The cursed towers 283
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The chant came to an end and Isabeau let go of Maya and Ishbel's hands, wiping her face and pushing
away the unruly curls from her face. "Maya, it is time to break the curse."
Slowly the Fairge lifted the black bundle from where it had lain by the fire. In the candlelight her eyes
glittered oddly. She took her jeweled eating knife and slowly and deliberately cut the knot that bound the
cloth together.
"Darksome night and shining light,
By the power o' the moons so bright,
Words o' grace be spoken,
Power o' the curse be broken," she chanted.
The cloth fell open, revealing the little poppet all bound up in its stained, crumpled ribbon, smelling of evil
and poison. A wave of such malevolence passed over Isabeau that she almost gagged, and both
Bronwen and Ishbel gave a little cry and shrank back. Khan'gharad's bearded face was stern and sad,
and he looked at Maya with cold anger in his eyes.
The Fairge looked rather sick but she picked up the poppet in her fingertips and carefully cut away the
ribbon so that the broken feather fell away.
"Darksome night and shining light,
By the power o' the moons so bright,
Words o' grace be spoken
Power o' the curse be broken," she repeated huskily.
Handling the poppet as gingerly as possible, she cut away the scrap of MacCuinn tartan and the lock of
dark hair, repeating the chant with a trembling voice.
"In the name o' Ea, mother and father o' us all, shine your light o' white upon Lachlan MacCuinn and
shield him from all forces evil, malevolent and baneful," Isabeau chanted, the others all joining in. "Oh
divine power o' the moons and stars, the winds and breathing air, the sweet waters and fruitful earth, the
life that is in all the universe, the life that is in all o' us, bless Lachlan MacCuinn, encircle his body and soul
and bring him peace and protection from harm. Cast away the evil chains that bind him, cast away the
darkness that presses upon him, unseal his eyes so he may see, unseal his voice that he may speak, let
vigor and warmth flow through him, let life return to him in full. By the power o' the moons so bright, as
we say, so let it be!"
Maya cast the poppet and all the scraps of ribbon and cloth and feather on to the fire, crying loudly:
