Blowing out the burning herbs, I quickly changed out of my modern clothes and back into the dress I’d put on this morning. I didn’t know what time the battle would begin, but I wanted to be certain I saw Eoin before the men took their positions. If he wanted me to hide with the other women during the fight, fine, but he needed to know I hadn’t completed the spell.
* * *
I was running up the stairs in my rush to get out of the basement and find Eoin when voices from around the corner caused me to slow my pace. Stopping only a few steps away from the noise, I listened to try and make out what they were saying.
After a moment I recognized the first as the always-slurred voice of Ramsay Kinnaird. The second, I could only assume, was the daughter whom had oddly been absent from our sight, during our stay at Kinnaird Castle.
“Unless, ye want me to beat ye half to death, doona ye dare let me find ye talking to someone from Conall Castle again. Do ye understand?”
“I wasna going to tell them anything, father. I was only visiting.”
The mousy voice sounded quiet, frightened, and I immediately felt uncomfortable with the situation. I heard his hand as it made hard contact with the girl’s face, undoubtedly bruising her, and I stepped out from around the corner so that they both could see me.
Ramsay instantly stepped away from the young girl, and I was shocked at how quickly he was able to change his face from one of malice to one of pure sugar. “Ah, Lady Blaire, my daughter only stepped away from the crowd for a moment to have a private conversation. If I’d known ye were down here, we would not have disturbed ye.”
“Yes, I can see that.” I turned to the girl whose face was already red and inflamed, not attempting any semblance of a Scottish accent. “What’s your name? We haven’t met before.”
The girl hesitated, her gaze darting between mine and her father’s. When Ramsay stayed silent, she spoke. “Edana. Pleasure to meet ye.”
I smiled at her. “The pleasure’s mine. Are you alright? Would you like to accompany me on a walk?”
Ramsay reached out and grabbed Edana by the arm. “Aye, she’s fine o’ course. Just worried about the battle is all. And I’m afraid she’s been a bit ill. Best if she does no leave the castle.”
“Thank you, Ramsay, but I didn’t ask you if you’d like to walk. Edana looks old enough to answer for herself.”
Ramsay turned his cold eyes on me, all semblance of kindness gone. “Ye overstep, Lady Blaire. Tis not yer place to tell me when my daughter may speak for herself. And if I may say so, I believe ye are overtired yerself. Ye are speaking quite strangely, lass.”
Ramsay was accustomed to obedience from women, and he expected me to apologize at once. He didn’t know me very well at all. “No, Laird Kinnaird. You overstep by laying foul hands on your daughter. If I see another bruise or red mark on her while you are staying here, I can assure you Eoin will no longer be requiring your assistance, battle or no. It would suit you to remember whose home you are in. Do I make myself clear?”
Ramsay’s face flushed red, but he managed to keep his anger under control as he replied curtly, “Aye. Now, if ye will excuse me.” He released Edana’s arm, and after flashing her a look of undisputable warning, turned and stormed from the stairwell.
I reached forward to touch Edana’s shoulder. “Are you really alright? He shouldn’t have touched you so.”
“Aye, miss. Ye should no have spoken to him as ye did. It will no mean good things for ye.”
Her fear for me was evident in her eyes, and I was certain that what I’d witnessed was little to what often occurred between them. “I’m not afraid of your father. He seems a right bastard, though. Listen, if you need anything while you’re here, just come and find me. You don’t have to go back with him after the battle if you don’t want to.”
“Thank ye, miss. It’s best that I go now.”
With her head down, she followed in the direction of her father, and I wondered briefly if perhaps I’d made things worse for her.
I hoped not, but I couldn’t allow myself to think much on it right now.
I had to find Eoin.
Chapter 40
Arran left his brother’s bedchamber with a heavy heart. He’d never seen Eoin so devastated, and it made him realize how wrong he’d been about Bri. Eoin loved her just as much as he loved Blaire, and seeing that made him feel guilty for how ardently he’d tried to send her away.
