Since Aspen and Broderick came together, Kenneth had been discreetly keeping an eye on the comings and goings at Sutherland Castle. His task above all was to keep the MacLeods abreast of how Lilias and her daughter were doing, now that we knew they were family, whether they belonged to Dugal Sutherland or not. It turned out not only was Lilias married against her will, she was our half sister.
“Och,” Sloan exclaimed, catching Broderick’s thoughts. “Lorna and her father are at Sutherland Castle?” He shook his head. “What aretheydoing there?”
“He couldnae say other than ‘twas rather discreet arriving under the cover of darkness, and they were greeted by both Dugal and Elspet,” Broderick said. “Which he found odd, and I would have to agree.”
Aye,” Sloan concurred, sighing, “Yet Lorna considers herself my betrothed, so it doesnae surprise me she somehow found her way to Sutherland Castle if she learned I was there. Any more than how she found her way to MacLeod Castle so she might counsel me on how to better myself and continue cultivating my relationship with the king.”
“Mayhap ‘tis just that.” Broderick’s brow furrowed. “But if that were the case, why not greet her more openly, given she’s to be yer wife, one of the king’s closest, most trusted warriors, not to mention her father, who is also one of the king's best warriors?” He shook his head. “It makes little sense on several fronts, aye? Little sense given Dugal and Elspet’s love of being allied with King Robert, and how important they think it makes them look?”
“And that’s what troubled Kenneth as well,” Aspen said. “Because, according to him, they vanished into a side door rather than entering through the front. The whole thing seemed far too secretive when, as far as we know, the four of them shouldn’t be sharing any secrets, should they?”
“Nay, they shouldnae.” Sloan’s dragon eyes flared. “’Tis troubling.”
“Since the marriage is so important to them, maybe they’re just there to keep an eye on Sloan,” I theorized. “And requested it be done discreetly?”
“Nay, Lorna thrives on fanfare.” Sloan shook his head. “She would want everyone to be impressed by her arrival every bit as much as Dugal and his mother would want to openly welcome allies of the king, whether they were there for me or not.” He clenched his fist rather than take my hand. “And before you say Lorna is there to remind me of our marriage agreement, remember this. If you dinnae end up having the heart over your chest and are destined to be mine, she would be coming in the front door, reminding everyone who she is. More so, who I am.”
“He’s right,” Chara said, flinching when my willow tree appeared nearby. “So something is going on we didnae see coming.” She looked at us in warning. “Something I suggest you both be wary of because ‘tis off somehow.”
I tried to keep my unease and nerves at bay, but the moment the willow appeared and I caught the glow of the blade sheathed at my waist, it was hard. I was no coward, though, so I stood up straighter and got ready to face what was coming next because this wasn’t the first time life had thrown challenges my way. Who knows? Maybe Sloan and I would continue a pointless walk down memory lane, but somehow my gut said things wouldn’t go that easily.
I frowned at Sloan. “What happens if we end up back at Sutherland Castle? How are you going to explain my sudden appearance in the chamber they gave you?”
“We will figure that out when and if the time comes,” he assured, seeming calm enough, but I caught the tension he hid, so I wouldn’t be frightened of what lay ahead. “The unraveling spell has kept us together and safe thus far, so I dinnae doubt ‘twill continue doing so.”
He was right. It had. Still. There were a lot of unknowns ahead of me, not to mention an uneasy feeling I couldn’t shake.
“You mentioned my mom’s magic being powerful, Chara,” I said, forcing myself to say it, because I needed to know the truth, or at the very least her take on things, because I sensed she had one. “Just how powerful, exactly, given the whole point of this pact is to find the witch among the MacLeods who descends from the Sutherland sorcerer?” I glanced from Sloan back to her. “And I think it’s safe to say, given our history, that I’ve been found among the MacLeods.”
In turn, Chara’s gaze flickered from my ring back to my face, and she gave me the cold, hard truth despite her attempt to soften it. “Based on the magic I feel in that ring and in this Morrow, she was one of the most powerful witches I’ve ever come across. A witch who could access ancient magic that can run both dark and light.” She shook her head. “But that doesnae necessarily mean she’s born of the sorcerer’s bloodline, for there are numerous bloodlines of old capable of such.”
“And how many descended from Scotland?” I returned, having a feeling she knew.
She responded, but I couldn’t hear what she said as everyone faded, and the willow tree took me without me walking toward it this time. Not before I sensed the truth, though, and it wasn’t good.
Only two such powerful bloodlines descended from Scotland.
CHAPTER EIGHT
–Sloan–
THE LAST THING I expected was to be standing beside Willow one moment, speaking with my family in the Morrow near MacLeod Castle, and the next minute waking up back in my chamber at Sutherland Castle. Blinking in confusion at the dim light coming through the window, I bolted upright when I realized Flame had been trying to nudge me awake.
“What the bloody hell?” I muttered, trying to make sense of how I ended up back beside the trunk I’d first pulled the Viking dagger out of. If that weren’t baffling and daunting enough, Flame sniffed around in the trunk, pulled out that very blade, and dropped it in my lap as if it was all a dream and had never made its way to Willow.
“But it wasnae,”Kenneth MacLomain assured me telepathically the moment I wrapped my hand around its hilt.“A willow tree has appeared in the woodland outside Sutherland Castle's gates that wasnae there hours ago, so I recommend ye make yer way below stairs soon if ye mean to be there when they get to it because the guardsmen are rallying the Sutherlands to the tree’s presence.”
“Aye, then,”I returned, cursing under my breath again.“Thank ye, cousin.”Having no idea how the wolf pup got in here, given the guards outside my door, I scratched Flame behind his ear.“And thank ye for waking me, my wee friend.”
Focusing on the matter at hand, I stood, sheathed the blade in my boot, and reached out to Willow telepathically.“Can you hear me, lass?”When there was no response, I prompted again,trying to remain calm for her sake because I knew she would sense otherwise.“Willow, can you hear me?”
“Sloan?”she murmured sleepily into my mind as if she had just stirred awake, too.“What’s going on? Where am I?”
“’Tis a good question,”I replied, never so relieved to hear her voice, and I had the blade to thank for that.“What do you see around you? Are you by the willow? Are you still in the Morrow?”
I could only pray she was. Otherwise, our time alone and any chance of our dragons getting closer had come to an end far too soon.
“I think so, yeah,”Willow murmured.“I’m still in the Morrow.”She sounded tentative.“I woke up beside the willow tree, but I’m looking at a different castle now. One more circular than angular. It still feels like the Morrow, only I see men riding out the front gates. They’re not blurry like before.”I heard the frown in her internal voice.“Does that mean they’ll be able to see me, too, like my sisters and your family could?”
