Sunny thought the blood was pounding in her ears, but it was the sound of hooves. Then she was free! She heard a snarling.
Nicodemus was off his horse and standing over Jason. The wolfhound was also standing over Jason; straining to get close enough to maim and just inches from his face.
"I should let him rip your throat out!"
Sunny opened her eyes and saw that Fury was holding Shanley back. She was overcome with relief to see Nicodemus and was anxious to get Jason out of town. "Just get him out of here --- out of Ballencoo!"
Fury looked over his shoulder at her then glared down at Jason. "Count yourself lucky – Siobhan only has to give the word and your body will be scattered across this world."
"I don't want anyone else hurt," Sunny said through clenched teeth that were chattering with a deep cold. "Not on my account."
"I don't who the hell you are," Jason said, keeping his eyes on the wolfhound and then glaring up at Fury, "But if you sic that mutt on me, I'll make sure you spend the rest of your life in jail!"
Fury studied the man for a moment and saw the fear in his eyes and that all his words were meaningless. He leaned close to the wolfhound and spoke softly in Shanley's ear. The hound whimpered, tasting the air through bared teeth, and snarling at Jason but he stopped straining against Nicodemus' arms that were wrapped around his shoulders. They both stepped back from Jason where he lay in the dirt.
Fury glared down at Jason. "Watch him close." He told Shanley. "Very close!" He strode to where Kai waited and pulled the leather lariat from the pommel of the saddle, then came over to Sunny. His dark black eyes were fierce as he looked at her. His gaze rested on her bleeding lip, the ripped sleeve of her gown, and the purpling beginning at her wrists and cheek. "Are you--?"
She nodded emphatically, "Yes, I'm all right," She was freezing! She could not stop the uncontrollable shaking. He nodded and turned back to Jason stepping past Shanley. He reached down and hauled Jason roughly to his feet. He pulled Jason's arms behind his back and tied him securely.
Jason twisted around and glared at Sunny, "You need to get home and stop hiding out in this crazy gypsy camp!"
"Any more out of you and I will gag you," Fury told him then looked over his shoulder at Sunny, "Where is Orion?"
"I don't know," she answered. "I couldn't find him."
Nicodemus glared up into the trees and shouted something that sounded like an order. Sunny did not see who responded but by the time Fury had Jason standing on the main road, the sound of pounding hooves came from the forest and the brilliant white blur that was Orion came tearing into the clearing and skidded to a halt his head low and ears laid flat on his head.
"Take your mistress home!" Nicodemus growled at Orion. He turned to Sunny and held out his hand to her. "Come, Siobhan."
She took hold of his hand with both of hers and he gently led her to where Orion waited. Sunny was trembling and cold as ice! Nicodemus stopped, "Siobhan, look at me." He kept his voice soft and soothing. She looked up at him and fell into his arms. She clung to him. He gently enveloped her, holding her against his heart. He eased back and looked to Orion, "Take her home Orion, please."
Nicodemus lifted Sunny to Orion's back and she clung to his hand. "Just get him out of Ballencoo,"
Fury nodded silently and watched Sunny and Orion for a moment, then turned to mount his horse. He tugged on the lariat, "Start walking!" Shanley went with Fury, watching every move Jason made as he shuffled ahead of Fury and his mount.
"Where are you taking me!" Jason flung over his shoulder. "You're not going to get away with this!"
"I believe I already am," Nicodemus told him. "Keep moving."
Jason stopped in his tracks and faced him. "Look, I'll give you whatever you want! Name your price! Just let me go!"
Fury leaned forward to rest his forearm on the pommel of his saddle. "You have nothing I want. Now keep moving,"
Jason took a step toward Nicodemus and his mount. "Is she worth all the trouble you're going to find yourself in? As soon as I get out of here, I'm going straight to the authorities! I'll make sure you are buried under the prison!"
Shanley growled and moved toward Jason menacingly. "I suggest you start walking," Fury murmured. "Or do you need motivation?"
