Page 29 of A Little Highland Magic

Chapter Ten

Aria returned to the shore of the loch a few minutes later with twenty men carrying torches that they planted along the edge of the rear courtyard to light up the night. Graeme was still frantically releasing the fish into the waters of the loch. The men quickly joined him. Behind them came Mrs Honey and several women with baskets.

“Only gather the fish that cannot be saved,” Mrs Honey instructed the women as they fanned out across the rocky beach. “I almost dinna believe ye at first when ye came racing into the kitchen. Now I see how wrong I was. Flying fish.” She shook her head in disbelief. “In all my years, I have never seen such a sight.”

In the yellow glow of the torches, Aria could see the fish were only coming up on the shores in front of the castle, not all along the entire loch. For that, she was grateful. It would make it less of a challenge to save as many fish as possible.

As more residents poured out of the castle onto the beach, Aria moved to the edge of the water, releasing as many fish as she could, but the more she saved, the more fish seemed to come flying at her. Graeme had said they had no need of her magic with this challenge. She wasn’t so certain. She did not need to head for the stream, but there was something she could do to help.

Once more, she shed her shoes and stockings and stepped into the water. Closing her eyes, she tried to block out the fish sailing past her and focused on calling the seals. With so many people on the beach they might be hesitant to answer her, yet she had to try, or Oberon could succeed in killing every fish in the loch and the waters beyond.

Reaching deep inside, she let all the pain and fear from her past rise until it sizzled along her every nerve. At the overwhelming rush of emotion, tears fell to her cheeks.

Splash.

At the sound, Aria opened her eyes to see the same seal that had answered her distress earlier. The animal picked her way past the airborne fish and shallow water, stopping at Aria’s feet. The seal’s big brown eyes were wide. Did she realise their food supply was in danger as well?

Aria raised her palm to the seal’s nostrils and breathed relief when they flared to inhale her scent. Now acquainted, she reached down and slid her hand along the seal’s slick neck and body. “We need your help. Is there anything you and your herd can do to stop this or slow the flow of fish coming to the beach now?”

The seal bobbed its head, then flipped back towards open waters, whistling at first, then crying out as it bobbed under, then above the surface of the water until Aria lost sight of the animal. The mournful cries of the seal were swallowed by the night.

Still in the water, Aria resumed trying with her bare hands to stop the fish before they hit the beach. For every fish she sent back to the water, three more slipped past. It seemed like a pointless exercise, except to the odd fish she was able to save. Splashing sounded behind her as others saw what she was attempting and joined her in the water, expanding her efforts.

Fish still managed to sail past the line of people, keeping those on the beach busy. More splashing sounded behind Aria. She twisted to see Graeme, his face tight with worry.

“How long can Oberon keep this up?” he asked, his voice solemn.

“I wish I knew. So much is at stake for more than just the MacLeods.” Was Oberon’s anger now aimed at everyone and everything in Scotland’s human realm?

“Then all we can do is keep trying to save as many fish as possible.”

Aria’s body tensed when she saw a large mass moving towards them in the distance. “Get out of the water, everyone!” she shouted as the writhing mass continued towards them. Had Oberon found even larger fish to beach?

Sensing the danger ahead, everyone raced for the beach. A hush came over the crowd as they watched the mass headed for them. Then as quickly as it came, the mass was no longer one solid thing. It stopped in the deeper waters off the shore of the loch and separated, moving both to the left and right. In the torchlight, Aria could make out the shape of seals, but also minke whales. They arced through the water high above the seals, who jumped up then returned to the water. The sea animals moved in what looked to Aria like the orchestrated steps of a dance. Over and over, they surged and plunged, until not a single fish made it past them.

Aria squeezed her eyes shut in thanks but opened them quickly when she felt warm fingers twine with hers. Graeme smiled broadly, his eyes alive with joy and the dimple in his cheek returned, the lines and furrows of worry completely gone. She met his smile with a joyful one of her own.

“With your help it looks like we defeated Oberon a third time.”

Her smile slipped. Would they be so lucky next time? Oberon’s magic was endless whereas hers was limited, but then again, the MacLeods had proven to be worthy adversaries. Perhaps there was hope they might triumph over the coming disasters after all. Only time would reveal their fate.

*

As dawn approached, the household returned to the castle, weary, yet happy to have had their tireless work amount to something significant. Fifteen baskets of fish that had not survived their ordeal were taken to the kitchen. A few would be saved for supper this evening. The rest, Mrs Honey and her staff, would salt and dry.

The men of the castle had gone to the great hall to relax while the women headed to the drawing room abovestairs. The separation suited Aria. She suddenly needed to make certain the Fairy Flag hanging in the chamber was still guarded and safe. Even though it was only a replica, she and Graeme would need it to accomplish their task in Fairyland. Two more days remained for her to convince Alastair of that fact.

While the other women entered the chamber and took seats, Aria remained standing beside the door, grateful to see the guard and the flag were both present. “Would you like a reprieve from your duties?” Aria asked the young man who appeared ill at ease when all the MacLeod wives entered the chamber. “I will take responsibility for the flag’s safety while this chamber is occupied.”

He bobbed his head. “I will check back in an hour,” he said, his voice filled with relief as he moved past Aria and out the door.

Aria’s gaze moved about the chamber, catching on the joyous expressions of Gwendolyn, Rowena, Fiona, and Isolde as they engaged in conversation. Aria was grateful for the moments of solitude to reflect on what had happened on the shores of the loch. Her muscles ached as though she’d been battling with her sword for hours on end. Instead, they had saved the lives of well over a thousand fish. Satisfaction moved through her. But ultimately, she recognised her own pleasure came from another source: Graeme.

Before the attack, Graeme had held her in his arms without asking anything in return. For the first time in a very long while she had felt safe and as though she was wanted for more than simply her warrior abilities. Someone cared about what happened to her now and in the future. His words and his actions were a gift she did not take lightly after her experiences in Fairyland.

The feelings of companionship were new to her. She was close to Gwendolyn, Fiona, and Rowena. They were her daily confidantes. Isolde was a kindred spirit as a female warrior. Graeme, however, was something different. Something had shifted inside her when he had held her in his arms today. Her pulse quickened at the thought of him.

She tensed suddenly; every nerve raw when she realised the truth. Her actions up to that moment had been fuelled by her own feelings of unworthiness. All her life everyone around her had told her she was lacking and unlovable. Deep in her heart, she had believed those words to be true.