Kay bit her lip, horrified by this development, and a somber silence fell.
"It's not just about keeping to the main roads, either," Liam said softly. "These creatures can lure you from anywhere… we need a strict curfew until we can sort this out or people are going to keep dying."
"That you do," Maggie said briskly. "In the meantime, I'll let the two of you get things sorted out. I've got to get out of here before the stink of the rust gets into my clothes. You feel better now, Kay, you hear?"
And with that, she was gone in a bustle of rags, leaving Liam and Kay torn between amusement at Maggie and sorrow at the loss of the two young men.
Chapter 27
"Some good news, though," Liam said, giving her a smile. "Word got around that the blindfolds for the herds were your idea. Everyone's very impressed. Especially the Laird."
"Is that so?" She couldn't help but smile, feeling a little flattered that the Laird himself had appreciated her idea. Maybe there was hope for her here after all — hope that she might be able to make herself useful to these people. It had only been a few days, but she already liked them so much — she liked their kindness, the way they cared for each other, the fierce way they protected the villagers and each other from the Unseelie Fae. She was still reeling from her displacement, still missing home, still had no idea what the future was going to bring… but she knew that she wanted to help these people any way she could.
"Aye, he thinks you're a genius. And we've made too many mistakes as a Clan in not listening to the women who come through the Burgh. So he's invited you to Court tonight. Only if you're well enough," Liam added hastily. "He was quite clear on that. But I mentioned that your fever had broken, so —"
"I'd love to come," she said, eyes widening. A medieval Court sounded fascinating. "Do I have the right clothes?"
"Oh, it's not that formal an affair," Liam said, a grin twitching at his mouth. "Any of your gowns will do, honestly. Shall I escort you?"
She hesitated — did that mean what she thought it meant? Was this a date? Don't be stupid, she scolded herself. Having an escort to an event wasn't the same as having a date, or a … a lover, or whatever. God, she wished she'd read more historical romance novels when she was in the future, so she knew what the hell any of these terms meant. "That would be lovely," she settled for, hoping that was the right answer.
He grinned, so it must have been. Promising to return to collect her later in the evening, he left her to rest… but for the first time in the week, she didn't feel like resting. She felt like she had her strength back. So after reflecting for a little while, she got to her feet, rejoicing at how easy it felt to be moving around again, and stuck her head out of the door, asking a passing servant to bring her some hot water to bathe in.
God, she missed hot showers, she reflected as she waited. It could have been worse, of course — she knew that having servants to bring her hot water was an enormous privilege — but still, she'd never fully appreciated the glory of stepping into a shower and blasting herself with scorching hot water for as long as she wanted. Her tiny apartment might have been dingy and pet-free, but at least it had had a working shower. If she had her time again, she reflected, she might have been a two-shower-a-day kind of gal.
Still, it felt good to sponge off the grime and sweat of having been tossing and turning in her sickbed for a full week. Once she was clean, she felt like a new person again. Sure, the symptoms were still lingering, even with Maggie's possibly magical potion restoring all her strength… but she knew she was over the worst of it now. Still, she took it easy as she got dressed, seeing that the sun was already low in the sky. From what Liam said, court was more like a banquet than a formal occasion, but still. She wanted to look her best.
She ran a brush through her hair, wincing as she encountered knot after knot. It seemed a week of tossing and turning really did a number on your hairdo… she took the time to tug out each tangle until the mane was tamed. And just in time, she heard the gentle tap on her door — Liam was there, changed into his formal full kilt, smiling at her as he took her in.
"You're looking so much better already," he said softly, gazing at her in a way that was giving her butterflies.
"That Maggie's a miracle worker," she said dismissively.
"The gown doesn't hurt either," he said.
She caught her breath. Was that flirting? Was Liam Grant flirting with her? But before she could react, he'd extended his arm, inviting her to move with him down the hall towards the stairs.
