Page 34 of A Little Highland Magic

Chapter Twelve

All the air in Aria’s chest turned to stone as she and Graeme raced back across the countryside, their horses flying over the terrain. Guilt knotted in her chest. She should not have given in to temptation. That weakness would cost the MacLeods everything they held dear if she and Graeme did not hurry.

Despite her remorse, she could not help but steal a glance at the man beside her. He kept his face at an angle so that she could not read his emotions, but his stiff posture and that rigid set of his muscles told her he also blamed himself for their situation.

When the smithy’s shop came into view, they dismounted, giving their horses a quick reprieve. They gathered the finished bracelets and were up and in their saddles again with all due haste. Aria had stored the bag of newly created jewellery in her saddlebag, and with each step her horse took across the open moorland, the metal jangled as they jostled about. She had tried to help the others with the bracelets of iron, but allowing herself moments of pleasure may have instead harmed those she loved.

The sky overhead was now fully dark, and a silvery grey painted the land in shadows, when the walls of Dunvegan came into view. At their approach, the drawbridge lowered, and the two riders continued into the front courtyard before reining their horses to a stop.

In a fluid motion, Aria released the saddlebag and dismounted, hastening inside the castle and up the stairs, heading for Alastair and Gwendolyn’s chambers. Graeme kept pace beside her. “Gwendolyn!” Aria’s shout echoed in the empty hallway.

She stopped before the door and rapped her fist upon the wood. “Gwendolyn, I must see you. ’Tis urgent.”

After a brief pause, the door flung open to reveal Alastair, his features tight and worry etched into the lines around his eyes.

“Where are the twins?” she asked.

Alastair stepped aside to reveal Gwendolyn standing beside two empty cradles with tears in her eyes. “My babies! What has he done with the twins?”

Aria knew that by “he” Gwendolyn referred to Oberon. A sick feeling weighed Aria down. “How long have they been missing?”

“Alastair and I were here with them only moments ago,” Gwendolyn said on a sob. “We saw the sky go dark and looked out the window to see why. When we realised it might be magic at play, we turned back to the cradles and the twins were gone.”

“It’s not too late.” Aria straightened, relieved when anger slammed into her, overriding her guilt. She turned to Graeme. “Lock down the castle.”

He raced from the chamber. Aria slammed her eyes shut and concentrated on summoning Lady Janet. The ghost would sense her feelings more quickly than hearing her shout.

As she expected, a heartbeat later, a swirling mist appeared before her, and the Grey Lady took shape into her corporeal form. What is it, Aria? There is so much angst in you. It feels more like pain.

“Oberon sent an entity to steal the twins.”

A flash of disbelief was chased by rage in Lady Janet’s dark eyes. Not this time. Not my grandchildren. Her voice echoed through the chamber as she vanished in a flash of bright light that shot through the door.

Aria followed the light as it darted down the hallway and the stairs. The light paused for a moment, vibrating between the front and the rear courtyard before it streaked out the front door.

The fairy bridge. We must stop them there before they shift to the fairy realm.

Aria’s dappled grey mare was still waiting where she’d left the animal a short while ago. Without wasting a moment, Aria vaulted into her saddle and galloped at the gates, following Lady Janet’s ghost.

At the sight of her barrelling towards them, Graeme shouted to his men to open the drawbridge, allowing her to pass through. She raced for the fairy bridge.

In the eerie half-light, Aria noticed a trail of broken branches and partially hidden footprints. Farther up the path, the branches of bushes moved forward and swept back, as though something or someone was bending them as they passed. Aria slowed her horse and narrowed her gaze, searching for an entity from the fae world who could cloak themselves like that. She knew of only two.

Not wanting to tip off the assailant and knowing Lady Janet would hear her thoughts, Aria silently communicated with the ghost what she suspected.

The ghostly ball of light stopped. A large flash filled the area, sending Aria’s horse rearing. She quickly calmed Angel, then dismounted, running towards the large ball of yellow-white light that the Grey Lady had cast upon the creature on the path ahead.

As she drew closer, a familiar silhouette appeared, contained within the circle of bright light. Her charms and cloaks were no longer available to her now that she was wrapped in the power of the supernatural. “Gille!” Aria gasped even though she had suspected as much only moments before. Her half-sister turned towards her, holding a babe in each of her arms. They were asleep. No doubt magically enchanted to keep them quiet. “Why would you do this?”

Wide green eyes filled with desperation beckoned to Aria. “Oberon forced me. He had our mother captured in the shadow realm and threatens to kill her if I do not return with the MacLeod twins.” Her half-sister’s voice was raw with emotion.

“You would sacrifice two innocent children to him?” Emotion brought a catch to Aria’s throat.

“He gave me no choice. It was their lives or Mother’s.”

Aria tried not to let her anger show on her face except for the uncontrollable flush of heat that flooded her cheeks. She struggled for a long moment to contain her rising anger before she calmly managed to state, “Mother would never have asked you to do this. She would die before sacrificing another of her kin to that monster.”

Her half-sister shook her head. “It’s different for you. You escaped Oberon’s reach.”