Chapter 13 #3
As Maggie watched, his feet left the ground, and Brielle, seemingly fascinated as she sent Angus higher and higher into the air, watched avidly as well.
It was obvious that this was not going to end well, so, while Brielle was preoccupied with her handiwork, Maggie grabbed her bow and one of the charmed arrows Edna had provided and took aim.
She needed to shoot straight and true if she were to pierce Brielle’s heart.
Her own heart pounded in her chest and her hands shook with the effort, but Maggie still pulled back on the bow with all her might.
Just as she was about to let the arrow fly, Brielle turned and glared at her.
Eyes the color of molten lava, she transformed back from the young girl to the evil old witch in the blink of an eye.
Maggie quickly adjusted her shot and sent the arrow sailing in Brielle’s direction, just as the witch flung a helpless Angus towards them, followed by dozens of flaming arrows that appeared out of nowhere.
Maggie’s own arrow dodged to the right and left as it travelled through the air, avoiding the flaming missiles and seeking Brielle’s heart.
Brielle spun away and moved in a different direction, but the arrow continued on its path, straight towards her.
The men behind Maggie began to duck and dodge the flaming missiles as they approached their positions.
Angus hit the ground with a sickening thud, the sound sending shivers of apprehension through Maggie’s skin.
Dylan and Cormac risked themselves to drag Angus out of harm’s way and shielded him from the burning arrows that rained down around them.
Maggie stood her ground, firm in her resolve to rid the world of Brielle’s evil.
She watched Brielle intently and the flames of each arrow fizzled out as soon as they reached her vicinity.
She was beginning to understand her own level of power and could sense that she was a far stronger witch than she had ever imagined.
The expression on Brielle’s face confirmed she knew it too.
She had obviously thought that she could beat Maggie easily and now, Brielle was beginning to realize that was not going to be the case.
In that moment of realization, Maggie’s magical arrow reached Brielle and Maggie couldn’t tell if it met its mark, or if Brielle had simply disappeared.
A cloud of black mist where Brielle had stood spun like a miniature tornado and then it was gone.
Maggie’s arrow lay on the ground where Brielle had been standing, still in one piece.
Maggie ran across to the spot where Brielle had been.
She searched the ground for any clues to confirm she had been successful, but there was nothing to be seen.
Dylan ran to her, astonishment clear in his expression.
He scanned the ground as Maggie had, but he came up with something she had missed.
There, hidden by the fletching of the arrow, was an onyx amulet attached to a thin black ribbon.
Dylan picked it up and nearly dropped it when it seared his skin.
Maggie quickly took it away from him and passed her hand over the burn, healing his hand instantly.
“Was that hers?” Dylan asked, staring at his healed hand in wonder.
“Aye. I believe ’twas. I’m nae sure what to do with it.
” The amulet lay in Maggie’s hand, the heat not affecting her at all.
It was an unusual piece. Not much to look at, but there was something about it that left her wondering.
Where was Brielle? Why did she leave this here? “Do ye think my arrow hit its mark?”
“I don’t know. It was hard to see anything. As soon as the arrow reached her, that black tornado appeared. Do you think she might have gotten away?”
“Not if I truly hit my mark, but I’m afraid I didn’t and she probably escaped unharmed.
As for this amulet, I’m going to save it to give to Aunt Edna.
She’ll know what to do with it.” Maggie looked back and seeing Angus motionless on the ground, asked the question she was afraid to hear the answer to. “Is he alive?”
“Yes. He’s barely breathing though,” Dylan took her hand and they rushed across to where Angus lay, surrounded by the Breaghacraig men.
No one said a word as Maggie knelt beside Angus and took his hand.
“Uncle, speak to me,” Maggie pleaded, but he didn’t utter a word.
She passed her hands over him, in an attempt to heal any broken bones or other invisible wounds, but it was to no avail.
Maggie was very frightened. What had Brielle done to him?
She knew Brielle was capable of putting someone into a deep sleep, but this was something far different.
Angus’ breathing was shallow and his skin was cold to the touch.
Maggie didn’t know what she could do to save him, so she did the only thing she could think of and talked to him.
