Page 49 of To Wed a Witch
Sìne clutched Aidyn tight as the voices that seemed to come from the very air surrounded her.
"This way,"they urged gently."Quickly now.Safety lies ahead."
Without hesitation, Sìne followed the guidance of the mist, her feet finding sure purchase on ground she couldn't see.It led her to a small stone bothy that appeared out of nowhere.Warm light glowed from its single window, and the door opened at her touch.
Inside, Sìne found everything she needed.There was a warm fire, fresh water, even a soft blanket for Aidyn.She barred the door and settled by the hearth, holding her daughter close as the child finally stopped fussing and fell into exhausted sleep.
Outside, she could hear Sutherland's voice and a battle taking place in the distance.She worried for the safety of her new clan and prayed that Ada and Greig were safe.Sìne knew it was only a matter of time before she was discovered.
She didn't know how long she waited in the mysterious bothy, listening for footsteps as Aidyn slept peacefully, now clean and dry and wrapped in the warm blanket.The mist swirled around the small structure like a protective barrier, hiding them from sight.
Then, suddenly, the door burst open.
Sìne cried out in alarm, but the figure that appeared in the doorway like an avenging angel was Bhaltair, his sword still bloodied from battle, his face fierce with love and rage.
"Sìne," he breathed, and then she was in his arms, Aidyn safe between them.
"How did ye find us?"she sobbed against his chest.
"The mist," he said simply."It led me here; I can't explain it."
"Sutherland?"
"He was captured along with some of his men and is headed under guard to the Keep dungeon.But Paisley and some of the others fled," Bhaltair said grimly.
"Paisley," Sìne whispered, the betrayal still fresh and painful."She was working with him all along.She's the one who spread all those rumors about me."
"I ken it," Bhaltair said softly, his arms tightening around both his girls."Greig and Ada heard everything."
Outside, the mist was beginning to dissipate, and with it went the whispered voices that had guided them through the darkness.Their task was complete, their protection no longer needed.
"The voices," Sìne said with wonder."They saved us.Led us to safety when we needed it most."
"Aye," Bhaltair agreed."'Tis strange because my men and I have never seen this bothy before, and we ken these lands well."
Dawn broke clear and bright, and the last of the mist disappeared like a dream.They stepped outside to see guardsmen waiting.With Aidyn safe in her father's arms, they rode back through the forest toward Ferguson Keep.But when they turned to look behind them, the mysterious bothy had vanished into the woods, leaving no trace that any structure had ever stood there.
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