Using the parapet wall as a guide, I quickly edged my way backward toward Alloway. I wasn’t sure how far I’d crossed, but I needed to ensure I was past the halfway point before the last toll.
Ahead, I heard Jamie exclaim, “We’ve made it!” followed by Vee’s bell-like laugh of relief and Duncan’s hoot of victory. Nine!
Now for the hard part.
Duncan’s voice held a sense of urgency. “Mackenna? Where are ye?”
Ten!
I labored to make my mouth speak the terrible truth. “I’m not coming.”
I heard Duncan rush toward me instantly, followed by the sounds of a struggle as Jamie and Fergus restrained him. His voice wavered with disbelief. “But you said—”
“I lied.” If he could find a way, he would come after me. The only way he would stay where he belonged was if he never wanted to see me again.
Some promises couldn’t be kept, despite our best intentions. Eleven! A sob hitched in my throat as I stepped back onto the firm ground of Alloway and waited for the final toll.
From the other side of the Brig o’ Doon, Vee gasped. “Kenna, what are you doing?”
“Come ta me!” Duncan’s frantic plea caused me to sink to my knees in an effort to hold my ground and not to rush to him. The ache in my chest was excruciating.
“Mackenna!” Already his voice sounded distant—coming from someplace far, far away. “Please!”
Twelve!
The mists began to dissipate. For several moments, I stood in shock and watched the Brig o’ Doon reappear. Staring at the vacant passage, I struggled with the reality of what I’d done. I’d abandoned my best friend and broken trust with the boy I loved.
I could only hope when Vee went through the bag and found Uncle Cameron’s ring that she would understand. Like her, the rings belonged in Doon—I did not. She’d probably still be furious, but eventually she would forgive me—and she’d help Duncan to do the same. In time, he would find someone who could make him happy and move on. Unlike me.
Stars filled the sky as I walked numbly back to the cottage. Now that the kingdom was safe, I wasn’t afraid of Addie. Even if Vee hadn’t stripped her of her power, she’d still lost. But I needn’t have worried, because the chamber under the cottage was as empty as a tomb. She’d disappeared, hopefully for good.
All traces of Doon were gone from my life—as if it’d never been more than a terrible and lovely dream.
CHAPTER 41
Veronica
The journey back to the castle was bittersweet. Doon was saved. And by some incredible twist of fate, I’d become its queen—which hadn’t really sunk in yet. In my heart, I knew it meant I would never have to leave the land and the people I loved. But it also meant I’d never return to the mortal world again.
Would my mom miss me or even care that I was gone? Most likely she’d be relieved when I didn’t return. She’d move on with Bob, and maybe start a new, even more dysfunctional family. What excuses would Kenna make for my disappearance?
Kenna. Something cracked deep inside my chest. What will I do without the girl who shares my brain?
My stomach clenched. It wasn’t like before, when she’d moved to Arkansas. There would be no late-night phone calls or texts. This separation was permanent. I couldn’t conceive that I’d never hear her voice again.
She’d made the choice to pursue her dreams, and I couldn’t fault her for that. But when I looked at Duncan—his broad shoulders stooped, his face a mask of anguish—I wished with all my heart she could’ve accepted the dream her life would’ve been with him in Doon.
I stumbled over the uneven ground as loss clouded my vision. Jamie grasped my arm to steady me, his eyes searching my face. I gave him a watery smile, my gaze lingering on his beautiful features, and my heart gave a violent twist. I’d almost lost him forever too.
With a soft smile, he tucked my arm through his and we fought our way through the thick forest together.