Cameron.
In that moment the truth hit her like a blow to the chest. Not only did she need him. She wanted him. She loved him. Never once had she allowed herself to think, much less say the words. Not to herself or to him. She’d hidden from that truth like so many others in her life.
At least she’d been able to acknowledge her feelings before she died. Closing her eyes, she sent out her thoughts. I love you, Cameron.
Calmer now, she opened her eyes. At the pyre, layers of leaves and moss cradled by the wood were lit on fire. The flames jumped from smaller branches to larger ones, until the pile of wood they’d stacked fully ignited. Sparks drifted upward, to fall moments later on to the forest floor as the fire intensified and the scent of smoke filled the air.
She didn’t deserve to die. All she had done was help them. She was not like her father, and she never would be. A bittersweet smile came to her lips. She was more like the mother she never fully knew than she was the father who had raised her. She took comfort from the thought as she stopped struggling against her bonds and instead tried to open her palms.
She focused her thoughts on loosening the ropes at her hands and feet. She could feel herself awakening to whatever forces lay dormant inside her, but she also felt drained from the energy she had expended earlier. Would she have enough magic left inside to free herself?
A long minute passed. Not even the slightest loosening had occurred in the ropes that bound her. Disappointment flared hot and bright as she shifted her thoughts to the one thing she could control with or without her hands free—the wind. She gathered it about, making ash and dead leaves swirl about her. But just as suddenly as the wind had stared, it stopped and ice rippled down her spin. Her gaze shifted to the pyre. The flames leapt higher; the smoke more intense. Creating more wind would only accelerate the flames, making the men’s goal of burning her alive that much easier.
“Get the girl. It’s time,” Angus said as he and three other men moved to grab her by the legs and arms.
“Stop, please!” Mariam bucked in their grasp, writhing, struggling, making it difficult for the men to carry her. She had to do something to stop them. She lifted her hands, but dropped them as Angus slapped her so viciously that her head snapped to one side.
She continued to squirm, slowing them down, forcing them to struggle for every step forward. The flames danced higher. Panic clawed at her, closing her throat so she could barely breathe. Desperate for air, she drew a deep, terrified breath and instantly the flames lessened. At the sight, an idea formed. Perhaps not only could she create wind, but she could cause its absence as well.
Mariam tried again, drawing a deep, deep breath. The flames flickered, lessened. Again and again, she drew the air into her lungs, until her vision blurred before her. Yet she didn’t stop. She kept breathing in as deeply as she could. Just when she thought she couldn’t take another breath, a rush of something moved through her. She gasped at the rising sweep of it. Her body sizzled as a new wave of energy came to her. She drew in the air about them all until the flames that had once danced before her eyes extinguished entirely.
The men carrying her stumbled as she deprived them of their life’s breath. The two holding her legs dropped her feet. Then just as suddenly Angus and the other man at her arms fell to their knees, taking her with them to the ground.
Mariam looked around her in wonder as the men around her collapsed onto the ash-covered ground. She looked into Angus’s fearful gaze as his eyes closed, and she felt a moment of panic. Had she killed them?
A heartbeat later she noted the soft rise and fall of Angus’s chest. Her body sagged in relief. Not dead. Simply stunned.
Mariam wriggled her bonds again and found them just as tight as before. She might be tied up, but that did not mean she couldn’t escape. She rolled forward as best she could, until her body pressed up against Angus’s. Then, sitting up, she maneuvered around him, until the way was once again clear. Drawing a breath and holding it, in an attempt to limit the amount of ash she inhaled, Mariam tucked her arms in front of her. She rolled over the forest floor and kept on rolling, avoiding the obstacles in her way. She had to find a place to hide before the men regained their senses.
It was her only chance of escaping a painful death.
*
Cameron felt the wash of magic in the air as he and Alexander entered the forestlands.
“They’ve brought her to a source of wood instead of bringing wood to her. Clever, if I do say so myself,” Alexander said as they made their way through the rowan trees.
“There is no cleverness in killing an innocent person.”
“You’re certain she’s innocent?”
Cameron gave his friend a hard stare. “She’s innocent.”
Alexander shrugged. “Before I left for Kinmount House you were ready to marry the girl off just to be rid of her. What’s changed?”
“I will not abandon her, no matter what the cause of all this ash. There is another logical explanation.”
“Is that all?”
Cameron released an unearthly growl at the mix of emotions that cascaded through him—anger and guilt that he had left her unprotected while he escorted her father to Falkland Palace, as well as fear that he might not save her now. “Something changed, Alexander. I don’t know when it happened . . . Over these past few days I stopped pretending I didn’t care about her. My heart has only one thought, one desire, one need, and that is Mariam.”
Alexander smiled. “Then judging by the smell of smoke in the air, I suggest we hurry before you lose what it is your heart desires.”
Cameron couldn’t have agreed with his friend more. Despite the trees, they shot recklessly ahead. At the speed they were going, it was too difficult to talk, but they both knew the odds of finding Mariam in time were lessening. They were near, yet not near enough. The intensity of the fear that flashed through Cameron robbed him of breath.
Urging his horse even faster at the feeling time was running out, he pushed the debilitating thought away, buried it deep inside. He would find her. He had to.
