A Highlander’s Homecoming Read Online Free
Author: Melissa Mayhue
strange metal band around Robert’s arm before backing away to resume his position in the circle of men surrounding Robert.
Robert looked around the glen to the faces of the men he knew so well, words failing him at this moment of honor.
And honor it truly was.
Not an hour ago, Jesse had insisted Robert leave the preparations for his trip and join him on a small adventure. The adventure had begun at an ancient circle of standing stones on the property Jesse had recently purchased.
To Robert’s amazement, as Jesse ran his hand over one of the stones, its face changed and they seemed tobe looking through an open door into another world. A world Robert had never expected to see with his own two eyes.
Wyddecol. The Realm of Faerie.
When they had crossed through the portal, Robert’s second surprise was the five men who were waiting to greet them. Dallyn, Pol, Ramos, Connor, and even Ian McCullough, all those men closest to him who had ties to the world of Fae.
“You have honored us with your friendship and your unquestioning service to our people.” Pol had stepped forward as the others formed a large circle around Robert. “Now you willingly take on the duties of a Guardian of the Realm in accompanying one of our daughters on a perilous journey. As such, we wish to recognize your service and name you as one of the Guardians.”
Robert had never considered this could happen to him. Guardian was an elite title held only by Fae descendants.
“I . . . I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll accept,” Jesse said, a grin covering his face. “And strip out of that shirt.”
All of that had led up to this moment, the moment when Dallyn placed the large bracelet-like band around Robert’s bicep before rejoining the others in the circle. Each of the men in the circle bowed his head and a hush fell over the group as Pol spoke once again.
“You undertake this sacred pledge of your own free will?”
“I do.” Robert nodded, still in awe of the honor his friends offered.
“So be it. Know, then, that Guardians serve as instruments of the Magic, to repair that which was torn asunder. Grant that the power to reunite the broken Soul Pairings might reside in us that we might bring harmony and peace to the divided worlds. Until that day, we protect those unable to protect themselves, bending only to the will of the Magic.”
Pol’s words echoed eerily through the glen, and as the last sound died away, a strange humming noise filled the silence, resonating around Robert like voices heard from very far away.
As the tenor of the sound increased, he felt the first sensations against his skin, underneath the band Dallyn had placed there. Small, wispy movements, like grass blowing in the wind, tickled his arm. The feeling grew, building to a crescendo in time to the vibration of the voices until the pitch became almost too high to hear.
It was then the power of the Faerie Magic flooded Robert’s body, passing through him in a burst of energy, leaving him weak in the knees and gasping for breath.
The men around him broke into cheers, clapping their hands and slapping him on the back. Dallyn removed the large metal band and Robert felt the shock of recognition at what he saw on his skin where the bracelet had been. A tattoolike mark, exactly like the one adorning the arms of each man in the circle.
The Mark of the Guardian.
Pol stepped forward once again and they all fell silent.
“All of Wyddecol will recognize you by your Mark as one of our own. Welcome to the brotherhood, Guardian.”
Chapter 3
“There’s one more thing I want you to keep in mind, Robbie.” Cate MacKiernan lifted her hand to his stirrup, casting a quick look to the woman at her side, Mairi MacKiernan Navarro. Cate spoke quietly, her words clearly intended only for the three of them.
Moments from now, these two women, Faerie descendants both, would be the ones to send him and Leah hurtling through time.
They’d come to this
Robert looked around the glen to the faces of the men he knew so well, words failing him at this moment of honor.
And honor it truly was.
Not an hour ago, Jesse had insisted Robert leave the preparations for his trip and join him on a small adventure. The adventure had begun at an ancient circle of standing stones on the property Jesse had recently purchased.
To Robert’s amazement, as Jesse ran his hand over one of the stones, its face changed and they seemed tobe looking through an open door into another world. A world Robert had never expected to see with his own two eyes.
Wyddecol. The Realm of Faerie.
When they had crossed through the portal, Robert’s second surprise was the five men who were waiting to greet them. Dallyn, Pol, Ramos, Connor, and even Ian McCullough, all those men closest to him who had ties to the world of Fae.
“You have honored us with your friendship and your unquestioning service to our people.” Pol had stepped forward as the others formed a large circle around Robert. “Now you willingly take on the duties of a Guardian of the Realm in accompanying one of our daughters on a perilous journey. As such, we wish to recognize your service and name you as one of the Guardians.”
Robert had never considered this could happen to him. Guardian was an elite title held only by Fae descendants.
“I . . . I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll accept,” Jesse said, a grin covering his face. “And strip out of that shirt.”
All of that had led up to this moment, the moment when Dallyn placed the large bracelet-like band around Robert’s bicep before rejoining the others in the circle. Each of the men in the circle bowed his head and a hush fell over the group as Pol spoke once again.
“You undertake this sacred pledge of your own free will?”
“I do.” Robert nodded, still in awe of the honor his friends offered.
“So be it. Know, then, that Guardians serve as instruments of the Magic, to repair that which was torn asunder. Grant that the power to reunite the broken Soul Pairings might reside in us that we might bring harmony and peace to the divided worlds. Until that day, we protect those unable to protect themselves, bending only to the will of the Magic.”
Pol’s words echoed eerily through the glen, and as the last sound died away, a strange humming noise filled the silence, resonating around Robert like voices heard from very far away.
As the tenor of the sound increased, he felt the first sensations against his skin, underneath the band Dallyn had placed there. Small, wispy movements, like grass blowing in the wind, tickled his arm. The feeling grew, building to a crescendo in time to the vibration of the voices until the pitch became almost too high to hear.
It was then the power of the Faerie Magic flooded Robert’s body, passing through him in a burst of energy, leaving him weak in the knees and gasping for breath.
The men around him broke into cheers, clapping their hands and slapping him on the back. Dallyn removed the large metal band and Robert felt the shock of recognition at what he saw on his skin where the bracelet had been. A tattoolike mark, exactly like the one adorning the arms of each man in the circle.
The Mark of the Guardian.
Pol stepped forward once again and they all fell silent.
“All of Wyddecol will recognize you by your Mark as one of our own. Welcome to the brotherhood, Guardian.”
Chapter 3
“There’s one more thing I want you to keep in mind, Robbie.” Cate MacKiernan lifted her hand to his stirrup, casting a quick look to the woman at her side, Mairi MacKiernan Navarro. Cate spoke quietly, her words clearly intended only for the three of them.
Moments from now, these two women, Faerie descendants both, would be the ones to send him and Leah hurtling through time.
They’d come to this
Readers choose
Stacey D'Erasmo
C. Dulaney
Andrea Spalding
Stuart Gibbs
Mika Waltari
Anna Jarzab
Eve Hathaway
CATHY GILLEN THACKER