Wilona locked her maniacal gaze on Dani. "Come here." She crooked her long, skinny finger as she pulled a small, glass bottle containing a brown liquid from her cloak.
The dark, negative feeling increased. Heart pummeling, Dani shook her head and backed away.
At the same time Wilona uncorked the vial and flung the contents, Ewan grabbed Dani and yanked her out of the way. The liquid splattered onto the floor.
Ewan took a brass bell, a cross made of twigs, and a thick candle from a nearby table. He moved toward Wilona, shoving the items into her face. "Out, evil! In the name of the Father, you will leave this home!"
Wilona faltered, taking a step backward over the threshold. Her guard, standing behind her, took her arm and steadied her on the top of the steps. Ewan slammed the door, threw his body against the wood, and slid a bar into place. Breathing hard, he wilted into a heap on the floor and mopped his brow. The fallen candle rolled and sputtered out. The cross and bell lay nearby.
"Thank the saints she didn't get to you, lass. The chief would've had my head."
"Are you all right?" Dani rushed forward and reached down a hand to help Ewan.
"Aye." He waved her off and pushed himself up. "I should've had the door barred, but she caught me unawares, blast her hide. Never has she shown up here, not since that first day. Don't touch the potion she threw at you." He pointed to the wet spots on the floor. "I'll ask Father John to sprinkle some holy water on it."
"What kind of potion is it?"
"There's nay telling, but it reeks."
"Oh, yeah. It does." The bitter stench reached her. "Ugh. What is her problem?"
"She kens you're here to break her spell."
Dani picked up the small cross and bell he had dropped. "How did you frighten her off with these?"
"'Tis a sacred cross made of rowan, tied in the center with red wool, and blessed. Use it with the brass bell to ward off evil."
"Oh." Not understanding how these superstitions worked, she offered the objects to him.
He took the bell. "Keep the cross. You may need it, now that she kens you're here. The chief will be vexed to hear of her visit."
"If he was patrolling the grounds and the border, he should've seen them." Terror speared her. "Oh crap! What if her guards killed him?"
"Nay, I saw his lairdship earlier."
Why hadn't she seen him? Annoyance diluted her fear. "Where?"
"Outside."
"But her guards could've killed him after that, as they approached, five minutes ago."
Ewan shook his head. "'Tis doubtful."
She ground her teeth. "Why didn't he come in and at least tell me good-morning? I'm going out and look for him."
"Nay!" The word blasted from Ewan's mouth. "You are nay to leave the keep now that Lady MacRae is lurking about. 'Tis far too dangerous."
"Fine. But will you go see if Gavin is okay?"
"Aye. You stay in your chamber and bar the door. 'Tis possible she could return."
In her room, Dani studied the cross in her hand. About six inches long, the dried rowan twigs still held the bark. A scratchy red woolen yarn bound the cross together in the center. She had never been superstitious, but Wilona did give her a cold chill and a nauseous feeling in the pit of her stomach. She might need this.
∞∞∞
Gavin flapped his wings, rising from the loch's shore where he'd clasped a round stone with each taloned foot. Wilona MacRae and her henchmen raced away from Caithmore. He knew why she'd come here—she had seen Dani in her damnable keek-stane.
Flying over Wilona and her men, he opened his talons and dropped the stones. One hit her guard on the head, and he howled in outrage. The second stone missed Wilona by inches but hit her horse's rump. The animal reared and took off at a gallop, Wilona screaming and hanging on for dear life. The guards shouted and raced after her.
