by Mariah Stone
As she said that, something began glowing to Amber’s left, and she jerked away.
Sìneag laughed. “Aye, that’s it. Do ye see the carving glowing?”
Amber watched in disbelief as the glow grew stronger. It was a picture resembling a child’s drawing—a circle made of three waves and a thick line. Next to the lines was a handprint etched right into the rock.
“What the hell is that?” Amber said. “Why is it glowing?”
“Ye wilna believe me. None of ye mortals do at first. But ‘tis ancient Pictish magic. It opens a tunnel through time.”
Amber didn’t know whether to laugh or run? “A what?”
“A tunnel through time. Those who go through the tunnel, meet the person they’re destined to be with.”
The hell?
“And there’s someone for ye, too, Amber.”
Amber frowned. “How do you know my name?”
“If I told ye I’m a Highland faerie who loves matchmaking people, even if they’re separated by time, would ye believe me?”
This was sounding more and more ridiculous. “No.”
She laughed. “’Tis what I thought. But there is a man ye’re destined to be happy with, and he lives more than seven hundred years in the past.”
Feet pounded outside and neared the entrance. Cold crept down Amber’s spine.
Sìneag turned to her and took her hands. With the glow from the rock, Amber could distinguish her face. Sìneag’s eyes were wide and worried.
“Just remember, ye need to look for Owen Cambel.”
Someone was coming down the stairs. A man swore, something heavy fell, and more F-bombs followed.
“Go through the tunnel, Amber,” Sìneag insisted. “Either that, or prison.”
Go through a tunnel in time seven hundred years back? Someone was coming. Light from a flashlight moved across the wall.
“Don’t move!” a man called. “Police!”
Amber’s heart beat violently against her ribcage.
“Put yer hand in the print, and think of Owen,” Sìneag said.
A gun clicked. “I’m armed. Do not move.”
I must be crazy.
But this was it. Either she would be taken now, or she could try this one last thing. It was completely loony, but what could it hurt? Maybe it would open a revolving door or something that led into a secret room.
She turned and placed her palm in the handprint.
Owen, she thought, feeling foolish. Owen.
A vibration went through her, similar to the buzz of a hair clipper. Her hand fell through the rock like through empty air. Her body followed. She tumbled, headfirst, her body spinning. Her stomach flipped, bile rising. She waved her arms, trying to grab at something.
She screamed as she fell into darkness.
And then it consumed her.
Keep reading Highlander’s Love to return to the arms of desire today!
Also by Mariah Stone
Called by a Highlander series (time travel):
Sìneag (prequel) - grab for free
Highlander’s Captive
Highlander’s Hope
Highlander’s Heart
Highlander’s Love
Highlander’s Christmas (novella)
Highlander’s Desire (coming February 2021)
Called by a Viking series (time travel):
One Night with a Viking (prequel)—grab for free!
The Fortress of Time
The Jewel of Time
The Marriage of Time
The Surf of Time
The Tree of Time
Called by a Pirate series (time travel):
Pirate’s Treasure
Pirate’s Pleasure
A Christmas regency romance:
The Russian Prince’s Bride
Scottish slang
aye – yes
bairn - baby
bastart - bastard
bonnie - pretty, beautiful.
canna- can not
couldna – couldn’t
didna- didn't ("Ah didna do that!")
dinna- don't ("Dinna do that!")
doesna – doesn’t
fash - fuss, worry ("Dinna fash yerself.")
feck - fuck
hasna – has not
havna - have not
hadna – had not
innit? - Isn't it?
isna- Is not
ken - to know
kent - knew
lad - boy
lass - girl
marrit – married
nae – no or not
shite - faeces
the morn - tomorrow
the morn's morn - tomorrow morning
uisge-beatha (uisge for short) – Scottish Gaelic for water or life / aquavitae, the distilled drink, predecessor of whiskey
verra – very
wasna - was not
wee - small
wilna - will not
wouldna - would not
ye - you
yer – your (also yerself)
Acknowledgments
Highlander’s Heart is the labor of love. I had the idea for Ian already while writing the Viking series but had to set it aside as there seemed to be no story for his character that would have fit well. The idea for amnesia for Kate seemed exciting in the beginning, but I discovered that it’s not the easiest one to write well. Thank goodness for my editor Laura Barth who helped me made this story as amazing as I had envisioned it.
My proofreader, Laura LaTulipe, again did a fantastic and thorough job also with checking the timeline of the series which keeps getting more and more complex with each book.
My readers who make it possible for me to not live the life of a business consultant and spend my life in hotels and airports, but to do what I love and be with my family every day.
Thank you!
Mariah
Join the romance time-travelers’ club!
Join the mailing list on mariahstone.com to receive exclusive bonuses, author insights, release announcements, giveaways and the insider scoop of books on sale - and more!
Join Mariah Stone’s exclusive Facebook author group to get early snippets of books, exclusive giveaways and to interact with the author directly.
Enjoy the book? You can make a difference!
Please, leave your honest review for the book.
As much as I’d love to, I don’t have financial capacity like New York publishers to run ads in the newspaper or put posters in subway.
But I have something much, much more powerful!
Committed and loyal readers
If you enjoyed the book, I’d be so grateful if you could spend five minutes leaving a review on the book’s Amazon page.
Thank you very much!
Notes
Chapter 19
1 Adapted from Alexander Carmichael, Carmina Gadelica, vol.1, 1900, https://sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/cg1/cg1052.htm
Chapter 27
1 Adapted from Alexander Carmichael, Carmina Gadelica, vol. 1, 1900, https://sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/cg1/cg1025.htm
About the Author
When time travel romance writer Mariah Stone isn't busy writing strong modern women falling back through time into the arms of hot Vikings, Highlanders, and pirates, she chases after her toddler and spends romantic nights on North Sea with her husband.
Mariah speaks six languages, loves Outlander, sushi and Thai food, and runs a local writer's group. Subscribe to Mariah's newsletter for a free time travel book today!
filter: grayscale(100%); " class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons">share