“Da.”

  The pleading tone drew Elin’s gaze to Marcia, who stared up at her father as tears rolled down her cheeks. He hesitated but eventually looked at her. Whatever he saw made him change his mind. He bent to touch his daughter.

  “Don’t,” Elin shouted, but it was too late.

  The instant the laird touched Marcia, Elin’s magic moved to envelop him with the witch. Elin called her magic back so he wouldn’t be harmed. In a blink, Marcia was on her feet. Green magic engulfed Elin in the next second. That’s when she knew. She would die if she didn’t fight back with all she had. Everyone would.

  And, for the first time in so long, Elin wanted to live. Really live.

  The magic struck her over and over like daggers piercing her flesh. She didn’t fight Marcia’s magic. Instead, she closed her eyes and gathered hers. A spell formed in her mind as if plucked from some unknown source. She whispered the words even as wind began to howl around her. Her hair whipped at her face, lashing it with stings that reverberated through her body.

  She heard Marcia scream angrily, but Elin didn’t pay her any heed. Elin’s magic grew with each breath. Marcia’s dulled, beaten back, little by little. Marcia didn’t give up easily, though. She sent another wave.

  Elin’s halted it. She didn’t need to see it. She felt it. Somehow, she knew what to do, as if her mind held the answers and she’d only needed to look. The wind continued to roar, gathering force until it was the only sound Elin heard.

  Bright pink flashed behind her eyelids. It moved so quickly that it was merely a bubble around her before moving to Marcia and the laird. With a few more words from Elin, Marcia’s magic got swept up in the gale. Elin let it escape into the air and dissipate into nothing. She could’ve used it, but it was tainted, just as Marcia was, and Elin wanted nothing to do with that.

  The more Marcia fought, and the more magic she used, the more Elin took. The battle could’ve lasted seconds or years. Elin was unaware of time, she only knew what she had to do to keep everyone safe.

  Elin’s eyes snapped open to focus on Marcia. Everything had a pink haze. She was no longer denying who she was. She embraced it fully, and her magic strengthened in return. Elin watched Marcia. Fear tinged the young witch’s face now. Elin thought about how different Marcia’s life could’ve been had she been taught correctly, but that time had passed. There was only one thing to do.

  Elin’s magic suddenly clamped around the witch with such force that Marcia staggered. Then, Elin tugged. It wrenched Marcia’s magic from her. Elin could keep it and add it to hers, but she wouldn’t. Even if it weren’t corrupted, that wasn’t who Elin was. Like the rest of Marcia’s magic, she let it go into the sky, where it dwindled to nothing, to be used by no one.

  Elin lowered her arms to her sides. To continue would’ve killed Marcia, and there was no need for that now. The wind died quickly once the spell was finished. Elin fought to stay on her feet. The only sound in the bailey were Marcia’s grunts as she stared at her hands, willing the magic to come. Marcia didn’t seem to understand what had happened. She continued trying to use her magic, either disbelieving or unaware that it was gone.

  “It’s gone,” Elin told her. “You’ll not be able to use magic ever again.”

  Marcia pulled back her lips in a sneer and lunged for Elin. Her father caught her with one arm before tossing her to one of his kinsmen. “Thank you for no’ killing her.”

  Elin wasn’t sure if what she had done was more humane than death. Marcia knew what it felt to have magic. Now it had been taken from her. That would leave an emptiness in her that nothing could fill. Add that to her antipathy and anger, and she might never find any kind of happiness or peace. But Elin didn’t tell him any of that. She merely bowed her head.

  Suddenly, pain exploded through Elin as something heavy slammed into her from behind. She pitched forward. She attempted to raise her hands to catch herself, but she wasn’t quick enough. Instead, her face collided with the ground with a force that had her pitching toward unconsciousness. Elin fought the black dots that edged her vision because she had been attacked, and she had to get to her feet.

  Move! She heard the voice in her head and rolled just as something broke apart where she had been. Elin looked over to see a wooden bench in shards. When those slivers began to tremble and then rise on their own, she knew there was another witch.

