Page 31 of Highlander’s Dangerous Love

“Just an old woman who hears much,” she replied.

“Are we…are we speaking of the same man?”

“‘Tis for ye tae ken, not me. I only have the information. Ye best get back home, lassie. It gets darker earlier now.”

Gemma nodded, thanking the woman profusely before walking along the cliffs in the direction of her home. But as she looked back for another glimpse of the old woman, she was no longer there. That was incredibly startling to her. Who was she, and had she just appeared out of thin air? How had she gotten into the keep, and what did she mean with her nebulous manner of speaking?

Regardless, it was the first solid lead Gemma had in finding Colin, and as crazy as it sounded, she knew she had to pursue it. This was for love, and she’d do anything for that.

The flickering lightof the forge below cast shadows on the wooden beams of the loft where Colin slept. His body was tense and his breaths came in ragged gasps, punctuated by the occasional whimper. He was dreaming again, but this time, it was a nightmare.

In his dream, Colin saw Gemma in a white gown, walking down the aisle of the village kirk towards Bryce. White flowers adorned the edges of the church pews, and everyone was dressed in their finery. It wasn’t the decorations of the kirk that captured his attention, though. It was the look in Gemma’s eyes. It was like a melancholy he had never seen before. Worse still, Colin could see the hesitation in her step, the uncertainty in her expression. He knew that she didn’t want to be there, that she didn’t love Bryce. But she was trapped, just as he was. As Bryce took Gemma’s hand and began to recite his vows, Colin tried to run forward and stop the wedding. But his feet were rooted to the ground, and he couldn’t move. Even his voice did not work. It was like he was a ghost, invisible to everyone around him. He was forced to watch as Bryce slipped the ring onto Gemma’s finger, sealing their fate.

Colin’s heart felt like it was being ripped from his chest. He loved Gemma more than anything, and he couldn’t bear the thought of her being married to someone else. But there was nothing he could do to stop it, especially not here and now.

The scene changed, and now Colin was standing on a cliff overlooking the sea — the same place where he’d told Gemma he had to leave the clan. The wind was whipping his hair into his eyes, and the waves crashed against the rocks below. He could see Gemma and Bryce standing on the beach, holding hands and laughing.

And then, suddenly, Bryce let go of Gemma's hand and pushed her towards the edge of the water. Gemma stumbled and fell, and Colin screamed as she disappeared beneath the waves. Bryce only stood and watched. In a horrid twist, Gemma’s lifeless body dissipated into foam on the sea. Colin was still rooted to the ground and he could not speak, but Bryce saw him. He turned to fix his gaze toward Colin, a sinister grin stretching across his face. His eyes were blazing red.

He woke up with a start, his heart pounding in his chest. For a moment, he was disoriented, unsure of where he was. But then the memories flooded back, and he realized that he was still in the loft above the blacksmith forge, exiled from his own clan because of Bryce’s lies.

Colin sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream. But it lingered, like a dark cloud over his head. He couldn’t get Gemma out of his mind, couldn’t stop thinking about what might have been if Bryce hadn’t intervened.

He got up and stretched, trying to ease the tension in his muscles. It was still early, and the sun had barely risen over the horizon. But Colin knew that he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. Not after that nightmare.

He descended the ladder from the loft and made his way towards the door of the forge. The air was crisp and cool, and he could feel the dew on the grass beneath his feet. It was a beautiful morning, but Colin couldn't enjoy it. Not when his heart was breaking.

He dressed himself slowly, considering everything he’d seen in the dream. It was the most vivid he’d had in a while. The sight of Gemma being pushed into the water and Bryce’s blazing red eyes was most unsettling.

Above him, his father stirred, and within a few minutes, he climbed carefully down the ladder and joined his son at the doorway.

Neither of them spoke for a minute. This was a sacred time, they’d discovered — the time when the sun finally rose over the hills.

A hush fell over the land as the first sight of the sun crept over the hills. The air was cool and crisp, and the scent of heather and pine lingered on the breeze. The sky was awash in shades of pink and orange, as though the heavens themselves were ablaze.

Slowly but surely, the sun began to climb into the sky. At first, it was just a sliver of golden light, but as it climbed higher and higher, it illuminated the hills with a soft glow. The peaks were shrouded in mist, which began to dissipate as the warmth of the sun grew stronger.

Birds chirped and flitted about in the branches of the trees, their song a sweet accompaniment to the rising sun. The distant roar of the river near the glen only added to the melody.

As the sun rose higher, the hills were bathed in a golden light that seemed to make everything sparkle. The trees and shrubs were tinged with a hint of green, and the heather was a vibrant shade of purple. It was as though the world had come alive in the dawn light, and everything was fresh and new.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still, as though the entire world was holding its breath in anticipation of the new day. And then, with a burst of energy and light, the sun climbed fully over the hills.

It was such a contrast to Colin’s nightmare. If he still had the energy and will to write poetry, he might have written something about it. But no; he had not written since they left. Even if he wanted to, it wasn’t like he had the time. Working in the forge kept him busy enough.

“‘Bonny, isn’t it?” Douglas Frazier said, looking at the orange sun above the green hills.

“Aye,” Colin said softly.

“Ye were up early.”

“I couldnae sleep.”

“Another nightmare?” His father asked.

Colin nodded. “I cannae shake them.”

His father patted his back reassuringly.