Page 36 of Enchanted

“I saw him,” Keiran said, his voice raw. “Oberon, the fairy king, is alive and trying to return to the human realm.”

She concentrated on his words. “Oberon?”

“Aye. And that is not a good thing for any of us. Come.” He looped his arm around her waist and led her to the castle formation. When Keiran and Rosalyn approached, they hurried down from the rugged peak. As they came closer, Rosalyn could see the worry in their eyes. Were they afraid for her, or was something else amiss? A knot of fear tightened Rosalyn’s stomach.

“What is it?” Keiran asked when the couple reached them, sensing it was not the reappearance of Oberon that drained the colour from their faces.

Graeme met their gazes, but Aria stared into the distance.

“From atop the castle we could see a fire in the north-west near Dunvegan village,” Graeme said.

“Was it set by the fairy I saw?” Rosalyn asked, bringing Graeme and Aria’s questioning eyes to hers.

The air around them became heavy and still. “Oberon tried to enter this realm,” Keiran said. “He failed, but eventually he will succeed.”

“He is definitely alive?” The pitch of Aria’s voice rose.

Keiran nodded. “But it appears he is not our only problem at present. Oberon would not have done anything to destroy nature. His targets are always those made by man. So who could have set the fire?”

Graeme frowned. “Any number of our enemies, though I would wager it has something to do with Rosalyn more than the MacLeods.” His gaze shifted to her.

Rosalyn’s breath caught and she pulled away from Keiran’s side. “Lieutenant Long did this?” Guilt and anger over all those who would suffer because of her consumed her. She balled her fists.

“’Tis all right, Rosalyn. Not that a fire is good, but the village is abandoned.”

Graeme nodded. “Whoever set that fire most likely did not know all the residents had moved into the castle when we were being attacked by the MacDonalds.”

“You believe no one will be hurt?” Rosalyn asked, her fists loosening.

“Fire is destructive.” A hint of panic laced Aria’s words. “It could spread to the forest where my sister and mother live. We must hurry back and douse the flames.”

“We must proceed cautiously.” A hand on Aria’s arm held her back. “Our enemy might want us to rush to quench the flames, then attack when we are distracted.” He turned to Keiran. “You and Rosalyn should return to Dunvegan and gather reinforcements. Aria and I will head to the village and pray that the MacLeod warriors have not responded to the flames and fallen into a trap.”

Aria and Graeme moved towards the waiting horses, mounted, then set off towards Dunvegan. Keiran and Rosalyn followed, urging their horses into a run, flying over the open terrain.

Rosalyn could only stare at the black smoke rising in the distance. Even without proof, she knew her once-betrothed was responsible. Her fingers tightened around the reins in her hand. Her chest constricted at the thought that she had brought pain to the MacLeods and their people.

As unshed tears burned the back of her throat, she glanced at Keiran. His bearing was proud, and a look of determination had settled across his brow. Yet she did not miss the lines of worry that were etched beneath his watchful eyes. Their kiss and even Oberon’s reappearance seemed far from his thoughts as he concentrated on the billowing flames still so far away.