Page 24 of A Little Highland Magic

“How can you be certain of that?”

Aria smiled warmly. “Because that is what happened to me. I would not trade the family I have now for anything in Fairyland.”

Gwendolyn gave a soulful sigh. “Then you and Graeme had better return to us, along with Keiran.”

Aria wanted to assure Gwendolyn of that outcome, but there was no certainty in what they dared. “That is the goal we will all try to achieve.”

Gwendolyn took up Aria’s arm as they walked to the great hall. Standing to the right of the massive hearth were the MacLeod triplets: Alastair, Tormod, and Orrick. Positioned on the left were Callum, Marcus, and Graeme. They stood silent, straight, and tall as she and Gwendolyn walked towards them. The men were all dressed in the MacLeod tartan, with swords at their sides. The sight made a shiver run through Aria. For the first time in her life, she considered that the warrior side of her was a gift from her MacLeod half and not her fairy half.

Graeme’s gaze moved to hers and his blue eyes filled with a soft, pleased glow.

A flush rose to her cheeks. She became aware of another presence in the chamber. Standing several steps away from the men was a mixture of mist and luminous light that made up Lady Janet’s unearthly form.

“Now that we are all here, let us begin.” Alastair motioned to the high table where they usually took their meals. Instead of platters laden with food there were pieces of parchment and several inkpots, quills, and tins of sand. Whether to record their plans or to make a map, Aria wasn’t certain.

“Mother has informed me that we have a few options in order to enter Fairyland,” Alastair said as the voices died down around the table.

Since we are neither near a solstice or an equinox, Aria and Graeme will have to wait another fortnight for a new moon.

“That is too long to remain idle,” Tormod asserted.

Those are not all our options, my son. Have patience. We may also open a brief portal into Fairyland at the baptism of a child, or in Alastair and Gwendolyn’s family, two children.

Orrick’s gaze narrowed. “Where would this portal open? In the chapel?”

It would, and all who are present might be subject to transporting into the fairy realm.

Alastair’s gaze connected to Gwendolyn’s before he shook his head. “Nay. We will not use our children or put them at risk for this endeavour. We will only consider this option if there are no other reliable ways to enter the fairy realm.”

“Can we not we find a fairy ring in the forest or on the moors, and send Aria and Graeme through that?” Callum asked. “Mother, you always told us stories about how fairy rings could transport us to be with the fairies. Those stories scared the daylights out of me after Keiran disappeared.”

Lady Janet smiled at her son. I did not mean to scare you, only warn you of the dangers. How many fairy rings have you ever seen, Callum?

“None,” Callum replied.

“That is because they are rare and hidden away from human eyes,” Orrick said. “What about the standing stone of Callanish or Stenness? The rings of stones at each location are purported to be gateways to other times and places.”

Other times and places, aye. And the magic surrounding the stones is very unreliable.

“What about the fairy cave? Aria made it to the human realm twice through that gateway,” Alastair asked.

Aria swallowed hard. She had been to the human realm three times. If she told them about the additional time, she would also have to reveal her part in their mother’s death. And she was not ready to reveal that information yet.

“The portal in the cave only works during a solstice or an equinox,” Orrick replied with a shake of his head. “The veil between the two realms thins during those times of the year. That was how Aria managed to slip from Fairyland into our realm.”

“We must consider not just how to enter the realm,” Tormod said, joining the discussion. “More warriors than simply Aria and Graeme should go. How will the two of them be able to avoid capture almost immediately without others to aid them?” Tormod reached for one of the pieces of parchment and a quill and started drawing battle scenarios.

“There is another way into Elfhame, Fairyland,” Aria said, bringing all their gazes to her. But her gaze rested solely on Lady Janet. “We could enter from the spirit realm, the place where spirits reside in the human realm, into the shadow realm, where spirits and darker creatures reside in Fairyland, and take the fairy king by surprise.”

Alastair’s gaze narrowed. “How would you get into either realm? Isn’t the shadow realm as difficult to infiltrate as Fairyland, and a far more dangerous route?”

“We could use Lady Janet’s connection to the spirit realm to transport Graeme and me inside the shadow realm, no matter the time of year, as the sun sets on the second day of this month.”

“Why the second day?” Alastair asked.

“The number two is one of the most magical. Leaving on that day at sunset when the world is still as it transitions from daylight to darkness will give us our best chance at success.”

“That is four days from now,” Tormod growled as he set his quill down.