Page 5 of A Little Highland Magic

Aria swore the ghost before her paled, even though such a thing was next to impossible. Keiran is as old as my triplets? His older brothers? Even though he was the last to be born?

“Fairy magic can do many things.” With a heavy sigh, Aria returned her sword to its sheath then stepped towards Lady Janet. Instinctively, she reached out to comfort the woman, but her hands merely slipped through the mist. A frigid chill crept over her fingers as Aria pulled her hands back, trying to comfort with words instead. “I’m so sorry you missed so much of your son’s life. And that Keiran lost so many years of his own childhood. I blame myself for that too.”

I am glad I was able to save you and your mother from certain death.

“But then you took our place in that tomb of death. I caused you to miss so many years of your life with your family. It is up to me to right that wrong,” Aria said as an idea occurred to her. “Instead of searching for demons among the MacDonalds, I should figure out a way to return Keiran to his family. Graeme is well prepared to handle anything the MacDonalds have in store for the MacLeods.”

Nay! Lady Janet floated back and forth in an agitated motion. You cannot risk going back to Fairyland.

“Do you wish to see Keiran again?”

Of course I do, but not at your expense.

“I have every intention of returning to the human realm along with your son.” A flicker of purpose ignited the depths of Aria’s soul. Returning Keiran to his family would help ease the sting when the MacLeods discovered it was Aria who cost their mother her life. “I beseech you, please, allow me to do this for you.” Her words were thick, filled with emotion.

Lady Janet was silent for a long moment as she hovered back and forth. Then she stopped. I will allow such a thing under two conditions. First, you wait until I can confer with others who wait in the spirit realm for a way to breach the veil between the human and fairy worlds.

Aria frowned. “The Equinox has passed, and waiting until All Hallows’ Eve again is not an option. I will definitely need your help to find a way back to Fairyland.” Knowing her options were few, she nodded. “What is the second condition?”

You take Graeme with you on this endeavour so that he might protect you. He is the flag bearer for our family, and because of that, he is best suited for the task.

“Graeme?” The image of his steely-blue eyes—hardened and knowing one moment, the next uncertain and troubled—tugged at her in the most disturbing way. She cast off the feeling, willing it away. “He is annoyed with me most of the time, and only tolerates me because of my skill with a bow.”

Is that what you think? The Grey Lady offered her a smug grin. I see his impatience with you as something else entirely.

Aria frowned. Could she mean jealousy? Impossible. Graeme was a fine swordsman, and if he practised all day every day for nine years, he would be very proficient with a bow as well. Perhaps not as skilled as she was—her fairy blood gave her an advantage there. But he would be better than any other human in his clan.

While you wait for me to find a way to help you and Graeme, you will need to ask him to accompany you, and might I also suggest you figure out a way to reconcile all the emotions you keep so tightly controlled inside of you?

Aria’s eyes widened. How could Lady Janet know that she tamped her feelings down?

I know much about you, Aria. As a spirit, I can feel your emotions even if you cannot express them.

Aria kept her spine stiff and her shoulders straight, meeting the suggestion with a fearlessness that was all façade, for inside she trembled. “If you know my emotions, then you must also know I cannot release them. They will overcome me, and Oberon might use them to find me. It is better that I bury them deep inside.”

The ghost’s gaze filled with compassion. My child, you are stronger than you know.

Aria longed to turn away, to ignore the empathy directed at her as she always did. Instead, she forced herself to remain steady as she boldly met Lady Janet’s gaze. How could she communicate all the uncertainties she had about being truly accepted for who she was? Could anyone truly love her? Her past life in Fairyland had proven that she was unlovable, undesirable, and unable to make true connections.

At the continued unspoken plea from Lady Janet’s gaze, Aria closed her eyes, willing the darkness to ease the pain inside her. She’d spent her entire childhood trying to fit in, to conform herself into something the other fairies would approve of, but they never did. Because of her failures, the curious, mischievous girl of her youth had transformed into a coolly aloof warrior who restrained her emotions and rarely smiled.

But Lady Janet was right. It was getting harder every day to keep her feelings inside her. She wanted to be like her kin, to know happiness and joy, and even pain, that could be freely expressed instead of bottled up, waiting to explode.

With a groan Aria opened her eyes. “I am at a loss, Lady Janet.” The ghost thought she was strong. Physically, aye. In any other way, Aria was not so certain. “What shall I do while you find me a way back into Fairyland?”

Exactly what you came up to the tower to do this afternoon. Keep watch over the MacDonalds. Make certain they do not steal the Fairy Flag. The MacLeods might have need of its magic very soon.

Aria frowned. “Do you also see the future?”

Lady Janet shook her head. I can only feel the emotions of others within the walls of Dunvegan and the vicinity. But since the English attacked us here, a nagging sensation inside me grows stronger. I do not believe we Scots are done with the Englishmen invading our country yet.

Aria could only agree. She’d had the same feeling for the past few weeks and was relieved to have it confirmed by another. “The English, the MacDonalds, the fairies: the MacLeods have many reasons to be cautious.”

They will need your warrior abilities more than ever, I fear, in the days ahead.

“Then I had better stop hiding up here on the tower and make myself useful below.” Aria moved to the tower wall and retrieved her bow, catching a glimpse of the sun as it slowly sank into the horizon. Night would be upon them soon. What better time to steal the flag than when the entire castle was asleep?

She would be ready and waiting if that was what the MacDonalds had planned.