Chapter 34
Scott saw the light beam from the kitchen window land on the ground, drawing his attention. He couldn’t see the window itself or inside, but he knew Elodie was up. Did she have another nightmare? Was it as bad as the others? Was she okay? He wanted to go to her, to offer her comfort.
But she wouldn’t take it.
Not that he blamed her. He had no excuse.
She was right. He should’ve been upfront with her from the beginning.
Why hadn’t he? It was too late to think about that.
What was done, was done. He glanced at Filip, who was sleeping on top of some boards.
Filip had surprised him by staying, but perhaps Scott shouldn’t have been shocked.
Kevin certainly wouldn’t have left. Filip was more like his brother than he knew.
Scott wished Kevin were here. He’d always been the voice of reason.
Scott had friends, but he allowed few as close as he had Kevin.
Scott looked back at the house. Elodie had gotten that close without even knowing it.
But he had known. He had felt it. And he’d been unprepared for it.
Worse, he’d been ill-equipped to handle it, which was why he was in his current predicament.
He would make it up to Elodie. Somehow. No matter how long it took.
She might never trust him again or reach for him, but he would ensure she was safe.
He looked at the sky, wondering when the mist would return.
It wanted Elodie, and he didn’t think it would give up so easily.
Was that what had been killing the Druids on Skye?
It certainly moved quickly enough. Not to mention, it could easily gain entry. The real dilemma was figuring out who controlled it. It could be anyone. They could be on Skye, or Edinburgh, or the other side of the globe.
He would find out. The murderers needed to be stopped.
Scott ran a hand through his hair. It was cold in the garage.
He imagined himself lying before the fire next to Elodie, holding her in his arms. That night had been perfect in every way.
There had been no hiding from her beautiful, pale blue gaze.
And he hadn’t wanted to. He had bared himself to her as he had never done before.
She had seen him. All of him. And still wanted him.
A woman of stunning beauty had chosen him. She had left him breathless and wishing for a spell to halt time. Perhaps he’d known what was coming. Maybe he’d realized that night would be the first and only one he’d have like that.
Filip wanted him to tell Elodie about his feelings. Scott wasn’t sure he could. What he felt for her was more than love. It was…everything. In her anger, she would likely reject his words—whether he deserved it or not. That wasn’t something he could handle. Not from her.
He searched the sky again through the small slit in the door. He didn’t see anything. Scott yawned and rubbed his cold hands together to create heat. He pulled out his mobile and thought about texting Elodie to check on her but he didn’t want to find out if she had blocked him.
His phone buzzed to alert him that he had received a text.
It was from George. She wanted an update.
This was her fourth text today. She was getting irritated by his silence.
Scott couldn’t put her off much longer. He had already decided that he would stay on Skye for as long as he could.
Until Rhona and Balladyn forced him to leave, anyway.
He hadn’t been able to save Kevin, but he would Elodie.
He returned his mobile to his back pocket with a sigh and folded his arms across his chest. His thoughts slid to the woman who held his heart.
He wondered what she was doing. Had she called someone?
Was she scared? He searched the few windows he could see from his vantage point, but he hadn’t spotted any shadows moving across them.
The light was on in the kitchen, which meant she was still up.
The sound of Filip’s phone buzzing drew Scott’s attention. Filip stirred and reached for his mobile in his coat pocket. He pulled it out and looked at the screen before lifting his gaze to Scott. “It’s George.”
“Bloody hell. I was hoping to put her off for another day.”
Filip shook his head. “She’s pretty pissed. We have to tell her something.”
Scott blew out a breath and palmed his mobile. “I’ll do it.”
“I doona mind.”
Scott was already typing.
Filip sat up and swung his legs over the side of the stack of lumber he’d bought earlier that day. “What are you saying?”
“I’m telling her that things are taking longer than we’d hoped. I’m also filling her in on the deaths here.”
Filip yawned and scratched his head. “That should buy us the time we need.”
George’s answer was quick. Scott looked up at Filip and shrugged. “She wants an update on Elodie.”
“What are you going to tell her?”
Scott shrugged. “I still believe in George’s mission.”
“Just no’ that it involves Elodie.”
“It can no’,” Scott stated. “She doesna have magic.”
Filip placed his hands on either side of his legs on the lumber. “You’ll have to tell George sooner or later. Would it no’ be better to get it over with now?”
“Maybe.”
“Tell her,” Filip urged. “If she tells us to come home, doona reply. We’ll go when we feel like it.”
Scott eyed Filip. “You doona have to follow what I do.”
“We’re in this together.”
Scott smiled and nodded. He typed out the text to George and hit send. Scott watched for the bubbles that would alert him to George responding, but there was nothing. “That isna good.”
“No reply?”
“No’ yet.”
Filip pushed to his feet. “Doona worry. We’ll get a response.”
No sooner had he said that than Filip’s phone vibrated. He and Scott exchanged a look.
Filip read the message. “She’s asking me if Elodie has magic.”
“She thinks I’m lying.” For some reason, that offended Scott deeply. He’d never been anything but honest with George.
Filip tapped on his phone screen. “I’m letting her know that Elodie told us both about it.”
Shortly after he sent the reply, there was another ding.
Filip tucked the phone into his pocket again. “She wants us back.”
