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* * *
Keir’s heart slammed almost painfully against his rib cage when, from one second to the next, the image before his eyes suddenly cleared… and he recognized Sarah. “’Tis her!” he called, peering through the spyglass. “’Tis them!”
“What?” Eoghan jerked the spyglass from Keir’s hands. “Bonnie?”
Duncan frowned at his brother. “Are ye certain? How can they possibly…?” He gestured out there, toward theghosthovering above the water.
Keir shrugged. “I dunna know, but we have to go get them.” He hurried toward one of the dinghies, calling for the crew to lower it down to the water. “Eoghan, come on.”
Within moments, Eoghan was by his side as they waited rather impatiently for the dinghy to touch down upon the water. Then they climbed in and rowed.
* * *
Sarah held her breath as she watched a small boat being lowered to the water. She could see people moving on deck, but she could not make out any of their faces. The ship was still too far away, and the occasional ray of silver moonlight that shone through the cloud cover did not grant her a good view. She could only hope that Bonnie was right, that this was Duncan and not Birchwell.
And then the smaller boat came toward them, two men sitting inside, working the oars. Again, Sarah wondered if they ought to make a run for the shore. Yet she knew they would never make it. By now, the girls stood to their hips in the water, their lips turning blue and their arms growing heavy from carrying Faerie and Loki. No, there was no other way.
And then, the clouds finally did abandon this part of the sky, and in the white golden light from the crescent moon, Sarah finally recognized the faces of the two men coming toward them.
Keir and Eoghan.
Sarah almost slumped down into the water in relief, her body now shaking uncontrollably. Tears stung her eyes, and she bit her lip to keep them at bay.
Keir and Eoghan waved to them, calling out words Sarah could not quite make sense of; too overcome was she by the mere sight of them.
“It’s Father!” Bonnie exclaimed, a wide smile coming to her face. “Father!”
The expression upon Eoghan’s face spoke volumes, and Sarah could see that he had to force himself to remain in the boat and not jump into the water and swim toward his daughter.
Slower now, the small boat moved closer until it came to rest alongside them. Sarah instantly deposited Dorothea into the boat while Bonnie and Augusta did the same with Loki and Faerie. “What are ye standing on?” Keir asked, already swinging a leg over the edge of the boat.
In the next moment, Keir stood beside her. He embraced her quickly, then turned and picked up Augusta, setting her down next to Dorothea on the wooden bench. Eoghan already held Bonnie in his arms, hugging her tightly, tears streaming down his face.
And then, Sarah felt the ground underneath her feet disappear as Keir lifted her into his arms. “Ye’re cold,” he murmured, his warm breath a wonderful sensation against chilled skin. “We need to get back.” He set her down in the boat, then with one last glance at thesnakebeneath his feet, he climbed back in himself. “It feels like a cobblestone road.”
Sarah nodded, wrapping her arms around Dorothea and Augusta, hugging them close as they shivered. Keir quickly grabbed the oars, rowing them back toward the ship. “Send up the flare!” he called as ropes were tossed down and attached to the small boat. A moment later, it was lifted out of the water, swaying gently against the side of the ship. “Call off the search!”
“This is for you, Auntie Sarah,” Dorothea murmured, snuggling closer into Sarah’s embrace. “Thank you for coming for us.”
Puzzled, Sarah looked down at the small string in Dorothea’s hand. At a closer look, she could see that it was three strings braided together, each one a different color. Yet in the dark, she could not quite tell which ones they were. “Where did you get this?”
Dorothea shrugged. “I found it on the island.”
“Then you keep it,” Sarah murmured, pressing a kiss to the girl’s forehead. “To remind you of this adventure.
Dorothea chuckled. “I won’t need it for that. I’ll never ever, ever forget this.” She smiled at Sarah and settled the small braided string into her hand. “Thank you, Auntie Sarah.” Smiling, she settled deeper into Sarah’s arms and then closed her eyes.
Though touched, Sarah knew that more than anything it was the cold closing Dorothea’s eyes. “We need to warm them,” she called out to Keir through chattering teeth as he jumped out of the boat and onto the deck of the ship. “They’re much too cold!”Please!
Instantly, blankets were brought forth and wrapped around the girls. Still, the shivering persisted as they sailed back around the southern edge of the island and returned to the harbor. Sarah felt her own limbs grow heavy as well, her eyelids closing again and again. Her mind became foggy, and after a while, she realized her eyes had closed.
Still, the shivers continued.
Sarah had no notion of how much time passed or how they got back to the castle. She heard Keir’s voice speaking nearby now and then. His embrace tightened upon her whenever the darkness around her grew heavier, only interspersed by flashes of light like the warm glow of a torch or the silver ray of moonlight.
Eventually, Sarah found herself back up at the castle. She heard Lady Adele’s voice, ushering commands, calling for a bath to be drawn for the girls and her as well. “The girls first,” Sarah murmured, snuggling closer into Keir’s embrace. “I am… all… right.”
Then there was a sudden exclamation of joy as Kate burst into the chamber. Sarah’s eyes opened briefly at the sound of her sister’s voice, and the sight of Kate embracing her daughters warmed her heart.
