Page 140 of Edge of Yesterday

Lennox snorted. "No one will believe the tale. Christ, I cannae fathom it myself. I suspect that if Crowe performed magic in front of all of Heatheredge some would still say it never happened. The man is an eel."

“He said he would make ye disappear, Cailean. What do he mean?” Julianna asked. “He had something to do with Agnes and Malcolm’s disappearances, did he no’? Bruce, as well. Bruce worked as Father’s head stable master for over thirty years. I never believed he simply ran away. Now ye know I wasnae mistaken, Lennox, when I told ye that he made his staff disappear.”

Lennox shrugged. "Black magic is one thing. Making a man disappear is another. We must speak with Alex. God only knows what Crowe would tell him if someone is no’ there to counsel him otherwise."

“Crowe can’t hurt me,” Cailean said.

“Ye are a fool if you believe that,” Lennox said. “He may no’ be able to make ye disappear, as he says, but he can have ye hanged—and dinnae think he can no’ make it seem as if you have disappeared. Julianna isnae wrong. Three others have disappeared. Dead or magic, they are still gone.”

“Cailean cannae go before Crowe at Heatheredge Tower,” Julianna said.

“He can’t make me disappear,” Cailean said.

“But—”

“Wait,” he cut her off. “What I mean is, I think he needs an athame.”

She frowned and he realized she didn’t understand.

“An athame is a tool used to direct energy,” he said.

Then she understood. “The dagger.”

“The dagger,” he agreed.

She turned to Lennox. “Ye must go to Alex.”

“Lennox shook his head. “Not I.”

Julianna knew what he was about to say. She shook her head.

He nodded. “Aye. Father must go.”

~*~

They rode through the gates of Raghnall, reached the bailey, and Cailean helped Julianna from her horse. The they hurried toward the castle.

There was no turning back. Cailean had done away with the vehicle Val used to move people through time. He would live out the rest his days here with Julianna. His only regret was Ginny. God forgive him for abandoning her. She would eventually meet a man and fall in love, have children. She never talked about it, and he knew the idea terrified her, but she wanted a family. That’s when she would forget—mostly—and he prayed that time came soon.

Lennox didn’t understand all that was going on, but he understood enough to help Cailean rid the world of Crowe. Once that was done, they could live in safety. Cailean could never tell them the truth. A twenty-first century man traveling back to their time was simply beyond their comprehension.

Fourteenth century Scotland.

Was he ready?

Julianna’s shoulder brushed his.

Was he ready?

Yes.

They reached the door and Cailean pulled it open and let them proceed him inside.

In the foyer, Lennox said, "If we are fortunate, Father will be in his privy solar."

Cailean had no idea where that was, realized he really knew nothing about Raghnall, and followed Lennox and Julianna into the great hall. They turned down a short hallway and stopped before a closed door. Lennox knocked, then eased the door open and stepped aside. Ravenstone sat in a well-furnished room, studying what looked to Cailean like the household finances.

He looked up, smiled, then his expression sobered "Why are ye dressed like beggars?"