Highland Persuasion (The MacLomain Series- Early Years) (23 page)

But Alexander’s words echoed.
“Take care of your lady.”

Iosbail closed her eyes and sighed again.

If he’d sacrificed so could she.

She opened her eyes and looked at Adlin. “Get us where you need us.”

“Are you sure?”

“Aye, I’ve no desire to see myself old quite yet.”

Adlin
nodded,
his relief evident. “We travel forward a mere month in time. You see after Ferchar MacLomain left us today he returned to his castle only to soon find it in mayhem. He will not remember meeting you but only that which weighs on his mind. Very soon a woman from the twenty-first century will arrive. She will be his true love. Their story will take them to the peak of Scotland and into the heart of the MacLomain’s rivals, the MacLeods. It is there that we will find Alan Stewart.”

“Ferchar’s
lass is
from the twenty-first century?” Shamus asked. “That sounds far off.”

Adlin shook his head.
“Not for you to worry about, lad. ‘Tis not our business.”

Iosbail couldn’t help but be curious. Her brother had indeed become powerful to help others cross so much time.

“We best be off, aye?” she said.

Adlin nodded but looked at Shamus. “It seems all have agreed but you to this. What say you, laddie?”

Shamus offered a wide smile. “These ladies are my friends. Where they go I go.”

“Very good then.”
Adlin closed his eyes and ran his hand over the Defiance. When he held out his hand, Iosbail took hold and reached out her hand. Shamus took her hand then Caitriona’s. The moment all of their hands touched a white light began to surround them.

Iosbail felt magic churn inside of her. Much like traveling from the Hebrides to Cowal it was warm and consuming. While the faint smell of burning sugar surrounded them the transition was quick and painless. One second they were standing in the woods, the next a sheet of rock edged by tall, wind strewn pines.

Adlin released her hand and she released Shamus’s.

Her brother immediately went to Caitriona. “Very soon there will be a lot of activity where we stand. You’ll know Alan the minute you see him. Wait and go to him when he needs you, not a minute sooner.”

“How will I know when he needs me?” she
asked,
her wobbly voice eager.

Adlin squeezed her hands. “Your new gift will let you know. Trust it. Not a moment sooner lass, promise?”

Iosbail was amazed when the lass nodded. Who promised such a thing?

“Adlin,” she said. “You ask a lot without saying much!”

“I’ve the ability to time travel and know things far beyond ourselves, my sister. Trust in that.” His eyes met hers, an ancient blue she’d never before witnessed. “Soon I will call forth great magic. When I do Ferchar and his lass will jump off the cliff. I suggest you and Shamus do the same if you want to return to whence you came.”

“What of Caitriona?”

“Her path will go in a different direction.” He looked at the Norman lass. “Your friends will leave, lass. You will remain with Alan and will be safe. Does that suit you?”

Unsure, Caitriona looked at Iosbail, heart in her eyes.
“’Tis up to my lady.”

She didn’t like it one bit and said as much. “You’re willing to stay here with a stranger in a time not yours? Are you mad?”

Caitriona’s eyes welled with tears.
“’Tis Alan Stewart, my lady.
I’ve dreamt of him for so long. He’s no stranger.” She cast an unsure eye between Iosbail and Shamus. “You both have been so good to me. If ‘tis your wish I remain with you then I will.”

Shamus shook his head.
“Nay, lassie.
You go where your heart is.”

Iosbail ground her teeth. This was insanity. But what wasn’t on this whole journey. “I’ll ask only one thing of you then, Caitriona.”

“Anything,” the Norman lass said.

Iosbail wasn’t one for affection but she took the girl’s hands from Adlin’s. “Do you remember when I asked you to follow me until I said to no longer?”

“Aye, my Lady.”

“Allow me to be the judge. If something happens so intense that I’m willing to send you on your way, allow me the say so, not Adlin, not even your own need.”

Caitriona blinked several times, obviously torn about her answer before she said, “Aye, my Lady because I know you’ll see the right of it.”

Iosbail nodded. “I will see the right of it. I promise you that.”

Yet she had no intentions of sending the lass to her death. Despite her resolve, Shamus pulled the Norman girl into a big hug when Iosbail released her. Apparently he saw an end near. Fool.

“’Tis time,” Adlin said. “Off to cover for all of you.”

Shamus nodded and led them to a nearby grove of trees. Crouched down beside her companions she watched her brother move forward. As he did his brown robes turned white and the MacLomain plaid over his wiry shoulder became crisper.

Though the ocean roared far below other sounds started to reach her ears.

At first the voices sounded far away but they soon grew louder and louder.

Suddenly a woman stumbled out of the trees onto the cliff.

Adlin stood tall, waiting. Against the fierceness of the wind, his white robes rose and slowly flapped in the wind like a bird ready to take flight. His eyes glowed blue against a backdrop of black swirling clouds. 

