Chapter 14

"Aine, I need to know, is there any way for me to return to my time?" Jen asked before she lost courage.

Aine met Jen"s gaze with a somber expression, her ancient eyes filled with a depth of understanding. She sighed softly, her voice carrying the weight of truth. "I"m afraid not, my dear. The powers of the Sidhe, though vast, are bound by the oaths they make."

"I don"t understand. What oath was made to bring me here?" Jen frowned.

"When Dub Sith vowed to bring strength to the MacDonald sept by finding them strong women, he was making an oath to the sept. A Sidhe"s oath cannae be broken. To break the promise would mean his powers would fail should he attempt to return you to your time, and then he wouldnae be able to follow through with his vow."

Jen"s heart sank at Aine"s words as the crushing weight of reality settled in. A wave of disappointment washed over her, threatening to consume the flickering hope that she might be able to return to her world and follow her dreams. She had dared to dream of a reunion with her modern life and the comforts and familiarities it offered, only to have those dreams shattered in an instant.

With a trembling smile and a voice laced with a hint of sorrow, Jennifer masked her disappointment as best she could. She was aware of Cam"s gaze, his lovestruck eyes following her every move, and she was determined not to burden him with her heartache.

As the flickering fire danced before them, Jen knew she would find the strength to accept her circumstances and forge a new path here in the wilds of seventeenth-century Scotland.

"I am sorry, lass. I know 'tis not what you desired," Cam murmured, his comforting arm still around her shoulders.

Jen mustered a smile and fought the tears that threatened to spill. It was overwhelming, to say the least.

Aine looked at her with curiosity. "Lass, Dub Sith would not have brought you here without your agreement. Of course, being fae, he might have worded it in such a way that you didnae quite understand what you were agreeing to."

Jen nodded and thought back over the conversation. He had offered her a challenge, and she had agreed that she was up for any challenge. He"d never said it was an octagon fight. He"d never said she would have to leave her world. She wondered if she would have chosen to stay in her world or come here had he been clear about the circumstances. She glanced at Cam, and her heart squeezed.

"Do you have any other questions, lass?" Aine asked, watching her and Cam.

Jen shook her head. "Not right now. I"m sure I might later."

Aine smiled. "Then I shall get dinner started. You will stay the night here, and tomorrow when the weather is fine, you can return to the fort. You will be needed soon." With that, Aine rose and began to bustle about the kitchen space.