Read Stones of Power 02 - Last Sword of Power for Free Online Page A

said, stroking her hair. His face was strong, his hair dark and shining like raven's wings, his eyes the blue of a winter's sky.
    She reached up and touched his cheek, smiling through her pain.
    'I love you. I have always loved you . . .'
    Outside a bugle call drifted through the morning air and the man cursed softly and stood, drawing his sword. 'They have found us!'

    The woman moaned as her labour began and Conmac moved across to her, but she did not see him. He tried to touch her, but his hand passed through her body, as if it was smoke.
    'Don't leave me!' she begged. The man's face showed his torment but the bugle sounded once more and he turned and vanished from sight. The woman cried out and Cormac was forced to watch impotently as she struggled to deliver her child. At last the babe came forth blood-covered and curiously still.
    'Oh, no! Dear sweet Christ!' moaned the woman, lifting the child and slapping its tiny rump. There was not the flicker of movement. Laying the babe in her lap, she lifted a golden chain from around her neck, closing the child's tiny fingers around the stone at its centre. 'Live!' she whispered.
    'Please live!'
    But there was no movement ... no sign of life.
    From the sunlit world outside came the sound of blade upon blade, the cries of the wounded, the angry shouts of the combatants. Then there was silence, save for the birds singing in the forest trees. A shadow crossed the entrance and the tall man staggered inside, blood pouring from a wound in his side and a second in his chest.
    'The babe?' he whispered.
    'He is dead,' said the woman.
    Hearing something from beyond the cave, the man turned. 'There are more of them. I can see their spears catching the sun. Can you walk?' She struggled to stand but fell back and he moved to her side, sweeping her into his arms.
    'He's alive!' shouted Cormac, tears in his eyes. 'I'm alive! Don't leave me!'
    He followed them out into the sunlight, watching the wounded man struggle to the top of the cliffs before sinking to his knees, the woman tumbling from his arms. A horseman galloped into sight and the warrior drew his sword, but the man hauled on the reins, waiting.
    From the woods another man came limping into view, his left leg twisted and deformed. The tall warrior drew back his sword and hurled it into the trees, where it lanced into a thick ivy-covered trunk. Then he lifted the woman once more, turned and gazed at the sea foaming hundreds of feet below.
    'No!' screamed the crippled man. The warrior looked towards the horseman who sat unmoving, his stern face set, his hands resting on the pommel of his saddle.
    The warrior stepped from the cliff and vanished from sight, taking the woman with him.
    Cormac watched as the cripple fell to earth with tears in his eyes, but the horseman merely turned his mount and rode away into the trees. Further down the trail Cormac could see the hunting party approaching the cave. He ran like the wind arriving to see the Stone in the child's hands glow like a burning candle and an aura of white light shine over the infant's skin. Then came the first lusty cry. The hunters entered and the black warhound leapt at them only to be cut down by knives and axes.
    'Odin's Blood!' said one of the men. 'The bitch gave birth to a child.'
    'Kill it!' cried another. 'You fools!' said Grysstha. 'You think the dog killed those Romans?'
    Cormac could bear to watch no more and shut his eyes as Grysstha reached for the babe ...
    He opened them to see the dawn light creeping back from the cave-mouth and Grysstha still asleep upon the altar. Rising, he moved to the old man and shook him awake.
    'It is dawn,' he said, 'and I saw my mother and father.'
    'Give me time, boy,' muttered the old warrior. 'Let me get some air.' He stretched and sat up, rubbing at his eyes and groaning at the stiff, cold muscles of his neck. 'Pass me the water-sack.'
    Cormac did so and Grysstha pulled the stopper and drank deeply. 'Now what is this about your