Over the frantic beating of his heart, which mixed with the thunder of the horses’ hooves, Cameron heard another sound—the snapping of branches and the rustle of leaves. Startled, he reined to a stop, sending his horse’s forelegs to claw at the air.
Alexander stopped, as did the men behind them. “What is it?” Alexander asked as he and the other men drew their swords.
“I don’t know,” Cameron said, listening as the sound grew louder and louder—like that of the ocean waves hitting the shore. Then he saw it, a dark object rolling on the ground. It kicked up ash and leaves as it came toward them. Then he saw a flash of red hair lifting like a flag in the wind.
Red hair. Mariam.
He would have closed his eyes and given thanks, but there was no time for that. Instead, he leapt from his horse and charged forward on foot. When she was within reach, he braced to grab her, to stop her forward motion. Instead of stopping her, she pulled him down and the two of them rolled through the ash-covered ground together.
But his weight was enough to slow her, then finally bring the two of them to a stop. They lay there, a tangle of arms and legs for a heartbeat. He savored the feel of her in his arms as his gaze connected with hers. “I’ve got you.”
Her green eyes showed fear, but no panic. She studied his face. “I wish you could hold me forever.”
“I intend to as soon as you are truly safe.”
She smiled, and her eyes filled with an emotion he had never seen in them before. She opened her mouth to say something but stopped at the sound of shouts coming from behind them. “The villagers.” She held out her hands to him. “Untie me.”
He reached for his dagger as he gained his feet, then pulling her to hers, he slashed through the heavy rope at her hands and then her feet. She staggered slightly as she regained her balance. Bracing herself, she stood with her feet apart as she brought her hands up, palms cupped into the air
, gathering the wind, until she sent a mighty blast back through the trees.
The village men were only shadows amongst the trees that were edged with darkness, and still Cameron could see those shadows as they sprawled backward, a few knocking into trees that were in their path. When they all lay against the ash-covered ground, Mariam dropped her hands. “That will stop them for a moment.”
Around them, his men sheathed their weapons, staring at Mariam with both awe and fear. There would be no hiding her magic from them any longer, but they were loyal to Cameron. If he accepted Mariam for who she was, he hoped they would also.
“Let us head out, men,” he called to the others before lifting Mariam into his arms and settling her atop his horse. He mounted behind her. “I’ll take you somewhere safe.”
“Is anywhere safe?”
“Aye. With me you will always be safe.” He reached up and laid his palm against her sooty cheek. In the midst of turmoil and danger, she leaned into his touch. He watched as different emotions raced across her face, each appearing and disappearing so fast he could hardly identify them. But he felt her distress. Felt the tangle of fear that knotted inside her. He felt a lightness of her spirit too. “We’ll get through this, together,” he said before dropping his hand and pulling her back against his chest. He turned his horse, ready to head out of the forest.
To his men he said, “We ride for Aberlady and the ship I have waiting there.”
“We are going to the isle?” Mariam asked. “What about those who are ill? What about the ash? It’s smothering the life out of everything it touches.”
“Vivian is helping those who are sick. And you, my dear, can help with everything else once we return to the source of your family’s magic. The place where it all began.”
Chapter Sixteen
Mariam, Cameron, Alexander, and all the warriors who had come to her aid made their way to Aberlady by dawn, though it was hard to tell what time it was by the strange purplish green haze that still covered the land. Near the Firth of Forth, however, the air was lighter, as though the sea could and would somehow refresh what had been covered by the heavy ashfall.
The devastation they had passed along the way had moved Mariam terribly. Where there had been grassy fields a day before there was now only browning grass covered in layers of ash. The trees had lost most of their leaves and were now skeletons that dotted a bleak landscape. The lush green hillsides were an endless rolling sea of gray and white. And the only sounds to be heard were those of the sea lapping against the shore of the bay as they approached the water’s edge.
Though the world around them seemed bleak and lifeless, the water before them was not. Even in the strange half-light, Mariam could see the water ripple and flow, as though affirming all was not lost. Life continued in ways that would matter eventually, but would it be soon enough to save those who suffered? And was there something Mariam could do? Some way she could use her powers to help?
When they reined their horses in at The Cairn Inn, Cameron dismounted, then lifted Mariam down. “We’ll leave the horses here until we return.” Alexander and the others took charge of seeing the horses to the stable.
Mariam’s attention was not on the inn, the men around her, or the horses. Her attention was fixed on the distance, and the single ship out in the harbor, awaiting their arrival. She’d never been on a ship before, and felt almost guilty doing so now—to sail to safety when others could not.
Cameron came up behind her and encircled her waist with his arms, pulling her gently back against him. The feel of his body against hers sent a shudder through her and for the first time in days she relaxed. “It seems almost a dream that we are finally here. So much has happened.” Her hand crept up to her neck and wrapped around her shell necklace. “Today is the seventh day. Whatever my mother’s words meant come into being before the sun sets tonight.”
“We will make it in time. The Fortune will take us to the Isle of May before nightfall. She might be small, but she’s a highly maneuverable and trusty sailing ship. She will serve us well. I promise you.”
