Chapter 18

Chapter

Eighteen

" I t's remarkable, really," Mr. Patterson mused, his voice tinged with wonder as he clutched an old leather-bound journal to his chest. "I discovered the location while sifting through Captain Smith's logs. The coordinates led me here, and upon arrival, I witnessed a faint luminescence emanating from the rocks. It vanished almost instantly, but I knew I'd stumbled upon something extraordinary."

The small group stood at the entrance to the cave. It was so well hidden, it was no wonder no one had ever found it.

"We're right on time," Agatha murmured, clutching the weathered tome that held the ritual's incantations. Her eyes, sharp even in the dim light, mirrored the flickering lanterns.

"Aye," Aiden replied, his gaze fixed on the darkness ahead. The weight of the moment settled upon him like a heavy cloak. The air thrummed with energy, raising the hairs on his arms. He glanced at Mary, her fiery hair catching the glow of the flashlights, and felt a pang of longing so intense it nearly stole his breath.

"Are you ready?" she asked softly, her emerald eyes searching his face.

He met her gaze, his voice low. "As I'll ever be, lass."

As they entered the cave, the temperature dropped, and the scent of damp earth, water, and salt filled his nostrils. Ancient symbols adorned the walls. Spirals, stars, and waves etched by hands long gone. Luminescent algae painted the stones with an ethereal glow, casting dancing patterns on their faces.

The entrance opened up to a vast chamber where a pool of crystalline water reflected the full moon peeking through an opening above. Aiden could clearly see the rocks at the bottom of the pool, and for a moment, he felt as if he were looking into the very depths of time itself.

A gust of wind blew through the cave, carrying Mary's scent to him. He glanced over his shoulder, his heart clenching at the sight of her standing apart from the others, her arms wrapped around herself, face bleak. Their eyes met, and for a moment, the world narrowed to just the two of them. The unspoken words hung heavy between them. Three little words that he couldn't bear to say, knowing he had to return to his own time.

Aiden pressed a fist to his chest, embracing the pain as she nodded to him, wiping a single tear from her cheek. He wanted nothing more than to go to her, to hold her close and never let go, but the ritual awaited.

"Everything is prepared," Agatha announced, as she and the others arranged the items. The sea glass for the Tidal Lock, the silver coin for the Lunar Key, the antique mirror for the Cosmic Bridge, and Aiden's cutlass as the Temporal Anchor.

He watched as Mary moved around the circle, her movements deliberate and graceful as she scattered the orchid petals. Every gesture etched itself into his memory, a bittersweet reminder of what he was about to lose. When her gaze met his, he saw sorrow and hope mingling in her eyes.

"This is it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Aiden stepped closer, his rough hand gently brushing her cheek. "I would give anything to stay with ye," he murmured, his brogue thickening with emotion.

She swallowed hard. "I know."

"Ye've changed me life in ways I canna begin to explain." He kept his voice low, wanting these words to be for her alone.

She offered a faint smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "You've changed mine too."

Aiden hesitated, the words he truly wanted to say caught in his throat. Instead, he managed, "If this works..."

"Then you'll go back, get your pardon, find a new crew, live your life," she finished for him, her smile now forced.

"And leave you behind," he added, the words tasting like ashes in his mouth.

She looked away, and Aiden felt as if his heart were being torn in two. He reached out, tilting her chin up to meet his eyes. "I would give everything to stay," he said, willing her to understand the depth of his feelings.

She swallowed hard. "I know."

Agatha cleared her throat softly. "We must begin."

With great reluctance, Aiden took his place in the circle around the pool. As they began the chant, the ancient words rolled off their tongues, resonating with the cave's energy. The symbols on the walls glowed brighter, pulsating in rhythm with their voices. The water began to swirl, tiny ripples dancing across the surface as the clock ticked closer to midnight.

A surge flowed through him, like the rush of the sea during a storm. His heart pounded, each beat echoing the longing he fought to suppress. Aiden stole another glance at Mary, her face illuminated by the otherworldly light.

"Let me stay," he muttered under his breath, a desperate prayer to whatever forces might be listening. "Dinna make me leave her. She is my true north, my compass in the storm. She is my very soul."

"Are you ready?" Mary's voice was soft, barely audible above the whispering wind.

He forced a smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Aye, lass. Time to see what the Fates have in store."

Suddenly, a sharp clatter echoed through the chamber as pebbles skittered across the stone floor. Aiden's hand flew to the hilt of his spare dagger, his eyes snapping toward the cave's entrance. His muscles tensed, ready for a fight.

