Shadow Highlander

TWENTY-THREE

Reaghan was overwhelmed, besieged. She hadn’t wanted to depart for MacLeod Castle without Galen. He was her anchor in the storm that was now her life. Without him, she felt adrift.

Lost. Alone.

Fallon hadn’t given her much time to think. One moment she was looking at Galen, and the next she was standing in the middle of a large bailey with people milling about.

Reaghan had seen a bailey before. She knew how they bustled with activity from men training, children playing, and women gossiping as they went about their daily chores.

She knew the sound of a blacksmith’s hammer as it pounded iron. She knew the smell of horses and hay from the nearby stables. She knew the feel of the cool stones beneath her feet as she ran barefoot across the bailey.

She knew there was a door in the castle wall — a postern door — that led outside.

Her world began to spin viciously as her mind rocked from the knowledge. She knew MacLeod Castle because sometime in her life she had been there. The spell she had cast that erased her memories kept her from remembering when and why she had been at the castle.

The voices around her faded as her blood pounded in her ears. Her hands dampened and her stomach pitched to her feet as panic consumed her. Because she was the artifact.

How? Why? What did she know that Deirdre sought? What had been so important that Reaghan would do this to herself?

She stumbled trying to get away, trying to find Galen in the chaos.

“Deep breaths,” said a soft, feminine voice Reaghan didn’t recognize as gentle hands took hold of her arms. “It’ll be all right.”

Reaghan swallowed past the lump of dread in her throat. She focused her eyes on one stone in the bailey wall while she tried to make the world stop spinning. “Galen.”

“He’ll be here soon. I promise. Until then come and sit.”

Reaghan allowed the woman to guide her to the castle steps. She was overcome with fear of what she was and what she had done to herself, but mercifully, the dizziness halted and the world righted itself. She took a few moments and let her gaze take in her surroundings.

The sight that greeted Reaghan was spectacular. She recalled the many times she had looked across Loch Awe at MacIntosh Castle and wanted to see the inside of it.

Now, she was within the walls of one of the most infamous castles in all of Scotland. There was so much to explore, so much to experience at MacLeod Castle.

Her terror still gripped her, but it was the knowledge of where she was and who surrounded her that allowed Reaghan to push the apprehension aside and take everything in.

Reaghan swiveled her head to find a woman with chestnut curls and mahogany eyes beside her. There was a low current of something … energizing. A memory crept up in her consciousness like a twisting funnel of smoke, a recollection of what surrounded, of what beat inside the heart of MacLeod Castle.

Magic.

Reaghan’s skin prickled with excitement. She was with another Druid. And she could sense her magic.

“I’m Cara,” the Druid said, “Lucan’s wife. Are you better now?”

“Aye,” Reaghan answered. “Much. Thank you.”

Cara waved away her words. “Sometimes jumping with Fallon leaves people light-headed.”

Reaghan remembered Galen had said they called Fallon’s power “jumping.” “I’m Reaghan.”

“Reaghan,” Cara said with a wide, friendly smile. “It is so nice to have more Druids here. I’ll introduce you to the others as soon as you feel up to it.”

Reaghan looked over to find Fallon had appeared in the bailey again, this time with Mairi and three others. Reaghan watched as the people of her village were welcomed into the castle.

“I’m eager to meet more Druids. We thought we were the last.”

“Not the last, but close,” Cara said as she waved a petite woman over. “This is Marcail, my sister by marriage. Marcail, this is Reaghan.”

Marcail winked at Cara, their friendship obvious, as she lowered herself to the steps beside them. “Hello, Reaghan, I’m married to Quinn.”

“Hello,” Reaghan said. She couldn’t stop staring at the numerous small braids which graced the crown of Marcail’s dark head. “I apologize for staring. It’s just that I’ve seen those kinds of braids before.”

Marcail’s brow furrowed as she shared a look with Cara. “Do you know where? In my village, only Druids with the most magic had such a custom.”

Reaghan shrugged as she racked her mind to try and recall where she had seen the braids. To recognize things, but not be able to know why was frustrating. Maybe if she concentrated more she could break the walls of her spell. She smiled as she realized she did have magic. She had to have it in order to cast such a spell. “I can’t remember, but I know I’ve seen such braids before.”

“It’s no matter,” Cara said. “It will come to you later. There are so many people to introduce you to. We have twelve Warriors who live at the castle, well, thirteen if you count Larena.”

“And Malcolm,” Marcail interjected.

Cara nodded. “Malcolm is Larena’s cousin, and the only mortal man.”

“Galen told me.” Reaghan had never met anyone who was so open and welcoming before. These Druids didn’t know of her past, of who she was. She hoped she could become friends with these women. “He also said there were other Druids.”

Marcail pointed to the middle of the bailey. “The woman with the thick braid of red hair is Sonya. She’s our healer.”

“Aye. Then there is also Isla.” Cara looked around the bailey. “Isla is the tiny one with black hair standing next to the blond giant.”

It was said with a smile, and Reaghan had no difficulty identifying Isla. “And you all have magic?”

“We do,” Marcail answered. “Is it not the same in your village?”

Reaghan glanced away and shook her head. “Most have very little magic. I … I have some.”

Marcail stood and smiled as a man bounded up the steps to her side. He had wavy, light brown hair and pale green eyes. She could see a resemblance between him and Fallon, and it didn’t take long for Reaghan to realize the man was the youngest MacLeod.

“Quinn, this is Reaghan,” Marcail said. “Reaghan, this is my husband, Quinn.”

