“I’m not provoking him!” I exclaimed in shock.
“You’re being your typically stubborn self,” he grunted. “Be easy with Alexander. It’s not easy dealing with you.”
I wanted to argue but wisely bit my tongue. I shouldn’t have to accommodate everyone else’s needs. That was what I really wanted to say, but I didn’t unleash the words I knew would only start a fight. Instead, I went back into my closet, this time thankfully empty, and changed into my pajamas. With so many things on my mind, I was only half listening to what Bash was saying.
“—they’ll arrive late in the afternoon. We can either do group or individual interviews, and then I have a dinner scheduled for the group afterward.”
I was walking out of the closet when I halfway tripped on a pair of shoes and my vision went cloudy. I held out my arms to reach for something to steady myself, but all I caught was air. I wavered on my feet and it felt like I was falling into a well. I knew what was happening as soon as my sight was obscured by a milky white shade.
“Bash!” I yelled. In the next moment, I plunged into a vision.
My surroundings swirled and I was no longer in my closet, but out by a lake. The water rippled as if recently disturbed, the gentle wake splashing against the shore and a familiar set of rocks that were stacked along its perimeter. I glanced behind me to see an expansive forest, the trees dense and lush. Everything about this place looked familiar, though I struggled to place the location.
Down by the shore, several women were crouched down, splashing water on their faces and rinsing themselves off as they scrubbed their weapons with sand. They weren’t the Highlanders. From the armor they wore, I knew at a glance these were Valkyries.
I walked further down the shoreline until I found a familiar face—Hildr.
“We must search the forest,” Hildr instructed a group of Valkyries. “Fen said there was an attack not too long ago. We should be able to find some fresh tracks.”
“Who will stay behind to protect the camp?” one of the Valkyries asked, her long, black hair braided down her back.
“Freya and her group,” Hildr answered. “Hrefna returned to the Underworld to get more information. We have to be careful.”
The group of Valkyries collected their weapons and started to enter the forest. I didn’t know if I should follow them or not, but when I tried, I realized I couldn’t go beyond the tree line. I guess that means I’m supposed to stay put.
I walked back to the shore and meandered further down, wondering why I was still stuck in this vision. Suddenly, my attention was tugged out over the lake and I saw a figure appear over the water. I squinted to get a better look and realized it was actually two figures walking on water.
What the hell?
The moon shone behind them and threw their reflections onto the lake’s glassy surface. As they got closer, I was able to clearly see who it was—Fenrir and Raven. My mind raced with a collection of half-formed facts and I struggled to piece together the mystery.
They emerged from the water … almost as if from a portal … but since Bobby wasn’t around … that meant they must be coming from …
My vision began to swirl again and my sight returned to a milky white glaze before it cleared. I was back in my closet in the castle, lying on the floor, scrabbling against the marble floor. Bash was kneeling beside me, gripping my shoulders.
“Mackenzie?” He repeated my name over and over until my eyes cleared and returned to their normal shade of pale gray. He gave me a light shake and I grabbed onto his wrists.
“Oh my God, Bash,” I gasped. “I know where their camp is …”
He frowned. “What?”
“Fenrir and the Valkyries! I know where they’re hiding!”
“Where?” he asked, still unsettled by what he’d just witnessed.
A grin slowly spread across my face. “They’re in Loch Lomond – the entrance to the fae realm.”
13
By the next morning, the castle’s security was at an all-time high. There were so many wards in place, I could practically feel them vibrating on the walls. Ranulf wasn’t messing around this time. This latest threat only increased the importance of why a Council was needed. Ranulf couldn’t do everything on his own. Also, Ranulf was Alexander’s right hand man; he never asked to be mine. It was only fair that I get my own right hand, someone I trusted unconditionally, and let the grizzled guard retire if that was what he wanted to do.
“How sure are ye that they’re there?” Ranulf asked as the four of us sat in the council room.
“I can’t say a hundred percent since I don’t know if the vision I had was from the past or the future, but I’m pretty confident,” I answered.
Alexander rubbed his chin. “If we sent scouts, we run the risk of them being captured,” he stated. “Those guards are still missing.”
“Then let’s go on the offensive,” I proposed. “Prepare a strike team to attack in two hours.”
“Are you sure you want to do that, Mackenzie?” Bash asked. “You’d be making the first move.”
I glared. “He made the first move when he showed up in my bedroom last night. They’re in Loch Lomond because they know our relationship with the fae is strained. We never would’ve checked there because they knew we would assume the fae would secure their own area.”
“Why didn’t Angus tell us about it when he came to yer coronation?” Alexander asked.
“Good question,” I murmured. What were those wily fae up to?
“How many guards do ye want in Loch Lomond?” Ranulf asked.
“One hundred,” I growled. “I want to overpower them.”
I never thought I’d be going into battle wearing a pair of leggings and
