Page 17 of A Little Highland Magic

Chapter Six

As pain racked every inch of Aria’s body, she gave an agonised cry. The great hall faded from view and the thundering of her heart drowned out the music.

“What can I do? How do I make this stop?” Graeme asked, desperation in his voice. “An enemy I can see, I can fight; but fairy magic is new to me.”

“Take . . . me . . . to . . . the . . . water,” she rasped out.

“To the loch?” Graeme asked, scooping her into his arms and holding her tightly against his chest.

“Nay,” she said on a gasp as the pain twisted and intensified. “The . . . stream.” There was a stream near the castle that fed into the loch. While her mother controlled the water of the seas and oceans, Aria was given the lesser power over rivers and streams because of her half-human nature. She had never used her powers in the human realm, but it was her only chance to stop the excruciating pain.

Aria tried focusing on the sounds and sensations around her to temper the pain as Graeme raced from the great hall, down the stairs, and out into the rear courtyard. Darkness mixed with moonlight, bathing the world around them in a silver glow. The wind carried the soft musical strains from within the castle across the night as Graeme hurried through the sea gate and onto the shoreline, heading for the stream to the left near the treeline. The music faded as they put the castle in the distance and the sound of the wind rushing through the tall grass took its place. A sudden slash of moonlight spilled out from behind a cloud and the sheep baaing in the fields beyond the castle echoed in the darkness.

The whisper of the wind brushed her heated cheeks and body, temporarily easing the fiery pain inside her while her focus shifted back to Graeme’s concerned face. As though to punish her for such an act, another surge of pain pulsed through her. Aria whipped her head from side to side, desperately searching for the water, fighting back a howl of distress.

Strong arms pulled her ever closer. “We are here,” his deep voice whispered beside her ear as the sound of water splashing came to her. Graeme did not release her: instead, he walked into the stream with her still in his arms and lowered the two of them until cool relief ran over her body.

Aria drew an easier breath as the pain eased while the water flowed around up to her elbows. Yet inside the water’s comforting embrace, something else shifted within her. A pulse started deep inside her as the water awakened her magic. A pull of power thrummed, like an insistent melody repeating over and over in her mind and heart. It was there beneath the surface of her consciousness, tempting, teasing, reminding her what she’d experienced in the fairy realm when she’d drawn on her magic. Instead of fighting the pull, she leaned into the sensation and allowed a sweet sweep of power to rush through her, ridding her of the last remnants of pain and cleansing her of Oberon’s magic.

She wasn’t certain how long she stayed pressed against Graeme’s chest as the water rushed over them until finally, she drew a measured breath and pulled back, putting some space between their bodies. In the cool night air, the only sounds that came to her were the mingling of their ragged breathing and the trickling of the water that flowed over their arms.

“Is the pain gone?” Graeme asked. Concern still lingered in his voice.

Aria felt a thread snap. Oberon’s pull on her was no longer present because of the water. “Aye, and it will stay that way if I always have a measure of this stream’s water on me. The water will protect me from Oberon’s magic.”

“Will your wet garments suffice until we can find a way to gather some water?” he asked, staring at the clothes that clung to her body. The concern in his eyes faded and hunger took its place.

“I believe so,” she said in a breathless tone as a hint of sandalwood teased her senses. “I am grateful for your aid.”

With exquisite tenderness he trailed his thumb from her shoulder down the length of her arm. “Why after all this time could Oberon reach you now?”

Her pulse fluttered as she considered telling him a lie, but instead she decided on the truth. “Because I let down my guard tonight when you asked me to dance.”

Deep concern was written into the very texture of his face. “I thought you were safe here in the human realm?”

“That ended tonight when I let my emotions get the better of me,” she confessed.

“So, despite being here, Oberon still has some control over you?” he observed.

“Aye,” she replied. “I have searched my whole life for a way to break my bonds with the fairies, even though that is a difficult task. The fairy world and the human world are woven together through nature. Fairies guide the growth of trees, plants, animals, and minerals, and those natural elements are the very essence upon which Fairyland is built.” At his furrowed brows she tried to explain it in a different way.

She pointed to the trees beside them. “You see those trees?” When he nodded, she continued, “The tree is in the human realm, but upon the roots, the fairies build their homes or let the roots grow wild and create enchanted forests under the earth. Where this world ends, their world begins. It is the same with the rocks, the water, the flowers. Even when animals die and become dust in the soil, they are reborn again in Fairyland if the fairies deem them worthy. And even though our worlds are linked in so many ways, I am more comfortable here with my human family.”

“Then why do you want to go back to a place where you only knew pain and cruelty?”

“Because I must,” she said, not ready to tell him about her part in Lady Janet’s death. “Keiran does not belong there any more than I do. I need to find a way to free us both from Oberon’s dominance over our free will.”

He raised his brow in question. “Fairies have free will?”

“Every living thing has free will, yet Oberon has taken that gift away from those who are subject to his rule. He enchants them and bends them to his will.”

His expression became thoughtful. “So not only must we find a way into Fairyland, but we must also break the enchantment Oberon holds over both you and Keiran, and then find a way back to Dunvegan.”

“It is not as impossible as you make it sound, not with Lady Janet’s help.”

Incredulity flared in his expression. “The help of a ghost will be what tips all of this in our favour?” He laughed. “Aria, I will admit you are a superior warrior to myself, but strategy and planning are not your strong suit. I highly recommend that we discuss this matter at length and come up with a solid plan before we set one foot in Fairyland. Agreed?”

“Agreed,” she said, trying to hide her grin.