It was selfish behavior, and now that Bri was gone, he found himself wishing that he could do something to get her back. Even if Eoin was right and they’d all be dead come evening, Arran knew Eoin was weaker without Bri by his side.
He nearly jumped out of his skin, then, when he passed Bri on his way down to the dungeon. She said nothing to him; she only smiled briefly in his direction before hurrying on her way. It was such a normal interaction that it took Arran a moment before he realized that she shouldn’t have been there. He whirled around to catch her attention before she got too far away. “Bri! Come here, lass.”
He moved in her direction, meeting her halfway in the middle of the room.
“I’m sorry, Arran. I don’t have time. I’ve got to find Eoin.”
Arran reached to grab her arm. “What the hell are ye still doing here? Ye should be gone by now.”
“I’m not going, Arran. I know he wants to keep me safe. But I can’t do it.”
Arran smiled and waved her away, dismissing her. “Get on with ye lass. Ye will find him in his chambers. I’m glad ye dinna listen to him. He needs ye here.”
With Bri remaining here during the battle, it was even more important that he get the truth out of the runaway.
The lad was close to breaking, and as he entered the dungeon and laid eyes on the man hanging unconscious from his wrists, he grabbed the pail of the man’s urine and threw it in the runaway’s face.
“Time to wake up. I’ve no more patience for ye, lad. It’s time for ye to make a choice. Ye can either tell me who yer real master is and the real reason that ye’re here, or I’m slowly going to slice each one of yer wee toes off, and ye’ll find them served to ye this evening.”
The runaway groaned, unable to raise his head to look Arran in the eyes. “I doona believe ye will do it.”
Arran grabbed the knife he’d left lying near the entrance to the dungeon. Moving quickly, before he could talk himself out of it, he grabbed the runaway’s big right toe, swiftly sliced it off, and tossed it to the ground.
The man’s screams bounced off the dungeon walls. “No one will hear ye, lad. It’s just ye and me. Now, do ye want to lose the others or are ye willing to talk?”
“Aye. Aye. Doona cut another. I work for Laird Kinnard. He’s the one that plans to attack ye, no Laird MacLyrron.” The runaway puked out onto the floor; the pain radiating from his foot made him ill.
“Is what ye say true, lad?”
“Aye, I swear it on me father’s grave.”
“Aye? Well, ye shall meet him there now.” Arran drew his blade quickly across the runaway’s neck, jumping back to avoid the spray of blood as the man took in his last breath.
Bri wasn’t the only one who needed to find Eoin. Perhaps now that Arran knew the truth, they would have time to stop Ramsay’s treacherous plan.
Chapter 41
Present Day
“What did you say, Blaire? I can’t hear you up here!” Adelle continued to dig into the soft moist earth, intent on digging up Alasdair Conall so that she could get the ring. It was the last day the spell would work, and daylight was fading fast. She’d resigned herself to the fact that Bri was going to stay, but she would be damned if she allowed Blaire to stay separated from her home forever as well.
Blaire’s voice was suddenly clearer, and Adelle poked her head out of the hole she was digging to see Blaire standing at the top of the entrance to the basement.
“I said, stop digging. I doona know how, but the ring is here. Right on the spell book. Come and see.”
It was
impossible. She must’ve sat her own ring down in the room, but no, she glanced down at her own hand to see all of her rings securely in place.
“Are you sure, Blaire?” Adelle followed Blaire down into the spell room, nearly swallowing her own tongue when she saw the ring sitting right on top of the switching spell.
“I told ye. Perhaps, it works the same way as the writing. I doona know what made me come down here, but I saw it right away.” Blaire smiled at her, and Adelle rushed to swallow her in a large embrace.
“I’m so happy for you, Blaire! This means you can go home. We should start the spell right away.” She pulled back when she felt Blaire stiffen in her arms. “What is it, Blaire?”
“Aye, we should start the spell, but I’m no going back.”
