Page 79 of Scandalous Scot
They weren’t taking any chances. Every one of them had practiced the chant, over and over again, until all of the brothers had agreed they were saying it the right way.
“I love you,” she said again to her father.
“And I love you,mhuirnín.”
“Thank you,” Rhys said to Alastair and Dermot, who stood together, watching them carefully.
If only Ian had been able to meet his aunt Grace. But she’d had unfinished business to attend to, something important to do with the Fae who’d given her the crosses.
“Be well, nephew,” Dermot responded for them both. Alastair, always the most tenderhearted of the MacKinnish brothers, remained silent. His smile was his only answer.
“I’m a better man because of you,” Grey said to Ross. “Remember what I said.”
Ross winked. Màiri wasn’t sure what Grey had told his uncle, but his smile told her it meant something special to the man.
“On the count of three,” Rhys said as each of them grabbed a piece of the cross. Despite the unnatural cold that emanated from the metal, it was hard to imagine this silver object would take them to the future. Still, Màiri could not doubt the power of the Fae, or the truth of what the cross had already done.
Some things were just not meant to be understood by all.
“Ian, lad,” Laird MacKinnish said, “tell my daughter she did a fine job with all four sons.”
Ian swallowed hard, unable to answer. She could tell it meant something to him that his grandfather had singled him out for this message. Ian, who’d always felt left out, had been accepted, not only as a McCaim but as a MacKinnish. He nodded in answer, taking a deep breath.
“One,” Rhys said.
Màiri’s heart raced. Maggie and Deirdre and Marian looked so calm in comparison. Did they feel as she did?
“Two.”
Màiri smiled at her father one last time and then met her husband’s eyes, Ian giving her all the reassurance she needed.
“Three.”
They all spoke at once. “Talamh, èadhar, teine, usige ga thilleadh dhachaigh.”
32
Ian opened his eyes,his stomach swirling just like the first time. Except there was no snow under him because they were back in his father’s study. His head snapped to the left . . . and there she was. He tried to sit up, to pull Màiri toward him, but his head pounded miserably. At least he caught a glimpse of Rhys next to her.
Ian tried to call out, to ask if everyone had made it through, but his throat felt like he’d just come down with a massive case of strep. He didn’t remember that from the first time. Apparently no two time travel journeys were exactly alike. Go figure.
“Ian?”
Grey’s voice. He tried to sit up again, and this time his body allowed it. Scanning the room quickly, he found . . . everyone. His brothers. Their wives. All of them made it through, and they were in his father’s study, which looked much as they’d left it.
Holy shit!
“Everyone’s here,” he said, leaning toward Màiri. She was just opening her eyes now. He grabbed her, only belatedly realizing that she might not feel the best. But his own stomach was settling. Maybe she felt okay too.
“Màiri, are you all right?”
She opened her mouth and then promptly closed it. Moans and a few more yelled names announced their traveling party was finally coming to.
“It won’t last long,” he said, loosening his hold. At least, he hoped it wouldn’t. “In a few minutes, you’ll just feel a bit groggy, like you didn’t get enough sleep.”
“Fuck me,” Reik said—what they were all likely thinking.
All eight of them. Together. What were the chances?
