Page 12 of Rory

Rory wondered if he was drawn to her because she matched him in size. That seemed ridiculous, but he’d never known a female like her. He wanted to read her energy to discover what had changed her into the incredible mortal she had become, but he also feared knowing. Another part of him wanted to bolt himself inside the forge and never again permit her to come near him so his love for Inga would never fade from his heart. Why couldn’t he decide what to do about her?

“It’s okay,” Harper said, as if he’d spoken his thoughts out loud. “You know where I live, at least until I figure a way out of this place. If you want to talk about it, or just hang out, you can come find me.”

Rory nodded, and that seemed to satisfy her.

They shared a comfortable silence as they walked back into the stronghold, where every guard they passed tried and failed not to stare at Harper. Although the McKeran men were not lechers, nearly all looked over her body with intense interest, for her size also appealed to them. That attention made Rory wish he could drape the lady in a hooded cloak; it also brought an urge to clout some of his half-brothers.

“Don’t mind them.” She grinned at a couple of passing watchers whose jaws dropped when they beheld her. “I’m used to it. People don’t know what to make of me in my world, so they react like I’m a monster. At least your clan seems to like my gargantuan bod.” She gave him a sideways look. “I’ll bet it was the same for you in the twelfth century.”

“I didnae encounter others until after I reached manhood. I dwelled alone in the woods with my lady màthair.” The words came out of him easily, which baffled him. He never liked talking about Chomha. “She kept me hidden so others wouldnae find me.”

“My mom did kind of the same thing, although I don’t know why. She was killed when I was a little girl.” Sadness flickered across her face. “Big as we are, I suppose in their own ways they were trying to protect us.”

He wanted to take her someplace where they could converse longer, but they had arrived at the laird’s chamber. He knocked before opening the door, and saw the laird and his wife waiting with Farlan and several guards.

“My lord,” he whispered, bowing. “’Tis something amiss?”

“The laird bid me report on the state of the household stores,” the seneschal said. “Since the day steadied, the enchantment replenished all the foods entirely. The gardens again bloom and bear fruit. Every sack in the granary, ’tis full.” Farlan’s gaze shifted to Harper. “If ’twas your doing, my lady, you’ve my endless thanks.”

“Sorry, while meddling happens to be one of my talents, I can’t do anything about magical food, gardens or grains,” she said.

In that moment Rory sensed that she was hiding with words her own worry, and wondered why such matters would trouble her.

The seneschal still bowed to her before leaving, and after a moment and a gesture from the laird the guards followed Farlan. Harper tensed as if she were preparing for an attack, which prompted Rory to take hold of her hand.

“Dinnae fret,” he whispered. “Tasgall wishes no one to repeat what’s said now.”

“I won’t gossip,” she promised, relaxing a little as she regarded the laird and his wife. “Heya, McKerans. What’s up?”

“We think you may have something to do with the spell trap’s enchantment stabilizing,” Ava said in the bland tone she always used to mask displeasure. “All the improvements in our situation here coincide with your arrival. Did Beaumont do anything to you just before you came in the castle?”

“Yeah, he couldn’t wait to get out of there. He didn’t touch me or mess with my equipment.” She pulled out of her bag a large black device with many small buttons and marks on it. She flipped out a tiny door, which glowed with light after she pressed one of the buttons beside it. “Want to see the footage I got before that ghost girl pulled me into your dimension?”

The laird’s wife rushed over, peering at the small display screen before she regarded Rory. “Her equipment is still working. What does that mean?”

“For now ’twould seem that the enchantment, ’tis ignoring the devices from your world.” His blue eyes shifted to the gadget, and to Harper, he said, “Please, my lady, permit us see the images you captured.”

“You make everything sound so medieval, Blue Eyes,” Harper told him as she fiddled with the device.

Rory saw the narrow look that Ava gave her, and then jumped a little as a tinny version of Harper’s voice came from within the gadget.

Welcome to the latest edition of Fear-Faire, my pals. I’m your ghost-hunting myth-debunking always curious never nervous tour guide to the paranormal, Harper Ensley.

Ava looked over at her husband. “You might want to come watch this too, honey.”

I contacted the owner of McKeran’s Castle, who kindly allowed me to take a tour of the premises. This is where Esme Martinez, a journalist from Monterey Today, went missing last month.

Harper held the device steady but watched Rory and the others as if gauging their reactions. The laird’s wife appeared entirely focused on the images being displayed on the inside of the little door, her expression deeply concerned. Tasgall seemed to be paying more attention to the audio.

“Am I violating any of the clan’s superstitions or taboos?” she whispered to Rory, and he shook his head. “So okay, then, you can watch it. It won’t steal your soul or anything.”

She thought he feared the device. The notion nearly made him smile.

By the way, if I go missing and someone recovers this vid, I want all my stuff including my house to go to Athena Makris, my personal assistant. It’s in my will, but I figure I should say it on a vid in case no one can find it. Love you, A.

The image and sounds coming from the gadget abruptly stopped, and Harper frowned at the display, where a strange cylindrical symbol was flashing.

“Sorry, folks, but unless you’ve got a camera battery or a charger, that’s the end of the show.” She closed the device’s tiny door and tucked it back into her bag. “There wasn’t much more after that. I don’t think I got Torra’s ghost on camera.”