“What is
there?”
“An aunt. I think some time away from my
family is in order so I can determine what it is that I want, not
what my parents want for me.”
“A smart idea.”
Silence fell around them, but he was loath to
break it. When he heard Ahryn’s stomach rumble, he rose and gave
her the last bit of cheese and bread.
“What about you?” she asked.
“I’m not hungry,” he lied and walked down to
the shoreline.
Water gently lapped at his feet as he watched
the sun disappear into the horizon. He sighed and refused to let
the fear take hold of him. He would see the light in the morning,
he repeated over and over in his head.
Their water supply had run out earlier, and
Lugus knew he had to find some fresh water for them soon. He looked
to his right and the village. There was nothing else for him to do.
He had to get some water.
“Where are you going?” Ahryn asked as he
walked to her.
“Into the village for some water.”
“It’s safe. There is no way Marcus and his
men got here before us. Why not let me come?”
It probably was safe, but the more people
that saw them, the more that could lead Marcus to them. She looked
so hopeful that Lugus couldn’t refuse her, not after all she had
been through.
“All right, but try to keep your hand hidden.
If anyone sees that....”
“I know,” she said quickly.
Lugus looked over her and resigned himself to
the fact that he would have to trade another of his daggers for a
room so she could bathe and rest peacefully. There was no way he
was going to chance another night alone with her.
Her steps were lighter as she walked beside
him to the village. “Do you know where the gateway is?”
“Nay.”
“So it could be anywhere on the isle.”
Lugus didn’t bother to answer her
statement.
“How big is the Isle of Skye?”
He cursed and plodded forward.
“That big,” she said softly. “It could be
another several days before we find it.”
Lugus hadn’t wanted to tell her until once
they had reached Skye. She was exhausted, and to learn that they
would have even more days of travel would only worry her. Yet, he
hadn’t wanted to lie to her either.
Once they came to the village, Lugus found an
inn with two empty rooms and traded another dagger for it, food, a
bath and clothes for Ahryn. He walked her to her room and pointed
to his across the hall. “The owner is sending up hot water, a new
gown and some food. Don’t leave.”
“Where are you going?”
“To ask some questions,” he said and turned
on his heel.
Lugus didn’t breathe until he had reached the
stairs and stepped into the dining room. He seated himself in a
corner and ordered a mug of ale. The owner had told him that the
dagger would cover anything he and Ahryn ordered for the next two
days, so Lugus was going to be certain to get his money’s
worth.
When the owner’s wife came
to bring his mug, he stopped her and asked, “Is there a ferry to
the Isle of Skye?” “Aye,” she replied, her graying brown hair coming loose and
falling about her face.
“Do you know much about the isle?”
She chuckled and placed her hand on her plump
chest. “Ye could say that. I’ve lived here me whole life. What do
ye want to know?”
Lugus took a long draught of his ale before
answering her. “Do you know of a place on the isle where there are
two massive standing stones?”
She peered closely at him. “There are many
such stones all over Scotland and the isle.”
“These are different. Both stones are set
apart and face the sea, their height reaching high into the
sky.”
“I know those,” she answered softly, her gaze
glancing around the dining room.
Lugus said a silent prayer of thanks. “Can
you tell me where on the isle they are?”
“For a price.”
Somehow, that didn’t surprise him. He reached
into his boot and pulled out one of his throwing daggers. It was
smaller than the others, but the weapon was one of his most prized
possessions. It had been one
there?”
“An aunt. I think some time away from my
family is in order so I can determine what it is that I want, not
what my parents want for me.”
“A smart idea.”
Silence fell around them, but he was loath to
break it. When he heard Ahryn’s stomach rumble, he rose and gave
her the last bit of cheese and bread.
“What about you?” she asked.
“I’m not hungry,” he lied and walked down to
the shoreline.
Water gently lapped at his feet as he watched
the sun disappear into the horizon. He sighed and refused to let
the fear take hold of him. He would see the light in the morning,
he repeated over and over in his head.
Their water supply had run out earlier, and
Lugus knew he had to find some fresh water for them soon. He looked
to his right and the village. There was nothing else for him to do.
He had to get some water.
“Where are you going?” Ahryn asked as he
walked to her.
“Into the village for some water.”
“It’s safe. There is no way Marcus and his
men got here before us. Why not let me come?”
It probably was safe, but the more people
that saw them, the more that could lead Marcus to them. She looked
so hopeful that Lugus couldn’t refuse her, not after all she had
been through.
“All right, but try to keep your hand hidden.
If anyone sees that....”
“I know,” she said quickly.
Lugus looked over her and resigned himself to
the fact that he would have to trade another of his daggers for a
room so she could bathe and rest peacefully. There was no way he
was going to chance another night alone with her.
Her steps were lighter as she walked beside
him to the village. “Do you know where the gateway is?”
“Nay.”
“So it could be anywhere on the isle.”
Lugus didn’t bother to answer her
statement.
“How big is the Isle of Skye?”
He cursed and plodded forward.
“That big,” she said softly. “It could be
another several days before we find it.”
Lugus hadn’t wanted to tell her until once
they had reached Skye. She was exhausted, and to learn that they
would have even more days of travel would only worry her. Yet, he
hadn’t wanted to lie to her either.
Once they came to the village, Lugus found an
inn with two empty rooms and traded another dagger for it, food, a
bath and clothes for Ahryn. He walked her to her room and pointed
to his across the hall. “The owner is sending up hot water, a new
gown and some food. Don’t leave.”
“Where are you going?”
“To ask some questions,” he said and turned
on his heel.
Lugus didn’t breathe until he had reached the
stairs and stepped into the dining room. He seated himself in a
corner and ordered a mug of ale. The owner had told him that the
dagger would cover anything he and Ahryn ordered for the next two
days, so Lugus was going to be certain to get his money’s
worth.
When the owner’s wife came
to bring his mug, he stopped her and asked, “Is there a ferry to
the Isle of Skye?” “Aye,” she replied, her graying brown hair coming loose and
falling about her face.
“Do you know much about the isle?”
She chuckled and placed her hand on her plump
chest. “Ye could say that. I’ve lived here me whole life. What do
ye want to know?”
Lugus took a long draught of his ale before
answering her. “Do you know of a place on the isle where there are
two massive standing stones?”
She peered closely at him. “There are many
such stones all over Scotland and the isle.”
“These are different. Both stones are set
apart and face the sea, their height reaching high into the
sky.”
“I know those,” she answered softly, her gaze
glancing around the dining room.
Lugus said a silent prayer of thanks. “Can
you tell me where on the isle they are?”
“For a price.”
Somehow, that didn’t surprise him. He reached
into his boot and pulled out one of his throwing daggers. It was
smaller than the others, but the weapon was one of his most prized
possessions. It had been one
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