Separated By Time: Book 3 of The Thistle & Hive Series

by Jennae Vale

  Robert had followed them and when he realized they still hadn’t found Angus, he tried to reassure Maggie. “I’ll have the castle searched, from top to bottom. We’ll find him.” He turned and strode away swiftly, calling to some of the men as he did so.

  Distraught, Maggie slumped against a stall door. “We should never have left the castle this afternoon. If I had been here, this nae would have happened.”

  “We don’t know anything yet, Maggie. There are still plenty of places he could be.”

  “Do ye truly believe that, Dylan?” Maggie shook her head in disbelief.

  “No, I don’t,” Dylan admitted. “I guess I’m feeling the same way you are. I suspect Brielle has him.” Dylan grabbed Maggie by the hand. “Let’s go. We can’t give up until we’ve searched everywhere.”

  They joined the other searchers as they went through every room in the castle and every outbuilding. They even investigated the nearby crofter’s cottages and the path along the bluff. Nothing. Angus was nowhere to be found.

  “What could she possibly want with Angus?” Dylan questioned, after they had exhausted their search efforts.

  “I believe she kens it will hurt Edna… and me,” Maggie replied. She was having a hard time sitting still, anxiety pouring from her in waves. “I must find him!” I feel so helpless, were the words she didn’t dare speak aloud. Is there anything I can do to stop her? I dinnae even know where she is!

  Dylan gathered her into his arms and held her close. Maggie could hear the steady rhythm of his heart beating in his chest and it gave her some comfort. In this moment, at least one thing in her life was steady and stable. She knew Dylan was there for her, no matter what. His presence helped her to deal with what was turning out to be the worst moment of her life.

  When they had run out of places to search, everyone gathered in the courtyard. Robert, Cailin and Cormac tried valiantly to hide their distress from Maggie, but the distress of not knowing what to do next had overcome everyone. You could hear a pin drop in the courtyard, and that alone spoke volumes.

  * * *

  ANGUS AWOKE IN A DARK, dank cave, with no idea of how he had gotten there. “Where am I?” he croaked.

  “Ye’ve finally awoken, and it’s about time” Brielle’s voice was harsh, the words spoken close to his ear. “Welcome to my home away from home,” she announced. She laughed low in her throat and Angus shivered at the sound. “Dinnae fear. I dinnae wish to harm ye – unless I be forced to.”

  Angus didn’t respond to the threat, he knew there was no point in it. Instead, he concentrated on surreptitiously surveying the cave for an escape route. Light cast from a fire burning in the center of the cavern allowed him to see that they were apparently hidden deep inside a rocky hideaway. He couldn’t distinguish any daylight and had no idea whether it was night or day outside.

  “Escape willnae be possible, my handsome one,” Brielle seemed to be reading his mind. She ran a sharp pointed fingernail through his hair, making him cringe. “Yer wife takes ye fer granted, doesnae she? She sent ye here to protect yer niece, with no care for what the outcome might be. All she cares about is the bridge, isnae that right?”

  Was that right? The thoughts in his head were all jumbled as if he’d been drinking heavily, and listening to Brielle, Angus started to think that maybe she was right. Her suggestions played havoc with his rational mind and his emotions, and he wondered if what she was saying might actually be the truth. If he was honest with himself, he had wondered much the same thing of late. The bridge had become an obsession for Edna in recent years. She couldnae leave it for more than a day or two and even then, she worried endlessly about it. He loved Edna more than life itself, but lately, he had to admit he’d found himself wondering if she felt the same way about him, or if he’d taken a backseat to the importance of the bridge. “Nae. Edna cares for much more than the bridge,” Angus said with conviction. The spell Brielle’s put on me is what’s leading me to believe her lies.

  “She is a witch, ye ken, and as a witch, she will never behave the way ye expect her to. Her magick will always be first, a fact I suspect ye already are aware of,” Brielle continued, as if Angus hadn’t said anything at all.

  How was it that Brielle knew exactly what he was thinking? It couldnae be a fair fight if she knew what he was going to do or say, before he did it. Frustration was mounting in his chest. His only hope was that the people of Breaghacraig had noticed he was missing and Robert would send out a search party for him.