  Elin scrambled to her feet. She blinked to clear her fuzzy head as her gaze moved around the bailey. She heard someone shout and recognized Rob’s voice, but she didn’t stop looking for the witch. Elin stood alone in the middle of the bailey, Marcia and her father having vanished into the crowd that ogled this new spectacle.

  How had Elin not realized there was more than one witch? Because the Gira had only told her there was one, and she had accepted that. That could be a fatal error on her part, but there was no use lambasting herself now. She needed to find the other witch and…

  A startled shout sounded from her left. Elin’s head whipped in that direction to see a sword pulled free of a Mackenzie guard’s scabbard. The weapon hung in the air and turned to point at Elin. The bailey fell into an eerie silence once more. Elin almost turned to face the threat, but the witch was hiding. She had made it so Elin wouldn’t be able to find her easily. But the witch wanted her attention on the sword, and that was likely because there would be another attack from somewhere else.

  Elin thought about the people watching her. She didn’t focus on their faces. She couldn’t. Mostly because she knew she would see fear and horror reflected at her. She was the one they saw. She was the one who had their attention, so she was the one who received their loathing and revulsion. Once more, she heard Rob’s voice raise in anger. She heard Donald, too. There were other voices, as well, ones she didn’t know, but she tuned them out. If she had a chance of surviving this, she needed to stay focused.

  Another weapon was magically seized from a soldier. Then another, and another. More weapons were taken from men, from the blacksmith, from the armory, from everywhere. Women shrieked, children cried, men shouted warnings, and still, Elin didn’t move.

  One by one, weapons joined the first, pointing at her and hanging over the people’s heads in a giant circle. Then everything grew silent again. Elin slowly turned to look at each of the weapons. Some of the men in Mackenzie tartans tried to reclaim their blades, but the witch only raised them higher. As Elin turned, her gaze slid over Rob. He had the sword she had spelled in his hand, but his brother had lost his.

  Rob tried to say something to her, but Elin kept turning. The witch had to be related to Marcia. Maybe she had kept her powers to herself, most likely out of fear. But unlike Marcia, this witch had patience. Elin had no idea if she had training, but this was an entirely different battle than it had been with Marcia. There was rage here, too, just like with Marcia, but this was different. Controlled, contained.

  At least, for the moment.

  The witch waited to see what Elin would do. The weapons were trained on her, but she had little doubt that the witch would alter the trajectory and impale innocent bystanders. Which was why Elin did nothing.

  “Elin!”

  Rob again. She wanted to turn to him, to look into his blue eyes and tell him that everything would be all right, but she couldn’t do that. Because if she looked at him, she would see his worry, and it would distract her. And in that moment, people could die.

  Voices rose in the quiet of the bailey. Rob and someone else. Rob kept shouting her name, and she knew he was trying to get her attention. And Donald was attempting to stop him. Elin was glad of that. She wanted Rob safe. She wanted everyone safe.

  The problem was that by calling her name, Rob had drawn attention to himself. If the witch wanted revenge, then she could target Rob instead of killing Elin. Elin’s heart dropped to her feet like a stone. She was prepared to die—expected it, even. But not Rob. Not his family or anyone else.

  Only her.

  Clouds gathered overhead, blocking the sun and casting everything in gray shadow. Elin almost shouted for the Gira, almost called Asrail’s name. She knew they would come, but she didn’t know if it would be enough to save everyone. It was one thing for the people to know about her magic. It was quite another to show them the Gira on the same day.

  No. This was her battle. She would keep Asrail and the Gira out of it. Just as she would do everything in her power to keep Rob and the others safe.

  Elin second-guessed herself about taking Marcia’s magic. Would it have been better to end her life? She hadn’t thought so, and perhaps it wouldn’t matter to the witch now seeking revenge. Harm had come to Marcia, which was enough for her to attack Elin.

