Page 43 of Love Beyond Time (Morna’s Legacy #1)
“What did you say, Blaire? I can’t hear you up here!
” Adelle continued to dig into the soft moist earth, intent on digging up Alasdair Conall so that she could get the ring.
It was the last day the spell would work, and daylight was fading fast. She’d resigned herself to the fact that Bri was going to stay, but she would be damned if she allowed Blaire to stay separated from her home forever as well.
Blaire’s voice was suddenly clearer, and Adelle poked her head out of the hole she was digging to see Blaire standing at the top of the entrance to the basement.
“I said, stop digging. I doona know how, but the ring is here. Right on the spell book. Come and see.”
It was impossible. She must’ve sat her own ring down in the room, but no, she glanced down at her own hand to see all of her rings securely in place.
“Are you sure, Blaire?” Adelle followed Blaire down into the spell room, nearly swallowing her own tongue when she saw the ring sitting right on top of the switching spell.
“I told ye. Perhaps, it works the same way as the writing. I doona know what made me come down here, but I saw it right away.” Blaire smiled at her, and Adelle rushed to swallow her in a large embrace.
“I’m so happy for you, Blaire! This means you can go home. We should start the spell right away.” She pulled back when she felt Blaire stiffen in her arms. “What is it, Blaire?”
“Aye, we should start the spell, but I’m no going back.”
Adelle’s voice came out even higher than usual. “What? Blaire, if you don’t go now, you’ll be trapped here; the spell won’t work after tonight.”
“Aye. I know. I canna go back, but ye can. We are gonna do the spell for ye. I doona know if it will work, but we must try.”
“Me? It never crossed my mind. The portrait is of you and Bri. It won’t work, I’m sure.”
“Perhaps if ye hold a piece of me. Here.” Adelle watched as Blaire reached for a small knife, quickly cutting a lock of her hair and extending it in her direction.
Adelle took it, cradling the gift as she allowed herself to consider the possibility that she might be reunited with her daughter. Not only that, she would be able to live in the very time and with the very people she’d dedicated her life to studying. It was an archaeologist’s dream come true.
“Adelle, if ye want to try, we must try it now. Daylight is almost gone.”
“Are you sure you won’t go back, Blaire?”
“Aye. There’s no anything left for me there. I shall start anew here.”
Adelle smiled, hope and fear of disappointment building as they quickly gathered the materials for the spell. When all was in place, Blaire turned to leave.
“I think it best I leave. I doona want to risk the spell taking me back. I shall wait in the car. If it doesna work, join me there. Thank ye for yer kindness. I shall never forget ye.”
They hugged briefly, and once Blaire had gone and she heard the car door slam in the distance, Adelle placed the ring on her finger and slowly sounded out each word in the book.
* * * 1645
Mary ran through the castle as fast as her short legs would carry her. The moment Kip had informed her of Eoin’s decision to send Bri back, she’d fled from her own chambers at the edge of the castle grounds and raced to stop the lass.
How Eoin could be so foolish, she couldn’t begin to understand. Did the lad no understand that their love made them both stronger? Passion was wasted on the youth, she was certain.
She nearly slid down the stairwell in her hurry to get there before the lass started the spell, and as she rushed through the spell room door, she was afraid she arrived only moments too late. The room was humming with an unseen energy, just as it had done the day she’d watched Bri arrive.
Suddenly the room trembled, and Mary found herself staring at the second-oddest looking lass she’d ever seen, next to Bri. The woman looked about with an expression of awe, scaring Mary nearly to death as she cackled gleefully and jumped around the room.
Taking in the lass’ strange clothing, Mary could only draw one conclusion.
“Ye must be her mother, aye?”