AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Lovely. Now I felt even worse about flipping off the single mom with the screaming kids knowing it was my fault.
“That’ll be a learning curve, I imagine,” I grumbled, as Munroe started across the crosswalk at my side.
“Don’t worry about it. We’re used to it. Although I’m sure the wee man has a fun new hand gesture he’ll try out on his mum.”
“Great. Corrupting small children already. That was the first thing on my list of things to do when I arrived. Check.” I made a check motion in the air in front of me, and Munroe laughed. The sound was warm and rumbly, like a reluctant bear waking from a slumber, and it made my toes curl in my boots. I was really going to have to find a new crush, because this was quickly becoming a problem.
“What else was on the list?” Munroe asked, pointing to a pretty storefront with flower boxes and arched windows. As we drew closer, I could see Agnes inside arranging a stack of books in the window display.
“Oh, you know, the usual. Beat up a few grandmothers, start a rock band, leave a trail of broken hearts behind me.”
“Ruthless,” Munroe said. “I’ll have to warn Catriona to watch out for you.”
Was that the flirting granny’s name? Duly noted.
“It’s a braw morning today, isn’t it?” Agnes greeted us. “I’m told you’re a coffee drinker, so I have a pot of my favorite on.”
“Is this your shop, Agnes? It’s stunning,” I said. Sunlight beamed through the arched windows and highlighted the warm tones of the wood floor. Worn wooden beams in the same color crossed the high ceiling, and colorful woven rugs were scattered across the floor. Bookshelves, low-slung chairs, and a fireplace in the corner created a welcoming atmosphere that invited a browser to drop into a chair and stay awhile. I instantly felt at home, even though I wasn’t much of a reader.
“Aye, it is. Thanks for that. I do love a cozy space,” Agnes said as she brought a tray of cups to the quaint table in front of the fireplace. I imagined in the winter it was quite a comfortable spot to curl up and dream away a few hours. I couldn’t begin to remember the last time I’d had that amount of time to just laze a day away. Munroe settled next to me once I’d taken a seat on the couch, and I realized that I also couldn’t remember the last time I’d relaxed with a man either.
“You’re here about the Kelpies,” Agnes said as casually as if she was commenting on the weather. “I understand you had a run-in with them last night?”
“Not a run-in, no,” I said, the memory of their spine-tingling scream causing a shiver to race through me. “I was just admiring the water at night, since it was so calm and reflecting the village lights, and then…bam! A scream. I almost wet my pants.”
“I can’t be blaming you if you had,” Agnes said, a sympathetic smile on her face as she returned with a pot of coffee and poured the steaming brew into our cups. “They’re more than a little terrifying. And absolutely fascinating in their own right.”
“You say this as if they’re real…” I took a sip of my coffee, waving away her offer of cream, and glanced at Munroe who just studied me with those clear blue eyes.
“They are the stuff of legends,” Munroe said, his gaze on me cool and assessing. “I grew up reading about them, pretending to battle them, searching the shores of the loch for these water beasts. It wasn’t until Lachlan and Graham admitted to me what was going on here that I actually believed they could be real. I’m not that far behind you when it comes to wrapping my head around the way of things here, and that’s the truth of it.”
“You know, last night, when I heard the scream? Yeah, okay. I could suspend my disbelief and, rightly, be terrified. But in the light of day? I can’t help but wonder if this is just like, I don’t know, some joke they play on tourists to punk us.” I shrugged, taking another sip of my coffee. It was a perfect cup, with a pleasant aroma and hitting a nice balance between acidity and bitterness. I’d have to ask Agnes where she got the roast. It might be a good choice for the restaurant.
“Quite the opposite, unfortunately. Tourism is our greatest economic support in Loren Brae. With talk of screams in the night and mythological beasts terrifying the town, it hasn’t exactly been great for our public image. Aside from a few paranormal enthusiasts, that is.” Agnes wore a mournful expression and I realized she was dead serious.
“But…but…how? Why? Like…what makes them…be? Come into existence? Why Loren Brae? Have there always been Kelpies here?” Truly, I hadsomany questions.
“Kelpies, in general, can be traced through myths that have been handed down through the centuries. They aren’t contained to just one loch or one area of Scotland, unlike our darling Nessie.”
“Nessie? She’s real?” My eyes widened. The Loch Ness Monster was the stuff of legends, and my father even had a small Nessie statue in his garden.
“Can’t confirm that one,” Agnes said with a wistful smile. “I’ve my own beasts to deal with here.”
“Fair enough, I suppose,” I said. I was beginning to wonder if everybody in Scotland was nuts or if it was the rest of the world who had turned a blind eye to the magick found here.
“On the flip side, I mean…how cool is it that they are real? It’s like aliens landed here and hung out for a while. We’d finally have the proof that everyone is looking for.” Munroe’s face lit with excitement.
“I’m not sure everyone is looking for proof,” I began, and Munroe leaned closer, ready to argue.
“How could you not at least be curious? Surely we’re not the only planet that sustains life. I mean, consider the possibilities—”
“Guys. The Kelpies?” Agnes interrupted.
“Right. The mysterious water horses that want to kill me,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“Well, it’s not necessarily you that they’re wanting to hurt. Not all of the legends speak of the Kelpies as being dangerous. If anything, they are quite often portrayed as helpers or protectors, depending on the case. In ours? It is protectors they are. Which is why they become dangerous.”
“What is it they are protecting?” I looked at Munroe who only shrugged.