It felt so good to be out of her room again… she took a deep breath as they headed down the stairs, worried she was going to get dizzy again, but to her relief, Maggie's magic did its work and she made it down unscathed. Sure enough, the dining hall was buzzing — the tables had been laid with tablecloths, which made a change from the usual bare wood they dined from, and the Laird's high table had been arranged into a more formal setting, with him and his fellows sitting facing out so they could look down upon the hall as everyone dined. There were also musicians set up in the corner, playing instruments that Kay didn't recognize, but that sounded very pleasant indeed.
To her surprise, she and Liam were seated at the high table with Laird Donal, Malcolm, Brendan and their wives — all three of whom were delighted to see her up and about again. She smiled, pleased by their attention, by the simple gesture of friendship — it was amazing how much better you felt when there were people around you who wanted you to feel better. Human connection… that was what she'd been missing in Casper. She'd been so focused on her career that she'd lost track of certain other elements of her life…
They talked a little about the wisps, Laird Donal specifically thanking her for her help with the blindfold idea and making it clear that she was to be considered an official part of the investigation moving forward. She saw Anna beaming up at him, and remembered a little of what the woman had told her about how Donal had been when she'd met him — how he'd been resistant to the idea of women being involved in men's work, how he'd doubted her strength until she'd proven, again and again, that women were just as capable as men — if not more so. The change was clear from the way Donal was inviting her, a woman he barely knew, to take part in an important investigation… and she could see how thrilled Anna was from the look on her face.
Would she ever look up at someone like that? she wondered, her mind drifting as the music played and the conversation moved on. Would there ever be a person in her life she adored that much? Her treacherous mind drifted to Liam… was it possible that they might have a relationship that looked like that? Was there a possible future in which she was as happy as Anna looked with Donal… or as happy as Nancy with Malcolm, or Elena with Brendan — those two were deep in conversation at the other end of the table — they looked like they were arguing, but she knew Elena well enough now to know that kind of intensity was par for the course with her.
Impossible to say, she decided, turning her attention back to her delicious meal. For now, she'd just take it day by day — like Nancy had said. But when Liam brought her a cup of wine to have with her dinner, she thanked him a little more warmly than perhaps the gesture necessitated.
Chapter 28
It was a beautiful night — food, music, and even a little bit of dancing, during which Kay managed not to completely embarrass herself as first Liam, then Malcolm, then Brendan, then Liam again steered her carefully around the dance floor. As the night wound to a close, they found themselves discussing the wisp problem again — and Liam had a suggestion for how to get started, now that Kay was feeling better again. She was glad he'd kept her filled in since the conversation they'd had about him protecting her from information — and now she was looking forward to getting started on finding a way to stop these attacks.
"I think our best bet is to drain the swamp of wisps as soon as possible," Liam was saying, leaning in at the table to avoid being overheard. "First we need to get rid of them — then we can worry about making sure they stay
gone."
"Aye, that'll be important," Laird Donal agreed. "Do we know much about their weaknesses, these wisps?"
"I'm loath to commit any of my men to extermination attempts unless we've got some concrete information on how to fight them," Brendan agreed, his face serious. "I can't send them into battle blindfolded, now can I?"
"I think we should talk to Maggie," Kay put in, and Liam nodded his agreement at once. "We could ride down to her cottage tomorrow — perhaps take her some of that shortbread she likes so much — and pick her brain about everything she knows about these creatures. I get the feeling she knows more than she lets on, most of the time," she added, drawing a chuckle from the crowd.
"Good idea," Laird Donal said briskly. "Keep us updated with what you learn."
And so it was that the next day saw them saddling up their horses, bright and early. Shadow had missed her, Kay could tell — the mare had whickered happily when she saw her and was being uncharacteristically affectionate as she led her from her stall, shoving her snout into her face and whuffling happily.
"She's really taken a shine to you," Liam said, sounding surprised. "You know she's one of the only horses who's ever thrown me?"