"Stop,” a man
said,
his voice deep.

The woman dropped to the rock as though her legs were shackled and lowered her head.

Adlin had one hand raised in the air behind him and one in front of him.

"Release her." Adlin's voice sounded young and powerful.

"Nay, old man."
The strange man swung down from his horse. "This time, you willnae win."

Iosbail knew without doubt he was a MacLeod. He stopped short when he hit an unseen barrier. The woman tried to stand but her legs were still mysteriously bound together so she began to drag herself toward Adlin. 

"I willnae give her to you, Angus." Adlin curled his fingers and the MacLeod was pushed back.

The clansman chuckled. "Aye, but you will." He removed a satchel from his side and released the cinch. A small, black, metal pentacle dropped into his palm.

Iosbail felt the power shift unfavorably.

"How do you have that?" The pain in Adlin's gaze turned the power in his eyes a murky shade of blue.

Angus smiled and brought the pentacle to the unseen shield that barred him from moving forward. It dropped and he laughed. His lips straightened and his eyes died when he looked at Adlin. "I suppose you could say I've good acquaintances."

"Very good."
Iosbail swung her gaze to the sound of a new voice.

Ferchar, the lad who’d greeted her earlier, appeared. He stood, legs apart, about ten feet from the lass on the ground. Another man stood beside him.

Caitriona gasped. “Alan!” she whispered.

Angus massaged the pentacle. "Ahhh, MacLomain. You've come properly attired." The MacLeod Chieftain held the black pentacle by its heart and ran one of its five points along his cheek. "Where's your pentacle, Ferchar?"

There was nothing in Ferchar's face to acknowledge that he’d heard Angus's taunt, nothing to prepare anyone for what happened next.

But Iosbail could hear the words Ferchar spoke to the woman on the ground, she who was obviously his true love.

"Go, Caitlin. Go."
Ferchar's voice crashed into the woman’s mind as he removed from his folds a black pentacle identical to the one Angus held.
"Go!"

"Home, Caitlin. Go home."
This time it was Adlin who filled her mind. Slow motion overtook Caitlin as she stood, and her legs were freed.

"Dinnae move, lass," Angus snarled.

But Caitlain moved, obviously determined.

She took a step back toward Adlin and Angus shook his head. He raised his hand and whipped the black pentacle at her. At the same moment, Ferchar threw his and it intercepted Angus's, mere feet in front of her.

Rage engorged Angus as the pentacles froze midair above them in a war of magic. He pulled his axe free. Caitlin reached into her cleavage and withdrew a sapphire dagger.

Iosbail was mesmerized. Holy hell!

As Angus thrust his axe at Caitlin, she whipped her blade at him.

"No!" Alan jumped between them, his back to Caitlin.

Iosbail caught Caitriona around the waist before the girl could lurch forward.

Alan fell to his back, an axe handle protruding from his chest. Angus the enemy lay on the ground with a dagger in his heart. Magically enhanced, it quickly sucked the pump from his heart, swamping his shocked form in flames of intense sapphire.

Meanwhile, Alan Stewart’s body jerked, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Stunned, Iosbail tried to make sense of everything

Caitriona screamed in grief.

Adlin yelled, “Now, Iosbail.
Now!”

Like Alexander, Alan had sacrificed for others. Iosbail released Caitriona and the lass ran to the fallen warrior. As she watched the lass crouch beside Alan she wondered… who was she to give the girl permission to do
anything?
There was passion here…love. What
kind
of love she didn’t know.

“Now, Iosbail, not much time!”
Adlin said.

Yet she
had
to know her lass would be all right. Iosbail ran over and crouched beside her. “I’m sending you on your way lass. Will you be well?”

Caitriona’s eyes met hers briefly, “Aye my lady. I’m with him now.”

Iosbail looked closely. There was truth and incredible feeling in the woman’s eyes. More feeling, in fact, then she’d seen in anyone’s eyes in a very long time. 

“Iosbail, now!”
Adlin roared.

With a satisfied nod, she squeezed Caitriona’s shoulder. “I release you.
Stay strong, my friend.”

She’d no sooner stood when Shamus grabbed her hand and they ran.

Straight off the cliff.

Chapter Twelve

Slam. Bang.
Crash.

Everything about this travel through time hurt. When the pain in her head slowly started to subside, Shamus was standing over her, eyes bloodshot before he fell to his arse beside her. “Hell, lassie, Adlin doesn’t work his magic as well every time, aye?”

Iosbail held her head as she sat up. “Alexander,” she whispered.

Shamus muttered, “I dinnae see him.”

Exhausted she blinked. The original Highland Defiance was across the way. In all its glory the massive window stood hundreds of feet high. Iosbail shook her head and lay back in the grass. Shamus followed suit, still holding his head.