Page 44 of Taming the Highland Beauty

Their torches flickered and danced, casting eerie shadows that seemed to writhe and contort. As they ventured deeper, they discovered a hidden chamber, its darkness pierced only by the faint glow of their torches. In the centre of the chamber was a small pool of crystal-clear freshwater, its surface shimmering like liquid silver. Beyond the pool, a narrow passage led to another deeper chamber, its darkness shrouded in mystery. The sight of these hidden pools and white limestone walls, illuminated only by the flickering torchlight, filled Gille with a sense of wonder and awe that soon slipped to concern.

She turned around, searching every white-coated surface before her. “I do not see writing on the walls of any of the chambers. And where are we supposed to place the moonstone?”

Callum frowned as, beside her, he searched the chamber. “The moonstone is a symbol of the moon and its celestial power. Perhaps we should place it near the pools of water because water is connected to the selkies.”

“Or, perhaps we should position it on one of these rock formations to help it shed its light on the hidden knowledge we need,” Aria added, moving to a rock that had a flattened surface the exact size of the moonstone in Gille’s knapsack.

Indecision coiled inside Gille. Both locations seemed appropriate. However, something deep inside told her Aria was correct. Since they could not see the words of the song, they would have to trust they were there, finding a way to illuminate them.

Gille opened the knapsack and removed the moonstone, then cupped it in her hand. With a deep breath, she stepped towards the rock formation. Carefully, she placed the rounded stone on the white ledge. As soon as the moonstone touched the surface, the walls of the cave began to vibrate and the stone cast dancing shadows on the cavern walls with a light of its own making. The glow intensified, illuminating the surrounding area with a soft, ethereal light.

As the light grew brighter, the words of the selkies’ song began to appear on the cavern walls, etched into the very fabric of the rock. The words seemed to glow with an inner light, as if they were alive and pulsating with energy. Gille’s heart raced with excitement as she gazed upon the ancient script, her eyes tracing the flowing lines. She imagined the words spoke of wisdom and knowledge of the sea.

Gille raced back to her knapsack, and clutching the ink, quill, and parchment inside, she quickly copied what she saw, just the shapes and scrolls of the words, as now was not the time to try to understand the archaic writing that might fade too soon. When she had finished, she studied the ancient script, and a new panic settled in her stomach. “We have what we need, but I cannot read a single word.”

“Perhaps I can help you.” Her mother came to her side, her eyes filled with a knowing smile. “I recognise the language. It is the ancient tongue of the selkies.” Pearl began to sing the words of the song, her voice carrying a haunting melody that echoed through the cavern. As Pearl sang, Gille felt a strange tingling sensation in her chest, as if the words were somehow resonating within her. When Pearl had finished, the glowing words faded, and the walls of the cave returned to normal.

“That is it then,” Callum said with triumph in his voice. “Is the curse broken?”

Gille’s chest tightened at Callum’s expectant gaze. “I feel no change. Nothing is different.”

“Perhaps there will be no change, as you are still the same person,” Gwendolyn offered.

“We might have to return to Dunvegan,” Pearl said. “Only once the song is sung with you, Minerva, and Lady Janet present will the magic change all of your fates?”

Callum nodded. “That seems a reasonable assumption.”

Gille agreed. “Then let us return there before we are trapped in this cave.”

“We have time,” Marcus said. “I have been monitoring the rising tide. The entrance is still safe for us to pass through.”

In silence, the others prepared to leave, but Gille turned back towards the moonstone, giving it one last look, before she joined the rest. She hoped the selkies would somehow gain access to the stone, and it would serve to protect them from losing their pelts to other humans who would never return the selkies to the sea.

A short time later, Gille stood on the deck of the ship. As the Cliodna turned away from the shore, a chilling sight caught her attention on the port side. “A ship!” Gille shouted, alerting the others who were busy unfurling the sails and preparing for their return voyage.

At the helm, Marcus lifted his looking glass, focusing on the quickly approaching vessel. “It is a British warship.” He pursed his mouth. “And her cannons are trained on us.”

Her heart in her throat, Gille clutched the railing as she suddenly saw cannons gleaming ominously in the afternoon sunlight. Panic laced through Gille, and Marcus and his men seemed bothered by the sight.

Marcus must have sensed her distress because he said, “This is not the first ship my crew and I have had to outrun. Go below deck. This is going to be a choppy ride home.”

“We will not fight them?” she asked, easing her grip on the railing.

“Taking on the British navy would not be wise if we want to return to Dunvegan in time.” Marcus offered her an encouraging smile. “I have express permission to be in these waters as a privateer. We can sort all that out, once you are safely returned to Dunvegan.”

“Thank you, Marcus,” she said as she moved from the quarterdeck to the main deck below. Despite Marcus’s assurances, the air was thick with tension as two cannonballs whistled through the air, narrowly missing the port side of the Cliodna. The crew seemed unrattled as they went about their duties, putting out more sails for speed, but Gwendolyn and Aria gasped, their faces pale with fear. Gille clutched the railing, her heart pounding in her chest.

Pearl, her eyes filled with determination, took her position at the stern of the ship. With a wave of her hand, she released a burst of magical energy that propelled the ship forward, leaving the British vessel trailing behind. The wind whipped through Gille’s hair as the ship raced across the water, the waves churning around them. The British ship pursued them, even if at a slower pace.

Five and a half hours later, the Cliodna returned to Dunvegan. The travelling party, minus Marcus and his crew, rowed ashore to finish what they had started earlier that day.

A large Beltane fire had been set along the beach but would not be lit until sundown. A glance at the horizon indicated that event would be no more than two hours from now.

When the travelling party landed on shore, they stepped out of the boat and hurried towards the castle. As they went, a rustle sounded as the birds left the trees for the sky. Gille stared at the horizon. Something did not feel right. She tried to push the feeling aside. Her task was to find Lady Janet and sing the song in the presence of Minerva before anything else could distract them.

The castle was silent, the air heavy with anticipation. But anticipation of what? A battle with the British ship seemed far more likely than Marcus had indicated when that ship caught up with the Cliodna, or were the residents of the castle busy preparing for the Beltane feast after they broke the curse?

“Something’s amiss,” Callum said beside Gille as they entered the very strangely empty castle through the rear door, echoing her earlier sentiment.