"Clever girl," Kay said approvingly, stroking the mare's nose. Then: "I mean, oh no, you poor thing…"
"Don't sound too sympathetic." Liam laughed. "I suppose it served me right. I didn't give her nearly as much attention before we went riding as you are."
"She only spooks easily because she doesn't get enough exercise, you know that, right? She's full of beans, this one," Kay explained, swinging aboard the mare's back now that her saddle and bridle were in place and clicking her tongue to urge her toward the gate. Liam followed her in thoughtful silence, his own placid chestnut gelding speeding up to drop comfortably into pace besides Shadow.
It was a beautiful morning — chilly, but with just enough sun to warm them. She had a bundle of shortbread tucked under her arm — Liam had secured it that morning from Blair, the gimlet-eyed Headwoman, who Kay had met and been thoroughly intimidated by on her first day at the castle. But she had to admit — the shortbread was to die for. Definitely worth using as a bribe, that was for sure. She was half tempted to swipe a piece now, to eat while she rode… but something told her that Maggie would know if her gift had been interfered with. After all, she was a Fae, and Fae knew something about presents.
Maggie was sitting on her porch when they arrived — it seemed the old woman had sensed they were coming, and her eyes gleamed when the lit upon the bundle under Kay's arm.
"Is that a thank-you for something I've already done, or a thank-you for something I've yet to do?" she asked with a twinkle in her eyes, reaching for the bundle even before Kay had hopped down from her horse.
"A bit if both, actually. For someone who hates iron, you're getting awfully close to a horse shod with it," Kay pointed out with a grin, and Maggie chuckled.
"Some things are worth the stink," she said wisely, nabbing the bundle handily and hastening back inside with it. "Well? Are you coming in? I imagine we've got wisps to discuss, is that right?"
Liam was laughing under his breath, his bright eyes settling on Kay as she hopped down from Shadow and set about tethering the mare to a tree where she'd have ample room to wander and graze at the lush grass by the road. Remembering what Maggie had said about iron, she made sure both horses were tethered far away from Maggie's cottage.
But something was wrong. As Kay and Liam strode across the road toward Maggie's door, Liam murmuring something about how it was likely that the old woman had already finished the shortbread, a shrill scream split the air. For a moment, Kay thought it might have been a bird… but no, it was definitely human, and it was certainly nearby. It sounded like it was coming from the woods behind Maggie's cottage. Liam and Kay exchanged glances… then, both nodding, they set off running into the trees.
Kay had never been behind Maggie's little cottage — the trees back there were dense and close, eventually opening out into a kind of backyard that had been hollowed out of the forest, the surrounding trees standing like fenceposts hemming the area in. Kay could see a path that wound through the trees that came close to Maggie's little yard, where there were several patches overflowing with vegetables, leafy plants and various herbs that Kay didn't recognize.
But she couldn't focus on the garden itself, not right now. Her eyes shot to the path, where a woman was standing, just shy of Maggie's yard. She had a basket under her arm and a cloak over her shoulders and was clearly on her way back to the village — but her face was a rictus of terror. Kay and Liam hastened over to her, Kay already scanning her for injuries, her mind racing. Had a snake bitten her, perhaps? There wouldn't be any antivenom in Scotland, not at this time… but try as she might, she couldn't see any trace of injury. Then why had the woman screamed? And why did she still look so distressed?
"What's wrong?" Kay asked as they reached her. "What's happened?"
The woman clearly didn't trust herself to speak. Instead, she just raised one trembling hand and pointed at a bundle of cloth that lay next to one of the vegetable patches. Kay hadn't given it a second look, assuming it had something to do with the garden… but her eyes widened when she turned her attention back to it. What she'd assumed was a bundle of sticks or firewood… was a bundle of bones.
Chapter 29
"That — that — that's a cloak," the woman whispered, seeming to get her voice back now that Liam and Kay could see what she was looking at too. "That's a — that's a skull. That's a human skull!"