  Again, Brielle stunned him with her knowledge of his thoughts. Had she created some sort of spell to read his mind while he was unconscious? “The others have spent the whole day searching for ye, but they’ve found nary a clue as to where ye may be. So, ye’d best get comfortable here. I have food and water for ye and unlike yer wife – I’ll take good care of ye. Such a handsome man, ’tis a shame ye’ve been treated so badly.” Brielle seemed poised to touch Angus’ cheek with her icy cold fingers, but Angus ducked out of the way. Brielle shook her head. “Tsk, tsk, ye dinnae wish to anger me, Angus. I shall be yer savior and ye’ll be grateful to me, once I’ve rid ye of that pesky wife. I may have to rid ye of yer niece as well, but that cannae be helped.”

  Brielle puttered around the cavern, collecting herbs, candles, something that appeared to be a bone, and a clay pot. Placing the herbs into the pot, she muttered a barely audible incantation while lighting the candles and placing them in crevices gouged into the walls of the cavern. She crushed the herbs with the bone, using it as a rudimentary pestle. Apparently satisfied with her efforts, Brielle reached for a vial on a rock shelf behind her; picking it up, she placed the vial close to the fire. As Angus watched, the liquid inside the glass tube bubbled, which seemed to elate Brielle. She removed the cork stopper and poured the red liquid into the bowl holding the crushed herbs, mixing the liquid and herbs together with the bone. He had no idea what she was up to, but he had no doubt that no good would come from it. His biggest concern was for the safety of his wife, niece and the people at Breaghacraig.

  Brielle continued her incantation, but Angus stopped listening. He assumed while she was focused on her spell, she couldnae read his thoughts, so he used the time to try and formulate a plan. He stood up and wandered around the cavern, surprised to learn that no matter where he looked, he was surrounded by solid rock walls. There was no entrance or exit visible to him. He suffered a moment of claustrophobia, but was careful to hide it, not wanting Brielle to know. He was going to have to bide his time while he formulated a plan. If he killed Brielle now, without knowing how to get out, he might never escape. This cavern could become his tomb. If he had no other choice, then that would be his fate, but he decided he should wait to see what Brielle’s plans might be.

  * * *

  “YER BACK,” a woman’s voice came from behind them and they all turned in unison to see who it was.

  “Mary what are ye doin’ here? Ye were to leave with the others,” Robert shouted.

  “Of course I wouldnae leave. Someone needs to feed the lot of ye,” Mary stood calmly, in apparent defiance of Robert’s orders. “Come, I’ve prepared a simple meal fer ye. ’Tis the best I could do, as I’ve nae had much help. I tried me best to put the stable boys to work, but they dinnae ken the difference between a pot and a ladle.” She chuckled at her own joke.

  Mary led them into the great hall where she’d set up a huge pot of soup, several loaves of bread, butter, honey and pitchers of ale. “Ye’ll have to serve yerselves, as all the servants are gone.” The group of men stood staring in wonder at the table holding the food. “Come now, ye must eat. Ye need yer strength, if yer to fight that troublemaking witch.” Mary placed a bowl in Robert’s hands and pointed towards the table. Robert took the not-so-subtle hint and filled his bowl. The others followed suit and before long, everyone was seated and eating. Mary’s nurturing presence warmed the room and brought a sense of normalcy to an otherwise strange situation.

  “Mary, please join us,” Rober
t requested.

  “I’ve already eaten, sir, but thank ye for the offer,” Mary answered.

  The room began to hum with low voices, speaking between mouthfuls of food. Maggie and Dylan sat close together, each resting a hand on the other’s knee. Maggie was trying hard not to break down in tears. She was so worried about Angus. She had promised Aunt Edna that they would protect one another. She should never have gone riding with Dylan. It was a terrible mistake. If she had stayed behind, she might have been able to stop Brielle, and if they’d let Angus join them, he’d still be here. Maggie found she had no appetite, she was so sick with fear for him.

  “Maggie, you really need to eat. Mary’s right, you’ll need your strength to fight Brielle,” Dylan said, offering her gentle encouragement.

