“I dinnae know but I’m coming,”I assured.“You’re at Sutherland Castle, and I’m on my way. Kenneth is here somewhere, too, so you’re not alone.”
Meanwhile, seeming to sense what was coming, Flame scurried under the bed before a guardsman pounded on the door, undoubtedly ordered to come and fetch me.
When I opened the door, the guard was curt, only claiming the laird wanted to see me below stairs but not telling me why. He led me down to the Sutherland’s great hall, where I wasn’t surprised to find Elspet waiting beside her son, peering at me through narrow, untrusting eyes. Despite Dugal being the chieftain, Elspet spoke first and took charge.
“The willow tree from Malcolm’s tapestry has appeared outside.” Her eyes narrowed on me even further. “Yet yedidnae alert us to its presence despite claiming ye’ve been communicating with its witch.”
“I only just felt it,” I swore, because it was the truth. “When I did, I prepared myself to come below stairs.” I gestured at the guard who had led me down. “Ask yer guard.” I perked my eyebrows at the man, who seemed paler by the moment, undoubtedly because he had to answer to these two. “Was I not fully dressed and ready to go when ye knocked on my door?”
“Aye,” he said expediently enough, though his voice wavered. “He was, m’laird and m’lady.”
Despite being considerably shorter than me, Elspet still had a way of peering down her nose as she considered whether or not she could trust him before she nodded curtly, “Fine. Where is she? My men reported there isnae a lass near the tree.”
Although I was relieved, because that meant she was still hidden in the Morrow, I kept it from my face and lied with ease if it meant protecting Willow. “I tried speaking to her, but she hasnae replied.” I frowned. “’Tis odd given I sensed the tree.”
“And far too convenient,” Dugal ground out, scowling at me. “I dinnae believe him, Mother.”
“Nor I,” she hissed, yet I knew her hands were tied so long as I was here honoring my word to king and country. “Let us go to the tree and see what might come of it. Him too.”
I nodded in agreement because what else could I say? As we headed out the front door, I assured Willow no one could see her.“Where are you now?”
“Still near the tree,”she replied, clearly relieved she was invisible.“This has never happened before, so I’m not sure what to do.”
Though tempted to tell her to stay out of sight lest she be thrust out of the Morrow like I had been and become visible, my gut told me to do the opposite.
“We’re heading for the tree now,”I replied.“Remain near me after that.”
“Okay,”she said, a frown in her internal voice.“I take it by we you mean Dugal and Elspet are with you?”
“Aye.”
As expected, guardsmen remained with us as we neared what appeared to be a perfectly normal willow tree, complete with vibrant yellow leaves blowing in a cold wind, appearing as any willow would in autumn. I detected nothing mystical about it, yet I saw my lass standing nearby. Interestingly, she appeared more like a ghost, as if truly caught between worlds, and I told her as much.
“Yet they cannae see you,”I exclaimed, certain of it as Elspet and Dugal walked around the tree, looking it over as if it might possess some secret way to get to her.“You and your dragon are completely undetectable.”
“That’s a relief,”she replied.“Because all of you look perfectly solid.”
I was about to reply when Dugal spoke to Elspet. “Do ye sense any magic around it?”
“Nay.” Elspet ran her bony fingers along its bark. “Nor do I feel anything, so…”
“What is it, Mother?” Dugal prompted when she trailed off.
“I dinnae know,” she said softly, narrowing her eyes as if trying to figure it out. “’Twas a stirring of some sort as if ‘twas touching me back, but I wasnae who it sought.” Her gaze slid to Dugal. “Ye try. See if ye feel it as well.”
So he did, only to shake his head. “Nay, there is nothing.”
I felt immense relief at that, but terrifyingly enough, it was fleeting because Dugal pulled away, only to narrow his eyes at the tree as if something caught his attention, and he put his palm against it again.
“I swore I felt something right before I pulled my hand away,” he murmured. “’Twas just as ye described, Mother.”
Almost the moment he said it, his gaze widened, and his dragon eyes flared, as if the sensation grew stronger, only for the worst possible thing to happen.
“Iknew‘twas meant for ye, my lad,” Elspet exclaimed when the damning tattoo of a winged sword with a gem at the center appeared on Dugal’s wrist, marking him as Willow’s possible fated mate. Her eyes narrowed on me. “Just as my son is at the heart of this pact, so too shall be the lass ye’ll be delivering to us.”
“Aye,” Dugal concurred, greed and hunger for more power clear in his eyes as he admired the tattoo with shades of blue and black before scowling at me. “And this time, nobody will stop me from having my rightful mate by my side, bearing me powerful offspring.” He shook his head. “Especially not ye, MacLeod.”
It was hard to express just how much I hated him at that moment. Not only because Dugal was a monster I didn’t want anywhere near my lass, but because I wanted to look in her direction, but couldn’t lest they pick up on it. Look at her, and pray I didn’t see the same damning mark on her wrist, despite her still being in the Morrow.
