The boy nodded. “I love my father more than anything in this world. Even my own life.”
Nola squeezed his hand. “Well said, lad. Come. Join with us.”
She waited until all had linked hands. Then she whispered, “I call on the power of the ancient lore. Guide us through the heavens to our own safe shore.”
With hands joined, they rose from the ground in a circle with Merrick in the middle. Past flocks of birds they flew. Over mountain peaks they drifted. High over clouds they floated, looking down at the green land below, dotted with villages and flocks and herds. And finally, light as downy feathers, they settled in a verdant meadow, much like the one they’d left behind in Berkshire. But this one was perfumed with the most exotic fragrances. And in the trees flitted tiny fairies, their bodies surrounded by a halo of lights, their musical voices as soft as the tinkling of bells.
“Allegra. Oh, Allegra.” Two young women came rushing into Allegra’s arms. “You’re home at last.”
When they moved apart, Allegra turned to Hamish. “These are my sisters, Kylia and Gwenellen.”
He could only stare at these two who, though beautiful, looked so different from Allegra. Kylia had hair the color of a raven’s wing, plaited into one long fat braid that fell below her waist, and eyes that
would rival the heather, ringed with thick, dark lashes. Gwenellen was tiny and fair, with golden tresses that swept almost to the ground, like a veil. Her blue eyes danced in the animated face of a pixie.
“There’s no time to waste,” Nola told them. “If we’re to save the life of this man, we must gather our strengths and share them with him.”
“Is this what you desire, Allegra?” Kylia asked.
“Aye. More than anything in this world.”
Kylia and Gwenellen shared a quick, startled look before their mother said softly, “Allegra has lost her heart to this man.”
“You... love him?” Gwenellen couldn’t seem to take it in.
“Aye.” Allegra’s voice was little more than a choked whisper.
“Then we must help.” Kylia quickly grasped her sisters’ hands.
“Come, Hamish,” Nola called. “For the love you share with your father will be the strongest gift of all.”
Catching his hand, she drew him into the circle. The women closed their eyes and began chanting in an ancient tongue. Hamish watched them a moment before closing his own eyes. The chant seemed oddly familiar. He recognized the words as those he’d heard while in a deep sleep. Soon he joined in, lending his voice to theirs.
Time seemed to stop. They might have been there for hours, or mere minutes, while the day turned to dusk, and then to midnight, before dawn light etched the clouds. Birds awoke and sang, joining their voices to the chorus. And then it was once again afternoon, with the sky a clear, cloudless blue.
Suddenly the chanting ended and those in the circle opened their eyes, feeling drained and weary beyond belief. As the others gathered around Merrick, Allegra dropped to her knees beside him and touched her fingertips lightly to his temples.
With her gaze fixed on him she said, “All your wounds are healed now, my love. Wake and come back to us.”
Hamish dropped to his knees beside her, watching the fluttering movement behind his father’s closed lids. When the lids opened, Merrick’s first glimpse of life was the woman looking down at him. There were tears in her eyes, though she was smiling through them. Then he glanced at the lad beside her. Such a handsome lad, with fair hair and gentle blue eyes, whose image had been imprinted forever on his heart.
“Allegra. Hamish.” His voice was as rough as though he hadn’t spoken in a hundred years. “I thought I’d died.” He touched a hand to his chest, but there was no wound, nor even a trace of pain.
“My shoulder...” There, too, he felt for the gaping hole, only to find smooth, unblemished skin.
Understanding came slowly. And then he smiled as he reached a hand to her cheek. “My wonderful, beautiful healer. This was your doing.”
She shook her head. “It took all my family’s power, plus that of Hamish.”
He reached a hand to the lad’s. “Even you, my son? Don’t tell me you’ve become a healer now?”
“Aye, Father. Allegra’s mother said they needed my love.”
Love. Such a miraculous word.
Merrick looked over his son’s head to the circle of women around him. “This is your family, Allegra?”
