Page 87 of Highlander’s Hope

He came to stand in front of Sìneag, who watched him with big eyes that watered a little. She took the sword from his hands and held it before her like treasure.

“I will treasure it and keep it safe,” Sìneag said, and it disappeared in her hands. Marjorie gasped. Colin blinked several times and looked at Sìneag with reverence.

“Yer sacrifice is accepted, lad,” she said. “But before ye may go, I need something else.” She smacked her lips a little like a hungry babe. “Traditionally, milk is left for faeries overnight. But I’ll take any food ye have. I’m a wee bit of a glutton.” She giggled. “Consider it a bribe.”

Marjorie chuckled. “What’s a piece of pie for the lifetime of happiness? Colin, please give Sìneag the meat pie.”

Sìneag clapped her hands, and Colin went into his purse and retrieved a piece of pie wrapped in linen. Sìneag quickly unwrapped it and bit into it. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes, chewing.

“Mmmm. Ye mortals dinna ken how good yer food is.”

Marjorie and Colin exchanged a surprised glance and watched her devour the pie in three large gulps. For a seemingly delicate woman, Sìneag ate like a blacksmith after a long day of work.

Finally, a satisfied smile bloomed on her face. Her cheeks looked rosier than before, her lips red. “Aye, that will do, my lovelies. Now ye both may go. But remember, this will be the last time, so think carefully. Ye may still stay.”

Marjorie and Colin looked at each other. “We go,” Marjorie said to Sìneag.

“Good. Then hold hands. Marjorie, think of Konnor and place yer hand in the handprint.”

Marjorie took Colin’s hand and sank to her knees by the rock. She closed her eyes and thought of Konnor, and her whole being felt like she was flying. Joy shone through every little part of her body, radiating warmth and love through her heart. She placed her hand in the handprint, but instead of a cold rock, there was empty air. And suddenly she was falling, face down into waves of pure vibration. She waved her other hand, searching for Colin but not finding him.

With the thought of him and Konnor, she sank into darkness.

She didn’t know how much time passed. It felt like a lifetime later, or mayhap it was just a moment. Marjorie opened her eyes. The painful sensation of being sucked into something and then falling through eternity was dissolving in her body like blood in water.

She wasn’t falling anymore. Hard ground supported her. Her palms leaned on soft grass, and pebbles stuck into her skin. She looked around. There was the ruin and the Pictish rock. The brook burbled nearby. Familiar steep slopes stood on both sides of the crevice.

Colin! She looked around, and there he was, sitting staring at her with an astonished face.

“Are ye whole, lad?” she said.

“Aye.” He stood and looked around. She did the same.

Were they really in the future now? How could Marjorie tell? The woods looked the same. It sounded the same. There was the peaceful chirping of birds, rustling of leaves, and babbling of the water.

The pouch with silver and other things was still on Colin. They needed to be prepared in case the people from the future wanted to take her silver or harm them. Obviously, there were men with bad intentions in all times. Marjorie stood and drew her sword, feeling much less confident than she was trying to look. What was that? She looked around.

Someone moved up the slope between the trees. Alarmed, she put her sword back in the sheath, took her bow and an arrow, and aimed at the figure behind the trees. Her heart drummed in her ears. She followed the dark figure with her arrow pointed at them. Then the bushes moved, and a man stepped out from behind them, his brown hair catching the light, a travel pack on his broad shoulders.

Konnor.

A hot, happy wave rushed through Marjorie. Time stopped. So did her heart. Nothing existed except for the man who was more dear to her than life itself. He stared at her, as still as time was.

“Marjorie?” he said finally. “Is that really you?”

His voice. His dear raspy voice sounded better than the song of the best bard.

“Aye, ‘tis me,” she said and lowered her bow.

“And Colin?” he said.

“Aye!” Colin came to stand next to Marjorie.

Konnor scratched his head. “How did I travel back to you without touching the rock?”

“We traveled to ye,” Marjorie said.

She looked back at Sìneag, but there was no one where the woman had stood. The scent of lavender and freshly cut grass was gone as well.