Awaken the Highland Warrior

sorcerer, hoping the virus would be ruined. They claimed a stranger came forward and told them where to find the sorcerer. They killed him right under the demon’s nose.”

“Brilliant,” Bree said, looking a bit glassy-eyed though her wine glass was still full. “Who was the stranger?”

“They never knew. He disappeared. According to my grandfather, Tavis and Ian figured it’d take Druan another century or two to make another virus, and by then you’d be awake. Your brothers made a map of where you lay, so when the time came, you’d be found.” Sean walked to the cabinet where Faelan’s father had kept his important papers. He took out a key and opened a small drawer, pulled out a thin box, and set it on a table. Opening it, he lifted out a piece of paper and placed it in Faelan’s hand.

Faelan could feel the heat of bodies crowding close. The paper was old, thick, with shapes like rectangles and squares. The graveyard. His brothers had come. They hadn’t faced the demons of old. They’d tried to save him. The brothers he’d always protected had taken care of him and made sure he wouldn’t be lost forever.

His brothers had saved the world when he failed.

“Your brothers made the map,” Bree said, her voice awed. “It’s like the one I found. Except it’s dated last year.”

“The clan sent many warriors and Seekers over the decades, but this past year the search has been a fair frenzy.”

“McGowan,” Bree blurted out. “Was he a Seeker?”

“How do you know about McGowan?” Sorcha and Sean asked in unison, staring at Bree as if she’d shifted into a demon.

“I found a journal.”

“McGowan left a journal?” Sorcha asked, shocked, her seductress side nowhere in sight.

“No, my great-great-grandmother’s journal. She said McGowan visited. She thought he was searching for treasure.”

“Indeed,” Sean said. “McGowan and others were sent.”

“All those lost campers,” Bree said.

“McGowan and another man were murdered,” Faelan said. “Druan must’ve killed them.”

“He did,” Sorcha said. “Druan will not only face you, he’ll answer to me.”

A woman against a demon? Faelan wisely kept his mouth shut. “You were related to McGowan?”

Sorcha gave him a peculiar look, but he paid no attention. She’d given him a lot of peculiar looks since she’d arrived. “No, but the man with him was my great-great-grandfather. Quinn Douglass.”

“Why did they send the Keeper of the Book to look for a key?” Faelan asked, surprised.

“He didn’t go for the key. He went for the Book of Battles, at least we think that’s why he was there,” Sean said. Another look passed between him and Sorcha.

“I, for one,” Sorcha said, staring at Faelan, “would give my sword arm to know why you stole it.”

Chapter 23

“You think I stole the Book of Battles?” Faelan asked, appalled.

“Now Sorcha, stole is a harsh word.” Sean’s blunted fingers knotted in his lap. “The stories say it disappeared around the time you went to America.”

“Why would I take it? Warriors weren’t even allowed to see the book then, much less touch it.”

“They still aren’t, but the clan figured you had a reason,” Sean said. “It’s caused a bit of worry over the decades, not knowing if it was locked inside the time vault with you or if a demon had stolen it. Since it never turned up, they assumed it was with you. The Seeker couldn’t tell if it was there.”

“I’d never even seen the book until now.”

“Until now? So you do have it?” Sorcha asked.

“Bree found it in her attic. It’s safely hidden, but I didn’t steal it.” He would’ve brought it, but he hadn’t been certain of his welcome, and it was too valuable to be dragged across the sky in a metal bird that could crash and burn.

“It’s safe. Thank God.” Sean’s shoulders slumped. “That’s one less thing to fret about.”

“But if Faelan didn’t take it, who did?” Duncan asked. “And how did it end up halfway around the world?”

“Would Quinn have taken the book?” Sean asked of no one in particular. “The clan always assumed he went to find it.”

Sorcha looked affronted. “Why would he do that?”

“Because he was charged with keeping it safe,” Faelan told them. “Michael warned me the book was in danger before I left for America. I told Quinn, and he said he’d move the book.”

“But why take it to America?” Sorcha asked.

“Faelan’s brothers were going there anyway, to meet him. Perhaps Quinn thought it was best away from Scotland,” Sean said.

“Wouldn’t he have informed the Council?” Duncan asked.

“Not if he didn’t know where the threat came from,” Faelan said.

“You think the danger came from inside the clan?” Sorcha asked.

“I don’t know, but some of the pages are missing.”