“Such is my challenge.”
A knock sounded at the door, so Alex bid the person to enter. Avelina peeked around the corner. “I think I belong in this meeting, do I not, Logan?”
He pursed his lips and nodded, waving her inside. Once the door closed behind her, he said, “The Queen of the Fae apparently only trustsyou, Lina.”
His sister’s eyes twinkled. “You’re upset that a woman has control of something you don’t, are you not?”
Alex chuckled. “The queen chose a strong-minded, intelligent Ramsay. The only way she could have chosen better is if she’d given the sword to a Grant.”
Logan cast him a glare, accompanied by a harrumph that could likely be heard in the hall. “It clearly belonged with a Ramsay, and I’ll admit she did a fine job. She held on to it without any fuss, and we’ve had many years of peace. Still, it could have been me.”
“Logan, you’ve always ridden your horse around Scotland with a target firmly square on your back. I don’t think you would qualify for what they needed.”
Another glare, although there was an edge of humor to it. Shaking her head slightly, Avelina pulled a package swathed in a plaid out of her bag. She carefully unwrapped it and presented it to Alex, handing it to him across the desk. “Erena, Queen of the Fae, said you will know who to give it to.”
They all stared at the small sword, which was a thing of beauty with its inset gemstones and the strange sheen that could be seen in any lighting. It looked as if it belonged in a case somewhere.
“’Tis not the least bit dull after all the years,” Alex remarked.
“Nay, it looks the same to me,” Lina said, leaning over to run her hand down the hilt. “I expect its power to vanquish evil remains unchanged too.”
“Can it be used against a king?” Alex asked.
“I would say if it’s a king with a truly evil heart, then aye. ’Tis Scottish, so the meaning of it is to save the people of its land from whatever evil befalls us.”
“Have you any advice as the previous guardian of the sword?”
“There must be someone in your clan who is special. I think I was chosen for my restraint. I suspect it should go to someone in the younger generation, under four decades. Someone you would trust to guard it well and use it for the good of the people of Scotland.”
Alex said, “That thought is helpful. It eliminates all my bairns.”
“Aye, they’re too old.”
He held it out to look at it. “My mother would have loved to see this. She believed in it whole-heartedly, although I’m not sure my sire did. Did Erena offer any other advice?”
“Nay, not a word,” Logan blurted out.
Avelina shook her head slightly again, her lips tipping up at her brother’s hasty reply. “The person who finds it must marry within two moons in order to keep it. Otherwise their family or clan will suffer.”
“So it must be someone unmarried.”
“Aye. I asked her if I was to tell you about the legend, and she said the one who is to receive the sword is too young to marry but has already chosen his or her mate. So the rule does not apply this time.”
Logan snapped his fingers. “How could I forget that?”
“I told you, you’re getting old,” Alex said. “And this is yet another reason Erena chose the right protector for the sword.”He fidgeted at the desk, thinking. “Too young to marry. Already chosen their mate.”
Logan grumbled a bit, but he ignored his friend, lost in thought. The answer came to him in a flash, so obvious he wondered why it had taken him so long.
Because you’re getting old too, a voice supplied.
No matter. He knew who the new guardian of the sapphire sword would be.
Chapter Sixteen
Alex meets with the group to make plans to save Chrissa, Astra, Drostan, and Hendrie…
Alex didn’t like that they’d heard nothing about Chrissa yet. No ransom request had arrived, and none of the patrols had found any evidence of Chrissa or Drostan. Kyla was sick with worry, and Alex feared she’d go out on her own to find her daughter. The two were more alike than they cared to admit.
