The ride didn’t take as long as Katie had thought it would, and before she knew it, they had arrived at Invergarry Landing, Colm’s family home. As the carriage pulled up the dirt road and a view of the main house emerged between the trees, Katie had a sense of belonging and recognition wash over her, a sort of déjà vu. She felt powerful magic here; she felt Eleanor’s presence.
Katie placed her hand on Colm’s arm as they pulled up to the front stairs. She was nervous, nauseated, and scared. She had never before been brought home to meet a man’s family. When she saw his mother, aunt, sister, and little brother emerge from the home, she felt overwhelmed. Colm got out of the carriage then helped Katie down. Both were both greeted with hugs.
The older woman who Katie had guessed was Colm’s mother embraced Katie and held her for a moment, then stepped back, holding Katie’s arms. “Let me look at you, child. Why, aren’t you a pretty little thing.” She looked over at Colm, who was grinning. “You did well finding this one. She has the hips of a good child bearer.”
“Mother! Do you think that is really appropriate? You just met poor Katie.”
“I know, but still, look at her.” She turned Katie around. “Fine stock. Fine stock indeed.” Katie began to giggle.
“Mother, please!” Colm snorted.
“All right, all right, I will stop.” Turning her attention back to Katie, she asked, “Are you hungry, my dear? We thought that since Colm may not be home for Christmas, we would celebrate whilst you both are here. I am Ainslie O’Donnell, Colm’s mother, and this here is Mrs. Annis Douglas, Colm’s aunt and my big sister, as well as Greer and Brody, my twins and his sister and brother.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all. Thank you for having me,” Katie replied.
Colm wrapped his arm around Katie and requested, “Why don’t we go inside?”
They all made their way into the sitting room and were listening to Greer play the piano. Colm had taken their bags upstairs and settled them into adjoining rooms when Ainslie called them into the dining room for supper.
Colm took the stairs two at a time, shaking the entire house as he barreled down. “I am famished,” he declared as he entered the dining room, pulling a chair out first for his aunt, then for Katie. His mother and Greer helped bring the food out while Brody fiddled with his knife.
Colm sat at the head of the table with Katie on one side and his mother opposite her. His aunt was on Katie’s other side, and Greer and Brody were seated next to their mother.
Trying to make conversation Katie turned to the twins. “How old are you both?”
Greer was the first to respond, leaving Brody to stew. “We just turned seventeen. Mother says it is time for me to find a suitor, but I would like to become a teacher. I thought I would go to Limestone College in South Car…”
“Greer, Miss Butler does not want to hear about your fantastical imagination.”
“But Mother…”
“No buts,” Ainslie replied as Greer began to pout.
Colm’s family cook emerged from the kitchen with the turkey and placed it in the center of the table. Colm’s face lit up when he saw Flora, and he sprang up from his seat. Katie thought he might knock her down with the bear hug he tackled her with.
“It’s good to see you, Mister Colm.”
Colm hugged her again. “It’s so good to see you, Flora. I hope James is well.”
“Oh yes, he is doing just fine. He is down at the stables muckin’ dem horses.”
“Well, you tell him to come find me when he has a break.”
“I will, Mister Colm.”
“I need to discuss with him arrangements for the next trip.”
“I will tell him, Mister Colm.”
“Thank you, Flora.”
Katie listened her confusion must of seemed apparent because Colm felt the need to explain. “We are abolitionists, and we help the railroad James is working on a stop here at Invergarry Landing. One of Flora’s sons has a construction business in Boston that I have a share in, and I used to make trips there before this war. Now, Flora’s son Jacob makes the trips as a conductor for the railroad.”
Katie nodded. “I see,” she said, and sipped on her wine.
“My dear, I must say, you are more beautiful than you were in my vision,” Annis interrupted.
Katie almost spit her drink onto the table. “Excuse me?”
“Miss Butler, my sister is a soothsayer. It is not something we tell everyone. But when Annis told us she had seen you in her vision, and her vision said the prophecy would be fulfilled, we just knew you had to be of Eleanor’s kin.”
Katie turned to Colm, who looked as stunned as she felt. “Did you know about this? What prophecy? I know of a story I was told prior to my arrival, but I wasn’t told of a prophecy.”
“Well, yes. But I didn’t tell you the entire story,” Colm explained.
“Why not? Don’t you think that it might be important?”
“It is. That is why I brought you here, so my aunt can tell you. I didn’t want to leave anything out.”
“Well I think you did,” she joked. “It’s fine. Annis, please tell me.”
“After supper, if you please. I am famished.”