Adelle’s voice came out even higher than usual. “What? Blaire, if you don’t go now, you’ll be trapped here; the spell won’t work after tonight.”
“Aye. I know. I canna go back, but ye can. We are gonna do the spell for ye. I doona know if it will work, but we must try.”
“Me? It never crossed my mind. The portrait is of you and Bri. It won’t work, I’m sure.”
“Perhaps if ye hold a piece of me. Here.” Adelle watched as Blaire reached for a small knife, quickly cutting a lock of her hair and extending it in her direction.
Adelle took it, cradling the gift as she allowed herself to consider the possibility that she might be reunited with her daughter. Not only that, she would be able to live in the very time and with the very people she’d dedicated her life to studying. It was an archaeologist’s dream come true.
“Adelle, if ye want to try, we must try it now. Daylight is almost gone.”
“Are you sure you won’t go back, Blaire?”
“Aye. There’s no anything left for me there. I shall start anew here.”
Adelle smiled, hope and fear of disappointment building as they quickly gathered the materials for the spell. When all was in place, Blaire turned to leave.
“I think it best I leave. I doona want to risk the spell taking me back. I shall wait in the car. If it doesna work, join me there. Thank ye for yer kindness. I shall never forget ye.”
They hugged briefly, and once Blaire had gone and she heard the car door slam in the distance, Adelle placed the ring on her finger and slowly sounded out each word in the book.
* * *
1645
Mary ran through the castle as fast as her short legs would carry her. The moment Kip had informed her of Eoin’s decision to send Bri back, she’d fled from her own chambers at the edge of the castle grounds and raced to stop the lass.
How Eoin could be so foolish, she couldn’t begin to understand. Did the lad no understand that their love made them both stronger? Passion was wasted on the youth, she was certain.
She nearly slid down the stairwell in her hurry to get there before the lass started the spell, and as she rushed through the spell room door, she was afraid she arrived only moments too late. The room was humming with an unseen energy, just as it had done the day she’d watched Bri arrive.
Suddenly the room trembled, and Mary found herself staring at the second-oddest looking lass she’d ever seen, next to Bri. The woman looked about with an expression of awe, scaring Mary nearly to death as she cackled gleefully and jumped around the room.
Taking in the lass’ strange clothing, Mary could only draw one conclusion.
“Ye must be her mother, aye?”
Chapter 42
Eoin took his time dressing for battle in the solitude of his bedchamber. All his men were as prepared for battle as they could be. It mattered not anyway; his men would fight valiantly by his side. He had failed them all, and he knew the ground would run red with the blood of all his clansmen in a few short hours.
He was no longer afraid to die, he’d sent his heart to live hundreds of years away from him. Eoin would gladly meet his death on the battlefield. He glanced out the window, watching his men prepare for the eminent battle. A reflection in the glass caught his attention, but he quickly closed his eyes against the vision. It was good he was not long for this world; he’d lost his mind, and was seeing his strange, lovely lass in places where she was not.
A hand on the middle of his back caused his eyes to spring open as he spun to see the realest vision he had ever seen standing before him. His feet grew suddenly unsteady and his throat was dry as he worked to choke back tears. “Lass, if ye be no real, leave me be and doona torture me so. My heart canna bear it.”
Her slender arms wrapped around him, and his tears ran freely as he scooped her up tight.
“I couldn’t do it, Eoin. I know you told me to, and you’re going to be angry. But I just don’t care. My place is here.”
“Nay, love. I’m no angry with ye. Why, I doona believe I’ve ever been so pleased in all my life.” He pressed his lips against hers, seeking entry with his tongue, desperate to lay claim to as much of her body as possible.
A squeaky noise at the doorway caused him to break his kiss as they both turned to see Ramsay Kinnaird’s daughter standing uncomfortably in the doorway.
* * *
Thank God he wasn’t angry. I knew eventually he would be glad I’d decided to stay, but I was worried that his fear for my safety would be enough to make him react negatively to my unexpected reappearance.
