Page 110 of Luthias

Emery cringed a little before she quickly stood and smiled at both of them.

“Fair morning, Mistress. I was just picking some sage because the maids are so busy. You know how much I love to sprinkle extra herbs in my pottage.” She regarded the druid. “Hello. I’m Emery Parker, silly wench from the future. What’s your name?”

He smiled a little, his dreamy eyes full of amusement. “Cailean Lusk, my lady. ’Tis a great honor to meet you.” He bowed.

Emery returned that with a curtsey that only looked a little ridiculous because she was wearing trews. “I never thought I’d meet a real-life druid. What brings you to Dun Lasair, Mr. Lusk?”

“Naught for you to ken, lass,” Cook scolded. “And ’tis Master, no’ Maister.”

“Call me Cailean, please,” the druid said. “I’m traveling with Laird and Lady Gordon, who happened to be visiting their kin nearby.”

“Master Lusk, save me.” A little girl in a beautiful gown came rushing into the garden, and flung herself into the druid’s arms. Cailean picked her up. “What do you here, my lady?”

“Brother says I should be put in the dungeons when we go home,” she said, pointing at a tall, slim teenage boy walking quickly toward them. “Bespell him to forget I hid in your carriage so he cannae tell Papa.”

“No one shall lock you away, Lady Bethanne,” Cailean said, and frowned at the boy. “You shouldnae scare your sister, Lord Danyel.”

“Then Annie shouldnae terrify our màthair with her antics,” Danyel told him, sounding annoyed. “You ken how she feels when the wee brat yet again vanishes.”

“I’m no’ a brat,” the little girl insisted. “I’m ‘venturous, like Lady Kinley.”

“If you’ll excuse me, my ladies, I must escort my charges back to their parents.” The druid set down the child, bowed, and then took her hand and with the boy walked toward the gates.

“Rats. I wanted to talk to him about druids and what they do in this time.” Emery glanced at Cook. “Those kids look just like Cailean. Are they family?”

“Aye, of a kind.” The older woman chuckled and shook her head. “You’d think Master Lusk but a lad like Lord Danyel, eh? Yet he’s older than you, lass.”

“I’m not that old,” Emery protested as Cook walked back to the door to the kitchens. “Hey, you know in my time I’m practically still a kid.”

As she went to follow her Tom came rushing toward her from the outer gate.

“My lady.” He looked pale and sick, and he was shaking so much his whole body trembled. “My Da, he’s found a wondrous thing in the woods. He bid me fetch you so you may come and look.”

“Okay, sure.” Emery glanced at the stronghold. “I’ll just go and grab Ameron and Kyal.”

“No, my lady.” Tom almost screeched the words before he gulped some air. “Only you may come. He––my Da bade me tell you come alone.”

Emery saw the tears in the boy’s eyes, and knew he was lying. She also guessed if she called the guards that whoever had put Tom up to this would kill his father. This was why Luthias didn’t want her leaving the stronghold alone; she would be walking straight into a trap.

Now it begins, something very old and sad whispered in her head. Save the clan.

A strange calm came over her as she nodded and took Tom’s hand in hers. “It’ll be okay,” she told him. “Take me to your father.”

Tom led her through the gardens to an old, barred door mostly hidden by climbing vines. As he lifted the bolt bar she looked up and realized the men watching on the wall couldn’t see the spot. Someone who knew the castle very well had told the boy to take her this way––someone who didn’t want the clan to know she’d left.

Am I going to die today?

As the sunlight warmed her face, and the green scent coming from the disturbed vines tickled her nose, Emery didn’t feel afraid. She definitely didn’t want to die, but it didn’t make any sense that her death would save the clan. No, it would be something she did. Something only she could do.

As they passed through the old door and entered the woods, Tom’s footsteps slowed, as if he were dragging out every step. Finally he stopped and looked at her, his expression wretched.

“I’m sorry, my lady. ’Twas a trick. The bastart––he said––if I didnae bring you, he’d end us both.” He wiped his hand across his watery eyes. “You should go back and tell the laird. I’ll––I’ll be with my Da.”

“No one is going to hurt you or your father. Not if I can help it, anyway.” Emery hugged him for a moment, and then wrapped her hand around his. “It’s okay, sweetie. Take me to him.”

The boy wept as he led her through the trees to a densely-overgrown patch of pine, where an older man had been left tied up and gagged. The man’s eyes widened as soon as he saw her and Tom, and he shook his head frantically. Emery went to him, dropping down to remove his gag.

“My lady,” Tom’s father gasped. “Run, quick as you may–”