| |
RATHER THAN FLY, she ran through the woodland, drawn by a familiar energy. A place somehow connected to the Irish Stones at which she had first found her beloved. She slowed as she drew closer, taken by the magic she felt there.
The utter peace and serenity.
“The Ring of Brodgar,” she whispered, stopping in the circle of stones nestled on a small isthmus between Lochs Stenness and Harray. She spun slowly, looking from rock to rock, trying to understand how this was connected to Ireland. How it was connected to her. But the answer eluded her.
“What are ye doing, Chloe,” came Aidan’s young voice. He appeared out of the woodland behind her, curious. “Why are ye here?”
“Because ‘tis lovely,” she exclaimed, concerned that he had followed her. That she never sensed him. But then there was something about this place, wasn’t there? A calling of sorts that had to do with them both. “We should get ye back wee Aidan.” She crouched and smiled. “Yer parents will be worried.”
“Och, they are a powerful wizard and witch,” he admonished, gazing at her with adoration. “Surely, they already know where I am.”
Maybe but she did not think so.
She needed to get him back.
She must keep him safe.
“Chloe,” he whispered, looking at her with childlike wonder. His eyes suddenly shined light turquoise with newfound powerful magic. “Ye look verra bonny.”
That’s when she realized he could see her.
Truly see her.
He had been unable to do that in any other life.
But then he had never possessed such magic.
“Oh, laddie, look at that,” she whispered, cupping his cheek. “Everything I have always known ye were on the inside has surfaced. Such perfection.”
“But I would give it all up for ye, lass,” he whispered. “If ye will just stay with me.”
She blinked, confused. What was he talking about?
“Nay.” She shook her head and pulled him into her arms. “Never give up what ye have been given for ‘tis well deserved. ‘Tis who ye truly are, lad.”
“That is where ye are wrong, my lass,” he whispered, his voice changing, growing deeper. “Ye are who I truly am. What we have found together.”
She blinked again, doubly confused before her body suddenly went cold, and her surroundings changed. All but him, that is. She could still feel Aidan. Sense him close, pulling her to him from a dark abyss.
Trying to find him though he was right here, she closed her eyes and opened them not to a child in her embrace but a man holding her on his lap. They were still within the stones, but daylight had turned to night, and fog drifted in heavy wisps around them.
“I’ve been here before,” she whispered, staring up into his damp eyes. “Haven’t I?”
“We both have.” His gaze flickered to the standing stone beside them then back to her. “In a dream or in reality, ‘tis impossible to know, but this stone is ours. ‘Twas the one where we looked for each other on Julie and Tiernan’s adventure at the Callanais Standing Stones. Then ‘twas the one we were beside when my arch-wizard magic sparked, and I finally saw you.” He touched her cheek. “’Tis also the verra stone we sat beside when we first met in Ireland so long ago.”
“It is, isn’t it?” she whispered, tearing up. She looked from the standing stone to him. “Why are we here now?”
He glanced up before his gaze returned to her. “Because ye died, lass.”
Startled, she glanced up as well only to realize Grant stood there quietly, respectfully, more whole than she had ever seen him.
That’s when it all came rushing back.
Robert killed Donald.
Cray killed Robert.
Then she protected Cray.
“This is what happened to Tiernan too,” she said softly, looking at Aidan again. “He died then...” She searched his eyes, seeing so much. Understanding. She looked from Grant to Aidan. “Something must be sacrificed...because of what the brotherhood did to the unicorn. It’s the only way to seal off this Stonehenge from evil and help save Scotland.”
“Then I’ll sacrifice myself,” she began only for him to put a finger to her lips and shake his head.
“You’ll do no such thing.” His gaze was never more loving. “Not if I can save you.”
“Save me?” She tried to shake her head, but her body remained immobile, her soul hanging on by a thread. “But it’s already too late...” She trailed off, feeling his heroic essence warming her spirit even as she fought whatever he intended to do. “Unless you’re the one sacrificing...”
