LOCH MORAR, SCOTLAND
The Past
The blood red moon was almost at its highest peak and Paige could see the mist fast approaching to where we both stood on the edge of the loch. She was immediately reminded of the last time she was here, when the monster made an appearance with Gavin at her side. That seemed like another lifetime now.
“You should come with me,” she blurted.
Clarion shook his head. “Nay, lass. I can no come with ye.”
Paige nodded, accepting the answer he gave because she already knew what it would be before she asked. “What will you do?”
A rare smile lit his face. “I have a monster ta slay, remember?”
“What good will that do? You said yourself that you doubted you could beat it.”
“Aye, but that was before ye gave this ta me.” He held the dagger aloft.
Just seeing that awful thing made her shudder with revulsion. “That is really small, and trust me when I say, that monster you speak of, is very big, enormous even.”
“Is that so?” His lips twitched.
“You think I am kidding, but I am not. You will surely be killed if you try to take on that monster with only that dagger.”
“What this? Ye have no faith in me?”
“Hey, I have plenty of faith in you; however, that thing is huge.”
Clarion stepped closer to her. “Do no fret about me,” he said, clearly not fazed by her warning.
“I don’t want you to die.”
“I do no want ta die, either, but my fate was meted out long ago by the actions of another.”
Paige knew he was talking about his father and the God-awful thing that he did to that woman, or whatever she was, she didn’t deserve that.
The wind picked up, pushing the mist closer. White frothy rolls of surf began to slide over the rock-laden area, wetting the toes of her boots.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Aye. I know.”
“Can you read my mind? Because you always seem to know what I am thinking?”
“And what would ye do if I told ye I could?”
“I would be mortified.”
He smiled. A real one. “Then I will no be telling ye that I can read yer mind, aye?”
A moment of mortification set in, but then faded just as fast as she saw a twinkle in his eyes. Surely, he was just pulling her leg, she thought, and said as much, “You are kidding, right?”
His brow lifted up. “Am I?”
I reached out to playfully smack his arm but he caught my hand in his. Holding it tightly, he said, “It has been a pleasure knowing ye, Paige Walsh.”
Her heart was pounding so hard. “It has been a pleasure knowing you as well, Clarion de Grey,” she croaked out, suddenly feeling like she had a frog in her throat. That in itself wouldn’t have been so bad, but she also felt like puking and crying at the same time. In fact, even though her time here had not been that good, this time, she was pretty miserable at the prospect of leaving.
Surprisingly, for a minute, he looked pretty upset too, or she could have been imagining it. She tended to do that a lot lately. Imagine things that were not real.
“Take heed, lass, the mist is almost here.” He nodded in the direction of the loch.
Another wave of dread washed over her, making Paige feel even sicker. There were so many things she wanted to say, so many things that she wanted to do, and now, she would not have a chance to do or say any of them. Worst of all, she would not have a chance to say goodbye to Gavin, tell him that she loved him and would always love him, even though he didn’t remember who she was or what she meant to him before.
And even though Paige told herself that it would be better this way. A clean break would help her forget him faster—besides, she thought with a sudden burst of anger; he is probably off doing his bimbo. Hell, he probably thinks she is still down in that rotten pit he shoved her in. In spite of her anger toward Gavin, Paige couldn’t stop the flow of tears from falling from her eyes.
She quickly turned away and pretended to watch the mist so Clarion wouldn’t see her cry.
Clarion didn’t need to look at the lass to know she was crying and he knew, she was not crying for him, which hurt a bit more than he expected it to.
Back towards the hill, the one opposite from the loch he saw movement and clutched the dagger in his hand, but then he realized it wasn’t an enemy but his brother.
Reflexively, Clarion turned and immediately took a step toward Paige but then stopped himself. She was not his. Nor would she ever be.
Instead of saying goodbye, he took a moment to memorize her face; then turned, and disappeared into the shadows of the night.
♦
Feeling a pull, Paige looked down and saw the mist encircling her feet. Wanting to say good-bye to Clarion, she turned to look for him but he was not beside her.
“Clarion,” she called out, twisting her body as she did so, in the other direction, towards the hill opposite from the loch.
Sure, her eyes were playing tricks on her; Paige shut her eyes and then reopened them. A swell of elation filled her heart. She wasn’t imagining him—Gavin was really running towards her.
Clarion forgotten for the moment, Paige tried to run to Gavin but her feet were stuck.
“Gavin!” she yelled, while trying to dislodge her rooted feet, knowing that any minute she would be pulled back through the mist.
Gavin stopped a foot away eyeing the mist warily. “Lass,” he panted, breathing hard from his run. “Can ye ever find it in yer heart ta forgive me?”
It was like a dam broke and her tears fell rapidly down her face. She nodded her head, not able to speak just yet.
Careful to keep out of the mist, he took her in his arms. “I am so sorry, lass.”
His hands were on the sides of her face, tears in his eyes and she knew he was sincere. ‘He picks now to remember you’ her little voice cut in to their happy reunion. She pushed back her little voice tired of its two cents.
“Yes, yes, I forgive you.” Of course, if she hadn’t been unfaithful herself, she probably would have had an entirely different answer, but as it stood, who was she to talk.
Once more Paige tried to move, but her feet were just as stuck now as they were a moment ago. “Gavin, I can’t get out of the mist.”
“Lass,” he said, holding her aloft. “Ye need ta go home.”
“What? But I thought you said you remembered?”
“Aye, I do which is exactly why ye need ta go home.”
“You are coming with me, right?”
Gavin shook his head solemnly back and forth. “Nay, lass. I can no leave my men behind a second time.”
He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tighter.
“Make them come too.” Her voice came out muffled against his chest.
Gavin shook his head again. “Nay, lass. That is no their destiny.”
Paige pulled back to look at his face. “So, what. There is nothing here for them.”
“This is their home, lass.”
“Why don’t you ask them?” How do you know? They may be ecstatic to come to the future with me.” Fine, she felt terrible for saying that seeing the sadness in his eyes. But what were her options? Leave alone? Or leave with Gavin and his men? That answer was a no brainer.
Gavin face was set and she knew that he had already made up his mind. “Remember that ye will always be with me right here.” He placed her hand over his heart to emphasize his point.
“Please,” she begged, feeling desperate. “Pull me out of the mist. I want to stay…”
Gavin shook his head. “Ye do no belong here. Ye never did.”
“Neither do you. Not anymore,” she argued a losing battle.
“Lass, I do belong here, but ye do not.”
“But, but, I love you…”
“I know ye do.”
A sad smile crested his lips and she knew then that her argument was moot.
Feeling desperate, she grabbed hold of him. Paige was determined to pull him with her like she did the last time.
Catching her off guard, he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her in such a way she completely lost her train of thought.
When he pulled back, he said, “Now ye have something ta remember me by, aye.” He gave her one of his heart stopping smiles and before Paige knew what he was about, he pushed her backward but instead of hitting the frosty waters of the loch, she kept right on falling.