Chapter Three #2
“Have you not heard of Clan Grantham who took over Duart Castle?”
“Where we live, we hear naught. We keep to ourselves, only heading here or Finlaggan for supplies when we need them. Every two moons. We’ve not been off Islay for five years.”
“There’s a shipping company that docks in Lagavulin Bay. Go talk to them. They can tell you about Mull. There may be someone there who can help you. Dyna Grant is her name, I believe.”
“How?”
“Dyna is a seer and so are her daughters. I know little more than that, but they also have many warriors. So if you think it could be mercenaries who took your bairns, then you’ll need help.”
“And she’ll help us?” Catrina asked. “How soon can we go to Mull?”
“The Brotherhood of the Black Keel is a shipping operation that runs out of our bay. Ask for Cormac MacLean. He runs the Mull Cog and heads to Mull a few times a sennight. The other two can help you if you ask them. They say one has more knowledge of faeries than anyone.”
“Who? Which one?” Catrina’s face paled, so Edan took her hand to calm her.
Arne wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulder. “Tell me who to ask for. We have the coin to hire him to take us to Mull. Who is the man who knows of the faeries?”
Edan added, “Give us all their names, if you please.”
“Cormac runs the Mull Cog, and Dyna’s brother runs the Sea Raven. That’s all I know. The Mull Cog should be here shortly. Look for him. He can give you answers I can’t.”
“Is Cormac the faery expert?”
“Nay. The man who runs the hulk is the faery expert.”
Edan took his sister’s elbow and said, “Come, we’ll not take any more of his time. We’ll search the area, see if the Mull Cog is docking soon.”
Arne said, “Many thanks to you, MacKay.”
They left the keep and headed out through the gates of the castle. Roger approached as soon as they came through the gates. “What did you learn? Anything?”
Edan said, “Not much. Too much talk about faeries. A faery did not steal Heilyn.”
Catrina turned on her brother. “You don’t know that. I think we have to consider it, Edan. Stop being bull-headed about this. We need to go to Mull and find the faery expert. Roger, tell him to stop being a fool.”
Roger took her hand and said, “What exactly did MacKay say? And I’ll ask Arne to tell me. I don’t wish to hear Edan’s answer.” He cast a sideways glance at his brother, but Edan decided to let it go. Catrina was upset enough. He decided to pace instead.
Arne explained, “He said they are missing some bairns under the age of five. They’ve looked everywhere but cannot find them. They’re now searching the rest of Islay. No wreaths were left, but he said that indicated faery involvement to him.”
“There are no faeries.” His father’s words echoed in his mind every single time he refused to believe in faeries.
Watch out for the faeries, son.
“Quiet, Edan.”
“There was mention of mercenaries and selling bairns across the water, but they’ve seen no evidence here. They suggested talking to the men of the shipping company.”
Edan closed his mouth and let Arne finish, pausing when he saw another basket of flowers on a stoop.
He was about to near it to see what happened when his sister came flying toward him, shoving him.
“There are faeries, and I’m going to Mull.
You don’t have to come. Deny all you want because Da lost his mind, but Scots believe in the fae. ”
Edan looked to his brother. “What say you?”
“I say we explore every possibility. The Mull Cog just docked. I say we talk to them. See if they have any idea. If bairns were taken by ship, they’d know. And I say we go to Duart and speak to someone who knows more about faeries than we do.”
“There are no faeries, Roger. I’m ready to return home. You can ask about the mercenaries, but asking about faeries is foolish.” Edan’s fist clenched, his knuckles white. What did he have to do to convince them of it?
Catrina shoved his chest hard, and he nearly lost his footing. “No faeries? Is that why the flowers wilted? And what of the fact that your milk never soured? Ours did. Goat’s milk. Cow’s milk. They all sour but yours.”
“Heilyn drinks it before it sours.” He’d heard this accusation before but dismissed it as foolish. “What does this have to do with faeries?”
She whirled away from it, facing her husband. “Arne, we’re going to speak to the men with the ships. I’m going to Mull.”
Edan looked from his sister to his brother.
Roger said, “I’m going with her. It’s our chance to speak with them. Go home or follow.”
Roger, Arne, and Catrina headed down to the water, a big galley ship just unloading. Roger stepped in the lead and moved directly to the man who seemed to be in charge of the ship since he was giving orders to other men on where to unload their cargo.
“Are you MacLean?” Roger asked.
“Aye. Cormac MacLean, captain of the Mull Cog. How can I be of assistance?”
Catrina would not be silenced. “Our bairns are missing, and we think faeries have taken them. Who can help us? They say someone on Mull. Who? Where do we go? When? Help us, please.”
Cormac tipped his head toward the ship. “My friend can help you. He’ll be up the hill in a few moments.”
“Does he know about faeries? Can he help us find our bairns?”
Cormac said, “I’m not sure if he can help, but it would be a start for you. His name is Magni MacQuarie, and he grew up on Mull. Ask him about Dyna Grant at Duart. If anyone can help you, Magni can. They say he met a faery long ago. In fact, he knew her so well that he named his ship after her.”
“What’s the name of his vessel?”
“Lia’s Hulk. He named it after a faery named Lia.”
A man with a headful of dark hair in unruly waves approached, then set his crate down in a different area, wiping the sweat from his brow before he joined them. “Greetings to you. Magni MacQuarie of The Brotherhood of the Black Keel.”
Edan had to admit a wee bit of hope had blossomed inside of him. Once introductions were done, Edan took Catrina’s hands so he could be as concise as possible. “We are missing bairns. My sister feels it could be because of faeries, and I fear they may have been stolen by mercenaries.”
“When?”
“Last eve. We’ve searched everywhere for them.”
Cormac said, “They didn’t go across the sea. I saw Morgan’s ship board earlier and there were no bairns on board. None on my Mull Cog either.”
Magni stared up at the sky, then turned around slowly, scanning the entire area.
“What are you doing?” Arne asked.
“Looking for a faery I know, but she’s not here.”
Edan nearly spun on his heel to leave but Catrina grabbed his hand. “Is there someone on Mull who can help us?”
When Magni turned back to them, his blue eyes sparkled. “Aye. I know exactly who you need to see, and they will help you. We’ll take you at high sun on the morrow. Be ready.” He looked at Cormac then moved back to his ship.
Cormac nodded and said, “I’ll be here, and I’ll make sure I have room for you.”
Roger called after Magni, “Where will we go on Mull?”
“Duart Castle,” Cormac replied.
“Why Duart?”
Magni overheard because he yelled out, “Because that’s where all the seers live. If they can’t find your bairns, no one can.”