“My mother, Nola.” The woman who knelt beside her looked amazingly like Allegra.
“My grandmother, Wilona.” She was equally beautiful, with long silver hair.
Allegra’s smile grew. “And my sisters, Kylia and Gwenellen.”
Merrick sat up, amazed that there was no pain. “How can I thank you for this gift you’ve given me?”
Wilona spoke for all of them. “We ask no payment. The gifts we’ve been given must be used only for good, and never for evil. We do ask that you
spend the life that’s been returned to you in doing only good works.”
He gave a solemn nod of his head. “That I can surely promise.”
“Now you will desire some food.” Nola turned toward the cottage in the distance. Then as an afterthought she said, “Perhaps the lad would enjoy riding one of our winged horses while he awaits his meal.”
The pixie Gwenellen lifted her fingers to her mouth and gave a whistle. Minutes later Hamish’s eyes grew round as saucers at the sight that greeted him. A winged horse, pure white, came flying across the sky and landed in the tall grass of the meadow, mere inches away.
“Come, Hamish. I’d like you to meet my steed, Starlight.”
Under Gwenellen’s direction the boy lifted a hand and petted the animal’s soft muzzle.
“Would you like to ride him?”
Hamish looked over at his father. “Oh, please, may I?”
Seeing his father’s look of concern, Gwenellen said softly, “There’s no reason to fear. I’ll ride with the lad and keep him from harm.”
Merrick nodded his approval.
The golden-haired lass lifted the boy to the saddle, then pulled herself up behind him. At her whispered command the horse unfolded its wings and rose into the air.
“Look, Father.” With a shout of absolute joy, Hamish waved, then gave a delighted laugh as the horse soared higher and higher, circling overhead.
Merrick got to his feet, shielding the sunlight from his eyes as he watched his son. “He’s lost his fear.”
“Aye. You would have been proud of him. He had the courage of a warrior when he faced your evil cousins.” Allegra stood beside him. “How do you feel?”
He shook his head in disbelief. “Stronger, healthier than I can ever recall. What magic you and your family possess, Allegra.”
“Aye. It’s potent, my lord. Even stronger than I had realized.” She glanced up. “Isn’t it grand to hear Hamish laughing?”
He nodded. “There was a time I feared I might never hear the sound of his voice again. Or see his face.” He turned to frame her face with his hands. “Or yours, my lady.”
Standing a little behind them, Wilona caught Kylia’s hand. “I believe we ought to give your mother a hand with the food.”
Her granddaughter held back. “I want to stay. I don’t remember ever seeing a man before. Nor a man-child. They seem so... different from us and from Jeremy.”
“Aye. They are,” her grandmother said dryly. “They’re not at all what we’ve become accustomed to here in our Mystical Kingdom. Now come. We’ll allow your sister a moment alone with this stranger.”
“But I want to watch them. I want to see what it is that men and women in love do.”
“Another time.” With a lilt of laughter Wilona dragged her reluctant young granddaughter toward the cottage.
When they were alone, Merrick touched a hand to Allegra’s cheek. “You look pale, my love.”
“Aye. Mum will prepare food that will give us back the strength we lost while tending you.
And then we’ll sleep, for rest is healing.”
He framed her face with his hands and stared down into her eyes. “How can I ever repay you, Allegra? First you gave me back my son, and now you’ve given me back my life.”
“It wouldn’t have been possible if you hadn’t been a good and noble man, Merrick. For the chance you’ve been given is a gift very few receive in this lifetime. It is given only to those deserving.”
At a shout from overhead, they looked up to see the winged horse circling for a landing. When at last Hamish had been helped from its back, he raced
across the meadow and flung himself into his father’s arms.
“Did you see? Wasn’t it grand?”
“Aye. I did see. And I’m envious, for it’s something I’ll never get to experience, lad.”
Hamish turned to Allegra, whose pallor was now more pronounced. “Do you think I could ride Starlight again later?”
