Chapter Twenty-Two
Maddie comes to Alex in a dream when he’s been taken
captive to let him know what he must do.
Alex groaned and lifted his head, but the pain was too much for him. He was on a pallet in a small hut, and he thought he was alone. He recalled the battle, the lightning, but then something unanticipated had happened, putting a hitch in his plan.
Someone had struck him in the back of his head. Everything had turned black until now.
The pain in his head was so severe that he shut his eyes again, drifting into a dream that brought him pleasure.
Maddie stood in the loch, her back to him, dressed only in her chemise. Trembling from the temperature of the water, she glanced over her shoulder at him, her golden hair falling around her shoulders, the blue of her eyes visible from the distance.
“Alex, could you help me, please? The fabric is stuck in my wound.”
He’d brought her to the loch to wash off her wounds, the ones her own brother had inflicted on her.
Although they’d had many sweeter moments, this one was etched into his mind as one of the most important moments of his life because it was then he’d made his mind up.
It was then he’d decided Madeline would be his wife.
He remembered wondering if she’d give him a son or perhaps lassies.
“Alex?”
“Aye, I’d be pleased to help you, but you may wish to turn around. I must remove my plaid as ’tis the only one I have.”
He’d said it to guard her tender sensibilities, her innocence, as he waded into the water behind her.
But when he took the soap from her hand, preparing to wash her, she said his name again.
“Alex?”
“Aye, Maddie?”
“You must push yourself to remember other things,” she said, her tone turning urgent. “There is something you must recall. I know ’tis there in your mind, and you must pull it out. Things are not as they seem.”
“Maddie? You’re confusing me. I’m here to help you wash your back.”
“Alex, ’tis a memory of our time together that you chose to revisit so I could come to you. Please don’t forget that I can only be here for a short time. ’Tis verra difficult for me to appear to you.”
“Why did you come this time?” he whispered, turning her around so he could gaze into her glorious blue eyes. “Can I not join you? I think I’m ready. ’Tis my time, nay?”
“Nay, Alex,” she said, her tone intent. “Not yet. Don’t you see? The spectral swords aren’t only intended to protect John—they need you. You are the one who’ll guide your bairns and grandbairns through this terrible time in Scotland. Your clan and your country need you. Not yet, but do not worry.
When your time comes, I’ll be here waiting for you. Just a few more years.”
“Maddie, I’m tiring…”
Her fingers came up to his lips to silence him. “It’s not as you think. Busby is not out to get you. Hamish is.”
“Hamish? But why?”
“Hamish wanted me, and I rejected him. Now he wants revenge. He’ll try to get it through Dyna. Go!”
Maddie kissed him and walked off into the distance, giving him a small wave as she disappeared.
“You have to save Dyna,” she said, her words pounding through his head.
He opened his eyes, driven by Maddie’s last sentence, savoring her presence but forcing himself to search his surroundings.
He watched as Hamish and Busby entered the hut, Hamish behind the sheriff.
Hamish carried a large boulder. He lifted it and brought it down upon Busby’s skull.
Killing him instantly.
Epilogue
Alex longs to be reunited with his true love, but she has other news.
Alex Grant sat on a stool overlooking his land, taking in the sweet breeze and the smell of pines. The parapets were still his favorite place, although he could no longer come up on his own. The young people helped him get up the many steps.
He closed his eyes, overtired from his long day. “Maddie, is it no’ my time yet?”
Maddie came to him and said, “It won’t be long now, but you have one more task. You must help Logan Ramsay pass the sapphire sword along to its next owner. He and Lina will be along soon.”
“But to whom?”
“You’ll know,” she said, kissing him deeply before she disappeared.
Alex opened his eyes, staring out over his lands. He searched for Maddie, the vision of her so real he swore he could smell her scent.
The clouds overhead began to swirl, bolts of lightning striking different spots in the landscape. A ferocious storm was on its way, so he moved to the door as quickly as he could. The door opened as he approached it. Derric and Dyna stood on the other side, Alick behind them.
“Grandsire, we’ve come to bring you back down,” Alick said. “This storm will be nasty.”
Alick and Derric lifted him together, ready to carry him down the steps but Alex said, “Wait.”
They set him down and he stood, hanging on to their shoulders to support himself in the wind.
“Why do you wish to wait, Grandsire?” Alick asked.
“This storm. It looks the same as one I saw many years ago. The legend of the sapphire sword. She’s right. The time has come. It hasn’t been fifty years yet, but there’s no denying there is evil here.”
Derric shook his head and shot a wary look at Dyna. “Does he know of what he speaks?”
Dyna said, “I’ve heard the legend. Many years ago, an evil spirit found the sword, stole it away, and tried to kill many undeserving people, including Avelina Ramsay. The Queen of the Fae, a woman named Erena, came to Avelina and told her to find it and steal it back.
