Highland Fires by Donna Grant Page B

said.
    She stilled at his words. “For what?”
    “The blanket.”
    “You’re welcome,” she said as she reached for
a piece of bread while she sank into the chair. “Thank you for
bringing the food.”
    He shrugged away her words and sat as he
began to eat. “We should reach Skye sometime today.”
    “So soon?” She had feared the storm had blown
them farther out or off course somehow. She was relieved to hear
they were still on schedule.
    Lugus nodded. “I spoke with the captain this
morning. Unless something strange happens, tonight we’ll be
sleeping on the isle.”
    “How far to the
gateway?” 

    He took a deep breath and
swallowed his food. “That depends on where we land. The gateway is
on the coast, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to
find.” 

    Ahryn should be feeling pleased at the news,
but the nagging sensation that they wouldn’t reach the gateway as
easy as Lugus said wouldn’t go away.
    “And if Marcus is there?”
    Lugus slowly set down his cup as his blue
eyes locked with hers. “Every gateway has guardians the Fae placed
there. If need be, we will seek their aid. However, I don’t plan on
allowing Marcus time to catch us. We will travel light and swift
once we hit land.”
    His words, though they comforted her, didn’t
alleviate the fear that grew within her. And he only had one dagger
in which to fight with.
    “Ahryn.” His voice was soft but
commanding.
    “Don’t think I don’t trust you,” she
explained. “It isn’t that, but a growing...fear that I cannot
dispel.”
    He sighed and leaned back in his chair. “You
feel it as well?”
    She searched his face and saw he wasn’t
jesting. Her eyes glanced around the small cabin to see if
something or someone hid waiting for them.
    “They aren’t on the ship,” Lugus said.
    “I feel as though they are.” Her gaze
returned to his face. “When did you begin to feel it?”
    He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter.”
    “It does. How long?”
    With his arms crossed over his chest he said,
“Since we departed Scotland.”
    Ahryn found it difficult to breath. She rose
and tried to pace the tiny space. “I didn’t feel it,” she said. “I
need to feel my magic, to feel connected to our realm.”
    Lugus knew she was fast becoming hysterical.
He was surprised she hadn’t done it before now, and in truth, she
had every reason to be frantic. Without her magic and any
connection to the Fae, she could die.
    He stood and took hold of her shoulders to
force her to meet his gaze. “I never go back on a promise, Ahryn.
We will make it there no matter what I have to do.”
    Her brows furrowed as she searched his eyes.
“I don’t like being frightened.”
    “Not many people do. Now,” he said as he
moved her toward the chair, “you need to eat as much as you can
before we land.”
    She nodded woodenly but picked up her food
and began to eat. Satisfied, Lugus resumed his seat and stared at
his food. He wouldn’t admit to Ahryn how worried he was about
reaching the gateway before Marcus. If Marcus was in league with a
Draconian, then they were most likely already there waiting for he
and Ahryn to arrive.
    And without his sword, he was useless.
    He glanced up and found Ahryn watching him,
so he hastily reached for his food. He ate without tasting it as
his mind ran over each and every possibility they could, and
probably would, encounter until they reached the gateway.
    And none of them were good.
    Most importantly, he would have to make sure
that he reached the guardians of the gateway quickly. They could be
Ahryn’s only chance of survival, though he wondered what the
guardian’s price would be for such a request.
    Whatever it was, he was prepared to pay
it.

Chapter Eleven
     
     
     
    The intense emotions running amuck through
Ahryn had drained her of all energy. She needed her realm and the
magic that would restore her.
    Yet, she refused to allow herself to think
about such things until she and Lugus reached the gateway.