Page 36 of Taming the Highland Beauty

Gille’s heart sank. They had travelled so far, endured so much, only to be denied the prize she sought. “Please,” she said. “That moonstone is the only way to break the curse that threatens my life. A curse Oberon placed on me.”

“I know what he has done to you.” Sadness entered Titania’s eyes. “I want to give you the stone, but it is not mine to give. I could only lead you to this place where you must do the rest.”

She paused for a moment; her eyes fixed on Gille. “You must prove your worth to the guardians of the moonstone. Only then can you claim the stone.”

“How?” Gille asked as desperation tightened her chest. “What must I do? I have very little time left to me.”

The woman gestured towards the cave entrance. “Outside on the face of the hillside, there is something that must be rectified before the moonstone’s guardians agree to part with their treasure.”

“What say you, Gille?” Callum asked beside her. She knew he would fight the fairy queen if she asked, but Gille also knew the fairy’s magic was stronger than her own. And Callum could be injured, or worse if they did not do as Titania asked. She had said she was an ally. Could they trust her? Titania was as much a trickster as her overbearing husband.

Gille hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. Then, with a deep breath, she turned to Callum. “We must leave the moonstone here, for now.”

He nodded and sheathed his weapon. “If this is a trick and it costs Gille her life, then be warned that I will not rest until I avenge her.”

“So handsome and fiery. I can see why you like this one, Gille.” Titania laughed, a musical chime carried on a gentle breeze, filling the air with joy and wonder. “Go now and do as I ask. There will be no need for vengeance.”

Callum relit the candle and after a glance back at both the moonstone and Titania, he took Gille’s hand and led her back to the entrance. As they emerged into daylight, Callum extinguished the candle and returned it to his sporran while Gille looked about at the barren terrain. She could see nothing but moss, lichen, and grass growing from the rocky ground. Perhaps if they walked for a distance, they might find something?

The sun was starting its descent towards the horizon as they traversed the desolate landscape, until they stumbled upon a small, dying fern. The fern had been here on the mountainside for a time, though she could not say how long. Its fronds were gnarled and browning, curling in upon themselves.

“What is it, Gille?” Callum asked. “Is this what you were meant to find?”

“Perhaps.” Gille knelt beside the suffering plant, feeling a strange connection to the fern, as if it were calling out to her. The fern roots were withered and dry, starved of nourishment. “Do you have water?”

Callum removed the strap attached to the skin of water he carried and offered it to Gille. She poured all of it over the base of the plant. Then, she began to loosen the soil around the fern, allowing the liquid to penetrate deeper.

As she worked, the fern seemed to respond. Its leaves, which had been shrivelled and brown, began to turn green, and a faint glow emanated from its stalks. She had not needed to use her magic to restore the plant. It had only needed some loving attention as did most living things. It was a lesson the forest had taught her.

Several minutes later, the fern was fully restored, its fronds vibrant and healthy. A sense of peace washed over Gille, and she knew she had completed the guardians’ task.

She and Callum looked into each other’s faces, newfound hope lighting their eyes. When they returned to the cave, as they approached the entrance, Callum prepared to relight the candle. Suddenly the moonstone began to glow brighter than ever, illuminating the cave.

Titania appeared once again, and her smile filled with approval. “You have proven your worth to me and the moonstone’s guardians,” Titania said. “The stone is yours.”

“Why are you helping me?” Gille asked, puzzled by the fairy’s behaviour. When she had lived all those years in the fairy realm, no one except Aria and Pearl had helped her break free of Oberon’s abuse.

Titania shrugged. “Partly because it irritates Oberon to know you have an ally. And, because I acknowledge I should have done more when you were younger. You had justification in wanting to send Oberon into the beyond where he would not hurt you ever again. There are days I wish to send him there myself.”

“How do we stop him from doing what he did to me to someone else?”

“We teach him a lesson.” Titania shimmered, her words echoing in the cave. She held the stone out to Gille and, as she accepted it, Titania vanished from sight.

Gille cupped the clam-sized glowing blue stone in her palm, feeling a surge of power course through her. The stone was extraordinary. Larger than any moonstone she had ever seen, and radiating not just light, but also a magical force that should satisfy Minerva’s requirements a hundred times over.

But that surge of energy and excitement faded as quickly as reality settled upon her shoulders. “We only have one day left to us,” Gille said, her throat tight. “Will it be enough time to convince Minerva to help Lady Janet and me?”

Callum moved to stand before her. Determination lit his eyes. “Now we have what we need. With it we can make the most of the time left.”

“Then why am I suddenly afraid?”

“Because of the unknown.” He took her hand. “I am with you until the end, Gille. All the MacLeods are with you. We must move swiftly now. Come.”

Gille nodded as her fear merged with a blossoming hope. Until the end. The words held both an ominous and hopeful tone.

Chapter Fifteen

It was late afternoon when the travelling party returned to Dunvegan. Gille watched impatiently as Callum handed over their horses to the waiting stableboys, then together they raced down to the shores of the loch.