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“Are you not practicing your excellent sword skills today?” Katherine said, focusing hard on the memory of the time they shared together.

Magnus again smiled, though whether that was because he could read her thoughts, Katherine could not know.

“I was out earlier,” Magnus replied. “Ye ought tae join me again sometime, Katherine. Ye are a fine swordsman, and I am nae too proud tae admit that I found our last session rather challenging.”

“Yes. Yes, of course. I would be delighted. But now, I must go, for I am meeting your sisters for a walk.”

He looked at her for a moment, the easiness still evident in his expression. “I hope I’m nae speaking out o’ turn, but I am delighted that ye have settled intae castle life. Ye are a breath o’ fresh air around here.”

Katherine blushed at such a direct compliment, and nodding, she said, “Thank you, Magnus. You are too kind.”

“Nae really. I only speak the truth.”

Once they had parted, Katherine breathed a huge sigh of relief. Based on his words and actions, she thought Magnus had not suspected a thing, though it had been far too close a call for her liking. Perhaps she ought to practice controlling her thoughts more often, for it had only been luck that had helped her out on that occasion.

After supper, Enya and Thora asked Katherine if she wanted to join them in the library that evening.

“We havenae got over the fun we had the other night,” Enya said.

“Indeed,” Thora agreed. “I havenae laughed so much in ages.”

“I’d love to,” Katherine said, pinning on a smile.

In fact, she had had every intention of returning to her bedchamber to while away an hour or two before she could sneak out of the castle, for her missive had instructed Reginald to meet her at the well after dark.

But perhaps spending some time with the twins would alleviate any suspicion. Besides, if she was with Enya and Thora, Domhnall could not arrive in her bedchamber unexpectedly, distracting her or keeping her back from her original plans.

With wine in hand, Katherine brought the conversation round to their gifts. Both sisters were a little surprised that Domhnall had disclosed their secret to her, but Enya, in her usual empathic way, had drawn her own conclusion for his reasons.

“I, for one, am delighted that Domhnall has told ye. Ye are going tae be family after all.”

“What she means tae say,” Thora smirked, “is that she’s glad she doesnae have tae spend unnecessary effort trying tae hide it from ye any longer.”

Katherine giggled, while Enya protested at such an accusation.

“That isnae what I meant at all.”

But Thora did not recant her statement, and clearly enjoyed teasing her sister, for the wide smile did not fall from her face.

When the laughter had faded, Katherine said, “Does it not feel strange, having such abilities?”

Thora shook her head. “Nae anymore. I cannae say it was like that at the beginning. I was young when I began having strange dreams. Me maither and faither thought they were night terrors, and consulting Brianna fer her advice, I was given a tonic tae help me sleep. It worked fer a little while, until one day, I wasnae asleep when they happened. It was only then, that me maither kent a gift had been passed down tae me. O’ course,” Thora smiled as she reminisced, “it didnae feel like a gift at the time.”

“I’m sure it didn’t,” Katherine agreed. She then looked at Enya and said, “What about you, Enya? When did you know you have a gift?”

“Mine came much later than the others. Ye must remember, Katherine, none o’ us kent what gifts we might receive, if any at all. It’s nae like I was putting me hands on people, expecting them tae be healed.”

“Yer gift scared ye, more than mine did me,” Thora added as she gazed at her sister.

“Aye, it did. I remember the exact moment it happened. I was ten years old, and beginning tae wonder if I was tae be the only one o’ me siblings without a gift. They had all discovered their powers by then. Thora and I were out in the gardens playing.”

“Tag,” Thora said confidently. “That’s how I fell.”

“Och, aye.” Enya nodded. “I was chasing Thora when she tripped and fell, cutting her knee. I crouched down beside her and put my hand on her leg tae tak’ a better look. Suddenly,” Enya’s eyes widened, “the cut began disappearing.”

Thora was smiling and nodding at Enya’s recollection. “Ye went screaming off tae maither, leaving me there in utter shock.”

“I did, didnae I?” Enya giggled.