Jason turned and began stalking up the road. When they were on the edge of town Fury herded him on the back trail toward the Wolfe clan encampment. Shanley trotted alongside Jason his eyes fixed on him in case he tried to run and get away.
Fury reined in at the edge of the encampment. The men did not question why he had a bound prisoner or even acknowledge the snarling wolfhound that stood beside the prisoner. They had already gotten word and knew what had happened. Other clans had also received word.
Oran Bishop arrived on horseback and dropped to the ground just inside the camp lines. From the forest, Griffin Doyle came on foot. Bishop nodded to Doyle as he joined them. He spoke in their native tongue. "What do you need us to do?" Oran asked his dark eyes looking at Jason in contempt.
Fury dismounted and shoved Jason ahead of him to keep an eye on the man while he spoke to Oran and Griffin. He looked to Bishop, "I will need your good wife to wipe his memory."
Oran nodded and turned to one of his men and quickly told him to fetch his wife and help her collect everything she would need. Griffin Doyle looked at Shanley. "Good lad!"
The wolfhound sat on his haunches between Nicodemus and Griffin, his tongue lolling out happily. "Once his memory is gone," Fury told Bishop and Doyle, "I'll need you to gather your best men and take him as far away from Ballencoo as you can and leave him where he'll be found by the authorities."
"I have men who can take care of that," Griffin said, then looked at Jason who was straining at his bonds while they were talking. "And Siobhan, how bad?"
" As do I." Bishop replied then turned to glare at Jason, "I'd do more than wipe his memory!" Bishop muttered. "You say the word and I'll do the deed myself!"
"As would I," Fury replied. "Siobhan just wants him gone."
Both Doyle and Bishop frowned at Jason then nodded silently. Jason was continuing to work on the slip knot that held his arms pinned back against his spine. If he could just get his one hand free, he could make a run for it. He could hear the music and could smell the food from the concessions.
Before he could think of his best escape route, two riders came thundering up and thoughts of escape evaporated. Bishop went to his wife and helped her dismount. She went over to examine Jason.
"Look you don't have to do this," Jason implored, "Just let me go and I'll leave and never come back!"
Lucy smiled at him sweetly. "Do not worry, you will not remember a thing!"
"What the hell are you going to do to me!" Jason cried. "You can't do this!"
Lucy frowned slightly and put her index finger to her lips, "Shhh. No more talking from you."
Jason's voice cut off mid-rant. His blue eyes widened in horror. He tried to scream but nothing came out. He began to shriek, the veins in his throat turned reddish purple and stood out along with the muscles. He slumped to his knees.
Lucy waved for her satchel and Oran brought it over. She smiled her thanks and looked to Fury, "What is it you wish done?"
"Wipe his memory of this place," Nicodemus told her. "When he is found I do not want him to remember this place or Siobhan."
Lucy nodded. "That can be done." She said as she began mixing in a wide-mouth amber bottle several ingredients. "Oran, you should send some men to go through the car, remove everything that would lead here or Siobhan."
Oran looked to Griffin who nodded understandingly. "I'll do it myself,"
Lucy held the bottle up to the light and shook the contents lightly. She looked appraisingly at Fury, "You won't be able to keep what we've done from her. She'll know."
"Aye," Nicodemus said. "What we do is the best and safest for Siobhan."
Lucy studied Jason dispassionately. "Aye. Well, I'm ready. He will need to drink it all."
Oran motioned for two of his men and come and hold Jason up while Lucy forced the elixir down. They came and flanked Jason on either side and Oran held his head back. Jason struggled and fought back but Lucy got all of the liquid down his throat. Within minutes of administering, Jason's blue eyes became glassy and drowsy. She stored everything back into her satchel. "The more they struggle the quicker the elixir takes effect."
"Thank you again, Roma," Nicodemus said and bowed.
Lucy smiled and looked at Shanley. "The Doyle boy, Shannon, will he be all right?"
Nicodemus looked over at Shanley who was pacing back and forth eyeing Jason, his head low and the hackles on his back still raised. "Yes, I will make sure there is someone to watch over him in Nu'Ada."
