Page 25 of The Best of Madeline Grant

She heard the fourth man reenter the cave. “Your horse is on the side of the cave. I gave him some oats.”

Maddie’s eyes reopened. That was the voice of a woman, not a man.

And sure enough, a woman knelt next to her.

“You’re not a man. You’re a woman. A beautiful one,” Maddie said.

The woman smiled and patted her shoulder, her white-blonde hair falling forward. “We must go now. But do not worry. He’ll find you if you wait for him here.”

“Go? Why? Please don’t leave me.” She felt safe with these strangers who emanated an odd sense of calm. Then something dawned on her. “You seem so certain Alex will find me. Why?”

“Let us say that we know a bit of the future,” Alasdair said, looking around at the others, who chuckled. “But we must go now. We’re only allowed a short time with you, and we must hurry him along.”

Maddie’s eyes felt heavy, but she forced them to remain open. She still had no idea who these people were, or their reasons for aiding her. “The future? Who are you, and why are you helping me? Please tell me.”

It was the woman who smiled. “Ach, I will tell her. Someday you will meet us, and we will spend much time together. We’ve had to come to your assistance because there was no alternative. ’Tis our job to watch over you both for the next several years. Until we can meet.” She leaned close to Maddie then and whispered, “These are your grandsons, and I’m your granddaughter. My sire will be your last son, whom you’ll name Connor. And we four have come back to this day and time to help you. Consider us your guardian angels.”

Maddie swallowed, the woman’s words bouncing around her befuddled mind and only adding to her confusion. Was she daft? What she said was not possible. And yet, sincerity shone brightly from her face.

Maddie reached up to touch the lass’s face, taking in everything about her. “You look like Alex with white hair, and you have my eyes. I suppose ’tis possible. I have to believe you because I have no other explanation. Am I going to die? Is that why you’ve come?”

“We’ve come to make sure that doesn’t happen, to make sure you survive until Alex finds you. He must save you. You will have many children and many grandchildren. Your heart is plenty big enough to love us all. But do not dismiss that Alex needs you too.” Maddie glanced at Alasdair, who so looked like Alex, then at Alick, who’d lit a fire with his breath alone. She knew not what magick this may be, but in that moment, she decided to trust it. She had so many questions, and yet all she could mutter was, “Why? Why help me now?”

“Because if we didn’t help to save you today, Grandmama, I’d never exist. You must survive this storm because you have more bairns and many more grandchildren to come. I know your will has been drained from you, but you must not let go. You must wait for Grandda and fight until then.”

“You will leave the fire for me?”

“We will, but it will go out. We must get Grandda here quickly. ’Tis our next task.”

Maddie absorbed the words, knowing the lass spoke the truth. For although she’d been warmed on the outside by the fire, inside she felt the cold had yet to thaw. And it was a cold that drained her greatly, pulling her to sleep. Her eyes began to shut, but she pushed out one final question.

“What is your name?”

“My name is Dyna. And my father is right here.” She patted Maddie’s belly.

Chapter Twelve

Maddie recovers and regrets.

She was standing on a frozen loch in the middle of an ice storm, wind blowing her hair. Maddie spun around looking foranyone to help her, to take her away from the cold. But she could see nothing through the whirlwind of snow.

Suddenly, a roar of heat blasted straight at her, warming her so much that she moaned. She pivoted toward the heat source, though she could still see nothing.

Another blast came and she ran toward it. She swallowed the hot air, feeling it inside her mouth, down her throat, and into her chest. The sweet warmth spread throughout her.

She needed more.

Her desire was granted. Another blast of heat.

“I love you, I need you. We have more bairns to bring to life. Bairns and grandbairns and more love to give.”

Her eyes flew open at the sound of her husband’s voice. “Alex?” But the cold pulled at her again, dragging her down.

“I love you, Maddie. Wake up, please.”

She resisted the pull, forcing her eyes open again.

“Alex?” she croaked.