“It doesnae matter now,” Darach pressed his advantage. “ ’Tis only important tae let go of the past, and all the misconceptions in it. ’Tis time tae live in hope. No’ regret. Ye did yer best by your country. Be proud o’ that and go now.Ye’ve earned the right tae spend eternity with yer wife and child.”
Still, Guthrie seemed troubled, unsure. “But…what if she’s no’ willin’ tae forgive me?”
Darach considered Guthrie’s words, saw his pain, and suddenly, sensed the truth. “Could it be ’tis no’ her forgiveness ye’re needin’, laddie, but yer own?”
In that instant, something significant shifted inside Darach, something he knew he needed to examine, but he dinnae dare stop now, to do it. He watched Guthrie’s surprise turn to understanding, then to resolve. Several minutes passed as he took long, uneasy breaths. “Och! ’Tis a strange notion,” he finally said, “letting go of so much.” A slow smile softened his face. “And an even stranger sensation.”
Darach could almost see the layers peel away and a light gently begin to glow around Guthrie. Smiling, the specter opened his mouth to say something, glanced over Darach’s shoulder, and staggered back.
At the same time, tiny hairs on Darach’s neck raised, sending a shudder down his spine.
“ ’Tis my opinion yer last words, are equally significant for yerself, number 74. Shall I repeat them? Let’s see…‘Could it be, ’tis no’ her forgiveness ye need, laddie, but yer own?’”
Soncerae!Darach whirled. “What…what are ye doing here?”
Soni pouted, prettily. “ ’Tis good tae see ye too, 74.”
“I thought…but, the day isnae over yet.” Darach’s comment sounded peevish, even to him. Ashamed, he acknowledged her with a respectful bow. “My apologies, Soni. ’Tis verra good tae see ye.”
Soncerae smiled. “I suppose I am a bit early, but I had…um…a couple of other errands in the neighborhood, so...” As she spoke, a hooded, cloaked figure appeared beside her.
Was that one of the twin witches who’d been at his departure from the moor?But, why only one this time?
Soncerae wiggled her fingers and the hooded cloak fell away. At first, Darach thought the figure had disappeared altogether, but ’twas no’ true. The ghostly form of a young woman hovered beside Soni, eyes locked on Guthrie.
“Keita!” Guthrie cried as the two spirits moved toward one other. “I cannae believe ’tis really ye. ’Tisfinallyye!”
“William,” she whispered, flowing into his arms. “How I’ve missed ye.”
“What kept ye so long, love?” Guthrie agonized. “The waitin. ’Twas almost beyond bearin’.”
Keita pulled back a little. “Me? ’Tis been ye thatI’vewaited for, William.”
The big warrior’s brows knifed together. “What mean ye, by that? I’ve been in agony waitin’ for ye tae come for me. I’ve prayed daily, for yer return, for yer forgiveness.”
Keita put her ghostly fingers to Guthrie’s cheek. “ ’Twas no’ my forgiveness we’ve all been waitin’ on, my love, but yer own. Before I could come, ye had tae forgive yerself, in order tae make room for all the love yer family has tae give ye. ’Twas no room before, when yer heart was filled with such self-contempt.”
“Ah, love, ’tis daft, I’ve been.” He pulled her close, then instantly reared back again. “The bairn?”
“She waits for us,” Keita assured him.
Guthrie beamed his pleasure. “Alass!I’ve dreamed of a lass as brave and honest as…” he nodded toward the door, “that one.”
Darach looked where Guthrie had indicated and gasped as Emily, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape, waved timidly from inside Tessa’s tight grasp. He’d been so caught up in Guthrie’s and Keita’s reunion, he’d failed to notice Tessa and Emily’s arrival. How long had they been there? Although Emily seemed enchanted despite her wariness, Tessa looked completely stricken. She’d backed them up against the wall, and beneath her flow of dark hair, her wide emerald eyes appeared stark in a face drained of color. Her appearance, almost as translucent as the actual ghosts, alarmed Darach.
“What are you doing here?” he rushed toward them. “What happened? Is something wrong?”
“We…had a flat tire.” Tessa’s voice, barely audible, sounded hollow, as she stared trans-like at Soni and the two ghosts.
“And, we had to walk back,” Emily added. “It took forever! See?” She stuck out a foot to display a mud-crusted shoe. “Aunt Tess was upset ’cause the rental car man said everything was good.”
When Soncerae cleared her throat and lifted her shoulder in a dainty shrug, Darach tossed her an accusatory glare before turning back to Tessa. “Are ye okay, Tess?”
Tessa’s anxious look skittered from Soni to the ghosts and back to Darach, as if expecting him to explain away a scary prank. “What is this?”
“Who is that?” Emily asked simultaneously, pointing wide-eyed, at Soni. “Why’s that lady wearing a cape? How does she make that green stuff floating around the bottom, swirl around like that?” Pulling away from Tessa’s grasp, she leaned closer to Darach, her brown eyes full of uncertainty. “She kinda looks like a witch, doesn’t she? Do you think she is?”
Darach cast an uncertain glance at Tessa as he knelt to answer Emily’s questions. “Aye, lass. But she’s averragoodwitch. Ye ken the difference, dinnae ye, Emily?”
“Yes,” Em responded, thoughtfully. “There’s a good witch in Wizard of Oz, who helped Dorothy get home.”
Darach’s heart tripped. “Well, that’s exactly what Soncerae is here tae do. She’s going tae help Jack get home.” He looked up at Tess. “And me, tae…where I belong.”
Tess, seemingly caught somewhere between shock and disbelief, dinnae appear to have heard him. She stared first at Soni, then at Guthrie and Keita, as if she could actually see them. “They’re…” She swayed, blinked, shook her head. “Impossible.”
Darach stood, steadied her. “Och! Ye see them, then?” Despite the scare Tessa had received, he was inordinately pleased. “They’re real, Tessa. Realspirits, ye ken.”
“They’re spirits,” she repeated, shakily. “But, not her.” Tessa said, faintly, indicating Soni. “Because she’s a…witch?”
“Aye, and as mortal as ye are. ’Tis Soncerae. Ye’ll recall I mentioned she’d be coming for me.”
