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Chapter One

VILLAGE OF CULROSS, SCOTLAND

T he salty scent of the Firth of Forth drifted through the narrow streets, mixing with the rich aroma of ale and freshly baked bread from the nearby bakery. It was the kind of place where time moved slowly, even the cobblestone streets reminding of times past.

Erin Maguire had agreed, against her better judgment, to meet Tammie Lockhart atThe Red Lion, a cozy pub with white-shuttered windows and a red brick facade that stood at the heart of Culross, a picturesque village an hour north of Edinburgh where she currently lived.

Meeting the petite blonde at the pub was a far better option than venturing toDunimarle Castle, a place haunted by more than its centuries-old stone walls. To go there would bring stark reminders of the memory of something that made her question her sanity.

The idea that other realms existed, that travel between them was possible, sounded just as absurd now as it had the day after she’d returned from what Tammie insisted on calling“the alter-world.”No matter how many times she told herself what happened was impossible, no amount of logical reasoning could erase the fantastical things she had seen.

If not for the fact that the woman sitting across from her was unwaveringly insistent and could describe every last detail of what Erin herself remembered, she would have an easier time dismissing it all as a hallucination. A realistic dream caused by too many late nights reading fantasy romance novels.

There had to be a logical explanation. Shared delusions. Some kind of psychological phenomenon. She had read about those before, they were called collective hallucinations. If it weren’t for the fact that pulling out her phone mid-conversation would be rude, she’d be researching it right now.

“We need your help,”Tammie said again, her voice edged with desperation.

Erin exhaled a slow breath and leaned back in the booth, pressing her head against the solid wood.

“I'm trying to forget,”she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tammie leaned forward, tapping her finger against the wooden tabletop with urgency.“I totally understand why you’d want to push the memory away. What happened was horrifying. But ...”

“But?”Erin cut in.“You’re saying that it’s my responsibility to save Padraig, the man who is supposedly still trapped there?”

A flicker of frustration crossed Tammie’s face.“Not supposedly. He is trapped there, Erin. And we desperately need your help.”

We.

That single word carried the weight of an impossible truth. Tammie and her sisters had already rescued four men, knights who had been cast into that place centuries ago by an evil sorcerer named Meliot. The wizard had cursed them, banishing them to thealter-worldafter they thwarted his attempt to seize a village. For nearly three hundred years, the men had been lost in a strange enchanted realm, prisoners of dark magic.

It was the kind of tale that belonged in a book, not real life. Every part of it was as unbelievable as sprouting wings and flying to the moon.

Erin exhaled sharply.“What could I possibly do to help? You and your sisters actuallyknow and understandmagic. The closest I’ve come to anything remotely mystical is cracking open a fortune cookie.”

A storm of thoughts whirled through her mind. She could refuse to help, put her foot down and make it clear she wanted nothing to do with this insanity. She could ignore Tammie’s pleas, distance herself from the others who also insisted that it was real—that she had been abducted, taken to another realm, and barely escaped with her life.

Or …

She could agree to help.

The thought sent a cold shiver racing down her spine. Her throat tightened, and she blinked hard against the sudden burn of tears.

If she said yes … then what?

What if it was true?

And what if she was takenagain?

The other realm had been a place like no other. Purple skies, more than one sun, extra moons as well. Live creatures and beings that should only exist in fantasy or horror movies. There had been a dragon, a huge fire breathing creature that had flown with the grace of a bird. Then there was the evil sorcerer, Meliot, who’d taken her captive and had nefarious plans for her. Erin had yet to find out what he planned for her, and she was more than fine with not knowing.

“Come to Dunimarle, let us tell you everything.” Tammie’s eyes searched hers. “Please.”

Erin shrugged. “The last time I was there, you told me what you all believed to be true. I heard it all and considered what you asked. I don’t think there is much else I need to know at this point.”

“You were in shock still. We’d just returned from the alter world. You’d been unconscious, perhaps not well enough to understand everything.”

“Knowing that I was unconscious proves to me that I must have imagined it all. Have you considered that you and I were drugged and somehow were misled?”

Tammie shook her head. “As I have explained, I am not the only one who has been there. My sister Sabrina has, too. Her partner Gavin, as well as the others, Tristan, Liam, and my Niall, were trapped there, with Padriag. Now he remains alone. It is imperative to save him before it’s too late. Please Erin, if you can just try, I promise if it doesn’t work, I’ll stop insisting.”

The angst in Tammie’s eyes made Erin hesitate. “I am not sure what to do. A part of me wants to help. I really do, but I have to care for myself. My mental health and personal safety are my priority.”

