Tara chuckled, “Are you saying she’s some kind of a witch?”

“Aye, something like that.” Duncan bent down on one knee and took her hand. “Now, we have to keep moving.”

Tara snatched her hand away. “She’s a witch and she wants to what, sacrifice a virgin? Me?”

Again, brother looked at brother with sober looks.

“You know something? I don’t think it’s me who’s crazy.” Tara stood up and started backing away. She mumbled a disbelief in magic and witches. “I think you are the ones who are nuts! So I tell you what. You two just go on your merry little way and I’ll go mine.” Tara tripped on a fallen branch in her haste to get away. Duncan caught her arm and kept her from tumbling.

“I can’t let you do that.”

“I don’t see how you have a choice. This has all been fun and exciting. I appreciate the good time, really I do.” She attempted to pull away. This time he didn’t let her go.

“This isn’t getting us anywhere,” Fin spoke up.

“If we could prove to you magic exists, would you wait to hear the rest of our tale once we are out of harm’s way?”

Her nervous laugh echoed off the valley walls.

“Okay, prove it.”

“Not here. There’s a place a few miles away that will help us prove magic exists.” Fin pulled up the reins on his horse, signifying he was done talking.

Could they be luring me to a private spot to kill me? Tara asked herself.

“We won’t harm you. Look at me,” Duncan demanded when she refused. “Look through me. Tell me what you see.”

Because she was scared and angry at herself for being so gullible, Tara did look into him. In his heart, she felt his fear for her safety. She saw his visions of the two of them kissing, felt the heat of the cord, which bound their wrists together during the handfasting ceremony.

Nowhere did she see malice or harm. Trust me.

Duncan told her with his mind.

“If I go with you both, and end up dead, I’ll never forgive you.”

Horns blew in the distance once they cleared the shelter of the forest. “Grainna,” Fin declared, then forced his horse into a full gallop.

Riding in front of Duncan was becoming commonplace for Tara. The darkness of the night and the speed of the horses made the ride less comfortable

She didn’t have energy to concern herself about where they were going. They were traveling so fast, all she could think about was staying on the horse.

Duncan and Fin must have seen some type of landmark, because they took a sharp turn and were once again surrounded by trees. They stopped, but Tara saw and heard nothing. Even the breeze halted. The night music which was made up of circuits and scurrying nocturnal animals abruptly ended.

Both Fin and Duncan jumped from their horses.

Duncan helped her to her feet and handed her both sets of reins. “What are we doing here?” Tara asked, fear shaking her voice.

Duncan brushed away dirt and branches covering an erect stone standing like a pillar on the ground. Similarly, Fin unearthed two more. There were six altogether when they finished. They circled the stones where they stood.

Voices carried through the forest. Their horses pranced and snorted the air. “We don’t have much time.” Duncan hurried Fin.

“You wanted to see magic, Tara McAllister.” Fin led her over to one of the stones. “Touch it.”

Tara hesitated. This is crazy!

But when she lifted her hand to the stone, she felt a pulse emanate from it. When her fingers touched the surface, etchings emerged and glowed in amber light. She pulled her hand back as if burned.

“How?” she asked.

Fin placed a hand on her cheek. “Later, now we have to leave.”

Duncan watched her examine her hand and stare at the glowing rock. Fin nudged him into action when the voices came closer.

One by one, both brothers touched each stone and set them alight with only a brush of their fingers, just as Tara had done. Once lit, the air inside the circle shimmered. There was no other way to describe how the air changed. It was like the fabric of space detached itself from the surrounding forest.

The horses responded and pulled against their tethers. Duncan laid his hand on Durk’s side and spoke to him in Gaelic, instantly calming the animal.

He turned and did the same to Fin’s horse.

Fin started to chant in a sing-song rhythm in a language Tara didn’t understand. She swore she saw trees shift outside the stones. Squinting her eyes, Tara searched harder to see what was happening.

But the world outside the stones was changing and she began to hyperventilate.

Weak and unsure about how she felt, she grasped Duncan’s hand. “What’s happening?” She had to raise her voice because the air had grown thick, and the wind started to blow. Her skirts molded against her legs. The ground began to quake.

Seeing her panic, Duncan crushed her to his side. “I promise you everything will be all right,” he yelled in her ear. Lightning shot out of the stones and converged together over their heads.

At the same time, Grainna appeared from the forest to witness their departure. “No,” Grainna yelled, throwing herself from her horse.

“Hold on!” Duncan yelled as the earth crumbled beneath their feet.

Plastered against him, Tara saw swirls of light in the air. Strong wind whipped all around.

Thundering noise came out of nowhere. Gone were the trees, the stars or anything other than the three of them and the horses.

It was impossible to talk or even think. Tara’s body threatened to crumble. She closed her eyes, buried her head in Duncan’s chest, and prayed everything would stop. ****

Unable to remain conscious during the journey, Tara had fainted in Duncan’s arms. The cyclone ended. Rain pelted the travelers with the dying wind.

When the world righted once again Duncan picked up his bride and climbed into his saddle with her in his arms, leaving Fin to collect the stones.

His bride, he mused. How the hell was he going to explain that to her once she woke up?

Chapter 9

Except for the peat and coals burning in the hearth, the room was dark when Tara woke up. The fresh smell of rain saturated her senses. A nice summer storm always lifted her spirits. They were so rare in Southern California. She kept her eyes closed, and let herself wake up slowly, snuggling beneath numerous blankets in the soft inviting bed.

When her eyes finally blinked open, she noticed the nightgown covering her arms. She usually slept in nothing more than a t-shirt and found it odd to feel sleeves reaching to her wrists. Tara picked up her arm, puzzled by the fabric. “Ah well,” she pondered as she shut her eyes again, “it has been a strange few days.”