Jake stumbled into view, face flushed and eyes wild. The sight of Mary's ex-boyfriend sent a surge of anger through his veins.

"I knew it!" Jake exclaimed, his voice slurring. "Old Pete was right. The treasure's real!"

Mary gasped. "What on earth are you doing here?"

He sneered, waving a bottle of rum. "Ran into that old sailor on the beach. He was drunk as a skunk, babbling about some ritual and a priceless treasure. You lied. Let me believe it was an opal, not a priceless artifact."

As the group exchanged worried glances, Agatha's voice rose, finishing the final line of the chant. The water in the pool swirled faster, a vortex forming at its center.

The time had come. Damn the Fates, Aiden thought. He held up the Mermaid's Tear, its iridescent surface catching the otherworldly light. His heart felt as if it might burst from his chest as he turned to her one last time.

"Mary," he said, voice thick with emotion, "I love ye. I've loved ye since the moment I laid eyes on ye on the beach."

Tears glistened in her eyes. "I love you too, Aiden. With all my heart."

Mist filled the cave, an eerie wind echoing off the stone. Aiden's form began to blur, and he heard Mary cry out his name, her voice filled with desperation.

He turned to her, fighting against the pull of time itself. She shielded her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Wait! I?—"

But before she could finish, Aiden made a split-second decision. He wouldn't let this treasure, this cursed pearl, tear him away from the woman he loved. With all his might, he raised the Mermaid's Tear in his fist.

"Take yer damned treasure. I'll have no part of it," he roared, preparing to toss it into the vortex.

As the pearl left his fingers, Jake lunged forward with a desperate cry.

"No!" He snatched the pearl out of the air, losing his balance and tumbling into the pool.

A blinding light exploded from the pool, enveloping the cavern in a cascade of colors. Aiden cried out, shielding his eyes. The ground trembled beneath them, and a roaring filled his ears, drowning out all other sound.

"Hold on!" Agatha shouted, her voice barely audible over the cacophony.

Instinctively, Aiden reached for Mary, shielding her with his body as waves of energy rippled outward. The symbols on the walls blazed brilliantly before shattering into fragments of light that danced upward and vanished through the cave's opening.

And then, as suddenly as it had begun, the chaos subsided. Silence descended upon the chamber, broken only by the ragged breathing of those within.

Aiden blinked, vision swimming as he tried to make sense of what had happened. The pool had returned to its tranquil state, the water clear and eerily still. There was no sign of Jake.

"Is everyone alright?" Mr. Patterson called out, helping Agatha to her feet.

"We're fine," Mary replied, though her voice wavered. She looked at Aiden, eyes searching his face. "What happened? Where's Jake?"

Stunned silence fell over the group. Aiden couldna care less what had happened to that bastard, Jake.

Mr. Patterson cleared his throat. "When he fell into the pool, he vanished. Wonder if Jake took Aiden's place in the past or if he's lost in time?"

The realization hit him like a physical blow. The Fates had decided to let him stay. He stood frozen, heart pounding. Then, slowly, he turned to Mary, eyes brimming with disbelief and hope. Their gazes locked, a thousand unspoken words passing between them in that single moment.

Without hesitation and ignoring everyone around them, Aiden pulled Mary into his arms, their lips meeting in a passionate embrace. The kiss spoke of longing, relief, and a love that transcended time itself. He felt her tears on his cheeks as she clung to him, her fingers tangling in his hair, afraid to let go lest he disappear.

As they finally broke apart, breathless and trembling, Aiden cupped Mary's face in his calloused hands. His voice was thick with emotion as he whispered, "It seems the Fates have other plans for us, poppet."

Mary laughed through her tears, joy radiating from her very being. "I can't believe you're still here," she choked out, her hands clutching his shirt as if to anchor him to this moment, this reality.

"Aye," he murmured, his Scottish brogue deepening as he pulled her close, breathing in her scent. "And I swear, I don't plan on going anywhere without ye ever. You are my home, in any time, in any world."

As he held her close, he thought about the implications of what had just occurred. He was here, in the present, with the woman he loved. Jake's fate was unknown, lost somewhere in the streams of time. And what of his own past? Had it been altered? Would there be consequences for this unexpected turn of events?

He had been given a second chance, a gift beyond measure, and he vowed to cherish every moment of this life with his lass.

The others in the cave began to stir, their voices a low murmur as they discussed what had transpired. But for Aiden, the world had narrowed to this one perfect moment. He was home, truly home, in a way he had never been before. And as he leaned in to kiss Mary once more, he silently thanked whatever forces had brought them together across the centuries.