Liam stepped to the woman's side, adroitly turning her away from the bones. He seemed to be about to do something similar for Kay, but she'd sidestepped him, frowning a little at the implication that she'd be all shaken up about a skeleton. She'd seen a lot in her time as a vet — seen a lot of bones, a lot of death. And as the only person within fifty miles with any kind of contemporary medical training, she felt she ought to be the one who looked at the bones.
She heard Liam cry out as she knelt by the bones — but he wasn't talking to her. The woman had torn away from him and was running off down the path toward the village — Kay saw her throw one frightened look over her shoulder before she was swallowed by the trees. Gently, carefully, she lifted the cloak… and her heart sank. Sure enough, there was a human skeleton lying before her. She took a deep breath, taking it in, keeping herself in check. She'd seen plenty of animal skeletons and cadavers in her time… but never a human one. It was strange, how similar they were. The design of the pelvis, the shoulders, the arms and legs… looking at it all laid out like this, it wasn't hard to think that they were all descended from the same mammalian ancestors…
Liam breathed a prayer in Gaelic as he squatted beside her in the grass, the unfamiliar language oddly beautiful and resonant in his soft voice. Kay took a breath before she pulled the cloak back over the skeleton. She'd seen enough to know what had happened — it felt oddly rude to leave the bones exposed to the air like that.
"She's running back to the village," Liam said in a low voice, his eyes lifting to the trail where the woman had vanished. "And from what she was saying… that's not good news."
"Why? Does she know who this — who this was?" Kay bit her lip, thinking of the most recent thing she'd heard — that two young men had gone missing… could this be the remains of one of them?
"I don't know. But I do know who she blames for the death."
"The wisps," Kay said blankly. "It's obvious. This poor person's bones have been picked absolutely clean… and look," she added, gesturing to where the forearm was peeking out of the cloak. "There are subtle teeth marks, like the flesh close to the bones was gnawed off."
Liam shuddered. "You and I may think that," he said in a low voice, clearly worried. "But all that woman saw was a bundle of bones about ten paces from Maggie's back door."
Kay stared at him, shocked by the implications. "Wait — do you think she's going to blame Maggie for this? Why?"
&
nbsp; "Blame me for what?"
As if summoned, Maggie appeared on the back porch, the now-empty plate of shortbread clutched in her wizened hands. She scanned the garden quickly, taking in the scene… then clicked her tongue in dismay when she saw what Liam and Kay were crouching over. Moving faster than Kay thought she could, she hastened across the garden, narrowing her eyes as she approached the body. She reached down with the tip of her walking stick to gently lift the cloak away, give the skeleton a once-over, then lower it again.
"Poor fool," she said softly, a surprising amount of compassion in her voice despite the rather harsh choice of words. "Wandered off the path for good. Safe travels home." There was an odd reverberance to those words.
Kay felt a shiver run down her spine, as though she were in the presence of something holy. But Liam was looking worried.
"Maggie, there was a woman from the village passing by. She saw the bones, screamed, ran off to the village to spread the word. I'm worried you'll be blamed for this."
"Aye, that sounds about right," the old woman said cheerfully, turning her back and shambling over to a low shed where a shovel was propped up. "I'm sure there'll be torches and pitchforks aplenty. Help me with this, will you?"
And with that, she ambled into the forest, a few paces from the path, and began to dig. Kay stared at her, a little nonplussed by her casual attitude to the prospect of the villagers coming to knock at her door with torches and pitchforks. "Maggie? Shouldn't you — go inside, maybe, if the villagers are coming to…"
"Their problem, not mine." Maggie cackled, digging into the soft soil with enthusiasm.
Did she really intend to bury the bones right then and there? Kay supposed it made sense… what was the use of leaving them where they'd been found?
Distracted By The Highlander: A Scottish Time Travel Romance (Highlander Forever Book 4) Page 10