“You are sure?” she asked.
“I would not lie to you, wife,” he said.
“Tell me all you know,” she said eagerly.
He kissed her brow. “Later when we are alone. Right now, the lord and lady must join the people in a small celebration of our return home.”
Annis saw the excitement on the faces that gathered around the two fires and agreed with a nod and took hold of her husband’s hand.
Smiles greeted them as they joined everyone and just as drinks were passed around—the first squawk was heard. It was followed by a second, then a third, then a fourth…
Everyone huddled together around the fires, frightened by the growing number of ravens circling overhead.
Annis stepped forward and called out, “What do you want?”
The circle of birds flew to form a line that pointed to the hills.
Annis looked to Brogan. “The witch summons me.”
22
“How is it you always get your way?” Brogan asked, shaking his head and keeping his hand clamped firmly around his wife’s as they set foot on the path to the witch.
“I am persuasive,” Annis said, glad for the brightness of the nearly full moon that lit the path well enough.
“You mean relentless,” he corrected, the snap of a branch causing him to cast a cautious glance about. “This is madness. Anything can be hiding in the darkness that surrounds us.”
“You truly think the witch would summon me and leave me unprotected?” she asked as though it were a logical conclusion.
“You… not me,” he clarified.
“We are one. She hurts you, then she hurts me, and I will make that clear, though I believe she is already aware of it.”
He was a bit more skeptical than his wife. Besides, he did not trust the witch. How could he when she had empowered the curse that had brought him and others endless suffering?
“If she wants to see you so badly, where is she? Where is the fog?”
“You think I need fog to appear?”
Instinct had Brogan stepping in front of his wife to shield her as the witch suddenly appeared a short distance in front of them.
“Good to know you would die for her,” the witch said.
Annis hurried in front of her husband and shook a finger at the witch. “You dare hurt my husband and I will see you suffer for it.”
The witch laughed. “I am trembling with fear.”
“You two are much alike,” Brogan said, wondering how to deal with both stubborn women.
The witch looked at Brogan as she slowly stretched her arm out from her side and pointed. “Go wait over there while I speak with Annis.”
“I do not take well to orders,” Brogan threatened.
The witch scowled. “In that we are alike. Go! Wolf will keep you company.”
Red eyes glared in the darkness before a large wolf appeared.
“Not much of a name,” Brogan said.
“It suits him well since he is leader of his pack. Would you like to meet them?” the witch asked with a sneer.
“Stop threatening my husband,” Annis warned.
“Or what?” the witch challenged, a glare in her eye most people would fear.
Brogan understood that his wife was not like most people—she would not back down from the powerful woman. He took her by the shoulders, forcing her to turn and look at him. “I will wait where she says. I can see you from there.” He kissed her cheek and whispered, “Watch your tongue.”
Annis kept an eye on her husband until he sat on a flat boulder and the wolf eased his backside down not far from Brogan to stare at him.
Annis turned to the witch. “That wolf better not harm my husband.”
“As long as your husband gives him no reason, he will be safe. Enough of such nonsense, I summoned you for a reason. “You found the woman with the limp?”
Annis nodded. “I did and we brought her here to the village, but she is of little help. A woman crippled with age told her that the MacWilliam bairn lives and that Gunna gave the little lass to a childless couple since she knew she would be hunted, then she disappeared. She also said that Gunna has returned to protect the lass from the three lords one last time.”
“And so it begins,” the witch whispered.
“What begins?”
“The wrong being righted and ultimately the demise of the curse,” the witch said.
Annis shook her head. “I do not understand. This woman, Gunna, will see the wrong made right?”
The witch cast an annoyed look on Annis. “You are not paying attention. The curse was cast. The only thing that could stop it was the death of the MacWilliam lass. Gunna made certain that did not happen. She disappeared, sacrificed everything to see the MacWilliam lass kept safe.”
Annis began to understand. “And now that the time draws near for the wrong to be made right, she has returned to make certain her promise to Lady Aila is kept. But how does she save the lass this time?” Her eyes shot wide. “Gunna is here to protect the lass’s identity.”