“I don’t see why not.” She leaned heavily on Merrick’s arm. “But for now, I must return to my mother’s cottage and rest.”
Before she’d taken a step Merrick swung her into his arms. Despite her protest, he carried her across the meadow, with Hamish running alongside.
As he drew near the cottage, he was aware of the way her family watched. “Allegra needs to rest.”
“Aye.” Nola stepped aside. “Her pallet is in there.”
He carried her to a small, cozy room and laid her down on the soft pallet. As he straightened, Allegra caught his hand in hers. “Promise me you’ll be here when I awake?”
He nodded. “I give you my word.”
She was asleep before he stepped from the room.
“You’re quiet, Merrick MacAndrew.” Nola stepped from the cottage to find Merrick watching as Kylia and Gwenellen frolicked in the meadow with Hamish.
The two young women had fashioned a crown of heather blossoms and placed it on his head before engaging him in a game of hide and seek. The lad’s laughter rippled on the breeze, warming Merrick’s heart.
He turned. “I was just thinking.”
“What about?”
He seemed to collect his thoughts before saying, “It’s so peaceful here.”
“Aye. It is that.”
“You have paradise here in the Mystical Kingdom. No hunger. No evil.”
“Some would call that paradise.”
“Some?” He glanced at her in surprise. “You don’t?”
“Don’t misunderstand. As you said, there is much to savor about our kingdom. But it can get lonely at times. And I worry what will happen to my daughters when my mother and I must leave them.”
He arched a brow. “You’ll die some day? I thought...”
“You thought that because we can save others, we could live forever?” She gave him a gentle smile. “Life and death are but some of the things we all share. The greatest of these is love.” She chose her words carefully. “My daughter has given her heart to you, Merrick. I hope you understand the enormity of her gift.”
“I do understand. But in order to be worthy, I must also be willing to sacrifice my own happiness for hers.”
As he stared moodily into the distance, Nola turned and made her way back to the cottage, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
After a rest that might have lasted days or mere hours, they shared a meal. A stew rich with fish from the Enchanted Loch and thick with vegetables from Allegra’s garden. Bread still hot from the oven, slathered with freshly churned butter. Mulled wine, to put the bloom back on their cheeks. Tea, dark and strong, to clear the mind. And scones, drizzled with honey, just to satisfy their hearts.
When he’d eaten his fill, Merrick sat back and gave a shake of his head. “I’ve traveled the length of this land, from Edinburgh to the Highlands, and I’ve never tasted a finer meal.”
Nola smiled in acknowledgment of this high compliment. “Perhaps it’s more the company than the food.”
“Aye. The company is fine indeed.” He glanced around the table at the array of beautiful women, more colorful than a garden of lovely flowers. “I see now why you find such comfort in this lovely land. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. There is no knowledge of the passing of time. No discord.”
Wilona sipped her tea. “Perhaps you’d like to stay, Merrick MacAndrew. We’ve plenty of room for you and your son.”
“If only I could.” He glanced at Hamish, who shot him a pleading look. “But I have a duty to my people. They look to me to keep them safe from the ravages of invaders. Without me they would soon see their flocks diminished, their cottages burned, their loved ones harmed and eventually their very lives enslaved.”
“It’s never easy putting duty above pleasure.” Nola glanced at Allegra, who had been very quiet during their meal. Even though her rest had restored her strength, her cheeks seemed unusually pale. “Will you at least stay another night, Merrick?”
He shook his head and pushed away from the table. “I have no idea how much time has passed since we left Berkshire. Days. Weeks. My people will be alarmed. They deserve to learn the truth about my black-hearted cousins, who slew their own neighbors under the guise of barbarians.”
Nola stood, as well. “There is evil in your world, Merrick.” She saw him glance at Allegra with a thoughtful look. “It is something we’d almost forgotten here in the Mystical Kingdom.”
