Page 25 of Highlands Summer Wedding

On the way over,we spotted a bookstore. Caitlin turned to Angus with puppy dog eyes.

He laughed. “Of course we have time.”

We opened the rustic wood door. Exposed brick on one side, wood beams overhead, walls of shelves—all clean, not a speck of dust. Cozy armchairs sat near a table with a little coffee pot and tea kettle. Were the drinks free? A gray tabby cat sat curled in a window nook that had clearly been designed as its personal domain, complete with a plush cushion and a tiny stuffed Highland cow likely full of catnip.

We split up to browse different sections. I found myself in a section full of Scottish mythology and Celtic lore and didn’t surface for a while. I gathered an armful and set them on the counter, where a book about selkies caught my eye.

“I guess I’ll take that one, too.”

“Most people around here buy the guidebooks and hiking maps. You’re more of an indoor lass?” asked the shopkeeper, a curly haired older woman with stacks of crystal bracelets.

“I wanted to learn more about the local legends,” I explained.

“Ach, there’s plenty of that around here. Have you been to the Fairy Pools yet?”

I nodded. “And tomorrow we’re going to the Fairy Glen. What do you know about them?”

The shopkeeper smiled. “Oh, theFairyPoolsareswimmingin oldtales—the MacLeods and their fairy flag and such. The glen’sdifferentthough, justpeculiarlandscape. Neverheard of trouble there.” She loweredhervoice. “Still, localsgiveita wideberth,justto besafe.”

“Safe from what exactly?”

“Nobody here would dream of taking an axe to a tree where the wee folk—the Good People, mind—might be about. And you’d be a right numpty to step into one of their circles.” She shook her head. “These foreign companies come barging in, tearing up their land without a thought. Always ends poorly. Remember DeLorean? The car maker?”

I nodded. “Barely.”

“He built his factory on Fae land in Ireland. Made all sorts of changes.” She paused, letting the silence settle. “And I’m sure you know how that turned out.”

I hesitated, not wanting to admit my ignorance.

Curiosity got the better of me. “What happened exactly?”

She leaned across the counter. “When’s the last time you saw a DeLorean outside a film set?” she asked, one eyebrow climbing toward her hairline.

“Not once. I’ve only ever seen one inBack to the Future.”

“That’s right,” she said. “The Fairy Glen and Pools welcome visitors, but remember—whatever you bring there stays with you when you leave. They don’t take kindly to those who forget their manners.”

Between the warning and the magic stones, I was starting to wonder what else I didn't know about. Before I could ask, she handed me a small leaflet meant for hikers.

“Take this. It’s the Right to Roam law. Tells you how not to be a nuisance in the Highlands. Don’t trample crops, leave gates as you found them, keep dogs leashed.” Her voice dropped. “Mind the rules witheveryoneyou meet out there. Human or otherwise,” she said. “Up here you won’t always know which is which.”

“Otherwise?”

With a wink, she opened my book on the Fae and tucked the pamphlet between specific pages, her weathered finger tapping twice on a paragraph I couldn’t quite see.

“Now, have a seat over there by the cat window while your friends finish up.”

I sat as instructed and opened to the page she had marked. It was about the rules for when a human encounters the Fae.

Rule 1: Fae, Good Folk, Fae Folk, The Others, The Wee Folk. Call them anything but Fairies. They don’t like that.

Rule 2: Never say “Thank you.” It implies you are in their debt, which you don’t want to do. That can imply that you’ve entered into a contract with them. Not a good idea. Apparently a “thank you” also implies they’re obligated to serve humans, which offends them. Instead, say something like “I am honored by your generosity” or “Your kindness is appreciated.” Even better is to express gratitude via actions like leaving an offering.

Rule 3: They may try to lure you in with music. It’s hard to leave.

Rule 4: Don’t accept food or drink. You can get trapped there.

The rest of the rules were very much like the rules for hiking. Which kind of made me wonder who we might encounter on our hikes… or exactly who owned the lands where we’d be hiking.