Tara stood between Grainna and the door. In a swift movement, Grainna grabbed her from behind and placed the knife to her throat.

The knife didn’t scare her, but the lack of oxygen did. The room started to swirl and dim.

Duncan heard her cry and left Lancaster.

The walls shook with the weight of the door flying out. He stopped and took notice of the blade Grainna held at Tara’s neck.

Smiling, Grainna leered down at Tara. “One breath, my dear.”

Tara felt air return to her lungs, her vision cleared.

Duncan stood paralyzed at the door.

“Come no closer, Druid warrior, or you will watch her die.”

Tara’s eyes glossed over again, she could think of nothing but air. I can’t breathe.

“Leave her, ’tis me you want. I took her from you. Your fight is with me.”

“I will have you both. Your family has caused me so much time in this retched body. Stealing the virgin’s right out from under me.” She spat at Duncan’s feet.

Tara was slipping out of consciousness. Her body started to fall.

“Not yet, my dear,” Grainna whispered in her ear. “He hasn’t suffered nearly enough.”

Tara managed one breath.

Duncan moved toward them.

“Uh, uh, uh.” Grainna pressed the blade into Tara’s flesh. Duncan froze. His jaw set in a deadly lock. Tara saw the scene through his eyes. His heart and body ached.

Tara’s eyes swirled in a dizzying haze. Faces she didn’t recognize mixed with the colors of the room, floating in circles. The dark oblivion threatened to envelope her.

Amber’s voice slipped into the fog. “On this day and in this hour, call upon the sacred power.”

I’m hallucinating. I’m going to die. Tara closed her eyes and hoped it would be painless.

Amber’s words whispered faintly in her head.

“On this day and in this hour, call upon the sacred power.” Over and over Amber’s voice rang in her ears. Suddenly, Tara’s lungs filled with life giving oxygen.

Surprise sprung her eyes open. Another breath came. It wasn’t Grainna granting it.

Grainna continued to taunt Duncan. “I’ll see each of you dead and bleeding before I leave this land. One by one, I will eliminate every member of your family.”

The blade she held nicked Tara’s skin, warm trickling blood caressed her skin on its journey downward.

Duncan moved forward, face filled with wrath.

The blade cut deeper.

He halted.

Stand back! Tara told him.

The faces she thought were a hallucination told her to listen.

Amber chanted.

Air filled her body again, and as thankful as she was for it, she did her best to conceal her feelings.

When the knife lifted away, enough to where she had a chance to survive, Tara let her legs go out from under her.

Now! Duncan, now!

Caught unaware, Grainna struggled to keep Tara on her feet.

Tara pushed at her with every ounce of strength she had.

Duncan flung his hand out.

The knife flew out of Grainna’s hands and skidded across the floor.

Duncan moved in, putting his body between Tara and Grainna’s. His eyes never left their enemy.

He brought his hand up again. This time a ball of flame hovered in his palm.

Grainna stood in defiance.

Tara felt Grainna’s hold on her weaken.

Grainna’s lips lifted in a sneer.

Tara’s eyes shifted between her husband and Grainna.

The flame diminished. Duncan’s hands moved and clung to his throat.

When he hit the floor with his knees, Tara knew he was struggling for air. “NO!”

Grainna’s wicked laughter filled the room.

Tara dropped next to Duncan.

Wonderful eyes which always gave her so much love glazed over with terror. The blood from her neck dripped on his chest.

Amber’s voice grew more insistent. “On this day and in this hour, call upon the sacred power.”

The vision of faces still hovered in the room.

“Hurry,” they said. “It is up to you to banish her. We cannot do it a second time.”

Tara laid her hands on Duncan’s face. “On this day and in this hour, I call upon the sacred power.”

She kissed his lips. “Breathe, Duncan!” she yelled.

“Breathe, dammit.”

His head rolled back.

Grainna cackled.

“On this day and in this hour, I call upon the sacred power. Release the hold she has on thee, make it now that he can breathe.”

One staggering breath followed quickly by a second.

Tara gasped. “Thank you!”

“No!” Grainna screamed. “How dare you?” She found her knife and came at them.

Tara turned to see her approach. She lifted her bloodied hand. “Stop.” She was shocked to see that Grainna did.

But it was brief, and Grainna came at them again.

Hand still raised, Tara started again. “On this day and in this hour, I ask the Ancients for more power.”

Grainna hit an invisible force which kept her in place. Stunned, she hit her hands against an unseen wall. Beside her, Tara felt Duncan move, gasping for each breath he pulled into his body. “Are you okay?”

she asked, keeping her eyes on Grainna.

“Aye,” he choked out.

Tara stood, shaking and took a step toward her enemy. “You were never meant to come back here, Grainna.”

Duncan stumbled to his feet.

“None of us want you here.”

The air in the cabin stirred. Velocity picked up.

Objects in the room flew helter-skelter, landing on the floor.

The air thinned. The world shifted.

“I’ll come back for you.”

“You’ll try.” Tara circled Grainna. Tara placed a hand to her neck to capture the blood from her wound. She spread her fingers out, her blood dripped to the floor.

With each step she took, one of the Ancient’s nodded and disappeared. Somehow, she knew exactly what she was meant to do.

Grainna chanted and beat against the invisible wall. “Light the ring.” Tara placed a hand on Duncan’s arm.

A flick of Duncan’s wrist, and Grainna was surrounded by a ring of fire.

“The Ancients banned you once before,” Tara said. “You haven’t the power to do it again.” Grainna’s hand slipped through the magical force which held her in place. A triumphant smile spread over her face. Heat surged from Tara’s hands. She raised them.

Grainna stopped, motionless in her place.

“Forces of good will overpower the forces of evil.

Take my advice, Grainna, change your ways.” Tara held Grainna’s blood red eyes fixed on hers. “You’ve been banned from this time and place. You’ve been banned from the Druid race. No more threats from you to me. I send you now across the sea. If the Ancients will it so, I bid it now that you must go.”