The glare Lachlan gave him would have cut any other man to stone, but Duncan held firm, considering that the druid’s days were numbered.
“Hear these words well, druid. Not only will ye die, but I will make sure your heart is delivered to your brother, Cathal. Blood will not be spilled on holy ground this night. Therefore, I will release ye. Take heed, for ye will never ken the moment I strike ye down.”
Lachlan took his staff and pushed the sword away from his body, his face infused with rage. He turned and stomped away.
It was over.
“Duncan!” Brigid could no longer contain herself. Tears streaming down her face, she stumbled quickly toward her knight.
One moment Duncan’s face held the look of one to embrace his love. The next, horror of what was about to happen, and he could not move fast enough.
Brigid’s focus was on reaching the man she loved, and she never saw the dirk until the moment Lachlan plunged it into her.
Grabbing her braid with his other hand, he whispered into her ear, “How does it feel realizing I just killed the soul of the man ye love?” He flung her aside as if she were nothing.
A guttural roar of anguish tore from Duncan. Gathering his power, he hurled it out toward Lachlan, sending the druid flying where he landed against a large stone, his head hitting the ground.
Duncan was at Brigid’s side in two strides. Dropping down next to her, he cradled her in his arms.
“Du…Duncan?” Brigid tried to raise her hand to his face. He took hold of it, placing it against his chest.
“Whist
, leannan
, I am here. Dinnae move.” Duncan glanced down at her abdomen, where her wound was bleeding profusely.
Without realizing it, Cormac was beside him ripping apart his tunic with his sword. “Here, Duncan, place this against her wound.” Duncan took the cloth and held it over the open wound, causing Brigid to moan, blood pooling out of the now drenched material.
“Nae, she’s losing too much blood.” Duncan blurted out, fear knotting within.
“She needs the healer, Duncan, the wound is grave.” He turned to look at his men and shook his head.
“
Nae
!” Nell screamed, running toward them. Cormac caught her in midflight holding her against his chest as he stepped away from Duncan and Brigid.
Brigid’s eyes fluttered back open. She had drifted off and was fighting hard to stay conscious. The look on Duncan’s face told her that the wound was severe. His hair hung down with the one wild lock hanging over his brow, tempting her to brush it aside. She smiled bravely into those crystal blue eyes she loved. “Have I told you how much I love you, Duncan Mackay?”
“
Leannan
...,” his voice overcome with emotion.
“I’m not going to make it, am I?” She swallowed.
His lips trembled and he shook his head. He was helpless. How could this be happening? She was not sent here to die, was she? His mind reeled. There was only one thought, one last deed.
“Brigid O’Neill, I love ye as no other. My
soul
is yours forever. My
heart
is yours forever. I will never love another.” Reaching down, he pulled out the ribbon he had stolen many weeks ago from her room. Her eyes went wide when she saw it, and he wrapped it around her wrist and his, letting it dangle over his arm.
His voice shook. “I take ye my heart, at the rising of the moon, and the setting of the stars, binding my heart and soul to ye—in this life and beyond.” His lips grazed hers in a gentle kiss.
Her voice trembled. “Duncan Mackay, my one true love, my dream lover, my heart. I will love you forever and a day until the end of time.” She reached up and placed her hand firmly against his chest willing herself to stay focused, feeling the life literally drain out of her. Staring into his eyes brimming with tears, she added, “I will wait for you, my love, in the land of forever,
Tir na Og
.”
“We are married,” he said smiling down at her.
“We are handfasted,” she whispered.
Brigid’s head rolled back unable to hold on any longer.
Duncan let go of his unshed tears, cradling her as he placed kisses gently over her face.
“Let me save her, Duncan.”
Without looking up, Duncan recognized the voice. The air hummed with his energy, and it belonged to only one.
“Can ye truly,
Conn
?” Duncan choked out, tearing his gaze from Brigid to glare at the Fenian warrior standing beside him.
Conn knelt in front of Duncan and placed a hand across his shoulder. “Aye. In her time, there are great healers. I must hurry, though, her life force is draining.”
Duncan nodded slowly. Carefully rising to his feet, he held Brigid firmly in his arms.
She wrenched out a cry of pain. “Shhh,
leannan si
,” he whispered softly across her face. Conn followed silently behind him.
