Highland Harmony: Avelina and Drew (Clan Grant Series Book 8) (19 page)

Alex didn’t like this one bit. He had never seen such a sight. His mother had always sworn that the land was controlled by the fae, who would come out every so often to shake up the land. He hadn’t seen it happen yet. But this vision in front of him had him wondering whether this was exactly what his mother had warned them about. The fae came when there was trouble, she had said, and they would help a worthy human, a chosen one, lead the land in the direction they desired, in the direction of good.

He recalled Brenna’s question to their mother at the time. “What do you mean, direction of good? Where else would we go?”

They’d waited patiently for their mother to answer. “Sometimes there are evil souls who try to wrest power for themselves,” she had said, smoothing back Brenna’s hair. “But remember that the fae are always watching us. You will know when they step in to provide us with their protection.”

“How?” Alex had asked.

“There will be a strange cast over the land. At first, you’ll just think the day is different, yet you’ll know not why. You will continue, and you’ll feel as though something is there over your shoulder watching you, but there’ll be naught there. Even the clouds and the rain will be different—darker and heavier. You’ll know it when you feel it. Trust me.”

His mother was right. He could feel it.

His gaze narrowed as he searched for any clues, but there were none. They were more than halfway to the Ramsays. His gut told him not to turn back. His sister and her bairns were near the Lowlands.

His decision finally made, he gave crisp instructions. “Once we get to the bottom of the next mountain, Brodie, you’ll take the cart, all the bairns, and one hundred guards. You are to head to Ramsay land using the peripheral route that curves away from Cameron land. Robbie, you’ll come with me and we’ll take the rest of the guards to Cameron land to see if Jennie is safe.”

He didn’t like it. There had been many skirmishes in the Cameron’s land not long ago, right before Jennie and Aedan married. Lochluin Abbey, full of riches, sat near the keep. Apparently, the skirmishes were not over.

Loki, Brodie’s eldest son, rode up behind Alex. “My laird, I’d like to request to travel with you to fight. I think my skills would benefit you.”

Alex turned slowly to address him. Aye, Loki was a clever, cheeky lad, but he lacked good judgment as of yet. And Alex did not like being questioned.

Brodie barked, “Loki, apologize to your laird.”

Alex’s hand came up to stop him. He turned his attention to his nephew. “Loki, are you telling me that the job of protecting my bairns and my wife is not important enough for you?”

Loki paled and stuttered, “N-nay, my laird. Forgive me.”

“You’ll follow the cart and the horses, watching the rear for any threats. I have five bairns that need protecting, and many nieces and nephews.”

Jake and Jamie, his twin lads, growing up so fast it frightened him, spoke up. “Da, we can protect…”

“Silence!” His stare raked across the group. “I know not what we are up against, and you are all to do what I say without question. And when I am not with you, you will do as Robbie or Brodie instruct you. Understood?”

A sea of heads nodded, but Alex’s youngest, golden-haired Eliza, just a wean, began to cry. “Papa, up?” she asked, outstretching her arms to him from the cart.

Alex turned and gave directions to Robbie and Brodie before they all continued on down the mountain. He couldn’t look at his daughter right now. The thought of anything happening to her made him not furious, but ill, quite ill.

He didn’t like this one bit. The tales his mother and father had told him of the fae had conveyed one lesson.

Visits from the good fae came when evil threatened to overtake part of the land.

And what he saw in front of him looked purely evil.

Chapter Twenty-One

Lina hung onto her horse’s mane and flew across the landscape, praying to get away from Lachlan. The lad had already attacked her twice. What would he do to her now, especially now that he knew she was the one who had stolen the sapphire sword? She didn’t think she had much farther to go.
Aedan, where are you?

Lachlan’s twisted laughter echoed out across the night. The eerie sound sent chills shooting down her spine, but she did not let herself despair. Somehow, she would prevail.

