“Hug me back you big oaf. I do not know when I will see you again.”
“You make it sound like one of us will not survive this,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed.
A moment later she pulled out of his embrace and without another word left the kitchen. Magnus was left scratching his head. She was troubled, of that he had no doubt. But he couldn’t spend another moment worrying about her cryptic messages. He needed to collect Elspeth and get on the road.
As he was leaving the kitchen, the cook approached him with something wrapped in a cloth. “Some warm bread for your travels,” he said. “I like your lady. I would like her to be safe as well.”
Magnus took the bread and nodded at the man. He’d heard far more than Magnus cared for and when he was outside promptly gave the bread a hard toss across the bailey. Unless he had a very good reason, he wouldn’t be trusting anyone easily for quite some time.
Once the cart and horses were completely secure he turned to retrieve Elspeth only to find her walking toward him wearing a dark hooded cloak like the one he’d seen her wear in Dublin.
“Do we have weapons?” she asked as she lifted the corner of one piece of canvas to spy inside the cart.”
“We do.”
“And will you train me in swordplay when we reach our destination?”
“I will.”
“Very well. I am ready, Magnus. Let us begin our journey.”
“You are certain you do not wish to wait until your brother returns with your belongings from your home?”
“I do not wish to wait, nay. I have spoken with your sister and left a message with her as to what he will need to know. She agrees that the less anyone knows, the better for all involved. She is not happy we will be leaving here, but she understands the necessity.”
“Then let us ride whilst we still have plenty of daylight.”
Magnus helped her onto her horse then mounted his. The cart was tied to his horse so their travel would be slow but they should be able to make good travel time that day because of the dry roads.
Once outside of the bailey, the gates were closed behind them. He never felt so separated from everything he knew in his life. Even when he’d travelled, he always had someone with him and he always knew the rules of the world. Or so he thought. This journey was unlike anything he’d ever encountered and though the pathway for Elspeth was clear, it was not so for him.
He watched as she occasionally looked overhead as if looking for something. Did she think the ravens would guide them to this tower? And what would he do if they suddenly appeared and led the way? He’d likely fall off his horse is what he’d do. Believing something and seeing it with one’s own eyes were two different things.
* * *
They’d been riding for what felt like days, but could only have been a few hours. Elspeth scanned every tree she could think of until her eyes were tired from the effort. Though she could see the path clearly and had no doubt she was going in the proper direction, she was not sure of the distance to the gateway. She’d travelled this road many times and had never seen anything like what Nana Besse had described that she could see so clearly at the moment in her mind.
“Are you certain it is visible from the road?” Magnus asked.
Thankfully he hadn’t been badgering her about it, but it was a valid question and she truly didn’t know the answer.
And then she did.
Ahead and to the left the trees looked different. They were more curved and as they approached it was clear that vines had woven their way around two curved trees. Beyond lay more thick forest, but it did in fact resemble a gateway or doorway of some sort. She was about to find out if she was having delusional memories coupled with a complete mental breakdown, or if, in fact, she was the source of an incredible gift.
“This is it?” Magnus asked.
“Aye. You sound disappointed.”
“I expected something bigger,” he said. “And with shiny stones around it. Something worthy of the gods. Not a few curly sticks and more woods.”
Laughter erupted from her. His jest wasn’t really that honourous, but perhaps the tension had gotten to her for now she was doubled over her horse gasping for breath.
“Are you ready to go through?” he asked when she settled down again.
She wiped the laugher induced tears from her eyes and nodded. As she approached the trees her neck tingled. Softly at first then so much so to the point of burning. She drew a steadying breath and relaxed her shoulders. The tingling immediately settled. She had to remember to let the sensation flow through her, else she could be on the ground unconscious.
As she passed through the threshold, calm settled over her. It was as if all the cares of the past few days and weeks disappeared and she was truly safe. She looked behind her to see Magnus’s reaction, but he was nowhere to be seen. She dismounted and looked all around but could’t find him anywhere. Fear coiled around her heart when she realized she could also no longer see the gateway.