The mists had encased the stone circle like a blanket, and the moon bathed them in its luminous glow.
“
Beannachd leat
—goodbye, my faery lover. I will love ye always.” Duncan kissed Brigid one last time, and then laid her in the arms of Conn.
“I will hold ye to your word, Conn.”
Conn glanced down at Brigid before returning his gaze to Duncan.
“I give you my word—
Dragon
Knight
.”
The air shimmered. Duncan took a step back, and watched as Conn stepped through the veil until they both had disappeared from his sight. Instantly, the veil closed, leaving nothing but silence.
Duncan stared down at his hands covered in Brigid’s blood, the only physical proof left that she had ever existed in his world. His steps faltered and he dropped to his knees. Brigid was gone—forever to some distant future, a future that would never include him. He felt lost as the waves of raw grief rocked within him.
“
Why
?” he roared out in pain, staring up at the night sky.
He heard a twig snap behind him. “Go away,” he growled. He was in no mood to look upon another person.
A small gentle touch on his shoulder brought Duncan back to the surface of the living. “Did Lady Brigid go back home with the faery?” Nell asked softly.
Duncan found it difficult to speak, and just shook his head in agreement.
“Then we shall not be sad, Sir Duncan. Maybe they will let her come back for a visit.”
Nae, Duncan reflected. Brigid would never be allowed to return, but he would never tell Nell. Letting out a long sigh, he uttered, “Perhaps.”
The bump on Nell’s forehead was visible and fury rose in him again. He slowly rose to his feet with strength he did not think he had. Glancing down at Nell, he said, “Ye were a verra brave lass.” Taking her hand, he squeezed it lightly. “I promise ye, Lachlan
will
be punished.”
Nell tilted her head up, squinting as if in thought. “Do not take too long.”
“We have a problem, Duncan.” Cormac had drifted over to where he was standing, sword extended.
Duncan dropped Nell’s hand, peering over Cormac’s shoulder. Glancing to the spot where Lachlan
had
been.
“By the hounds!” he roared in frustration. Bending down to reach for his sword, Duncan let its energy hum throughout his body and wounded spirit. He stood transfixed letting it soothe him for the first time.
“What the
bloody hell
happened?” His question more for Cormac, keeping his gaze on the two men standing by his side.
“We were focused on ye and your lady that no one paid heed to him,” interrupted Alex.
Patrick stepped forward. “Truth? I thought him dead.”
“
Ye
, who would stoop to treachery. Why would I trust ye?” Shaking his head in irritation, Duncan paced the ground in thought. Suddenly, he sliced the air with his sword leveling it at Alex. “Why are ye here,
MacFhearguis
?”
Alex did not flinch, his steely gaze boring into Duncan’s. “We have long considered the druid was not one to be trusted.”
“And ye have known this for how long?” Duncan scoffed.
“Since the day he told me of our father’s death,” interjected Patrick as he glanced at Alex.
“What of Michael?” asked Duncan.
Alex let out a groan. “He follows the council of the druid.” Pointing a finger back at Patrick, he scolded, “We have much to discuss later.”
“Agreed.” Patrick nodded solemnly.
“And now the source of this evil has vanished,” sneered Cormac.
Duncan pointed his sword at the brothers. “Hear me well. I will deal with the druid. He is
mine
.”
Alex and Patrick both nodded in agreement.
“We will take this news of what happened here to Michael,” replied Alex.
They both turned to leave until Duncan had one more thought. “Why do ye seek Adam?”
“Adam has been gone these past six moons. He left no word.” Alex grimaced when he added the next. “We thought foul play with ye, or one of your brothers.”
“We will help ye search for him,” Cormac pledged, keeping his gaze on Duncan.
Alex gave a curt nod before taking his leave.
They watched as the MacFhearguis brothers left the stone circle.
Duncan’s shoulders slumped. The weariness crept over his body, enveloping him in sadness. As he peered across the mossy grass, the moonlight cast a glow on the spot where he held Brigid in his arms. The loss of his love—
his
life
, just a memory, reminding him of the mists; here one moment, gone the next.
He observed Nell gathering some flowers. She went and placed them on the spot where Brigid had fallen. “Cormac, I need ye to see Nell safely back to the castle.”