The fae do not want it in the hands of evil.”
“But what is the purpose of the sapphire sword?”
“I don’t know if I can answer that, but Grandsire will tell you that the forces of the Grants and the Ramsays had to protect Avelina to save the sword, supposedly because it can have special powers. Grandpapa always speaks of it being a powerful storm unlike any other. But ’twas so long ago.
Does she still hold the sword, Grandsire?”
“Aye, she still has it or knows where ’tis hidden. She married Drew Menzie. It hasn’t been fifty years yet, but if the evil is strong enough, it could take place.”
“But who will she give it to?”
“I think I know.” The old man smiled, tipping his face up to the wind. “’Tis time.”
The Scot’s Deception
Chrissa and Drostan
Prologue
Maddie comes to Alex one more time.
1314, the Highlands of Scotland
Alexander Grant closed his eyes, hoping he’d be blessed with a visit from his wife, who had passed on before him. She came to him in his dreams, something that happened no more than twice a moon. He treasured each instance, holding the feelings close to his heart.
A mist appeared at the opposite side of his chamber, and he climbed out of bed, praying it was his wife.
“I’m here, Alex.”
Her voice came to him in a soft whisper, the same voice she had used with him in bed after their lovemaking, talking quietly so as not to awaken the bairns down the passageway.
“I miss you so, Maddie.” Her voice, her scent, his memories…they nearly undid him.
“Alex, is that a tear? Oh, Alex, do not cry. ’Twill not be long now, I promise.”
“Maddie, when will you trust our bairns and grandbairns to do battle on their own, to see Scotland move ahead with the skills and sense we’ve raised them with? I’m nearly eighty summers, love. My bones pain me daily now, and I can no longer use my sword. My movements are slowing.”
“But you can still use your mind. Do you recall long ago when your mother spoke to you about the fae?”
She moved closer and reached out to brush the wetness from his cheek.
Her gown was the heavily brocaded green one she used to wear at the holidays, gold thread stitched into the bodice.
She even carried the scent of the pine boughs she used to carefully arrange around the great hall.
Forcing himself to listen, he thought back to his mother’s stories. “Aye, she always told Brenna and me that the fae would help protect this land from evil, but they would sometimes need a wee bit of help from us.”
“And do you recall Avelina’s power?”
“Aye, she was chosen by the fae to wield the power in their relic, the sapphire sword, and to protect it until she passes it on.”
She stepped into his arms, her finger tracing his jawline. “You are as handsome now as ever, Alexander Grant.”
As soon as she touched him, his aches and pains disappeared.
Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her slowly, savoring her.
She was the one who pulled away, a look of regret on her face.
“Alex, the time has come for Avelina to pass along the protectorship of the sword. She will bring it to you. ’Tis up to you to choose who will hold its power.”
“Tell me who should wield it, and I will see to it, Maddie.”
“You must determine that. I cannot do it for you, but I trust your judgment.” Her expression turned solemn. “The sword will be needed soon. A big battle is coming, Alex. If all goes well, King Robert will finally send the English back home. You’ll finally understand our grandbairns’ power.”
She moved back until their gazes locked. “But you’re needed for something far more important to me. Please be patient, husband.”
“Anything for you. What has you worried this time?”
“There are two more problems. One is that an evil force plans to overtake Grant Castle, and the other problem is much, much worse.”
“What could be worse in your eyes?” he asked, cupping her cheek and rubbing the pad of his thumb lightly across her soft skin.
She leaned into his touch and sighed. “Soon, Alex.”
“But our descendants are completely capable of protecting our castle, of attacking any force that tries to overtake our castle. You know that.”
“I believe you are correct. You’ve done a fine job training our clan.”
“We, Maddie. We trained our clan, our bairns, our grandbairns. We did it together.”
“Aye, but this new threat is too awful for me to take a chance.”
“What could possibly be worse than the last battle for the Scottish Crown or someone trying to overtake our castle?”
He watched as tears flooded her eyes and spilled down her cheeks, something he hadn’t seen in a long, long time. “What is it, Maddie?” He kissed one of her tears away. “I’ll do it, whatever ’tis. Just stop crying.”
“The Ramsays and Grants will attack each other.”
He froze, simply because he hadn’t expected that answer at all.
She was right that it was the worst outcome he could imagine.
Their descendants dead at the hands of Clan Ramsay?
His descendants killing the sons and daughters of his friends?
His head hurt from the implications. Stopping his soft ministrations to his wife’s smooth skin, he cursed.
“I didn’t think there was anything that could make me wish to stay, but you’ve done it.”
“You must stop it from happening, Alex.”
She stepped away, moving backward, parts of her image flickering into nothingness as she moved.
He couldn’t argue this time.
He had to stay.
“Soon, Alex,” were her last words.