"He has family there, yes?" Lucy wanted to know.
"Aye, they stay up in the hills to themselves," Fury replied. "I hope to keep him close. He has potential."
Lucy looked at Nicodemus with renewed respect. She was glad to see that what she had been hearing about the changes in Fury were all true. She went over to Jason and tilted his head back, "Where are your keys to your automobile?"
"In my pocket," Jason said, his voice thick and slurred. He was unbound and he fished in his jeans pocket and held them up in his cupped hand to Lucy. "Here you want them?"
"Thank you," Lucy replied, taking the keys. She examined the key fob and grinned. "It is a rental, we have contacts in Longford who can help us. I'll have one of the young women speak for us – explain what we need to be done."
Nicodemus was unaware of what happened beyond Ballencoo and was happy to leave that to more experienced hands. Griffin returned with an overnight bag. When Jason saw it, he stumbled to his feet and wobbled to take it from Griffin. He turned and offered it to Lucy, "Do you need this too?"
Lucy handed the keys to Griffin, linked arms with Jason, and led him to a spot under an oak tree, "We will need to go through everything. While we do that, I want you to take a little nap."
Obediently Jason sat down and leaned against the tree and closed his eyes. She looked over at Shanley, "Be a good lad and make sure he stays here."
Shanley looked to Griffin and received a nod, then he sprawled near the sleeping Jason. Lucy turned to Oran, "We'll need to find Imara,"
He nodded and was off on horseback to find the woman Imara. Griffin went through the overnight bag and removed everything that Jason carried with him that connected him to Ballencoo. He pulled a large packet of letters, all unopened and all stamped 'returned to sender'. "What do we do with these?"
Lucy took them from Griffin and frowned. "There are a great many letters here."
"Unopened," Griffin said.
"We should burn them," Lucy said.
Oran returned with Imara riding behind him on his horse. "Fiona is coming." He announced as he reined his mount in close to Lucy.
Lucy reached up to take Imara's hand. "I need you to reach out to your friend in Longford."
Imara nodded solemnly and slid off the horse and joined Lucy to the side. She listened intently as Lucy explained what needed to be done. Imara was off on her task when Fiona rode up with Tully in her cart. Fury took that moment to slip into the forest with his mount. He needed to make preparations in Nu'Ada.
Fiona and Tully stepped down from the cart and joined Lucy. "Is that Jason?" Fiona asked, her hand flying to her throat. "What happened? Where is Sunny? Is she all right?"
"Siobhan is waiting at Laurel Cottage," Lucy told her. "This man attacked her --,"
"Oh my God!" Fiona looked frantically around. "What are you doing?"
Lucy took Fiona's hands in hers, "We are doing what needs to be done."
If they expected Fiona to protest, she surprised them. "Do what you must!" she said.
Tully bent over Jason and looked over his shoulder at Lucy, "You've done a right good job on him, Lucy!"
"Thank you," Lucy returned with a wink. "We're making the final arrangements now." She turned to Fiona. "Griffin Doyle will take him and his automobile off and lose him."
Fiona frowned first at Jason's sleeping form then looked in turn at Lucy, Griffin, and last at Oran Bishop. "Who was with her?"
"Shannon was with her and protected her until she sent Shanley to get help," Bishop replied. "He found Nicodemus first."
"She knows then about Shannon?"
"Aye, she does now," Griffin said.
Fiona nodded absently, then looked between Bishop and Doyle, "I think I should be with Sunny. If you need me --,"
"Do not worry," Lucy said and put her arm around Fiona's shoulders. She walked with Fiona back to the cart. "When it is done, we will come to Laurel Cottage."
Tully climbed into the cart next to Fiona. He lifted the reins, and they were off.
Oran and Griffin stood together in deep conversation. Lucy took the packet of letters and put them into her satchel. "Everything will be taken care of here," she glanced over at Jason. "His memories will be completely wiped of his time here. I wish I could do the same for Siobhan."