“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?”