He drew closer and closer. She spurred the horse on, but not fast enough. Soon, he was almost next to her—a sight which sent panic racing through her veins. Lachlan let out a low growl and leapt straight at her. She tried to duck, but he caught her, and together they toppled onto the ground and rolled down a small grassy knoll.

She did the only thing she thought might help her, even though she risked slicing her tender skin open. The sapphire sword sat sheathed at his waist, right there for her to grab. He wouldn’t let go of her arms so she rolled down the small incline with him, and as soon as her hand met the hilt of the sword, she yanked it out, gripping it tight until they stopped moving.

Jumping up, she moved away from him, the sword in her hand.

“You wee bitch, you’re quite a good thief, I’ll give you that. But I’ll not let you keep it. You just returned it, or have you forgotten?”

She brandished the weapon at him as he came toward her, blood dripping down her arm from where she had cut herself. Her heart raced in fear, but she gulped air to keep herself alert. He lunged for her, so she flung the sword over her head and pointed it at the heavens above.

The minute the sword was pointed upward, a furious wind whipped up out of nowhere and lightning shot out of the sky, followed by deafening thunder.

“You evil witch, what are you doing? Give the sword over now. You have no idea the power you’re holding, do you?”

She kept the weapon raised over her head even as drenching rains started and the lightning ripped down from the sky, tipping her face up to the heavens, praying the Lord, the angels in Heaven, and the fae were all watching. One strike of lightning hit the tree behind them, bouncing them both into the air. Lina landed with a thud. She had actually felt the power in the sword. A new understanding dawned within her—the power was meant to be hers, not Lachlan’s, and it was time she came to accept that.

He seemed to have come to that same conclusion, for he backed away from her, staring up at the light show around them in mingled fear and wonder. His hand guarded his face as he beheld the impressive force of nature she had stirred.

“Do you not see, Lachlan? This sword was meant for me, not you. I am a chosen one. You must leave me alone or the faeries will come for you.” Though she was not certain it was true, she decided her best chance of escaping this situation was to convince him that she held all the power. And somehow all the lights and thunder around her made her feel empowered enough to take a chance and grab onto her destiny. She was a chosen one, so she would fight for her right to hold the sapphire sword. It was the only way she could keep him at a distance.

After a short time, she lowered the sword. As soon as she did, the rain and the lightning stopped, but an eerie glow rose up around Lina.

“Hellfire, you
are
a chosen one.” He panted as he wiped all the rain from his face. “My sire told me all about it long ago, but I’d forgotten. You’ll be my wife. ‘Tis the only the way the power will spread to me. I know the story. If you do not marry me, tragedy will befall your family within two moons. My mother told me of this, and you’ve had the sword for a couple of fortnights. Your time is running out. ‘Tis why the lightning is here.”

“Nay, I’ll never agree to marry you.” Lina held her breath as she watched him, so fearful he would find a way to force the marriage.

“Aye, you will. I’ll hold you for a sennight until you see all the tragedy start to befall your family. Then you’ll agree to be my wife. The marriage must take place. You know it as well as I do.”

He pulled his pet mouse out of his sporran and whispered to him, but Lina couldn’t understand a word he said. After a few minutes, he climbed onto his horse. Three other horses emerged out of the brush behind them. Lachlan’s men. One grinned from ear to ear as soon as he saw her.

“Och, you’ve got her. Well done, Lachlan. Can I have her after you do?”

Lina backed up, not wanting any of them to touch her.

“Nay, you’ll not touch her. Did you not see those storms around us just now? She’s been chosen by the fae. Touch her and you’ll die. She’s to be my wife as soon as we find a priest.”

Lina closed her eyes in frustration. She’d messed up everything. Now she held the sword again, so her family would be in danger if she did not marry. What if Lachlan told the truth about holding her until someone was harmed in her family? Then she would have no choice. If she had to make this sacrifice in order to save them, then she would.

Drew? Aedan? Erena?Anyone? Please help me.