He nodded. “Unfortunately, it is something I can never forget. I’ve been forced to spend a lifetime watching for it, fighting against it.” His voice lowered with feeling. “There may come a day when good will triumph over evil for all time. But until that day, I must remain vigilant and go on battling it with all the strength I possess.”
Nola placed her hand on his. “My daughter was right to fight for your life, Merrick MacAndrew. Yours is a noble calling.”
He shook his head in denial. “I’m a warrior, my lady, who has taken many lives on the field of battle. I’m unworthy of your admiration.” He held out a hand to his son. “And now Hamish and I must take our leave, if you’ll be good enough to lend us a steed.”
“You have no need of a horse, Merrick.” Nola led the way from the cottage. “My mother and I will use our power to return you and your son to your land.”
The others left the table and followed after him.
It was Wilona who noticed Allegra trailing behind with a look of sadness. She paused until her granddaughter caught up with her. “Why this look, my child? The man you love is now healed, and will soon be returned to his people. Is this not what you wanted?”
“Aye.” Allegra struggled with tears that threatened. “But I’d hoped that he would return my love enough to take me with him.” She glanced at the broad-shouldered man who strode purposefully toward the high meadow, his son by his side.
“Perhaps,” her grandmother said softly, “he loves you too much to ask you to go.”
“I don’t understand.”
The old woman merely draped an arm around her granddaughter’s shoulders and continued trailing the others.
When they reached the high meadow, the women gathered around Merrick and his son.
Nola joined the boy’s hand to his father’s and stepped back. “When we form a circle around you, and join our thoughts to yours, you will be returned to your home. You mustn’t break contact with each other until you are safely back where you started, or you’ll find yourselves right back here in this meadow. Is that understood?”
Merrick nodded, then caught a glimpse of Allegra’s face. So pale. So sad. The knowledge that he was the one to cause this pain cut like a knife. But he had to remain strong, for he knew he was doing the right thing. The noble thing. He had no right to take her from all this. She’d already suffered enough for his sake.
He took a step closer, careful not to touch her. For if he were to touch her now, he’d never have the strength to let go.
Knowing the others were watching and listening, he kept his voice devoid of the passion that burned inside. “Your mothe
r asked only that I spend the rest of my life doing good. Let it begin with this moment. I love you more than life itself. But this is where you belong, Allegra. Here, where you can be free of the cruelties of my world.”
“Have I nothing to say about this?”
He shook his head, afraid that if he spoke to her again he’d surely fail this, his first test.
He pulled his gaze away from her and nodded to her mother. “My heart is filled to overflowing with gratitude for the gifts my son and I have been given. And now we bid you farewell.”
Nola chanted the words. “Leave us then, as you must. Walk always with faith, hope and trust.” Allegra stood between her sisters and watched as Merrick and Hamish began to rise slowly from the ground. High they soared, then higher still, until they were mere specks on the horizon.
She blinked back tears and watched until they were out of sight. And then, because she couldn’t bear to be around the others, she started running and continued until she’d crossed the meadow, seeking out the solitude of her garden, where she would be condemned to a life of loneliness for all time.
Chapter Twenty
Allegra stabbed viciously with her hoe at a weed until it was dislodged. Then she moved on to the next and the next, until her hands ached from the effort.
Hadn’t she known her heart could be broken? Hadn’t her mother warned her about the cruelties of Merrick’s world? What a fool she must have seemed. Throwing herself at him shamelessly. Demanding that he take her. Not just her body, but her heart and soul, as well.
Now he’d gone. And he’d taken part of her with him.
This was worse than any physical pain. That was something she knew how to heal. But this ache around her heart was a festering wound that would never heal. And she had been the one to foolishly invite it.
She’d hoped, but had never really believed, that he might turn his back on his world and stay here in hers. It would be so good for him to be here. To be free of the wars, the cruelties that plagued him. She could admire his reasons for returning to his home. What she couldn’t understand was his reason for leaving her behind.