Chapter Twenty-One
Harper had just changed into warm clothes when Skye knocked on her door, followed by Neasa.
“You wanted to see us?” Skye asked. “And how did ye get so wet?”
“Yet another adventure,” Harper said. “Iona is dead. It was an accident.”
Skye and Neasa sobered. “How?” Skye asked.
Harper related what had happened, and the other two women were aghast. “She threw the lad into the loch. To kill him?” Skye asked.
“What lad?” Neasa asked, completely confused. “Do I know naught of what goes on in me own house?”
Both Harper and Skye laughed. “No one knows. So you must keep yet another secret and we will tell you all,” Harper responded. “But first, the reason I wanted to talk to you both… I’ve been thinking and maybe it’s a good idea for Neasa to go and check on Davina.”
Neasa’s face lit up. “Truly?”
“Aye,” affirmed Skye.
“We don’t know if the cloak will still work and you may not be able to return, but if you still want to go…” said Harper.
Neasa clapped her hands. “Oh yes!” She hesitated. “Ye speak of a cloak.”
Skye turned to Harper. “It does sound silly when spoken out loud.”
Harper nodded and the two women laughed.
“What prompted this?” Skye asked.
“Iona. I guess I hadn’t realized just how dangerous these women could be. I mean, going after me and Davina going after you, although terrible, was nothing compared to trying to kill a helpless child. I guess I just started to worry about what havoc Davina could cause if she woke up. And Neasa said she’d like to go…”
Skye took a deep breath. “I hate to think of denying Neasa her chance for adventure. But what would she do for money?”
“I actually brought some and put the rest of our stuff, including credit cards, in a storage unit. I could give Neasa my passwords to access my bank accounts if she needed more and she should be fine. It would only be for a short visit. Just time enough to get a taste of the future and check on Davina. A week or so?”
Skye pressed her lips together and faced Neasa. “There’s much to learn. I wouldn’t want you to freak out like Davina did.”
“To what?” Neasa asked.
“Ah, you know… get very upset.”
“Neasa, can you read?” Harper asked.
“Aye,” she said.
“Then we can teach her and write down more. We can do this.”
“Culture shock!” Skye said, still skeptical.
“I wish to try,” Neasa said. “Not forever, o’ course. Just for a sennight.” Her enthusiasm was obvious.
“How long do you think we have before the cloak doesn’t work or goes back to where it started?” Harper asked Skye.
She shrugged. “No idea. But I suggest we get to work.”
And so begins Neasa’s adventure…