Reaghan rose to her feet and inclined her head. “Thank you for opening your home to us.”

“All Druids are welcome here,” Quinn replied with an easy, sincere smile.

“All Druids?” Cara asked with a smile.

Quinn rolled his eyes as Marcail began to laugh. Reaghan found herself smiling as she recognized they were speaking of Deirdre.

Warmth, like a lover’s touch, spread over Reaghan of a sudden. She knew without looking that Galen had arrived. She turned, searching for him. It was his cobalt eyes that caught her attention as her gaze found him.

He stood with Fallon, Broc, and Logan in the middle of the bailey, surrounded by the Druids from her village. But all she saw was Galen.

All she cared about was Galen.

They lost themselves in each other’s eyes as the rest of the world vanished to nothing. The castle and all others were forgotten as Galen started toward her. Reaghan never took her eyes off him. Her heart beat doubled in time and her hands itched to touch him, hold him.

He walked with purpose, commanding attention and respect. How could anyone think him nothing more than a mere man? The Warrior within was evident in the way he moved, the way his gaze devoured her.

A slow heat built in her belly, tightening with every step Galen took, until she was a smoldering mass of desire, desperate and frantic for his touch.

He stopped a step below her, putting them at eye level with each other. Her gaze dropped to his mouth, to his wide lips that she yearned to feel on her body once more.

“Reaghan,” he whispered, his tone full of torment and ecstasy. “You must stop looking at me so before I carry you to my chamber.”

She raised her gaze to his and grinned. “I wouldn’t complain.”

He groaned low in his throat. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

Reaghan lost herself in the depths of his blue eyes and their implicit promise of pleasure. His fingers grazed her cheek with the lightest of touches but left a trail of heat in its wake, heat that centered between her legs and left her throbbing for more. That was always the way with Galen. She could never get enough, and she feared she never would.

His hand dropped and he cleared his throat. “You’re exhausted,” he murmured, and took a step away from her.

Reaghan became aware that Cara and Marcail stood on either side of her. They had witnessed the exchange, but Reaghan didn’t mind.

“We’ve prepared the chambers,” Cara said. “I will show you to yours, Reaghan.”

Reaghan didn’t want to leave Galen’s side again, but she knew he had things he needed to do. And the thought of a soft bed and warm food was too much to resist.

She eagerly followed Cara and Marcail into the castle. Reaghan drank in the sight of the great hall. There were two long tables that filled the space, and four chairs sat before a large hearth.

There was no time to look her fill before they started up the stairs. Cara led her up two flights of steps and down a lengthy corridor before Cara stopped before an open door.

Reaghan glanced inside to find a small chamber with a bed against the far wall and a window on the left side. She stepped within the chamber and spotted a small table beside the bed, four wooden pegs in the wall, and a chest. Above the bed was a shield that Reaghan somehow knew dated back four hundred years.

“This is more than I had imagined,” Reaghan said as she turned to the door to find Cara and Marcail watching her.

“There is a village not far from here,” Marcail said as her fingers grabbed one of the gold bands around her braids. “But Deirdre has destroyed it twice. It was decided all Druids should stay in the castle in case of another attack.”

Reaghan glanced at the bed. “Is there room for everyone?”

Cara grinned and linked her hands in front of her. “Don’t worry. There is a place for everyone.”

“And the Warriors?” Reaghan couldn’t help but ask.

“They will sleep in the village.”

“Are you hungry? I could bring up some food,” Marcail suggested.

Reaghan was starving, but she knew they had many others to see to. “I’ll find my way to the kitchen.”

“Nonsense,” Cara said. “Rest, Reaghan. You’ve had a long journey, been attacked by wyrran, and you’ve had to leave your home. Let us see to you.”

Now that she was at MacLeod Castle, Reaghan was too tired to resist. “Only for now.”

Marcail smiled as she closed the door behind them, leaving Reaghan alone with her thoughts. She kicked off her shoes and climbed on to the bed.

Reaghan sighed as she fell back against the soft pillow. She had slept each night on the ground because she’d been so weary, but the feel of the supple bed beneath her made her realize just how hard the ground had been.

Reaghan rolled to her side and tucked her knees up to her chest. She knew she was filthy and needed a bath, but the other Druids from her village would also want to bathe. So she would wait.

Her stomach rumbled with hunger even though it hadn’t been long since their noon meal. She glanced through her open window to the sky beyond and realized the sun had begun to set.

She had been so caught up with MacLeod Castle and its people she hadn’t realized it was nearing suppertime. Reaghan looked down at her soiled dress and frowned.

With a sigh she sat up and pulled off her gown and tossed it aside. She would wash it later. For now, she would do as Cara and Marcail suggested and rest.

The sounds from the bailey drifted through her window, reminding her of all that she knew of castles. She wondered how long her spell had been erasing her memories. The secrets Mairi and Odara had kept all made sense now, and though she was frightened to her very core of what she was, she was so very glad Galen had told her.

What information did she have that must be kept from Deirdre? That was the scariest of all. Something drastic and terrifying had to have happened to her in order for her to put such a spell on herself.

Would she ever know the reason? Was there a way to break the spell? And did she even want to try?

The thought of losing her memories of Galen and what she was, not to mention the last ten years of her life, made it difficult to breathe. She didn’t want her memories erased again.

If somewhere in her memories there was a means to help Galen and the others defeat Deirdre, Reaghan would do all she could to make sure they had what they needed.

She didn’t know how, but she would.