Chapter Thirty-One
RATHER THAN FLY, sheran through the woodland, drawn by a familiar energy. A place somehow connected to the Irish Stones at which she had first found her beloved. She slowed as she drew closer, taken by the magic she felt there.
The utter peace and serenity.
“The Ring of Brodgar,” she whispered, stopping in the circle of stones nestled on a small isthmus between Lochs Stenness and Harray. She spun slowly, looking from rock to rock, trying to understand how this was connected to Ireland. How it was connected to her. But the answer eluded her.
“What are ye doing, Chloe,” came Aidan’s young voice. He appeared out of the woodland behind her, curious. “Why are ye here?”
“Because ‘tis lovely,” she exclaimed, concerned that he had followed her. That she never sensed him. But then there was something about this place, wasn’t there? A calling of sorts that had to do with them both. “We should get ye back wee Aidan.” She crouched and smiled. “Yer parents will be worried.”
“Och, they are a powerful wizard and witch,” he admonished, gazing at her with adoration. “Surely, they already know where I am.”
Maybe but she did not think so.
She needed to get him back.
She must keep him safe.
“Chloe,” he whispered, looking at her with childlike wonder. His eyes suddenly shined light turquoise with newfound powerful magic. “Ye look verra bonny.”
That’s when she realized he could see her.
Trulysee her.
He had been unable to do that in any other life.
But then he had never possessed such magic.
“Oh, laddie, look at that,” she whispered, cupping his cheek. “Everything I have always known ye were on the inside has surfaced. Such perfection.”
“But I would give it all up for ye, lass,” he whispered. “If ye will just stay with me.”
She blinked, confused. What was he talking about?
“Nay.” She shook her head and pulled him into her arms. “Never give up what ye have been given for ‘tis well deserved. ‘Tis who ye truly are, lad.”
“That is where ye are wrong, my lass,” he whispered, his voice changing, growing deeper. “Ye are who I truly am. What we have found together.”
She blinked again, doubly confused before her body suddenly went cold, and her surroundings changed. All but him, that is. She could still feel Aidan. Sense him close, pulling her to him from a dark abyss.
Trying to find him though he was right here, she closed her eyes and opened them not to a child in her embrace but a man holding her on his lap. They were still within the stones, but daylight had turned to night, and fog drifted in heavy wisps around them.
“I’ve been here before,” she whispered, staring up into his damp eyes. “Haven’t I?”
“We both have.” His gaze flickered to the standing stone beside them then back to her. “In a dream or in reality, ‘tis impossible to know, but this stone is ours. ‘Twas the one where we looked for each other on Julie and Tiernan’s adventure at the Callanais Standing Stones. Then ‘twas the one we were beside when my arch-wizard magic sparked, and I finally saw you.” He touched her cheek. “’Tis also the verra stone we sat beside when we first met in Ireland so long ago.”
“It is, isn’t it?” she whispered, tearing up. She looked from the standing stone to him. “Why are we here now?”
He glanced up before his gaze returned to her. “Because ye died, lass.”
Startled, she glanced up as well only to realize Grant stood there quietly, respectfully, more whole than she had ever seen him.
That’s when it all came rushing back.
Robert killed Donald.
Cray killed Robert.
