exact double of a person. They’re an extension of the person, but there’s a difference. Here, read this,” Luella said as she pushed the open book in front of Dennis and pointed to a paragraph. “I was never good at explaining things. I’d make a horrible teacher.”Dennis focused on the words.“A ghostly double of a living person, especially one that haunts its fleshly counterpart,” he read.“I’ll admit that even though that’s the true definition of a doppelganger, little by little the meaning has turned toward a label for a person’s twin or double. So, in a sense, you’re her doppelganger and she’s yours, but, in truth, you’re not. Especially since you’re both sharing the same soul. I’ve never heard of doppelgangers sharing the same soul,” Luella said.“If her soul is attached to me, what happens to her?” Tara
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She’d witnessed and learned so much over the past months that the incredulous story she was hearing made perfect sense. Tara was full of emotion as she listened to Fiona’s speech pattern and watched her body language. There was no denying the resemblance. Dennis, on the other hand, hadn’t spent the hours in study of the mystical arts like Tara and he required a more in-depth explanation. Even with all that had happened he had a difficult time grasping things.“Never mind,” Tara said as she patted her brother’s hand. “It’ll all make sense someday.” “How are ya feeling, truly?” Fiona asked Tara.“I feel fantastic,” she replied. “It’s nothing like when I first arrived. I was off from the minute we...err... landed and I grew progressively weaker. Except for, let me think, there was a time when I felt a little more like myself, but I can’t put my finger on just when it was.&rdquo
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The world was spinning and she needed it to stop. Her head hurt and her eyes burned. Everything was blurry. What was happening? Dennis. Did she dream he carried her off? It certainly felt real. Make the spinning stop. Everything moved too fast. Her stomach was queasy. She would vomit if the spinning didn’t stop!****Fiona stood over Tara as Brandon laid her on the cowhide covered sofa in the great room of her quaint country cottage. Tara’s long, shapely torso stretched from one end to the other. It was as if the sofa was created just for her.Fiona marveled over every inch of the young woman’s body. This was the first she’d seen Tara. The lass was an exact replica of Lucy. If Fiona hadn’t known better, she might easily be fooled herself. It was easy to see why Brandon was so crushed when she didn’t remember him. Had this girl lived in the same era as Lucy, she woul
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Things were serious. Tara was clearly dying. To add to this dilemma, they were in the company of a sorceress who’d been raised in Shadow Land and had been living under the protection of Joshua who was one of Balthazar’s most prized and powerful soldiers.After spending time with Fiona, Luella’s defenses slowly lowered and she responded readily to the woman’s questions. It was obvious Fiona was a woman with only the best intent for Dennis and his sister. Since she risked everything, including her life, to see Dennis to safety she saw the advantage in teaming up with her ideas, powers and skills.“So, enchantress, I’m at your disposal,” Luella offered.“Aye, as I am you,” Fiona replied with a sincerity that tugged at something deep inside the other woman.“Can I ask ya how ya came to be living in Shadow Land?” Fiona asked. “Much of ya has changed, but I can still see that ya are human.&
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Adam lay by the fire with his head resting on his paws. Things weren’t going well. The enchantress was sharp and suspicious. Instead of accepting him as a cute and cuddly collie that wandered into the boundary and was in need of human assistance she suspected him of being exactly what he was, a creature of the dark in disguise. He’d been laying low in an effort to gain her trust and convince her otherwise. He should have returned to Shadow Land with the witchdoctor in tow by now. If he couldn’t get the enchantress to soften soon, he’d have to abandon the idea of glory and fetch the witchdoctor. He really hoped it wouldn’t come to that. At least here, in the company of the enchantress and her companion, his life wasn’t at risk. He wanted to keep it that way. Delaying much longer would also put him in jeopardy with Balthazar. Any way he looked at it, getting the enchantress to enter Shadow Land with him was imperative.“How long d
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Luella stormed out of the bedroom. Joshua was acting very strange. He was far too preoccupied for a man just returned from a lengthy assignment. Rumor had it the young woman he brought back was the young enchantress’s doppelganger. Rumor also had it that the girl was under the impression she and Joshua were engaged to be married. How did she get such an idea? Could that rogue of a lover of hers played such a role while he was away?Although furious with Joshua, it wasn’t the reason for her rampage now. Once again Balthazar overlooked her prowess as a sorceress and sent for that decaying old man. Why would he favor a witchdoctor over a powerful sorceress? It was an insult.She was a young girl when her mother, Elspeth, brought her through the boundary to Shadow Land. It was a bold move on her part. A bold move that paid off.Born human, Luella was the daughter of a powerful sorceress who felt her abilities were wasted. She wanted a far gre
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The sun was persistent as it wove its brilliant golden rays through the thick netting formed by the tree tops and warming the ground around Tara enough to ease the damp frigidity of the blanket of morning’s dew. Joshua stood up and stretched the kinks out to his long legs and narrow waist torso while Tara admired him from beneath half-closed eyelids. Sensing her eyes on him, he looked at her and smiled.“Good morning, sleepy head,” he whispered in a sultry voice that had a seductive effect.“How are you feeling today?”He recalled how well this manner of speaking worked on her in the future when he was Dominic and was pleased it was still having the effect he wanted on her now.She closed her eyes tightly while she struggled to control her fickle body. How did she feel today? She felt like jumping up, running into his arms and kissing him silly. That’s how she felt today. Tara felt her face redden when she realize
