Ailith immediately understood the conundrum.She’d die in the war, or her stalker would kill her.
“What did ye do?”Ailith probed, fascinated by her tale.
“Lavina said she could offer me a solution, but ‘twasn’t a guarantee, and I may no’ like the outcome, but she saw it would save me.I’d live considerably longer than if I didn’t do it.Considerably longer,‘twere her exact words.”
“So she sent ye back.”
Teagan nodded.“She said she’d try, but she was no’ certain it would work.And there was no person in history for me.”Teagan squinted a bit.“Perchance they learned more in one hundred years.Mayhap having a person in history makes it work better.”
Ailith nodded.“Yet it seemed to work for ye.My woman had no hesitation that it would work when she sent me into my grandmother’s body.”
I have done this many times.
Ailith shuddered.
“So your purpose was to save your own life.And mayhap help others with your herbs?”Ailith pointed to the bog myrtle.
Teagan shrugged.“Your words make sense, though I dinna presume to understand how any of this time traveling happens.”
“Neither do I,” Ailith replied.“I consider myself a voyager through time, and that’s about all I understand.”
“Voyager,” Teagan repeated.“I like that.Was it difficult for ye?When ye arrived?On your voyage?”
Ailith nodded.“A wee bit.Ailith’s family thought I was strange, and I had to share some of the story of my voyage with William before I wed him.But I have a strong history here.My father and I gave tours of Dunnottar Castle, and I grew up in this area.It made blending in a wee bit easier.What of ye?How did ye manage?”
“I had no family, no clan, but I look Irish and speak with a lilt, so I claimed I was visiting Alba and my family died on the boat from Ireland, or rather Eire.I had to pivot on that quickly,” Teagan said with a tight smile.
“And ye set up a home here, in the wilds by yourself?”
Teagan shrugged again and reached for Ailith’s bot myrtle.“As I nurse, I had some healing skills.I tried to live closer to Stonehaven when I first arrived, but too many people gossiped about me, and I overheard one person saywitchonce, and that scared me.I moved out here, and if someone needs assistance, they seek me out.Safer this way.”
“Aye, safer.”
“Be careful,” Teagan warned in a slightly lower tone.“One misstep and ye can be seen as touched in the head or under fae magic.Especially if they see ye as a changeling, which is what sounds to me.”
She fell silent, and then a question popped into Ailith’s head.“Do ye have dreams at all?Dreams of Livina or someone like her?”
She told Teagan of her most recent dream.Perchance Teagan was the someone whoknowsor could tell her who was in the dream.
“I used to, but they passed once I settled.From what I understand, those in the dreams, they are the touchers.The ones who touch ye to send ye back?”Ailith nodded her understanding.“From what Livina told me, touchers can also travel, but voyagers can only travel.The person in your dream might be a toucher, if that means anything to ye.”
Teagan emptied the packet onto the table and the quiet resumed for a moment before she spoke again.
“Ye said ye became your grandmother.Ye took her name?What were ye called, before?”
“Emilie.I was called Emilie.”
Teagan smiled at Ailith, the first real smile she had expressed all day.“Well, Emilie.Nice to meet another voyager.”
Then she stuck out her hand in a move Ailith hadn’t seen in a long time.It was a handshake.Ailith took Teagan’s hand, a wide smile creasing her own face.
“Hello, Teagan.Nice to meet ye.”
Chapter Eight
AilithandTeaganhadspent the rest of the afternoon making poultices and drinkable herbals with the bog myrtle, and Ailith was grateful she had reached out to Teagan for that reason, in addition to learning about her voyage into the past.Bog myrtle evidently cured a variety of concerns.She forgot to ask about the carline.
She decided not to mention anything regarding Teagan’s time travel.Not that she didn’t trust William, but it was a lot to take in, and it wasn’t her story to share.If needed, she’d tell him in the future.Right now, though, she vowed to keep Teagan’s secret.
