The man’s griptightened around my fingers. “Then be sure to tell Gus,” he pausedand waited for me to look at him, “it’ll be up to him.”
I could hardlyhold back the excitement I felt. “Wait, does that mean–”
Theleather-clad pirate took me by the waist and crushed his bodyagainst mine, pressing our foreheads together. “I’d follow you tothe ends of the universe, Time Traveler. I belong to you.”
I could havestayed there on the hilltop with him all day, celebrating the goodnews, but we had more important things to tend to.
“Comeon, let’s go catch us a witch.”
***
Cuper’sCove was a merchant settlement for all sorts of ships to tradegoods across the Atlantic. We entered the marketplace full ofmerchant and traders the scent of dried fish, spices, and otherthings I couldn’t name hung heavy in the air. I zipped through thethick crowds of people, casting glances at tables, inside tents,searching for any sign of… something. Anything. We had no idea whatwe were looking for, specifically, but a Gaelic witch would surely leave some sort oftrail to follow, wouldn’t she?
“How didyou find her before?” I whispered to Henry.
“Ididn’t mean to,” he told me, “I was over near Harbour Grace withtheir son in tow; running, hiding, terrified that Maria would findus. I hadn’t escaped her ship for more than a few weeks, but thefear of discovery nearly killed me. I contemplated going back toher, to trade the stress for something more familiar. The boy wasno more than a few years old and I had no idea how to care forhim.” We emerged at the end of the market, leaving the bustlingmerchant and traders behind us. “The witch came to me. Offered away to stop The Cobhams if I would help. I agreed, and the boyremained with her, with the Gaelic people. Hidden andsafe.”
I chewed at mybottom lip. “Well, that really tells us nothing.” I worried thatwe’d never find the witch. The Cobhams would run free and I’d neverget back home. “Maybe we should go meet up with the crew? See ifthey found anything?”
Henry heaved asigh. “I suppose that’s all there is to do at the moment,” helooked up at the sky. “The sun will be going down soon.”
We began ourlong hike back to the hilltops, walking in silence. I wondered whathe was thinking about but never dared ask. I was eager to completeour mission and return home. Such a simple, straightforward meansto an end for me. But Henry’s whole world was soon going to changeto something completely unknown to him. I opened my mouth to speakbut something caught my eye in the forest we walked alongside.
I grabbed hisarm and whispered, “Henry, look. What is that?”
We stopped andstared into the forest, the setting sun stealing the light andleaving behind darkness to flood it. At first, I thought I saw asmall fire burning, but the flame appeared to be a blueish-greenand jumped from side to side, taunting us.
“Well,I’ll be damned,” Henry spoke and moved toward the flame in awe.“It’s a wil-o-the-wisp.”
I held back.“A what?”
“Wil-o-the-wisp,” he said again, delight smeared across hisface, “They light the way for lost travellers. I’ve never seen one,I thought them to be a myth.” His grin spread wider and he willedme to make the connection. “A Gaelic myth.”
My pulseraced, and I stumbled over the marsh, following Henry into the darkforest, the tiny green flame dancing through the air as it led theway. We trailed behind it for at least half an hour, struggling tokeep up. Over roots, under branches, and across narrow creeks, Ikept my eyes on the anomaly. Mesmerized by the otherworldlycreature before me.
I wantedto get a better look at it, but the closer I got, the further itdanced away from us. But, suddenly, we stopped, and Henry held outhis arm before me, guarding my body. The wil-o-the-wisp came toward us and I couldfeel Henry tense. But I wasn’t scared, I didn’t feel threatened bythe tiny creature.
Itlingered around the pirate, unsure, then came to me and hoveredjust inches from my nose. My face lit up with wonder and awe when Irealized that the flame was actually some kind of… fairy. It wasthe only word I could think to describe it. Abnormally long limbshung from a small, round body and two almond-shaped black eyes blinked back atme. Its green glow emanated out from its figure and created a flame-likeshape.
“H-hellothere, little guy,” I greeted and carefully brought my hand up toit. The wil-o-the-wisp looked at it and stuck out adelicate, twig-like hand to touch my finger.
“Greetings,” a strange voice greeted from behindus.
The fairy’sflame doused, and it zipped away into the trees. Henry and Iturned, then, and found a woman standing there. Her long greenskirt dragged across the ground as she ambled toward us and thetorch she held lit the forest.
“Martha,” Henry spoke, and I realized this was theGaelic witch we’dbeen searching for. The Wil-o-the-wisp led us straight to her. Iwatched as he tipped his head in respect. “It’s good to see youagain.”
“Yes,”she replied, “I imagine ye’ve come for me help?” Her long, red hair fell infront of her as she bent to touch the torch to the ground where itlit a fire in a circle of rocks. “Good intentions, yes? Or the wispwould not have brought ye here.”
Henry nodded.“Yes, good intentions. The bottle has been broken, along with thespell you cast to trap The Cobhams.”
She stared athim for a moment and then turned her piercing green gaze to me.“You,” she said, the English word curling on her tongue. “Ye brokethe bottle?”
“Uh,yes, it was an accident.”
The witch’sface changed, melted into some sort of realization. “Yer not fromhere, Time Traveller,” she said matter-of-factly and began circlingthe rocks toward me. Henry tensed and moved closer, shielding mewith his arm.
“Diannafound the bottle in the future before she broke it. It somehow senther back with The Cobhams,” he told her.
Marthacocked her head and smiled. “The Cobhams weren’t sent back, theynever left, my spellboundthem here, to be stuck in their own time.” She paused and looked me up and down.“But not the bottle.”
“Can youdo
