The lights of The Lucky Teapot were a warm and welcome sight in the pre-dawn gloom. Two figures were visible through the glass door: one tall and sombre in his hoodie, standing hunched over a table; the other pacing frantically while waving arms in the air. Both figures flinched at the sound of Lachlan’s key in the lock.
‘Hey,’ Cam said first, greeting Meredith and the Wulver with a wave and an easy smile. ‘We’re home.’
Meredith choked back a sob. For half a second her expression said she wanted to smack them both, but then she darted forward and tripped over her own feet to reach them.
‘Don’t youdare—’ she croaked, first grasping Lachlan’s shoulders, ‘—everdo that again.’
‘I’ll watch where I’m walking, next time,’ he replied, managing a rueful chuckle. He felt the need to laugh after everything they’d gone through.
‘Andyou…’ She pivoted to seize upon Cam. ‘Where have youbeen?We’ve been trying to get your attention at the pier for more than an hour!’
‘Ah. That’ll be your problem,’ Cam said, pulling her into a bear hug. ‘I wasn’t home.’
The hug took her by surprise and she clammed up. Lachlan smiled faintly. For all Cam complained about his aunt’s overbearing habits, he’d probably missed them sorely while trapped in the loch.
‘It’s good to see you as yourself again, Walker,’ the Wulver said from across the room. He hadn’t moved from his spot by the table, over which was spread a map of the Highlands and an open backpack half-filled with supplies. Evidently, he and Meredith had been preparing a search-and-rescue mission. The thought made Lachlan’s chest heave with gratitude. He was surrounded by so many good people.
‘You too,’ Cam answered cheerfully. He let go of Meredith. ‘Looks like all your detective work finally paid off, eh?’
Arran tilted his head in the same way a human might raise an eyebrow. ‘You mean to say you found Bryce?’
‘More than that,’ Cam said. ‘Much more.’
Meredith spluttered, slapping Cam’s arm. ‘What?How? When?How?’ She threw up her hands, bangles clattering. ‘Don’t you dare be so casual about this, Cameron Walker! Do you know the last thing I saw, Cam? I saw this, this…idiot—’ She jabbed a finger at Lachlan. ‘—walk into some kind of glowing circle and just…disappearin front of my eyes! In the middle of the arse-end of nowhere! Where the hell did you go, Lachlan? And the merman, too! And now you both have the audacity to walk back in here as though nothing happened! I amnot having it,Cam. You explain yourselves, this instant!’
In the ringing silence, Lachlan cleared his throat. ‘How about I make a pot of tea?’
It was truly amazing, the healing powers of a cup of tea.
Twenty minutes later found them all seated round a thistle-patterned tablecloth, with the first fingers of dawn stretching over the hills, while Cam and Lachlan drew their account of the night’s events to a close. Lachlan worried Meredith might be having a panic attack when Cam described how he’d tapped back into his fire magic. Lachlan could relate to her fear, because he’d felt the same when he first saw the flames licking over Cam’s Scorched arm in the cave. Neither of them wanted to return to that nightmare, where Cam’s life hung at the mercy of a hereditary curse.
But as Cam explained why they no longer had to fear the Scorch with Bryce out of the picture, she gradually relaxed. She pointed out it was disturbing that the ghost of one of his ancestors had been trapped in Loch Ness all these years, and Lachlan had to agree. He’d never felt Elspaith’s presence himself, but he wasn’t fond of the idea she may have been looking over his shoulder the whole time.
‘So, you are now both truly free,’ the Wulver stated, in that solemn way of his.
‘Yes. We are.’ Cam leaned back in his chair, still smiling despite the fatigue pulling at his eyes. Lachlan had never seen him so at ease, and so sure of himself. It was a good look on him.
‘And what will you do next?’
‘Do?’ Cam’s eyes slid quickly to Lachlan and away again. Lachlan stared carefully at his tea to avoid drawing attention to his burning cheeks. ‘Work’s been piling up. Lot of witchery to get on with.’
‘What about you?’ Lachlan asked Arran. ‘Will you stick around a while? We can put you up, if you like.’
The Wulver looked genuinely surprised, as though the idea that his continued presence might be welcome hadn’t even occurred to him. ‘I… Thank you. No. I shall be going home.’
‘Where’s home for you?’
‘The Shetland Islands.’ Arran blinked owlishly in the face of their collective stares.
‘That’s quite a long way, hon,’ Meredith said, putting down her teacup. ‘How are you getting there, exactly?’
‘I shall walk.’
‘And when you get to the ocean… ?’
‘I have a boat.’ The Wulver shrugged. ‘I am used to long journeys.’
Lachlan spotted the tell-tale crinkling of Meredith’s eyes that suggested she was on the verge of adopting another member into the family. ‘I could drive you most of the way… ?’ she wavered.