“You’d better go.”
“I told you, I’m no’ leaving,” Filip stated.
Scott shook his head. “You doona want George as an enemy.”
“I’ll return to Edinburgh when it suits me. No’ a moment before.”
Scott nodded once to Filip before turning back to Elodie’s house. George would send more people to make sure Elodie had really lost her magic. Scott needed to prepare Elodie for that—if she listened.
But he knew someone who would: Rhona.
“I know that look,” Filip said. “What are you planning?”
“George willna give up so easily. Elodie probably willna listen to either of us, but she would Rhona.”
Filip’s lips flattened. “If you tell Rhona and Balladyn everything, it’ll prevent anyone from bothering Elodie again.”
“And make you leave your home.”
Filip shrugged. “I came here despising Skye and my past here. I see it differently now. I also came thinking black and white lines had been drawn, and that I’d be able to see where everyone fit in. That was na?ve. Kevin’s death changed a lot for me. I see Skye with different eyes. I feel it now.”
“Druids are still dying.”
“They are, and George saw a way.” Filip shrugged. “Who’s to say George’s way is the only one, though?”
“Good point.”
“So…Rhona?”
Scott nodded slowly. “Looks like it.” He parted his lips to call Balladyn’s name when the entire garage shuddered.
He and Filip stilled, listening.
“Was that…drums?” Filip whispered, fear and shock coloring his voice.
“The Ancients,” Scott murmured as he turned to Elodie’s cottage.
Kerry’s power surged with the death of the two Druids.
She wished she could be nearby when Rhona saw what was left of them.
It made her smile, thinking of the horror and shock Rhona and Balladyn would feel.
If they were as powerful as everyone thought, they would know it was her.
The fact that they didn’t, proved she was the one with the real power.
The ground beneath her shook for a heartbeat, followed by one deafening drumbeat. Then it was gone. Kerry kept perfectly still as she looked around. But nothing else happened.
“Ancients?” she called.
Two full minutes passed before she heard the voice. “Someone’s coming to Skye that doesn’t belong anymore. Stop Elias.”
Kerry immediately split the mist in two. One would be at the ferry port, and the other at the base of the bridge from the mainland. One way or another, she would stop him.
Rhona gasped at the deafening sound of the single drumbeat. It had been some time since she’d heard the Ancients, but she hadn’t thought anything of it. It wasn’t as if she had a direct line to them. They spoke if and when they wished. Not one second before.
“What is it?” Balladyn asked from beside her.
She shook her head, her heart still pounding. “I don’t know. It was the Ancients.”
“What did they say?”
“Nothing. It was just a drumbeat.”
He made a sound in the back of his throat. “That shook the house?”
Yeah, she didn’t understand that either. If the Ancients wanted her attention, all they had to do was speak to her. She’d never heard about them shaking buildings before. Yet it showed her how powerful they truly were.
The knock on her door startled her. Balladyn gave her a look before he disappeared. A second later, he reappeared and opened the door at the same time he said, “Ulrik, Eilish.”
Rhona went to greet the Dragon King and his Druid mate. “What brings you two here?”
“Did you feel it?” Eilish asked, her eyes wide.
Rhona nodded. Before she could say anything else, someone cleared their throat behind the couple. Ulrik ushered Eilish inside so Rhona could see Broc’s indigo Warrior wings folding as he tamped down the primeval god inside him. Beside him was his wife and Druid, Sonya.
Sonya’s amber eyes looked at Eilish, and she said, “We came for the same reason.”
“One drumbeat,” Rhona said as unease filled her.
Sonya and Eilish nodded. For those from Dreagan and MacLeod Castle to have felt the same thing that she had on Skye wasn’t a coincidence.
“The Ancients are trying to tell us something,” Sonya said.
Eilish rubbed her hands together. “Do either of you have any idea what it is?”
Rhona glanced at Balladyn before nodding. “I might. Someone is killing Druids.”
“When did this start?” Ulrik demanded, his gold eyes blazing with anger.
Broc nodded his head of blond hair. “Point us in the direction of whoever’s responsible. We’ll take care of it.”
“If only it were that easy,” Balladyn said.
Elias rubbed his eyes. Shite, he was weary. He’d had little sleep for the past three nights. All he had planned for tonight was to catch up on some rest. He wished he would’ve had time to talk to his mum, but he didn’t want to chance waiting another moment to get to Elodie.
He drove over the bridge to Skye and adjusted in his seat. He tilted his head to the side and popped his neck before turning it to the other side. His body wouldn’t be able to take much more. If he weren’t careful, he would find himself in a battle he couldn’t win. That wouldn’t be tonight, though.
“Hold on, little sis. I’m coming,” he murmured.
Elias hoped Edie had gone to the cottage, but he knew she hadn’t. She didn’t have any idea what was going on. Neither of his sisters did. He’d kept it that way on purpose, but now he realized that had put them in danger. Elodie was never meant to return to Skye.
He increased his speed when he saw the end of the bridge approaching. Finally, he’d reached the isle. If he drove the speed limit, it would take exactly twenty-six minutes to get to the cottage. At this hour, no one was on the road, and he had every intention of speeding.
The instant his wheels touched the island, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Elias barely had time to react before it slammed into the side of his SUV and flipped it.