Ian by Elizabeth Rose Read Free Book Online Page A

dribbles.”
    “There’s darkness in your past,” she said, s taring down at the wax that had now hardened. “And danger in your future.”
    “Ye probably say the t te e’eryone ye read a fortune fer. Keep the coin fer yer trouble,” he said, nodding toward the coin he’d placed down earlier.
    “Someone you love is going to be in even more danger than you,” she said.
    “I dinna love anyone,” he said with a laugh, “so ye are wrong, auld woman.”
    “You may not know it yet, but you will soon. And whatever you do . . . don’t let her go away from you or you’ll never see her again.”
    “I dinna ken what ye mean.”
    “I think you do.” Zara looked up to him and studied his face. “Open your eyes as well as your heart, Ian, or you will regret it for the rest of your life.”
    Her word s reminded him a lot of the beggar woman’s with the soul cake. He didn’t like everyone telling him what to do.
    “Jest leave me alone.” He took off for the stabl es to get some sleep, with his wolfhound following at his heels. He couldn’t wait to get back to the MacKeefe camp and away from all these pagan practices. He never should have let Aidan and Onyx talk him into coming here in the first place.
    And after tonight, on every All Hallow’s Eve, he was planning on staying in bed until the damn celebrations were over.
     
    * * *
    Kyla was up early the next morning, having slept in the hayloft next to Coira. Effie and Aidan were up there as well, and while Onyx was there too, his wife and children had slept in the rooms above the pub. And right below them, outside the stall that held his horse, Ian slept in the hay with his hound curled up next to him.
    He’d been sound asleep when she and the others came up to the loft last night, and she wondered why he didn’t have a woman or two curled up to him. She stretched, and Aidan’s squirrel crawled over and settled on her stomach. She giggled since it tickled, and sat up and petted the animal.
    “Reid?” she heard Aidan’s voice as he sat up in the hay and looked around for his pet.
    “I have him, Aidan,” she said. “And dinna worry, becooz Onyx left Tawpie outside in the trees last night.” She was talking about Onyx’s wildcat.
    “Kyla, what were ye doin’ with thet platter by the fire last night?” asked Aidan pointing right behind her.
    Her stomach clenched. Damn, he must have seen her after all. She looked over to Coira who had just opened her eyes. The platter was half-hidden in the hay behind them.
    “Jest usin’ it te look inte as I brushed me hair,” she said. “Why?”
    “Becooz auld Callum isna happy ye took it. He said he needed it and ye ne’er brought it back.”
    “I’ll return it right away so he has it fer the rest o’ the celebrations tonight.” She quickly slipped into her shoes and grabbed the platter, heading for the ladder.
    “ We’re no’ stayin’ fer the rest of the festivities,” said Aidan, stretching and yawning.
    “Neither are we,” said Onyx from the other side of him, sitting up as well.
    “Why no’?” asked Kyla.
    “Well, ” said Onyx, “I’m takin’ me family te visit with me sister, Amber in Canterbury fer awhile.”
    “I see ,” she said. “Are ye goin’ with him, Aidan?”
    “Nay,” said Effie, answering for him as she sat up next to him. “Aidan is takin’ Coira and me te see the MacDuffs. I want te tell them I am bairned.”
    “The t’s right,” said Coira from next to her. “Now thet we ken some o’ the people from our clan after all the years o’ livin’ in secret, we want te get closer te our new family. Why dinna ye come with, Kyla?”
    K yla suddenly felt so out of place. Everyone belonged somewhere and had people they loved. Spouses, children, and even new lives together. And she felt like a spinster with no one whom she could call her own.
    “Nay, I dinna think so. I’ll jest head on back te the MacKeefe camp and wait fer ye there.”
    “No’ by yerself,” said Aidan.