When we broke our kiss, I started at the site of Edana Kinnaird watching us from the doorway. I pulled away from Eoin and went to greet her.
“What’s the matter, Edana? Is everything alright? Did your father hurt you?”
Eoin interrupted and walked over to join us. “Hurt her? Why would he do such a thing?”
“I accidently walked up on them in the stairwell. He hit her hard across the face, Eoin. Look at the mark.”
Edana obligingly turned her head to the side to show Eoin, and the angry grumble from Eoin’s throat was a sure sign he was angry. “Do ye have something to tell us, lass? I willna stand for it if yer father is hurting ye.”
Edana looked down at her hands, fidgeting nervously. “Aye. I know he will kill me if he learns, but I could no live with myself if I let him do what he plans.”
“What is it lass?”
“There’s no…”
She was interrupted by Arran’s presence in the doorway, who was hollering for Eoin even before he entered the room. “Eoin! I must speak with ye!” He stopped when he caught sight of Edana and me standing together with Eoin.
Eoin held his palm up in Arran’s direction as if to stop him. “Wait just a moment, Arran. The lass has something to tell us.”
Arran shook his head, making his way to stand among us in the circle. “It canna wait, Eoin. Laird MacLyrron is no the one attacking us. It’s Ramsay.”
I immediately looked in Edana’s direction seeking either a confirmation or denial of Arran’s words.
Hesitantly, she spoke up. “Aye, he tells the truth. That’s what I came to tell ye. Laird MacLyrron sits comfortably at his home, and the MacChristys are no dead. My father plans to attack ye this evening.”
I reached out to gather Edana in my arms, who now cried freely, terrified of her father’s wrath.
Eoin touched Edana briefly on the shoulder. “Doona worry, lass. We willna let him hurt ye again. I’ll no say I’m not relieved, despite the betrayal. Now that we know he’s planning to turn on us, we should have a much better chance in battle.”
Arran nodded. “Aye. Would ye like me to go and kill the bastard now? I doona think his men will fight us, unless under his command. They all know the wretched arse he really is.”
Eoin shot Arran a look of disapproval before glancing in Edana’s direction. “Nay, we need to discuss a plan of attack first.”
Before anyone else could respond, yet another visitor entered the room hurriedly, and I was nearly knocked to the ground as Mary threw her arms around me.
“Oh me God, lass. I thought for certain I’d missed ye. I’m so pleased ye were smart enough not to listen to the
foolish lad.” She reached out from my side and wacked Eoin in the side of his arm. “What is the matter with ye? Ye are a foolish boy!” She returned her attention back to me. “I went down to the spell room to stop ye from doing the spell, but ye were gone. I found someone else in yer place.”
It was only then that yet another figure in the doorway caught my focus.
“Mom?” I broke free from Mary’s grasp as I charged in her direction. I could feel everyone’s eyes on us as we clung to each other tightly, both of us weeping into the other’s hair.
After what seemed like ages, she pushed me away and smiled. “If you weren’t going to come back to me, I decided I was just going to have to come to you.”
“Oh, I’m so glad. Is Blaire with you, too?” I didn’t miss Arran, as his eyes grew wide at the mention of my look-alike. “I placed the ring on the spell book, hoping it would possibly transfer to her.”
Mom shook her head, and Arran quickly masked his expression, doing his best to hide the pain that only I could see. “She didn’t want to come. She allowed me to go in her place.”
“Oh.” I was unsure of what to say and was glad when my mother interrupted, easing the tension in the room.
“Bri, honey. I can certainly see what made you decide to stay. Which one’s yours, and is it okay if I touch them both?”
Chapter 43
After taking a few brief moments to introduce my mother to everyone in the room, Eoin hushed us all, taking his place as leader among us so that we could make a plan of attack.
“It’s nearly dark, and we must decide how to act quickly.”
Morna's Legacy: Box Set #1 Page 20
