“By whom?”
She hesitated and looked down at her hands. He walked toward her and lifted her chin with his fingers so she had to meet his gaze. Kindness and patience rested there.
“The ravens,” she whispered and waited for him to burst out laughing or call for the guards to take her away. So much for not doubting him.
“You firmly believe that?”
“Aye, I do.”
“Then I do too,” he said and stepped back. “How long is the ride and how long will we need to stay there?”
Elspeth nearly gasped. That was it? He would trust her instincts too. Her pulse picked up a little and she smiled at him. He blinked a few times and smiled back. She didn’t have the words to express her gratitude. Without someone else to help her, she would never admit the like to anyone.
“We should prepare to be there a while,” she said. “There is a storm brewing and I do not know the extent of it yet.”
“I will help you understand,” he said. “Should we tell Freydis? And is she in danger?”
“She already knows. She shared that vision with me.” It was all so incredible. Elspeth had no idea how she could be so certain of something that had absolutely no logic or explanation. Freydis was in a different kind of danger, one that only she and her heart could resolve. But she was not about to tell Magnus that. Freydis’ private feelings were not for anyone to know and Elspeth was not entirely comfortable knowing as much as she did.
“Freydis is not in danger from the MacDomnail’s brother nor any servant here.”
“Then why are you being singled out?”
That was a question she could not answer. Mayhap Donnan was more threatened by her because of her status. Perhaps he felt that someone of Freydis’ standing could be contained whereas Donnan held no power over Elspeth. Either way, she was certain Freydis would come to no harm from him.
“I do not know. But we will leave here and ride hard to the tower-house. Freydis will quell any concerns Saga might have at us leaving in this manner. ”
“Very well, I will secure all the provisions we require and horses. MacDomnail said he will provide us some men for protection as well.”
“We do not need them where we are going,” she said. “We will not be found.”
Magnus nodded and left the chamber. Elspeth sat near the hearth and stared into the fire. Visions of the tower-house floated across her mind’s eye. She could see the path clearly now. The entrance to the wood in which the tower sat was about halfway between MacDomnail Castle and her home. Unease crept into her belly at the thought of those woods. Nana Besse had said they were haunted and to never go there. Not that as a child she would have, and it was curious that the woman would single out the place to a wee one.
But she’d done more than that. Nana Besse had described the entrance as a wooded gateway with vines curved around two large, curved trees that met at an apex several feet high.Do not enter this place alone.She’d gone on to say that the tower had belonged to a wealthy laird many years ago who had succumbed to the advances of Glaistig who’d haunted these parts preying on lonely men. Elspeth didn’t believe in Nana Besse’s old tales, but the tower house was clearly in her mind’s eye now and the more she ruminated on it, the more she was certain she did in fact know the place of which the ravens spoke.
Elspeth leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees, then her face in her hands. She rocked as she watched the fire consume the embers, feeding its insatiable hunger.
Was she going mad? Mayhap she was merely drumming up old memories as an explanation for her episodes. That would mean Freydis was as mad as she and that was not the case. Nay, she must trust herself now more than ever. And if the Glaistig was real and set her faery sights to torment them, Elspeth would send her to the depths from whichever realm she hailed.
She thought of the Father’s teachings. She’d been brought up to believe that forgiveness was divine and that devout people went to Heaven and the damned went to Hell. While she still believed that, some part of her couldn’t help but wonder if that was only part of the story. What if there were many other places a person could go beyond this world? What if there were countless realms where one could find oneself and what if the tower house was one of them?
There were no answers at the moment, but one thing was certain, she was about to find out what being hidden away in a tower with Magnus would entail. Could she keep her hands to herself when all she wanted to do when he was near was to touch and kiss him and more?
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The cart was packed to the brim. Giric had not hesitated to provide them with enough provisions for the winter. And Magnus had never needed to have more blind faith in anyone in his life. He didn’t know where they were going. He didn’t know how long they’d be there, and he didn’t know how he could protect Elspeth without any additional information. Blind faith indeed. He prayed to Odin that he would have the courage for whatever lay ahead. Men he could best when in battle. But these were invisible foe and he possessed no weapons to fight them. If Elspeth were to fall ill from her episodes he had no skills to help her. Before he left he needed to speak with Freydis.
He located her in the kitchen yelling at the cook. Did the woman have to be so disagreeable all the time?
“Freydis, I must speak with you,” he said, intentionally interrupting her. The cook’s grateful smile not lost on him.
“I know all about it,” she said and placed her hands on her hips. “And I do not appreciate being blocked out of knowing exactly where you’re going.”
“Blocked out how?” Now she sounded mad in the head.
“Lady Elspeth will not let me see her visions of the direction to the tower house.”
Magnus pulled her to the side and away from the cook whose brows had shot nearly up to his hairline.
