“Married to a creature the earth should fear more than any other. The druids captured him. They imprisoned him using the keys. Any one of the six keys can free him. You must not let her get that key.”
“I don’t intend to.” Heather thought about her plans, taking the knife, returning to her own time. Good luck to the old crone finding the key when it was seven hundred years in the future.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Tanya said, drawing her attention back from her plans. “The old crone will bide her time and come to you in your time if you go. There is no hiding from one such as her. You must help Gavin.”
“How do you know all this?”
“I have spent the years here reading all the old books I could find. Learning Latin is not easy by the way but it was worth it. It all comes down to the keys.”
“Why do you care so much?”
“I have an interest in the MacGregors.”
“I can tell that.” She thought about seeing Tanya talking to Gavin outside and jealousy flared inside her once again.
“It is not what you think. Gavin is a brother to me. He is in love with you. You must remain in this time and help him no matter how tempted you are to return to your own time. I know you’re afraid. Natalie was afraid too but she stayed with Wallace and that’s why you’re here. If she gave in to her fear, she would have returned home and Gavin would never have been born. He is the fifth laird to be brought into the world because of the keys. The key you have is the key to saving this castle and this clan. You must not go home.”
Heather got to her feet, shaking her head. “You don’t know what I’m planning. For all you know, I’m going to spend the rest of my life here.”
“I can read people, Heather. I’ve spent years learning the skills the witches used in this time. You are scared and that’s fine. I’d be scared in your position.”
“If you know what I’m thinking so well, what am I planning to do next?”
“I cannot say for sure but I know you want to go home. Am I wrong?”
Heather said nothing.
Tanya got to her feet as well, crossing to the window and looking out. “If you fail, the only sound will be the screams of the dying. Tell me something, why are you here?”
Heather thought for a moment. Tell the truth or lie? Something in Tanya’s expression convinced her she could be trusted. “I’m supposed to take something back to my time.”
“Let me guess. Gavin’s knife.”
“How could you possibly know that?”
“Because that knife was supposed to change history. Don’t look so surprised. I read history books before I came to this time. You think stealing his knife will stop him killing Mungo Frazer. You think that will stop the war that follows, save a lot of lives. That’s why you’re doing this, right?”
Heather nodded slowly, thinking that was true but it wasn’t the whole truth. She wanted her family history changed for the better. That was the real reason for doing this.
“Taking the knife might save lives or it might cost more. Fate has a way of adjusting things. All we can do is make decisions to the best of our abilities. Heather, I want to offer you a piece of advice before you go.”
“What?”
“Don’t think you can fix one problem by causing another. Maybe the problem you think you’re fixing isn’t a problem at all.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You can tell Gavin the truth and share his fate. Fight the old crone together, save us all from destruction. Or you can save yourself from danger, go home, put all this behind you. You might be safe if you do that. For a while at least. But fate will come for you. It can’t be shut out forever. And when it does, you can look it in the eye and know you did the right thing or the wrong thing. It is all up to you. Give Gavin the key to his castle and his clan or keep it for yourself and see what happens.”
“No pressure then.”
“I wish it wasn’t like this. If there was time for you to spend with Gavin alone that would be wonderful but the old crone has changed things. She is organizing the outlaws, she is controlling Mungo Frazer, your ancestor. You must decide where your heart lies. With the Frazers in your time. Or with the MacGregors in this time. No one else can make that choice for you.”
“Look, you care about all this so much. What if I go home but leave you the key?”
“It would not work. I do not have druid blood coursing through my veins, you do. You are the one, Heather. The fate of us all is in your hands. I just pray you will make the right choice.”
“Thanks. Thanks a lot.”
