Page 18 of Wild Scottish Fortune

Right where I was needed.

Nobody had ever really needed me before. If anything, I’d been a burden. Aside from at work, of course, but there I was fully in control. Maybe if I viewed this as an opportunity, a chance to connect more deeply, to help others, then I could accept this role.

The Green Lady appeared, walking gracefully across the garden, Clyde winking into sight at her side. She stroked his ears, Clyde tossed his head, delighted at her touch, and the two strolled closer to where Archie and I stood.

It was a stark reminder that I’d never been normal, never would be normal, so why break my pattern now? Joining the Order of Caledonia would set me apart for the rest of my life, and at the same time, it might give me the grounding that I’d been looking for all along.

“You’re right.” I turned back to Archie. “It is an honor. One which I’ll gladly accept, even though I don’t fully understand my role.”

“What questions do you have?” Archie, I was beginning to realize, could be patient—at least when he chose to be.

“Sophie mentioned I had to pass three challenges. What does that mean?”

“The Stone doesn’t accept just anyone joining the Order, you see, lass. There are many factors at play—your bloodline, your potential for magick, your character. Once we’ve determined you’re a likely candidate to join, passing three challenges is a way for the Stone to test your mettle so to speak.”

“To see if I’m worthy.” How about that? Much like any other time in my life, I’d have to prove I was worthwhile.

“Aye. Pure of heart. Strong of character, you ken?”Archie leveled a look at me. “It’s a safeguard, though how the challenges present are different for each person.”

“Will I have to fight a dragon?”

Archie’s eyes twinkled. “Unlikely, no. So far, the challenges have been of character, heart, mental strength. That kind of challenge. Physical strength doesn’t much matter if morals are impure.”

Lovely. Now I would be tested if I had good character? Surely I’d screwed up enough in my life for the Stone to fail me, or whatever, in these tests.

“I think I’d prefer to fight the dragon.”

Archie laughed, clapping a hand on my shoulder.

“You’ll do just fine, lass. The challenges are usually tied to how your magick manifests, and I’m told you’ve already started showing your strengths. I suspect you’ll be of great use to many lonely souls caught on this realm.”

He knew.

It threw me, how in a matter of weeks, more people knew about my ability to see ghosts than in my whole life. It was a secret I’d fiercely guarded, and the casualness with which people threw around my gift was unsettling to say the least.

“You think that is how my power will manifest? With ghosts?” I looked up at him.

“You won’t be the first to have her magick start showing before the ritual. It makes sense. But I may be wrong.”

The Green Lady moved into sight behind him, and she gave me a single nod, a pleased look on her face. Her dress flowed around her, and it was the happiest I’d seen her in a long while. She tossed a pebble in my direction, as she had a curious habit of doing, and the dogs startled, barking at theunexpected intrusion. Archie turned, tilting his head as he looked at the garden.

“Something’s there, isn’t it?”

“Aye,” I whispered. He felt it, even if he couldn’t see her.

“Dangerous?”

“Not to us, no.”

“Want to tell me more?”

To my surprise, I found that I did, but Sophie opened the door and popped her head out.

“There you two are. Hilda’s making noises about dinner being late. Shall we crack on with the ritual then?”

For some reason, her words took my nerves away. If Hilda was worried about dinner being late, then surely the ritual couldn’t be all that awful. My mind made up, I smiled at Sophie.

“Aye, lass. Let’s crack on.”

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