“Alright, let’s get this over with before I lose my nerve,” I declare, striding forward until the icy tendrils of water lap at my ankles, sending an electric shiver up my spine.
“If something goes wrong… it’s been one hell of an adventure, Cal.”
“We’ll make it, Amelia.Còmhla.It means together.” Cal’s voice echoes solemnly through the quiet night as he weaves his fingers through mine. The rough texture of his palm grounds me.
Hand-in-hand, we wade deeper into the loch, the freezing water swirling around our legs, rising higher with each step. I’m breathless and worn out but ready to leap again—fueled by adrenaline, fear, and a flicker of hope.
Is it just me, or is the water starting to glimmer with specks of silver and gold? A vortex of pink, green, and purple light seems to bloom beneath the surface. A glance at Cal confirms he sees it, too; his expression mirrors my nervous anticipation.
An enraged roar from behind us shatters the tranquil moment.
“Argh! Bloody MacDowell demons! Ye willnae escape me this time!” Gregor Campbell stands on the shore—wet and fuming with fury. Even from here, I can see the vein pulsating in his temple and a murderous gleam in his eyes.
“Quick, Mills!” Cal shouts, seeing Gregor charging into the shallows with his sword drawn. “We’re almost there!”
My breath catches in my throat, and my heart races as I push against the churning water—waiting for the vortex to swallow us whole. We have to hurry before we’re trapped in this era forever, at the mercy of a madman.
Cal tightens his grip on my hand. His eyes are ablaze with determination and courage, and I see the man he’s become, ready to fight tooth and nail for those he loves. For me.
“Còmhla,” he says, his voice steady. “No matter what happens, lass.”
I nod, my heart swelling with a love I’ve never allowed myself to imagine before. “Together.”
The water churns around us, the vortex growing wider as though it’s in tune with our determination. We charge headlong into the fray, and suddenly, the portal within Loch Ness yawns open, sucking us into a dizzying whirl of colorful magic and moonlight. Myeyes squeeze shut as I cling onto my boots and Cal’s hand while time seems to drag us under.
Gregor’s livid cries are escalating, his splashing footsteps closing in. But we’re already sliding out of his reach, the pull of the future dragging us deeper into the portal’s clutches. The last image seared into my mind before light engulfs us is Gregor’s face twisted with fury and disbelief. He’s too late.
Then reality shatters into a riot of colors and we’re tumbling, tumbling, down through centuries, back to where we started—back to a future that I hope we can shape together.
As the swirlingpink and green hues fade away, I realize I’ve landed on Loch Ness’ soft shore. Cal is beside me, his hand still locked tightly with mine. Our breaths come out in ragged pants.
Looking up at the night sky, I notice that the stars don’t shimmer as brightly as they used to. The constellations are masked by a hazy glow—a dead giveaway of light pollution from our contemporary world. A bittersweet nostalgia hits me as I recognize familiar cottages on the coast—we’re back in the present.
“We did it,” I murmur, like saying it louder might jinx it somehow. “We made it back.”
Cal’s eyes twinkle with relief and joy. “Aye, we did indeed. Just in the nick of time.”
A ripple of laughter bubbles up from my chest, bouncing off the serene waters of Moray Firth with infectious energy. The realization that we’ve outfoxed Gregor, leaving him trapped in the pages of history where he rightfully belongs, fills me with a heady sense of triumph. I shake my head, trying to make sense of our wild ride—our victory feels as surreal as a dream spun from moonlight and Scottish mist.
“Do you hear that?” Cal’s voice interrupts my thoughts.
I strain my ears and catch the faint strains of music wafting from a nearby window. It’s a tune that feels like an old friend in this new reality. “Is that... Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper?”
Cal laughs. “Aye, it is. Fitting, right? A song about time, welcoming us back to the 21st century.”
“Of all the songs we could’ve heard right now, it just had to be that one. The universe sure has a twisted sense of humor,” I say.
His grin widens. “Well, at least there’ll be no more corsets and chamber pots for ye, Mills.”
“And no more kilts and swords for you, Captain.”
“I dinnae know,” he ponders out loud, brushing sand off his family tartan. “The kilt suits me. And I might still need my boots in the fields. They’ll come in handy if I step in a cow patty.” With a mischievoussmirk, he tosses his boots onto the sand and steps into them before lacing them up, and I follow suit.
As we stand hand-in-hand under the starlit sky, laughing together like two kids caught playing hooky from school, relief washes over me like a wave crashing onshore. We’ve made it back—against all odds—and our feelings for each other are more potent than any magical vortex or vengeful clan.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
We startour trek back from Loch Ness’s mystical shores towards Aven Valley; the gentle lapping of waves against the shore serenading our journey home. Cal’s normally lively banter gives way to a contemplative silence that hangs between us like an uninvited guest at a party. His gaze seems distant—I wonder if he’s counting up how long we’ve been gone or simply pondering over the enigma that is time travel.
