Loud pounding on the door startled Maggie out of a sound sleep. “Maggie!” called Robert.
“Aye,” Maggie answered. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and squinted at the sun shining through the windows, landing directly on her. She noticed that Chester was gone and the door stood slightly ajar.
“May I come in, lass?” Robert asked. From the sound of his voice, Maggie knew it must be urgent.
“Aye.”
The door flew open and Robert entered, closing it behind him. “Maggie, Brielle is in the courtyard and she has Angus. She’s threatening to kill him, if ye dinnae join her immediately.”
“I’ll be right there. I must dress first,” Maggie replied. She glanced around for her clothes, remembering she’d strewn them about the floor with no regard before getting into bed. Robert observed her search and understood what she needed. He bent down and picked up her belongings, throwing them onto thebed. Maggie blushed. “I need a moment of privacy, if ye dinnae mind.”
It was Robert’s turn to appear embarrassed, two spots of color appearing on his shaven cheeks. “I’m sorry. Of course. I’ll be waiting right outside yer door. The men are gathering in the courtyard, to be of service to ye if need be.”
“Thank ye,” Maggie put one leg out from under the covers tentatively and watched as Robert backed out of the room.This is it. No escaping it.She threw her clothes on quickly and upon opening the door, discovered that Robert had been leaning on the wood as he almost fell into the room. He caught himself just in time, and took her by the arm to lead her outside. Maggie really didn’t need his help, but he had such a tight grip on her arm, she decided not to try to free herself, instead running along at his side. It was apparent from his haste that he was deeply worried about the situation they faced.
As the castle doors opened, Robert turned to her. “We’re here to help ye, remember that.”
“I will,” Maggie said. She drew herself up to her full height and emerged into the sunlight, taking a deep breath.
A dozen large highlanders stood at the base of the castle steps, waiting for her. Others lined the battlements. They were all there—Dylan, Cailin, Cormac, Latharn and many others whom she’d met in the past few days. It gave her confidence a boost as she stood looking out over all of them. They were armed to the teeth with swords, bows and dirks. She had no doubt they would fight to the death, to rid their world of Brielle. Maggie didn’t have any more time for self-doubt, so she addressed them with the most confidence she could possibly muster. “Thank ye all for yer support. ’Twill nae be easy, but I believe we’ll be the victors.”
The men all cheered and raised their weapons high in the air.
“Does anyone have my weapons?” Maggie asked quietly.
Dylan stepped forward, carrying the weapons she had brought with her from Glendaloch. The same weapons Uncle Angus had trained her to use and that had been magically charmed by her Aunt Edna. Maggie briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She came down the steps and walked to the center of the courtyard to face Brielle, who stood about fifty feet away. The men followed, forming a solid wall behind her. Spotting a large lump next to Brielle, Maggie realized that it was Angus curled up in a ball. Why wasn’t he standing?
“What have ye done to my uncle?” Maggie asked, deliberately making her voice loud enough so that Brielle would hear from her position near the gate.
“He’s merely resting,” Brielle answered. It seemed obvious to everyone that she was lying. Why would he choose this moment to rest? It was more likely he was under some spell Brielle had cast.
“If ye wish to fight me, I’m here. Let Angus go. He has no part in this.” Maggie did her best to keep her voice from quivering and her legs from shaking.
“He has much to do with this. He will stay where he is.” Brielle no longer appeared to be Maggie’s doppelganger. She stood before them in what Maggie suspected was her true appearance, but as they watched, she turned herself into an innocent-looking young girl of roughly twelve years of age. Maggie knitted her eyebrows together as she watched.She’s trying to make us see her as a sympathetic creature, so we won’t harm her.Maggie wasn’t about to fall for that and as she glanced back at the men, their expressions confirmed they were of the same mind.
“Maggie, I am going to give ye a choice. I can give ye yer uncle and we’ll agree that I am the victor, or ye can continue on with this ridiculous battle yer auntie has arranged.” Brielle announced this in the sweet voice of a child and with the laugh of an evil witch. Her eyes glowed and embers shot fromthem, landing on Angus’s body. Brielle raised her hand, and as if she were a puppeteer pulling the strings of a marionette, Angus began to rise at her side. He was unconscious, limp and obviously unable to stand on his own. Maggie and the others couldn’t tell if he was alive or already dead.