“Do you not realize by now how far we Hamilton’s will go for our one true love?” Grant said softly, crouching beside them. He was younger now, his features so very similar to Aidan’s, his eye color a dead match. “That we would give up anything? Anything at all?”
Grant’s kind gaze lingered on her face for a moment before his moist eyes rose to Aidan. “Are you ready then, my lad? Truly ready?”
What was happening? What was he doing?
“Do you even need to ask?” Aidan said to Grant.
She looked back and forth between them, confused until she realized. Until she understood why she had returned to this Stonehenge upon death and thought of that day with little Aidan. Why she’d been taken back to the moment his arch-wizard magic ignited.
“Oh God, no,” she whispered, realizing just how far he was willing to go to bring her back.
What it would cost him.
This was what her cryptic words about writing memoirs had referred to.
Before she could write about everything happening and immortalize his beloved clans, he would have to give up who he was. Forfeit everything. His very soul. Or all he loved most would be lost. Who he loved most. “Aidan, don’t. Please. You’ll end up regretting this.” She panicked, desperate to stop him. “You’ll end up hating me.”
“Never,” he vowed. His gaze returned to hers, his heart in his eyes. “I could never hate you, Chloe. I am incapable of it not just in this lifetime but every one before.”
“Nevertheless.” She didn’t want this for him. “This is too much.”
Because it was.
So very much more than he should give.
“Living without you would be too much.” He cupped her cheek and brushed his lips across hers. “Everything else is manageable.”
“Don’t,” she began, but it was too late.
He was already letting go.
“Oh, Aidan,” she whispered hoarsely. Tears blurred her vision when he and Grant's eyes sparked with magic.
She gazed into Aidan's eyes, remembering when they first shined like this. The incredible magic that had flared to life. He was as much in awe staring at her now as he had been then. His magic just as brilliant.
Only now, she had to watch it fade away.
She had to watch him say goodbye to something that was so much a part of him.
Tears rolled down her cheeks as the bright shining turquoise in his eyes faded ever so slowly, and Grant’s brightened ever more. What had ignited in his great grandson because of DNA filtered back to who had given it to him through his lineage.
Moment by heartbreaking moment, Aidan’s glorious light dwindled until the darkness and Stonehenge receded, and loving warmth filled her. Slowly but surely, life returned to her limbs. The fog shied away, and a setting sun took its place. A fading ball of fire that gave life but could just as easily take it away. Now, in some strange way, it took a piece of him as readily as it had once taken her, changing life as they knew it.
She never looked away but stayed with Aidan the whole time.
There for him when, despite how hard he fought them, tears trickled down his cheeks.
She felt his inner torture as though it were hers.
Experienced the crippling pain that tore at his soul.
While tempted to tell him how very sorry she was, she knew her words would fall on deaf ears. This was what he was willing to sacrifice. Not for the sake of closing off Brodgar Stonehenge from evil and keeping Scotland safe but for her.
To give them the life they deserved.
To be with her always.
“Thank you,” she whispered, cupping his cheeks. “I love you, Aidan.”
“And I love you, lass,” he whispered back. “With all my heart.”
Her gaze lingered on his face for a time before she finally took in their surroundings. They were where she had fallen during the battle. The sun no longer set but rose. Its newborn light cracked over the horizon and filtered through the trees. David wasn’t here, but she knew he was safe.
Only Julie, Tiernan, and Cray remained, all solemn but full of pride as they looked at Aidan and Chloe. They had accomplished their mission, and history was still on track. More importantly, one more Stonehenge had been closed off from their nemesis.
Their pride, more than anything, though, was for Chloe’s willingness to sacrifice her life not just for Cray but the whole of Scotland. And very much for Aidan, who had sacrificed so very much in the end.
After all, he had given up a truly irreplaceable, soul deep part of him.
His magic.
Aidan was no longer a wizard.
