“Your sire seems particularly protective of you. Do you have a sense of why that might be, or am I mistaken?”
He glanced toward her. Ailith kept her gaze forward, though she was acutely aware of his attention, making sure her father was far enough away to hear nothing.
“There was an incident years ago,” she said quietly. “I was taken from my family for a time. Since then, he has feared itmight happen again.” She risked a glance at Edan, unsure how he would regard it, half expecting disbelief or dismissal.
Instead, concern settled into his expression, steady and unmistakable. The warmth of it eased something tight in her chest. “I would rather not speak of it here,” she added softly. “Another time, I can explain more.”
“I am sorry you endured that,” he said after a moment. “It does explain his vigilance.” His voice gentled, and a distant look crossed his face. “I find I understand the instinct all too well. I doubt I will ever let Heilyn out of my sight again.”
“We will find her, Edan. I am confident.” She pictured the wee lass hugging her father when they finally freed her from the faery hill.
Edan’s voice broke into her thoughts. “What exactly do you think we’ll find here?”
“I honestly have no idea. This is all verra new to me. I hope it is as simple as finding your daughter and nephew not far away, but I don’t know.”
The sky grew darker as they approached the coastline. Ailith shivered.
They came upon the moorlands near Kilchoman, and their path toward the sea halted as a hill rose to the south of them, growing larger before their eyes.
Ailith was immediately overwhelmed by visions that danced across centuries. Images of fae dancing in the moonlight, blood spilled on the ground, battles over centuries, bargains struck between enemies. She recognized them as the same visions she’d experienced when Laird MacGibbon had taken her hostage and locked her in his cellar. The sheer number of them overwhelmed her mind, causing her to drop the reins of her horse and put her hands over her head, wanting the horrific views to stop.
Edan chased after her and grabbed the reins of her horse just before her father came on the other side of her, bellowing her name. “Ailith!”
She leaned toward Edan and he barely caught her before she tumbled off her mount. He deftly scooped her off and deposited her in front of him on his lap, tossing the reins to her sire. “Lass, what’s wrong? Tell me what is troubling you.”
He turned his horse around and headed toward the hill, slowing his mount as he did his best to comfort Ailith. The same wee lass he’d seen on the ship appeared out of nowhere and was now standing in front of the hill.
A hill where the grass never moves and never grows.
A hill that could change shape and turn different shades of green.
A hill surrounded by faery rings.
“Get her down! Do not approach the hill on horseback,” the lass called out and Edan stopped his horse, cradling Ailith as if she were a bairn.
“Ailith. What’s wrong?”
“The visions. There were too many, of past events on the hill, of evil spirits. I didn’t wish to see them again, but I know something important. The bairns. They are nearby. Somewhere. I can sense it.” She couldn’t put all the pieces together, though she felt their presence.
The wee lass in the green gown approached and said, “Set her down and then step away, Edan. Your blood is something we don’t understand yet. You could be causing her visions.”
“Me? How could I cause anything?”
“Just set her down!” Alasdair’s bellow echoed across the moor.
Edan stopped his horse and gingerly handed Ailith down into her father’s arms, but she wasn’t there for long. She pushed against her sire and ran toward the hill, her hair loose andflowing behind her. Tears covering her cheeks, she ran until she stopped and held her head again.
Lia followed her. Dyna raced after Ailith, and Lia called out, “Dyna, get her to come back here! I’ll help her to understand her visions.”
Dyna caught up with Ailith and wrapped her arms around Ailith’s waist. “Slow down and tell me what you see. We’ll help you. Lia is here to help. This is a formidable faery hill. I can feel the power simmering under the dome of dirt and grass. It is begging to get out but something is stopping it.”
Ailith listened, trying to make sense of what was happening. Her visions changed so quickly that she could barely see what was there for her to interpret, yet she knew she had to. What filled her mind could be key to freeing the poor bairns.
She saw them in a glimpse. A score of bairns held together inside a holding cell, all sleeping. Guards surrounded the cell, carrying various weaponry and shields.
What was happening?
She whirled around to face Edan. “They’re in there. So many of them. And your daughter is in the front with a wee lad, holding hands. They’re both asleep.”