Maggie fought the urge to run to him and instead waited where she was, for Brielle to make her next move. Patience was needed and she dug deep to find it.
“Well, what’s yer answer?” Brielle tapped her foot impatiently and spun Angus on the spot like a top. “Do ye wish me to harm him, or nae?”
“Nae. I dinnae wish ye to harm him, but how do I know ye havenae already done so, and how do I know ye willnae harm us all once ye have yer way?”
“Hmmm… Mayhap yer right. Ye dinnae ken. Ye’ll have to trust me, willnae ye?” Brielle began lifting Angus into the air.
As Maggie watched, his feet left the ground, and Brielle, seemingly fascinated as she sent Angus higher and higher into the air, watched avidly as well. It was obvious that this was not going to end well, so, while Brielle was preoccupied with her handiwork, Maggie grabbed her bow and one of the charmed arrows Edna had provided and took aim. She needed to shoot straight and true if she were to pierce Brielle’s heart. Her own heart pounded in her chest and her hands shook with the effort, but Maggie still pulled back on the bow with all her might. Just as she was about to let the arrow fly, Brielle turned and glared at her. Eyes the color of molten lava, she transformed back from the young girl to the evil old witch in the blink of an eye. Maggie quickly adjusted her shot and sent the arrow sailing in Brielle’s direction, just as the witch flung a helpless Angus towards them, followed by dozens of flaming arrows that appeared out of nowhere. Maggie’s own arrow dodged to the right and left as it travelled through the air, avoiding the flaming missilesand seeking Brielle’s heart. Brielle spun away and moved in a different direction, but the arrow continued on its path, straight towards her. The men behind Maggie began to duck and dodge the flaming missiles as they approached their positions. Angus hit the ground with a sickening thud, the sound sending shivers of apprehension through Maggie’s skin. Dylan and Cormac risked themselves to drag Angus out of harm’s way and shielded him from the burning arrows that rained down around them. Maggie stood her ground, firm in her resolve to rid the world of Brielle’s evil. She watched Brielle intently and the flames of each arrow fizzled out as soon as they reached her vicinity. She was beginning to understand her own level of power and could sense that she was a far stronger witch than she had ever imagined. The expression on Brielle’s face confirmed she knew it too. She had obviously thought that she could beat Maggie easily and now, Brielle was beginning to realize that was not going to be the case.
In that moment of realization, Maggie’s magical arrow reached Brielle and Maggie couldn’t tell if it met its mark, or if Brielle had simply disappeared. A cloud of black mist where Brielle had stood spun like a miniature tornado and then it was gone. Maggie’s arrow lay on the ground where Brielle had been standing, still in one piece. Maggie ran across to the spot where Brielle had been. She searched the ground for any clues to confirm she had been successful, but there was nothing to be seen. Dylan ran to her, astonishment clear in his expression. He scanned the ground as Maggie had, but he came up with something she had missed. There, hidden by the fletching of the arrow, was an onyx amulet attached to a thin black ribbon. Dylan picked it up and nearly dropped it when it seared his skin. Maggie quickly took it away from him and passed her hand over the burn, healing his hand instantly.
“Was that hers?” Dylan asked, staring at his healed hand in wonder.
“Aye. I believe ’twas. I’m nae sure what to do with it.” The amulet lay in Maggie’s hand, the heat not affecting her at all. It was an unusual piece. Not much to look at, but there was something about it that left her wondering.Where was Brielle? Why did she leave this here?“Do ye think my arrow hit its mark?”
“I don’t know. It was hard to see anything. As soon as the arrow reached her, that black tornado appeared. Do you think she might have gotten away?”
“Not if I truly hit my mark, but I’m afraid I didn’t and she probably escaped unharmed. As for this amulet, I’m going to save it to give to Aunt Edna. She’ll know what to do with it.” Maggie looked back and seeing Angus motionless on the ground, asked the question she was afraid to hear the answer to. “Is he alive?”
“Yes. He’s barely breathing though,” Dylan took her hand and they rushed across to where Angus lay, surrounded by the Breaghacraig men.
