“Elen. How nice to see you?” Barra turned. “I see you have brought a guest who can see us; therefore, she must be special.”
“Aye. This is Lady Siena and I believe she has the power to be a healer and a seer, however, she has trouble controlling her powers,” Elen explained, then she turned to Siena.
“This is Barra,” Elen said with a swish of her hand.
“Hello, Barra,” Siena said.
“Milady, you seek my help?”
“If you can help me … I’d be most grateful.”
“Will you permit me to land on your hand, Siena?” Barra asked.
Siena nodded and held out her arm. Barra flew over and landed on the back of Siena’s hand. It tickled, but Siena kept her hand steady as not to make the fairy frightened.
“Ah, I sense great strength in you, milady, and you will do good things. Therefore, you will always have our help when you need us.”
“Thank you.”
Barra withdrew a pink stone, a yellow-colored stone, a blue stone, and a red ruby stone and placed them on Siena’s palm, then she flew back to the others. “Always keep the stones with you and turn them over and over in your hand when you need something. There is magic inside the stones. Just as there is magic inside yourself but tell no one that you have them.”
Siena examined the pink stone. It was very pretty and smooth. It looked like there were sparkles on the inside trying to escape. “Thank you. I hope one day that I become the person that everyone thinks I am.”
“Give it time,” Barra said, then she looked at Elen. “I believe it is getting ready to snow, Elen. Best get back to the castle. You know how your bones ache in the cold.” Then in a swoosh the fairies had all disappeared, however giggles could be heard beneath the mound.
* * *
Once they were safely backin the castle, Elen said, “Such a powerful gift ye have.” She wrinkled her nose and nodded as if she came to a conclusion. “I think ye should go back to the cave and find the verra spot where ye left Michael. Look around for something the child might have touched like a smooth stone. Take the stone and keep turning it over and over in yer hand. If you still have no visions, then bring the stone back with ye and we’ll try a couple of other things. Perhaps the fairy’s stones will help. However, it might take time to learn the way of the stones.”
Siena stopped in front of Elen’s room. “Thank you for helping me. Roderick wanted to go to the cave so perhaps we can go today. Let’s hope I can learn something that will be useful.”
“I sense a storm is brewin’ like the fairies thought, so do be careful,” Elen said. Aye, she thought there was a storm brewing both outside and with the laird.
She smiled. ’Twas time someone stirred her laird in wanting to live again.
* * *
Several hours had passedby the time Siena met Roderick in the great hall. A kitchen servant passed her as she scurried out of the room not bothering to greet Siena. It appeared Roderick was putting something into a bag. He closed the bag and looked up as she approached. “Are ye ready to leave, lass?”
“Should I have Agatha get ready to go?”
“Nay, lass. We will not be gone long.”
Siena decided not to argue since she was a guest in his home, and it would save Agatha from going out into the wintery weather. “Let me retrieve my cloak.”
In no time, Siena was back wrapped in her purple cloak. Roderick handed her his plaid.
“I don’t understand,” Siena said. “What do I do with it?”
He took the plaid and wrapped it around her shoulders and then tossed the remainder over her left shoulder. “There. ’Tis verra cold outside and snowin’. Nothing like a plaid to keep ye warm.”
“Should we wait and go another time?”
“Nay.” He picked up the bag and headed toward the door.
Siena wondered if Roderick was a man of few words. He sure hadn’t used many around her, and she had no idea what he was thinking or how he felt. Nevertheless, she followed him outside like an obedient puppy. An icy breath of fresh air hit her in the face. She gasped.
Good Lord, it had gotten colder.