  “Yer right,” Maggie agreed. She ate, though it was without enjoyment. The scenarios running through her head were anything but comforting. Self-doubt swept through her brain like water furrowing a path that would eventually flood everything surrounding it. When she was a child, she had dreamed of being a witch like her auntie, but she had never dreamed it would be like this. She never expected her abilities would lead her to this place and time and to the task that lay ahead of her. What if I fail? What will happen then? How will I face Auntie Edna? She didn’t dare think of what might happen to Angus. Maggie continued eating, until all the soup in her bowl was gone and surveying the men gathered in the room, she suddenly regained her confidence. She wasn’t alone. She had Dylan and all the others, who had stayed behind to find Angus and fight Brielle. They would succeed – she was suddenly certain of it.

  Dylan must have noticed the change in her demeanor and attributed it to the food. “See, I told you eating would help.”

  Maggie didn’t want him to know that the food had nothing to do with it. She appreciated that he was trying to take care of her and it was so sweet and loving that she wished she could allow him to handle all of the things she didn’t care to face. But she couldn’t. Maggie stood, and gaining control of her voice announced to the room something she now knew to be true. “I have something to say and I’d like you all to listen carefully.” Heads turned in her direction, giving her their full attention. “I believe Brielle will come back here to challenge me. I have nae doubt she will bring Angus with her, and use him as a shield in her efforts to defeat me. I ken this is nae yer battle. ’Tis mine. I would appreciate it if ye would all stand with me when the time comes, but ye dinnae have any obligation to become involved. I understand if ye would prefer to leave and join the others.

  A loud uproar washed over the room as everyone tried to speak at once.

  “Silence!” Robert shouted and the room stilled instantly. Robert turned his attention to her and smiled warmly. “Maggie, this is our fight. Brielle has come into the MacKenzie castle and endangered the lives of everyone. I ken ye feel the heavy burden of responsibility yer auntie has entrusted to ye, but we willnae desert ye. We stand with ye, every last one of us. Ye will prevail. We will see to it.” Cailin and Cormac stood and raised their cups. Latharn, Dougal, Donal, Fergus, and every other man who’d stayed behind also stood with their cups raised in the air. “To victory and to ye, Maggie,” Robert announced. “With yer help, we will win this battle.”

  Maggie’s cheeks heated at this show of solidarity. She was touched by their desire to stand by her. She and Dylan raised their cups as well. “To victory,” Maggie said. They all drank and the atmosphere, which had been dour throughout the meal, grew lighter and more liberated. The men’s voices returned to their normal loud tones and some even laughed with one another. “This is much better,” Maggie said to Dylan. “I’m feeling hopeful for a change.”

  “You’ll have all the support you need, Maggie. You can do this,” Dylan reassured her.

  “I will do this.” Maggie smiled confidently at Dylan. I won’t fail.

  CHAPTER 13

  Edna paced angrily back and forth in front of the fireplace. She knew exactly what was happening at Breaghacraig and she knew there was nothing she could do about it.

  “Brielle!” She called out to her nemesis through the fireplace, which was, for Edna, the equivalent of a cell phone. “Brielle, answer me! I know ye can hear me.” Patience was not something Edna Campbell had an abundance of, and Brielle was trying every last shred of it right now. She waited momentarily for a response, and when one wasn’t forthcoming she opened her mouth, ready to call to Brielle again, but just as she was about to yell, she heard Brielle’s grating voice.

  “Alright, alright. I can hear you,” Brielle grumbled. “What could ye possibly want with me? Oh, that’s right, I have yer verra handsome husband here with me. I’ve just been telling him how deceitful ye’ve been with him. He wasnae happy to hear it.”

  “I have not been deceitful! Yer twisting the truth. Let me speak with him. I ken yer blocking me from him and from Maggie.” Edna was furious. Thank goodness, no one other than Teddy, her long-time friend and confidant, was around to witness what was happening. The inn was closed for the evening and Teddy sat in his usual corner spot, while Edna stood alone by the fire in the dining room, contemplating Brielle’s demise. She wished she could do it herself, but Brielle had threatened the MacKenzie clan with destruction, unless Edna sent Maggie in her place to Breaghacraig. Edna hadn’t anticipated that by having Angus accompany Maggie, Brielle would have the perfect weapon to use against her. “Did ye hear me, Brielle? Let me speak with my husband!”

