I frowned at how he stuttered saying her name, but had no chance to comment on it before Ellie swung down from her horse and redirected my attention. “And you, Grant.” She eyed the area dubiously and chattered on, seemingly determined to steer us away from this location. “You’re sure this spot will be safe for the night?”
Shaking her head, she frowned, yet, oddly enough, seemed quite agreeable to heeding my king’s wishes now.
“I'm not so sure,” she rambled on, “and we need to be certain. King Robert has requested I go to MacLeod Castle, and of course I’ll do as he asked, but—”
“I’m certain this location isverrasafe, lass,” Grant interrupted, clearly suspecting she was going to prattle on when I sensed she wouldn’t normally. If anything, based on how quiet she’d been thus far, I would say she was typically more introspective and preferred fading into the background so she could quietly assess things.
Grant gestured at the small cave before he noted thunder rumbling in the distance. “’Twill be a good spot to weather the incoming storm.”
“Right.” Ellie's eyes narrowed and shot to Adlin. “You said the weather would be fine tonight.”
“Did I?” Adlin asked far too innocently before shrugging. “’Tis Scotland, lass. Even an old, seasoned wizard like myself isnae always capable of forecasting the weather around here.” He winked at Grant. “’Tis as unpredictable as old friends in the Hereafter, aye? Ye rarely see them until they are upon ye.”
“Indeed,” Grant declared, matching his grin. “But do we not enjoy the unpredictable, as it can be quite entertaining?”
“Aye,” Adlin replied, beaming from Ellie, who wore the same dubious frown as I did, then back to me.
“Och,” I muttered under my breath, because I knew things were about to get interesting despite how honored I was to bein the presence of two such infamous wizards, even if one was a ghost. I had long heard the many stories about how they acted when they were together. How they were notorious for being one step ahead of everyone, understanding things others didn’t, and having great fun with it.
I swung down from my horse and grunted, “This should be quite the journey home.”
“One would hope,” Adlin agreed, dismounting as well but still sporting his never-ending smile. How else could it be now his closest friend was here with him, however ethereal he might be, and I suspected Grant intended to travel with us all the way to MacLeod Castle.
If we have no other choice, I guess it's okay,” Ellie conceded and sighed, eyeing the small cave carved into the rock. Looking that way as well, I was shocked I hadn’t recognized it sooner, but in my defense, the vegetation around it had changed.
Not just that, but the last time I was here, I was in a dark place.
Grief-stricken over losing Elowyn.
Yet before I could say I would prefer to go elsewhere, Ellie chanted a small fire into the long-abandoned firepit, showing she did indeed use her magic effortlessly, unlike her sisters when they first arrived.
If that weren't enough, given I was hungrier than I thought, she chanted a cauldron over the fire and looked at me and Adlin. “We can certainly eat some of what King Robert sent with us, but I thought you might prefer one of Hazel’s stews tonight. She gave me the recipe years ago.” She gave Grant a sympathetic look. “Sorry you can’t sample it from where you are.”
“’Tis quite alright,” he replied, almost, to my dragon ears, speaking carefully now rather than saying what he truly meant. “The Hereafter has its own set of delights.”
“No doubt it does,” she conceded, chanting us small wooden tables with bowls and mugs as I tied off the horses in an area thick with tree cover to protect them from the elements. By the time I joined her and Adlin, there were chairs around the fire as well. Better yet, there was whisky in the mugs as I sat and sipped, pleased to discover its robust woody flavor.
Doing my best to ignore Ellie’s increasingly alluring scent as she ladled stew into the bowls, I focused on Grant, who leaned against the cave wall, admiring the autumn forest. It was awash in a sunset nearly as brilliant as it had been when I was here last. The lighting had been as unique then as it was now, igniting everything in a soft pink born of a sun setting at the edge of a storm.
“’Tis truly stunning, is it not?” Grant asked softly, taking it all in.
“’Tis,” Adlin agreed, eyeing the leaves as they broke free from their branches, dancing and twirling in the pink light. “As only Scotland can be.”
For a moment, I allowed myself to envision what I swore I saw the last time I was here.
Although brief and fleeting, I was convinced I saw Elowyn. She was caught in the same stunning pink ignited by the dying sun, as she danced and swirled like the leaves, in a beautiful white dress, smiling back at me. I felt her presence so intently, it could only mean even in death she would always be by my side, if not in body, then in spirit.
That had been years ago, but I held onto the memory, certain that despite my anguish, I would see her again someday. That she wasn’t really gone. I realized now how fanciful that was, yet still, there was a small part of me that hoped and prayed because I’d never loved anyone so fiercely, whether she was dragon or not.
Startled from my reverie, I looked up when Ellie spoke, only to find her standing in front of me with a bowl of stew, encouraging me to take it, the kindness in her beautiful brownish gold eyes ensnaring me.
“Please, Tavish,” she urged. “You should eat.”
I blinked, trying to separate a memory from the here and now. She seemed as awash in the sunset’s brilliant pink as Elowyn had appeared seconds before. In fact, for the briefest moment, I saw Elowyn’s lovely visage reflected back in Ellie’s eyes, yet a blink of disbelief later, it was gone, and I realized I was letting long-buried emotions get the better of me.
“Thank ye,” I managed gruffly, taking the bowl, hoping my anguish didn't come across in my voice but instead the civil, if not distant tone I had long perfected. Not just to keep my heart protected, but because no one had come close to invoking those kinds of feelings again. “’Tis much appreciated.”
“Of course,” she said softly, her gaze lingering on my face for a moment before she seemed to force herself to look away and served Adlin, then herself. Although she said little after that, as Adlin and Grant chatted away as if Grant wasn’t an apparition of all things, I got the sense she remained as aware of me as I was of her.
