The Stregheria~Covenant of Runes

Once in the dream of a night I stood

Lone in the light of a magical wood,

Soul-deep in visions that poppy-like sprang;

And spirits of Truth were the birds that sang,

And spirits of Love were the stars that glowed,

And spirits of Peace were the streams that flowed

In that magical wood in the land of sleep.

Excerpt from Song of a Dream

- Sarojini Naidu

Prologue

Lillian cupped her hands around her bulging middle. She gasped as pain spread across her abdomen ending in a dull ache across her lower back. She groaned through clenched teeth while leaning against the icy brick. She allowed herself a few moments to catch her breath. She hid in the deep shadows of the alley watching her puffs of breath float up and disappear with the bitter wind. She shivered as she pulled her coat tighter around her.

They’d almost caught her this time. She had to be more careful. She was returning to her cheap motel room when she’d caught sight of the Guardian through the lobby windows. She was grateful she saw him before he saw her, or it would’ve been all over. She cradled her belly and shoved off the wall on shaky legs to make her way out of the alley. Her eyes swept the faces of those on the street looking for any recognition of who she was in their eyes. She stayed close to the buildings, ready to bolt inside the shops if necessary. She had to find a safe place soon, this baby wasn’t going to wait much longer.

“Don’t worry little one, no one is going to take you away from me. I promise.”

As if in answer, another intense pain, wound its way through her body making her gasp and grab the wall for support. A few people were starting to stare at her with concern. She realized she needed to get off the street before someone decided they should call 911. The last thing she needed was the cops to get involved. She couldn’t go to a hospital, they would find her there. She saw a large park up ahead with a small building that looked as if it might house janitorial supplies. It had restrooms for men and women on the opposite end. It wasn’t ideal, but at this point it was either that or give birth right here on the ice-covered sidewalk.

Fluid began to trickle down her legs as she crossed the street. It’s warmth quickly turning fridgid against her skin in the freezing temperatures. She hurried to cross the street. Forgetting the walk signal, she was rewarded with horns blasting as she passed by. She didn’t look in the direction of the sounds. All her focus was on getting to that building. She’d deal with what came after… after.

Upon reaching the women’s bathroom, she furtively looked around. Checking if anyone could see her before slipping in and locking the door. She couldn’t believe this was happening. It was only a few months ago she was happy, in love, and ecstatic at the prospect of being a mother. She didn’t even care she was only nineteen and her father wouldn’t approve.

Her father, a devout Southern Baptist, was furious when she had taken off with Aédan to travel Europe. She hadn’t cared or listened to his warnings. Lillian’s heart wrenched in her chest as she thought of Aédan. What must he have thought when he discovered she had disappeared and took his unborn child with her? She immediately shook it off. Aédan had no one to blame but himself. He lied to her, from day one, and her father had been right all along.

Oh, how she wished she could turn to him now. But even if her dad forgave her and she went home, that would be the first place they would look. No, she could never go home again. Her heart ached at the thought of never seeing or hearing the quiet tenor of her father’s voice again. Her dad had warned her. Now God was seeing fit to punish her for disobeying him and running wild with the first man who’d come along. Even if that man had the face of an angel himself.

A piercing pain made her gasp and brought her out of her thoughts and back into the present. “Oh God, please… help me.” She didn’t think he was listening. Pain and fear were her only companions over the next several hours. They passed in a blur of agony until finally she held a crying, squirming baby girl in her arms. She tied, then cut the cord with the small pocket knife her dad had given her on her sixteenth birthday. She smirked through tears of pain, relief, sadness, or a little of each, at the irony of it. Her dad being old fashioned, gave her the knife to scare off boys that would’ve like to put her in just this predicament. She wrapped the infant in her coat. Ensuring the Sherpa lining would keep her warm, not caring that it would forever be ruined now. Birth was a lot messier than she ever imagined. She spared a passing thought at what the janitor would think happened in here come their next shift.

She cradled her new daughter, silently vowing to never let anything happen to her. She would be good and faithful from now on, so nothing bad would ever touch her. She would have faith like her father taught her. She would need it now more than ever.

“Faith… we are going to need a lot of it on the road ahead little one.” Lillian cradled the precious infant close. The baby was already nuzzling at her chest with some innate instinct.

It wouldn’t be easy. She would have to keep on the move if she was going to stay ahead of Aedan’s Seekers and keep from being discovered. Hopefully, when enough time had passed, Aedan and the Stregheria would give up. Then her and her child would be able to settle in one place. Given enough time anything was possible, right?

They only had to have faith.