Page 104 of Highlander’s Captive

“Are we?”

“Oh yes, lass. And I’m so impressed ye were brave enough to change. Now ye’re living up to yer potential, living a full life.”

Amy smiled. The woman’s positive energy was contagious, like a burbling fountain of joy.

“Who are you, Sìneag? Clearly, you’re not just a tour guide.”

Sìneag shook her head, little wrinkles forming around her eyes as she smiled.

“If I tell ye, will ye keep it a secret?”

“Sure. Fair warning, though. I’ll tell Craig. If he ever wants to talk to me again, that is.”

“Aye. I trust Craig.”

“So?”

Sìneag sighed. “I’m what ye call a faerie. A time traveler, I suppose, like ye.”

Amy raised her eyebrows, not sure if she believed her, but listened openly, nevertheless. Time travel was real after all, why not faeries?

“I was there when the Picts carved those stones,” Sìneag continued. “In fact, I gave them the idea. I am a hopeless romantic, mayhap ye’ve noticed.”

“Yes.” Amy chuckled. “But why are you helping me?”

Sìneag sighed. “I’m not human, see. I will never have what you can have—love. There is no faerie, male or female, for me. That is the way of things. Our folk isna big, there aren’t many of us. If we mate, ’tis for life. And all good ones are taken.” She smiled sadly. “So I decided if I canna be happy, I’ll help humans. And that’s what I’ve been doing all this time.”

“Really? Matchmaking through time?”

“Oh, aye! ’Tis not often I have couples who I can make happy. Not everyone is like ye, ready to cross time for the man ye love. But those who do…”

“They live happily ever after?”

Sìneag laughed. “As long as they open up to love and each other, they certainly have all chances for that.”

“Well, life still happens, right?”

“Right, sweetheart.”

In a sudden surge of gratefulness and warmth, Amy turned and hugged Sìneag, and a fresh, natural scent of herbs and trees wafted into her nose.

“Thank you. Craig might not want me back, I know. I’ll do everything I can to change his mind. But whatever happens, thank you.” She looked into those eternal green eyes. “You helped me meet the love of my life. And have an amazing adventure. And change. I’ll never forget that.”

Sìneag’s eyes watered, her face spreading in a broad, lovely smile.

“Aye, lass. Ye’re welcome. And now, go get yer man.”

Chapter 38

Inverlochy village, February 1307

Craig laid the silver penny on the table of the carpenter’s workshop.

“Aye, lord, much obliged,” Fingal, the carpenter, said.

He was a powerful man, not much older than Craig, with an intelligent face and big, work-roughened hands.

“I thank ye,” Craig said. “And once the bed is done, I would thank ye to work on the roof in the great hall.”