***

Aedan had almost reached the Ramsay land when the dark clouds overtook them. An eerie silence settled, and he glanced at Jennie to see if she sensed anything. He thought her healing abilities gave her a certain intuition others did not possess.

Jennie’s eyes widened, but she said naught. The sound of horses’ hooves pummeling the ground greeted them. They turned to see five horses approaching, the riders swathed in the Ramsay plaid.

Aedan relaxed when he realized one of the figures was Logan Ramsay. “Jennie, do you need the woods?” he asked. “I do not want to stop unless ‘tis absolutely necessary. I have a bad feeling. But if you do, now would be a good time.”

She shook her head in denial, her gaze telling him how frightened she was by all that had transpired.

Logan stopped his horse abreast of him. “We have heard of your troubles. Fill me in on everything you know so we can go after her.” Gwyneth, Logan’s wife, was already sidling her horse up next to her husband’s.

Aedan, Jennie, Logan, and Gwyneth all dismounted and moved away from the guards to speak in privacy. The men spread out around the periphery of the area to keep watch.

Aedan began. “Lina and Jennie both wished to come to your land to support Brenna. We were on our way when Lina disappeared in the middle of the night from the clearing where we were resting. There was no sign of a scuffle, my guards swear there were no other horses in the area.”

Jennie teared up. “We think she left to find Lachlan.”

“Daft lass. Why?” Logan growled.

“Because she thinks ‘tis all her fault that Brenna lost the baby. She believes ‘tis because she has not yet found someone to marry. The two moons she was given have nearly passed, so the family tragedies are starting.” Jennie’s tears garbled her words and Aedan wrapped his arm around her shoulder in comfort.

Aedan continued. “Neil discovered Lachlan with an odd group of men last eve, similar to the groups Dermid and Irvine hired to attack me and some of the other Highlanders, and overheard them saying they were coming for the sapphire sword. They believed Drew held it and were seeking him at the Cameron keep.”

Gwyneth’s puzzled expression changed in an instant to a look of understanding. “Lina thinks if she returns the sword to Lachlan, it will put the curse of the legend back onto him.”

“Aye.” Jennie sobbed into her husband’s shoulder.

“Near dawn, I sent Neil and a few guards back to my keep in the hopes they would find her and warn Drew. I’ve heard naught about anything.”

The wind whipped up out of nowhere, so Aedan pointed to a cave not far away. “Inside, Jennie. I do not like the feel of this.”

They barely managed to make it under cover in the cave, which was also large enough to offer protection for some of the horses, before the heavens opened up and drenched the earth all around them. Torrents of rain, streaks of lightning, and loud cracks of thunder echoed from the direction they had come.

Gwyneth glanced up. “The fae are angry.”

“What?” Logan stared at his wife, obviously surprised by her declaration.

“Ask my brother Rab. He has always talked about the faeries and storms. When they get angry, they will use whatever weapon is available to them to stop evil from achieving its goals. Many times, ‘tis nature.”

All were silent as they watched the light display outside.

“Look for a focal point,” Gwyneth said. “Could be where Lina is.”

“I’ve seen the fae,” Jennie whispered.

Logan replied, “You have? With Lina?”

“Aye, she was beautiful. She said Lina was a chosen one, but she would have to find her own way.”

Logan turned to Aedan, “Lina told us everything about the fae and the queen. We believe her, though I admit it was difficult. But I could not argue what I could see with my own eyes. Gregor healed right in front of us.”

Aedan whispered, “You do not need to convince me. I believe the lasses.”

A streak of lightning wrested their attention back to the storm.

Jennie pointed off to one spot, “Look. ‘Tis centering in that one spot.”

As they watched, more and more lightning strikes targeted the same area, but then they immediately ceased. The land took on an eerie glow, almost golden, in the area where the lightning had been the strongest.

“Mount up, wife,” Logan said. “We’re heading toward the glow. I believe ‘tis my sister.” The rain and wind had stopped as quickly as it had begun. “Cameron, get your wife to our land. Do not stop for aught.”