“Uncle Angus, I hope ye can hear me. I need ye to stay here with me. Remember we were going to take care of each other. I ken I have nae held up my end of the bargain, but I cannae imagine my life without ye, Uncle. Auntie Edna needs ye as well. Yer the one man who can calm her frazzled nerves. She listens to ye and nae one else. I dinnae ken what would happen if ye left us.” Tears fell from Maggie’s eyes and she attempted to wipe them away, but they fell faster than she could catch them.
Dylan put a comforting arm around her shoulders and she lay her head on his chest and cried even harder.
Robert quietly told the men to disperse and leave them be.
They shuffled away with many a backward glance.
“Maggie, my dear, let Cormac and Cailin carry Angus inside to a soft, warm bed,” Robert suggested. Maggie nodded her agreement, but kept a tearful eye on the men as they carefully lifted Angus and brought him inside.
Maggie knew she looked a mess—red, puffy eyes and a tear-stained face most likely.
Using the hem of her cape, she did her best to scrub away the tears and by doing so, regained her composure.
Her uncle needed her to be strong now; falling apart wouldn’t help him or anyone else.
She sniffled one last time and said, “I dinnae believe Brielle’s dead, nor do I think she’s gone.
I can sense her presence.” Maggie cast her gaze around the courtyard and on past the gates.
“She’s gone just far enough away that I can’t get to her, but close enough that I can still feel the evil emanating from her. ”
“How will we find her?” Dylan’s brow wrinkled as if he was worrying about what might come next.
“We won’t need to … Brielle will find me. She’ll want her amulet back.” Maggie nodded as if she were agreeing with herself. “I must leave Breaghacraig. Brielle’s already done enough damage here. If I can draw her away—somewhere so she can’t harm anyone else, then it will be a fair fight.”
Dylan shook his head stubbornly. “I’m going with you, Maggie. We’re a team.”
“Dylan, I must do this alone. I cannae risk any harm coming to ye because of me.”
“And I can’t risk any harm coming to you, because I’m not there to protect you.”
Maggie bristled at the suggestion. “I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself,” she snapped.
“I know you are and I didn’t mean to imply you couldn’t, but I’d feel better, knowing I was there if you needed me.
” Dylan knew he had to keep his male ego in check.
He wanted to protect Maggie and take care of her.
He’d never felt that way about any other woman before Maggie came into his life and he didn’t quite know what to do with those feelings.
Hanging around with a bunch of medieval highlanders hadn’t helped.
They were all about protecting their women, but both Cormac and Cailin had somehow learned how to deal with strong-willed women from the future and still protect them, without Ashley and Jenna protesting.
He made a mental note to ask them how they did it.
“I’m sorry.” Maggie twirled her hair around her finger. “It’s just that I’m afraid she’ll hurt ye, like she did Uncle Angus.”
Dylan smiled. The way she played with her hair when she was nervous was very endearing.
“I can’t guarantee that I won’t get hurt, but I’ll do my best not to.
I want to do this with you. I want to be there with you when you take her down.
” Dylan tried to gauge Maggie’s reaction to what he was saying.
She didn’t say anything in response, but he suspected she might be softening to the idea.
He decided to plough on and bring up a worry he had over the amulet.
Who knew what it was and what it could do?
“One question, though. What would happen if you destroyed the amulet?” Dylan wondered if by destroying the amulet, it would somehow destroy Brielle.
But if that were the case, why would Brielle have left it when she disappeared?
“I don’t really know. I think she left it behind on purpose.
I think I’ll need it to locate her. If I destroyed the amulet, it possibly would destroy Brielle, but I cannae be certain of it.
It could be that she left the amulet here accidentally and that mistake will lead to her downfall, but I’m going to have to take a wait and see approach. ”
“Better safe than sorry … right?” Dylan took her hand in his, loving the way it fit so perfectly. “What do you say, Maggie? Can I go with you?”
He could see she was pretending to give it some thought.
“Well, okay, as long as ye dinnae interfere or get in the way. Magick is a powerful thing, Dylan, I ken ye know that.” He watched as she changed from serious to smiling in a single beat.
“Let’s go check on Angus, shall we? And I’m going to try to contact Aunt Edna for some help.
” Maggie had a sneaking suspicion she would need all the help she could get.