Mariam turned in his arms to face him. “Will this come to an end then? Though I am desperate to discover what is inside me that tries to emerge, I also feel a deep desire to do something to help those we leave behind. If I can do anything to keep them from dying when the crops fail and all our cattle die, then I have an obligation to do so.”
“Consider this: by understanding your powers more fully, then perhaps that is what will allow you to rid our world of this terrible burden.”
She frowned. “I hadn’t thought of this voyage in those terms.”
“Then come, let us make our way to the boat we will use to tender out to The Fortune. The supplies we need are already aboard, but the rowboat will have to make several trips to the ship if we are to bring all the men with us.”
Mariam’s frown deepened as they headed toward the rowboat. “Will we need your warriors once we arrive on the isle?”
Cameron helped her into the boat. “I have no idea what to expect. I want to be prepared for anything.”
Seated beside him, Cameron wrapped his arm around her, offering her both warmth and protection from the wind as one of the sailors rowed them to the double-masted ship that awaited. Once aboard the ship, Cameron left her at the railing to attend to their departure.
The pungent scent of the sea swept across Mariam’s senses, clearing them of the acrid smell of ash that had lingered for the past two days. The scent was not only refreshing, it also brought with it a sense of revival, and a hope that she would soon discover who and what she was meant to be. As the sea mist touched her face, she could feel the ash and soot there begin to wash away. With the sleeve of her dress, she wiped her cheeks until her skin felt renewed.
Mariam remained where she was for a time, watching the small boat return to the shores of the bay to retrieve the others who waited there. Her thoughts soon turned from the here and now to those back at the castle. How did Vivian fare in her efforts to defeat influenza? Was she making strides in healing Cameron’s people while trying to avoid the illness herself? Was Mistress MacInnes continuing to improve as she had been before Mariam was abducted?
A sudden sound brought Mariam’s attention back to the moment. She tilted her head, listening. Was it the wind playing tricks on her? For a moment she thought she had heard Nessie’s voice.
“Mariam?”
Puzzled, Mariam spun around. It wasn’t a trick. Her eyes went wide at the sight before her. “Nessie! How are you here?” Not believing what her eyes told her, Mariam pulled the older woman into an embrace. Nessie’s arms came up to wrap around her.
A slow warmth curled in Mariam’s stomach and her muscles relaxed. After a long moment, Mariam stepped back. “How do you feel?” The pale color of the older woman’s skin had returned to a healthy glow.
“I am much improved, thanks to Lady Douglas,” Nessie said.
“But how did you come to be here? On this ship?”
A seriousness suddenly shadowed her face. “I had to come with you to the isle. So, when they started loading supplies from the castle to bring here, I came along.”
“Are you certain you are well enough for such travel?” Mariam asked with concern. The woman did look much improved, but she suspected such an illness would take longer than a few days to overcome.
“I assure you; I am quite healthy now.”
“And the others?” Mariam asked.
Nessie dropped her hands to her sides, and her shoulders slumped slightly. “The castle residents are improving, and the villagers who came recently are starting to show improvements.”
Instantly, Mariam’s thoughts moved to the little boy who Vivian had tried so valiantly to nurse back to health. “And Jasper?”
Nessie’s hands came up again to touch Mariam’s arm. “He is doing well, sitting up and taking his meals himself when I left.”
Mariam released a sigh. “I am thankful Cameron’s people will be all right.
Vivian has worked wonders.”
Nessie nodded. “As have you.”
Unease and frustration crept through Mariam. “I fear I have only made matters worse for Cameron. His people know I have powers. The villagers saw me use the wind to clear the air, and his men saw me use the wind to stop my attackers in the forest.”
“Do not be afraid of who you are.”
Mariam swallowed roughly. “It is not my fear that concerns me, but everyone else’s.”
“Have you ever used your powers for anything but good?”
Mariam’s stomach knotted. “Mostly for good, but in the forest, I deprived the village men of air and I knocked them down. I made certain no one was seriously hurt, though.”
Nessie’s lips pulled up in a smile. “There, you see? You only use your powers to help others or to keep them from harming others, even yourself. Why would Cameron’s people not respect and admire such skills?”
“There is too much witch fever.”
“Perhaps, but once you come into your own on the isle, you can prove to them that having you around is more of a benefit than a fear.”
Mariam narrowed her gaze on the woman before her. “Come into my own? Why would you say that?”
“Were not those your mother’s own words?” Nessie asked, her brows arching.
“Aye.” Mariam’s shoulders slumped. “I apologize. I am on edge. So much has happened in the past few days.”
Nessie nodded. “You are strong and capable, Mariam. Your mother knew that even when you were a child, and I know that the woman you are today would only make her proud. You’ll soon have all the answers you need.”
“Thank you for those kind words.” Mariam managed a half smile. “Though I am still concerned for your welfare, I am pleased to have you with me on this journey. Your knowledge about my mother’s past will be an asset as we pull together the puzzle she left for me to solve.”
After offering a reassuring squeeze upon Mariam’s arm, Nessie dropped her hand. “I will help in any way I can, but until we arrive, I think it is best that I rest.”
A Laird and a Gentleman Page 16