“Aye.”
They both watched as Nell gently arranged the flowers in a circle, humming a tune of mourning.
“She will be sorely missed, Duncan—by many.” Cormac lamented.
Duncan tilted his head back toward the night sky unable to respond to his friend.
Cormac shifted and placed a hand on Duncan’s shoulder. “Do not be away too long.”
“I am heading back home to Urquhart. I need to find out what has happened there in my absence and search out my brothers.” He angled his head to look at Cormac. “I fear I may need more than my powers alone to defeat the druid.”
“Aye, true. Then, there is Cathal. Can he not call upon the druid council?”
“Nae.” Duncan let out long sigh. “We must contain it here. I dread there may be others who believe as Lachlan does. Give the news to Cathal, and see what he thinks. I shall return by the winter solstice, or sooner, depending on the snows.”
“Safe journey, Duncan.”
“Thank ye, my friend.”
Cormac watched as Duncan slowly made his way to Nell. He bent low speaking to her. At the last, she flung herself into his arms, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
Chapter 49
“Let me go back to my dream, for this reality is far too agonizing to bear.”—Brigid O’Neill, as told to the Guardian
The sound of sweet music filled the air, and Brigid’s eyes fluttered open to a shining brilliance that astounded her. The colors filled her vision were too bright, and she blinked several times trying to adjust to them and her surroundings.
She was lying in a cocoon of flowers—roses, lavender, foxgloves, tuberroses, evergreens, and gardenias. Their heady scent filled her being and soothed her soul. Her hand brushed over their petals, the colors dancing in front of her eyes. Brigid watched as a hummingbird, the color of emeralds, hovered in front of her before dashing away. Dragonflies flitted over her, gently gliding over to a small pond, the color of light blue crystals.
Then Brigid’s heart froze.
“
Duncan
,” she blurted out. A warm breeze ruffled her curls.
Instantly, all her memories came back in a sudden torment of pain. Sitting up on her elbows, she glanced down at herself and noticed she was wearing her dress still stained with blood. She found she could move without any pain. The wound was still there, but the bleeding had stopped.
Sitting up, she hugged herself rocking back and forth, great sobs racking her body.
Gone forever.
Her love, her Dragon Knight...her life.
“I did give my life for him, didn’t I?” she sobbed out. “The dream was
real
.” Brigid bent her head to her knees, letting her grief pour out.
“Yes, my child. You gave your life.”
The melodic tone of her voice was like a silken caress over Brigid, and she lifted her tear-stained face to the most dazzling beauty she had ever seen. She moved toward Brigid as if she was floating on air, her radiance almost blinding.
The woman was a shimmering rainbow of colors and then she smiled at Brigid.
“Wh...
Who are you
?” Brigid whispered.
“Walk with me, Brigid.”
Brigid looked down at herself. Could she really walk?
“Yes, Brigid. In this place
anything
is possible.”
Her head snapped up, jaw gaped opened. “How did you know?”
The Guardian laughed the sound of tinkling bells.
Taking a deep breath, Brigid rose up slowly to find not only was there no pain, but also, she seemed—lighter. She cautiously stepped over to where the woman stood, gazing out to a valley below them. Brigid squinted, noticing that there were three paths leading downwards.
“Where am I?”
“I am the Guardian, Brigid, and you are in my realm of veils.”
“Is this
Tir na Og
?”
“Yes...and no.” She tilted her head to the side to gaze at Brigid.
“I am giving you a gift, Brigid, but it is up to
you
to choose.”
Chapter 50
“To know love for only a brief time is worth more than any riches a man may acquire on his journey. I would endure the fire of the great dragon for one more touch.”—Duncan Mackay, as told to the Guardian
Duncan took hold of Brandubh’s reins, pulling back and bringing him to a stop. The smell of winter permeated the air, crisp, cold, and clean. Snow had dusted the ground during the night creating a magical effect, and he paused to stare at Castle Creag. He had been gone almost two moons and was grateful the weather held until he was able to pass through the glen.
He heard the crunch of something on the snow-covered ground. Peering over his left shoulder, he spied a reddish-brown stag foraging for food. Watching as it ambled off into the trees, Duncan brought his attention back to the castle.