  “I’m afraid that willnae be possible. He doesnae wish to speak with ye, now or ever.” Brielle laughed maniacally. “Ye’d best be prepared to hand that bridge over to me, as I’m sure to easily defeat the little lass ye sent in yer stead.” Edna could hear more snickering laughter from Brielle. “Everyone here believes that the only thing ye care about is the bridge, Edna. They believe everything I’ve told them. They believe you’d sacrifice their lives for the bridge. Now isn’t that something? They believe ye lied to them. I wonder why? Could it be because you’ve done it before?”

  Edna knew Brielle was trying to rile her. How could anyone believe that Edna cared more for the bridge than she cared about Maggie, Angus and the MacKenzies? “If ye believe ye’ll win this, Brielle, ye have another thing coming. Maggie will surprise ye. She’s an even more powerful witch than I am.” Even as she spoke, Edna felt a shiver of apprehension travel up her spine, wondering how much truth Brielle was speaking amongst her lies. Yes, Edna had lied in the past, but it had never been malicious. Instead, it had been her way of helping the people of Breaghacraig to meet their true loves. What was so wrong with that? She wondered now, in this situation, if perhaps it had been the wrong thing to do.

  “She may well be powerful, but she doesnae ken it and after I’m done with her, our bet will be complete and I shall have the bridge and yer life. That was our agreement, wasnae it?”

  “’Twas nae an agreement!” Edna protested. “Ye left me with nae choice! I did what I had to do and believe me when I tell ye, ye’ll pay for it, especially if any harm comes to Angus or Maggie.”

  “Any harm that comes to them is yer doing, Edna!” With Brielle’s furious response, the crackling of the fire in the dining room grew louder and flames shot from the hearth.. Teddy ducked beneath his table, covering his face and head with his hands.

  “Damn ye, Brielle!” Edna cursed. She quickly jumped out of the way of the errant flames, and with a wave of her hands and a steely gaze, put the fire out before it did any real damage. Fire had always been Brielle’s strongest power. Edna wished she had remembered to tell Maggie about that. Maggie is a smart girl she thought to herself. She’ll know what needs to be done. Edna extinguished the fire in the hearth, abruptly ending the communication with Brielle.

  “Are ye okay, Teddy?” she asked.

  Teddy crawled out from under the table and dusted himself off before he settled back in his chair. “Aye. Fine.”

  Edna’s thoughts turned back to Maggie and Angus. She only wished that she could be th
ere, to help Maggie and to get Angus away from Brielle’s evil clutches. A shiver of fear trickled through her body at the thought of the danger they were both in.

  * * *

  WHAT IS SHE UP TO? Angus thought, as he sat with his back against the cave wall. Brielle had a strange expression on her face. “Are ye well, Brielle?” he asked, not out of any concern for the woman, but rather out of curiosity and frustration at not knowing what was going on.

  “Aye. All is verra well.” Brielle turned slowly to face him. “I was just speaking with yer wife. She doesnae miss ye! She told me so herself.”

  “Dinnae bother lying to me. I know me wife. She may nae always be forthcoming, but I do ken that she loves me and I love her, no matter what rubbish ye be spouting at me.” Angus watched Brielle carefully to see her reaction, but none came. She merely shrugged and took a seat opposite him.

  “’Twill be morning soon and ye and I have work to do. Ye’d best get yer rest.” She closed her eyes and made herself comfortable. “And dinnae get any ideas. Even in my sleep, I ken where ye are and what ye be doing.”

  Angus was not surprised by this announcement. He had figured as much already and so didn’t bother to answer her. Instead, he closed his own eyes. Brielle was right about one thing. He was going to need his sleep, to cope with whatever took place on the morn.

  * * *

  DYLAN LED Maggie to his chambers inside the castle, with Chester happily following along behind them. Since Brielle was no longer in residence, Dylan’s room was his once again and he had decided to let Maggie have it for the night. She, more than any of them, needed a good night’s sleep and he intended that she would get it in his bed.

  “Dylan, I dinnae need to sleep here. I’m quite comfortable in the barracks,” Maggie argued.