Katie brooded through most of the meal, picking at her food. Colm, on the other hand, had three helpings and dessert. Katie just wanted the meal to be over so she could find out what this prophecy was. She hadn’t read anything about a prophecy in her book. But then again, the holder of the book was supposed to write those things down. If Eleanor wasn’t aware of the prophecy or dead by that time, then she couldn’t very well have written it down. Katie only knew what Edith had told her in the future, but those stories were mostly hearsay with a few eyewitness accounts. What Annis was going to tell her was passed down from Eleanor’s Colm himself.
When everyone had finished their meals, Ainslie was the first to leave the table. “Why don’t we go into the sitting room and let Annis tell the story?” Katie was up and halfway to the sitting room by the time Ainslie had finished her sentence.
“Well, Colm, she is a spirited girl.” She poked Colm in the shoulder.
As they all settled into their seats, Annis sat in a chair in front of them and began to speak. Katie had heard most of the story from Colm, and she was anxious for the older woman to get to the prophecy.
“As Eleanor burned, she cast a spell on her book, asking for the book to find her true love again. What she didn’t know was that when she cast that spell, she cast the spell on her love, too. The prophecy says that Colm will wait for his true love to return and that the bearer of the book is the only one who can lift the spell. The spell cast that day is a burden that all the O’Donnell men, past, present, and future, must carry.”
“What is this burden?” Katie asked.
“Well, my dear, it is two-fold. First, they live until they find their one true love, no matter how old they become. Second, the one who falls in love with the bearer of the book shall become a traveler himself and carry the weight of the entire O’Donnell clan on his shoulders without aging, without injury, and without dying until his mission is complete.”
“What does that mean…that all the O’Donnell men are immortal until they find their true love?”
“Yes dear, that is what it means.”
“And what of the second part?” Katie asked.
“Well, dear, that means the man who falls in love with the woman who holds Eleanor’s book shall stay immortal until he has completed his mission.”
Katie sat back, confused. “What mission? I haven’t read anything in my book about a mission.”
Annis leaned back in her chair. “I suppose you would not have. The original Colm Alexander Duncan O’Donnell wrote those words when he cast the spell himself some ninety-plus years ago. The spell was a protection spell that hid both himself and the book. The spell is in his diary that we keep locked in Colm’s, the fourth of that name, desk in his study. When Eleanor’s powers did not pass to another, it awakened those of the past who sought the power for themselves, but it also awakened those who sought to protect the power of the Stewart line.”
“So that explains part of the prophecy, but I still don’t understand what the mission is.”
Annis leaned forward, her eyes narrowed. “We do not know, only that it is. The mission will become clear as the pages of the book fill. Grandfather’s diary will help answer some of your questions, but most will be explained as the book fills. Colm will retrieve Grandfather’s diary for you both to read.”
“So, the book isn’t done filling?” Katie asked.
“Oh no, my dear. The stronger you become, the more the book will reveal, and the more the book will teach you.”
“But so far, my spellcasting has been a bit of a hit or miss.”
Annis smiled. “Aye, my dear, I can teach you some, but my skills are limited. Yours are not. You must trust, clear your mind, and have faith. If you do those things, you will become a strong sorceress and all your family’s power will become your own, I promise you. But now I must take my leave. I am tired and must get some sleep.”
Ainslie called for Greer and Brody, who had both fallen asleep. “Come, children, it is your bedtime also. Come.” The twins got up from their seats and hugged Colm as they passed, one running up the stairs after the other. Ainslie paused and gave Colm a hug then took Katie’s hand in hers. “My dear, fear not. You are strong and you have my boy beside you. He will help to guide you, I promise.”
Katie smiled back at the woman, squeezed her hand, and answered, “Thank you, Mrs. O’Donnell. Thank you for everything.”
“It is my pleasure, dear. Now you both get some sleep. I am sure Annis has plans for you tomorrow.” Ainslie turned and went up the stairs, pausing halfway. “Good night, my son. I am so glad you are home.”
“Me too, Mother. I shall see you in the morning.”
Colm turned to Katie, kissing her on the cheek. “My dear Katie, I am so sorry I was not honest with you.”
Katie smiled. “It’s okay, I understand. That was a lot to take in, more than I expected. Did you know that you are immortal?”
“Yes, I knew.”
“That’s a huge burden to bear. Where is your father?”
“Well, my father passed.”
“But how did he pass if he is immortal? Oh, wait don’t answer that, he found his true love so when that happens, the O’Donnell men will eventually die.”
“Yes, we become like everyone else.”
“Except you!”
“Yes, that’s right, and I do love you with all my heart and soul. Shall we?” Colm pointed toward the stairs.
“Yes, please. I am exhausted.”