  The bailey went still and quiet as Rob’s voice trailed off. She could feel everyone’s eyes on her, waiting. Watching. Elin didn’t know what to do. One wrong move could mean someone’s death. She couldn’t stand there forever, though. She wanted to look at Rob, but she forced herself to close her eyes. The witch was watching. Would she take it as a sign of surrender? That was exactly what Elin wanted her to do. She even held her arms out from her body and waited.

  A breeze rustled the hair that had come loose from her braid, but Elin didn’t feel the strands tickling her cheek. She was focused on her magic, sinking deeper into it like before. Letting it flow through her. Her senses sharpened, honed from one breath to the next. She used them to search for the witch.

  There was a soft whoosh that could’ve been leaves rustling, but she knew it was a weapon. It sailed straight for her. Elin lifted a hand, halting it a few feet from her, the blade vibrating from the force of the magic pushing and pulling at it. Another came at her. She stopped the second. Four swords came at her at once. She halted them, too.

  She kept her eyes closed, using her senses and magic, waiting. She didn’t have long to wait. All the weapons came at her—all but one. Donald’s sword spun and flew toward Rob. Elin’s eyes snapped open. She stilled Donald’s blade headed for Rob, keeping one hand out to ensure it didn’t move again. There was a half second before the other weapons found her. She lifted her other hand, holding them immobile.

  It wasn’t easy. And the witch was powerful. She hadn’t kept pushing the first few weapons that Elin had stopped, but she did now. The blades fought to find their mark in Elin. Sweat broke out on Elin’s brow. She didn’t know how much longer she could hold them off or the one aimed at Rob. She glanced at him. His blue eyes met hers, concern puckering his brow. His lips parted to speak, and she looked away.

  The more she pushed the weapons away, the more they strained toward her and Rob. Then, just as abruptly, the ones aimed at her flipped and flew toward the crowd. Screams and shouts rose from the onlookers as they pushed and tripped over each other to get away. Elin took a breath and reached out with her magic to still the weapons once more. Instead of pushing them back, though, she drew them toward her.

  The blades slowed but kept moving toward their targets. She used more magic and, finally, managed to cease their journey, with several blades stopping within inches of their targets. Elin smiled as she located the witch. She was in the castle. Third floor, second window from the left that overlooked the bailey. The same window where she had sensed Marcia earlier.

  You know what to do. Trust your instincts.

  Elin was startled at the voice. It wasn’t hers. It sounded like…her mother’s. She’d thought she had felt her mother during her battle with Marcia, and she was sure of it now.

  She did know what to do. It was the only solution. Elin let her magic shoot from both hands, the bright pink tendrils wrapping around each weapon before turning them to her. Rob shouted something. She allowed the witch to propel the weapons toward her.

  Elin waited until they were nearly upon her before letting out a bellow and shoving her hands upward. The weapons flew to the sky before diverting and funneling into the window where the witch was. A scream of anger turned to shrieks of pain before silence fell.

  Elin looked up at the window, her hands dropping to her sides. The threat was over. She wanted to collapse to the ground, but she had been fooled once. She waited to see if another attack came. Her gaze landed on the MacDonnells, who looked aghast at what had occurred. Minutes passed with nothing. Finally, she released the breath she hadn’t known she held.

  Her body ached from the assaults, but she could’ve sworn she felt her mother beside her, smiling. How she wished she could speak to her, but it was enough to know that she was there. Even if it were just her spirit.

  Suddenly, there was another presence beside her. Elin turned to Rob. His eyes glittered with pride. She wanted to sink into his arms, but she was keenly aware of everyone’s stares.

  “You did it,” Rob said.

  She tried to nod, but suddenly, her body blazed with heat. She knew it was the injuries. They needed to be tended. It was just that she was so tired. Rob’s grin vanished. She saw his lips move, but she couldn’t hear what he said. Then the world tilted.

  Until there was nothing but blackness.

  15

  Rob sat beside the bed, staring at Elin. She hadn’t moved since he’d carried her to his chamber the day before. The fever had finally subsided. But she still hadn’t woken.

