“Great idea,” Dyna said. “I’ll watch over Shealee.”
Broc led Merryn out the door, ignoring the few who asked her to join them for a chat. The two elder gentlemen called her over, but Broc just said, “Later.”
He guided her out the front door and through the gates to an area not far from where the guards practiced, somewhere that seemed safe, yet away from anyone who wished to interruptthem. He found an apple tree and grabbed two ripe pieces, handing one to her before he pointed to a nice spot to sit under the tree.
“Broc, I don’t understand what that lass was trying to tell me.” She took a bite of the apple and glanced over at him to see if he would tell her more about the girl who spoke like an adult. There were so many people at Duart Castle that she was more confused than ever.
He said, “You know that we explained how we have had some bairns kidnapped by K, but we’ve brought them back. Well, Lia is one of them. And …” He paused for a moment and stared up at the fluffy clouds overhead.
“What is it, Broc? I can handle anything, but I need to know what is happening. No surprises, no secrets. Please.”
“Do you believe in faeries or seers or witches? Any of that? Many do, many don’t.”
“Witches? Nay. I don’t believe in witches. What do you mean by seers?”
“Someone who can see things that the rest of us can’t. Dyna is a seer and so are her bairns.”
“I don’t understand. What can she see that I can’t?”
“Things a distance away. Things that will be happening before they do. Sandor can see his deceased great-grandparents and his dead uncle. And so can Tora. They say they come and chase them. You heard of the trouble in the water, right?”
“You mean the battle with the three ships? Aye. We heard about it.”
“Tora said her great-grandfather swam with Eva and helped her support Sandor and Tora in the water. And Dyna was able to see what was about to happen. From a distance too far to be visible to our eyes, she knew which boats the bairns were in, and … Let me change everything. Let’s try this.”
“Good, because I’m verra confused.”
“Lia is a faery. She will tell you that she is a type of angel, a guardian angel, sent here to protect certain people. She protected all the bairns and helped to get them home again. I know I sound a wee bit daft when I tell you these things, but Lia says she has the power to protect whomever she is assigned to. On the last jaunt, she was assigned to protect Grant.”
“The wee bairn?”
“Aye. And so once she learned Grant was her target, she never left his side. And when the men came and gave us all the sleeping potion, K’s men stole Grant, but Lia went along with them to control what happened. She got him home safely.”
“But I thought she had a brother named Magni.”
“She says so. Magni explains it better than anyone, but he met her in the forest when he’d been kidnapped. He managed to run away and ran into Lia. He came with her today.” Then he stared at Merryn.
“What are you trying to tell me, Broc?”
Broc cleared his throat and said, “Lia is here for Shealee.”
“What? She’s going to kidnap her?” Merryn pushed away from Broc after tossing her apple core over his head.
“Nay. Nay, wait, please.”
She settled back down next to Broc, trusting him more than anyone, but what was he talking about? Faeries and seers and invisible dead people? “Go ahead. I’ll listen.”
“Lia is here to protect Shealee. It means she believes trouble is coming, and she was given instructions by someone in the universe, the heavens, whatever you wish to think of it, to protect Shealee.”
“I don’t doubt that. Kelvan is coming for her. He said he would, and he won’t stop until he gets her. Tristan and I have to stop that from happening.”
“We will all help to prevent that from taking place, but basically, you have a helper who will never leave Shealee’s side.Lia says that someone in the heavens sends her to protect certain people, mostly bairns. I know it requires you to suspend your beliefs, but after watching all that has happened over the past few moons, I unequivocally believe that Lia is an angel sent to protect bairns.”
“Nara.” She stopped to stare at him, her eyes misting. “Nara sent her.” Merryn stood, brushing her hands down her gown, her thoughts bouncing from one place to another. “Or Mama or Papa. That I would believe. I know Nara is watching her.”
“I don’t know. She may not tell you, but we have to accept the fact that Kelvan is coming for Shealee. As soon as he discovers she is here, he will come for her. It’s what we all believe. We already discussed everything.”
“And so do you want us to leave?” She panicked, wondering where they could go. “But where? I don’t know anyone else …”