“I understand.” Tammie blinked as if she fought the urge to cry. “I don’t blame you. Hopefully we can find another way.”

After paying for the untouched drinks, both stood and walked outside. Across the street, Erin caught a familiar sight that made her heart lurch. Tall, muscular, with midnight black hair, he looked to have stepped right out of a romance novel.

His name was Niall McTavish, and he was the man Tammie had supposedly rescued from the other world. At least, that is what she remembered. He lifted a hand in greeting, and she returned the gesture, hurrying to her car.

Pulling away, Erin caught sight of Tammie going to Niall and leaning against his chest, a posture of defeat.

“I can’t do it. I won’t do it.” Erin repeated the words as her car turned a gentle curve in the road, leaving Culross behind.

* * *

After days of searching for a new place to live, she’d finally found one that sounded, and looked, too good to be true. Her current flat was cramped and noisy, much too close to a busy street. With Erin’s lease ending, she’d given notice of moving. Time had quickly passed and, with only days before her lease was up, there was an urgency to find another home.

As someone who often allowed her heart to rule in making decisions, Erin enlisted the help of her cousin Aubrey, who had no qualms about giving her opinion and pointing out potential issues.

Their fathers were brothers, Erin’s was the eldest, Aubrey’s was second born. The brothers had married in the same year, both meeting their wives directly after settling into jobs.

Aubrey’s father, an executive at an investment firm, married a beautiful woman from Ghana whom he’d met at the firm. Erin’s father, who’d died from a heart attack, had been a solicitor and her mother a secondary school teacher.

“I love this place,” Erin exclaimed, her spirits lifting at seeing the charming house with ivy cascading down one wall.

“The building is nice,” Aubrey said as they stood shoulder to shoulder looking at the house which, according to the advertisement, dated back to the late fifteen hundreds. They had been instructed to make their way through an archway beside the house and enter from a gate on the side.

Aubrey led the way, sun glistening on her rich brown curls, that bounced with each step.

There were a few shallow steps before the two women came to the gate. Opening it, Aubrey motioned for Erin to go first, and they continued forward along a neat row of stepping stones that cut through a manicured garden.

“This place is adorable,” Erin exclaimed, a smile stretching across her face.

Her cousin pushed a finger into Erin’s upper arm. “Honestly though, you should reconsider moving in with me and not into another flat,” she urged, referring to the large family home from which her aunt and uncle had recently moved, claiming to need a simpler life. That they’d moved into a larger home and taken most of the staff was amusing.

Erin gave her cousin a knowing look. “The house is too far from the city, the drive to and from the studio would eat up most of my day. From here I can walk. Plus, most things are within a couple miles. Market, bakery, pub ...”

Although she and Aubrey owned a thriving yoga studio there in Edinburgh, Erin taught classes and managed it, leaving Aubrey to hold yoga events in the villages closer to the family’s estate

“Fine. Fine.” Aubrey held up her hands. “Let’s have a look, and then we should go to the pub after.”

A woman of about fifty, with gray streaked hair pulled up into a messy bun, opened the door. Smiling widely, she motioned for them to enter. Erin liked her immediately.

In the small, open foyer, there was a table with fresh flowers, and not much else.

“You must be Erin,” the woman said. “I am Julia. As you can see, the house has been separated into two flats, each with two bedrooms, a sitting room, kitchen, and dining area. The flats have a private patio and share the garden. Julia ushered them to a door and opened it.

Julia pointed to the opposite side of the building. “I live here but am only in the city half of the week. If you need anything, I will give you my number, or you can leave a note on the door.”

As soon as Erin stepped inside the bright flat that was for rent, her breath caught. The ceilings were high, which meant the windows were as well. Sunlight streamed through the French doors into the sitting room giving it a welcoming air. There was a good-sized kitchen, a small pantry, and a surprisingly large bedroom that could easily fit a queen size bed, dresser and her favorite overstuffed chair. The second bedroom was small, which would work well for an office or craft room.

“It is absolutely perfect,” Erin turned in a circle. “I’ll take it.”

“We have other flats to see,” Aubrey, the voice of reason, prompted. “We should go look at them before you make up your mind.”

Julia and Erin exchanged looks. The woman seemed to understand she wouldn’t change her mind. “I believe this flat is where you belong,” Julia chimed.

Chills traveled up Erin’s arms. It was a sign that she’d found her new home. She peered out the window, her back to the two women as a smile crept up her face.

“I don’t need to keep searching. This is where I’m going to live.”