  There was a knock, and then Donald poked his head inside. His brother walked in when Rob motioned for him to enter. His brother stood on the other side of the bed and looked down at Elin.

  “She’s still no’ woken?” Donald asked.

  Rob shook his head. “I’ve coaxed, I’ve railed, I’ve even begged. Nothing.”

  “She…endured a lot.”

  “She saved everyone.”

  Donald swallowed and then nodded. “Aye. She did.” A pause. Then, “You knew of her magic.”

  Rob sat back in the chair and lifted his gaze to his brother. “Only after you accused her. She told me everything. Including that there was a witch here. I knew it was Marcia.”

  Another pause. “The MacDonnells have returned to their lands. There willna be a wedding between you and Marcia, of course.”

  “That’s right. There willna be because I wouldna marry her.”

  “Be that as it may, Laird MacDonnell understands the situation. He’s apologized for his daughter’s and sister-in-law’s attacks yesterday, as well as the curse and deaths from before. We’ve come to an arrangement that will keep our clans as allies.”

  Rob nodded once.

  “As for my wedding,” Donald said as his gaze lowered to the floor, “I’m taking some time. As is Mary. Everyone needs to deal with a lot after yesterday.”

  Rob’s gut clenched. If there was any indication that anyone wanted to harm Elin, Rob would get her out of the castle. The two could live somewhere else. He didn’t want to leave his family, but he wouldn’t allow them to hurt her. “Meaning?”

  “Witches are real.”

  “Aye. What about it?”

  Donald sighed as he looked at him. “You’re no’ making this easy.”

  “It isna hard. What do you want? To burn Elin alive? Hang her? Run her out of our borders?”

  “Nay,” Donald hurried to say.

  Rob got to his feet. “That’s the impression you gave when you first asked if she was a witch.”

  “It’s a lot to take in.”

  “So, there are witches? What if there are other beings with magic out there?”

  Donald’s face blanched. “Are there?”

  Rob shrugged. “Maybe.” He had his answer about telling his brother about the Gira. He might never share that part with him. “My point is, if the witches wanted to hurt us, they could. One did. And another saved everyone. Thrice. There will be those who do evil things and those who doona, be they someone with magic or someone without. I’d rather know what’s out there and have an ally than be ignorant, narrowminded, and allow superstition to rule me.”

  “I deserved that.”

  “Aye. You did.”

  Donald ran a hand over his jaw. “I didna come here to fight, brother. I came to tell you that Elin is welcome at the castle. Anytime. I’ve no’ heard anyone speak against her, but you know that fear can run deep. Our clan saw her protect you. She had a chance to kill Marcia, but she chose no’ to, and she had no choice against the other. All those things help, but I suspect it’ll take time for everyone to welcome her. She’s earned their gratitude. The trust will take longer.”

  “Do you plan to stop me from taking her as my wife?”

  “It would be folly if I tried because you’d leave. You’re my brother. I want you here, where you belong. Elin has my appreciation, and she’s shown she’s trustworthy. Marriages are a way to strengthen ties between two clans. Elin’s clan is that of the witches and whatever else may be out there. I can think of no better way to have that tie than by the two of you marrying.”

  Rob’s shoulders slumped. He sank back into the chair and smiled. “I was going to use that argument.”

  “I might be stubborn, brother, but I’m no’ stupid.”

  “That’s debatable,” Rob teased.

  They shared a laugh.

  Donald’s gaze moved to Elin. “Does she need another witch to heal her?”

  “I doona know.” Rob leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees before dropping his head into his hands. He took a deep breath and released it. Then he scrubbed his hands over his face and sat up. “As far as I know, there isna another witch around. At least, Elin didna speak of one.”

  “But there’s someone else out there who can help?”

  Rob studied his brother before he shrugged. “Maybe.”

  “Perhaps you should go check.”

  He didn’t want to leave Elin, but he also wanted to make sure she was healing. The way she had crumpled in his arms after the battles worried him. “Aye. I will.”

  “I’ll watch over her,” Donald promised.