Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

A lex ate her ice cream so fast she got a brain freeze. Pressing her fingers against her temple, she winced at the sharp pain that might not ever end!

Across the table, Callum tossed his barely-touched cone in the trash. "I don't understand what's going on," he said, "but I think ye'd rather be home. Let's go."

When she was finally able to move, she nodded gratefully and followed him to the car. He insisted on driving, and the trek home was silent except for the soft hum of tires on pavement. Alex gripped the door handle and tried to stay calm when all she really wanted to do was scream.

The second the car came to a stop in the driveway, she jumped out and ran to the front door, turned the knob, and burst inside.

Her breath caught in her throat. There he was, fairly solid and present! They'd found him, just like they'd promised!

"Spreag!" She burst into tears and fell to her knees, knowing she'd be unable to jump into his arms.

The front door closed with an ominous click and she turned to find Callum standing inside. But he wasn't looking at her or at the sisters. He was looking at the end of the room...at Spreag.

Callum cursed under his breath. "I take it ye're the husband?"

Alex's attention bounced back and forth between them. "You can see him?"

Spreag's gaze swept the room, touching on each face in turn. "I trust that everyone can see me in this present form?"

The sisters nodded. "And we all can hear you," Lorraine said.

"Good. It's better this way." His eyes narrowed on Callum. "Fraser."

"Tulloch."

Spreag lowered his chin. "Who the devil said you could kiss my wife?"

Callum grinned, not worried in the least. "I reckon ye did, when ye chose to go to yer death and leave her for another man."

Spreag stared for a long time, then his jaw relaxed and he nodded. "Fair enough."

"Excuse me?" Alexandra got to her feet. "Where have you been?"

Spreag's expression softened. "I dinnae ken, love, but I fear our time together is growin' shorter by the day. For certain we won't have until June. And if ye'll listen to the sisters...I think they have a way we can save our child."

Her hand instinctively moved to her abdomen. "Save her from what?"

He grimaced. "The Sight."

"You don't want her to have your gift?"

"More a curse than a gift, my love." His voice turned ragged. "No one in their right mind would wish it on a child, especially their own. But none has ever had a choice in the matter."

"And you're saying we do?"

"Aye. Aye, but it will take a great sacrifice on our part. Grand favors always require a grand sacrifice, aye?"

A shiver ran up her spine and shook her. "I'm not going to like it, am I?"

Spreag shook his head ever so slowly. "Ye're not. Else it wouldnae be much of a sacrifice."

For a long minute, the only noise in the house was the flickering candle burning on the coffee table. Then she pried the words out of her heart. "You're telling me I have to let you go."

He nodded. "I am."

She wrapped her arms around herself to keep from shattering into a million pieces. "You're going to leave me. For good."

"If I do, then our Huntly will be free. But ye must choose."

"How can you possibly expect...?" Her voice broke on the last word.

"Alexandra, my love," Spreag said gently, "ye've known this wouldn't last. Ye've kenned it from the start. But if you let me go, now, willingly--"

"And if I don't?" If the choice was hers to make, it didn't mean she had to be noble about it. "If I keep you until June, or as long as I can? What's the worst that will happen?"

"Then Huntly will have the sort of life I lived," Spreag said softly. "Some will call her a witch. Some will blame her for the things she sees. And some will bless her. But the decision is yers. It has always been yers. It's time to click yer heels together three times and send me home."

A sob tore from Alexandra's throat. "I can't do it. I can't!"

Callum was suddenly beside her. He opened his arms and she buried her face against his chest. His arms came around her, steady and warm. "Ye can do it," he murmured. "Ye can do this. Because ye love that wee lassie. And because ye willnae be alone."

Spreag watched them, his expression tight with barely controlled emotion. He waited patiently for Alexandra's sobs to quiet, then offered her a sad smile. "Ye ken I love ye madly."

She stepped out of Callum's arms. "I love you madly," she whispered back, her hands pressed against her stomach. "And I love her already."

"Enough to free her?"

Alexandra drew a shuddering breath. "Enough to..." Another sob escaped her. "Enough to free you both." Unable to stay away, she moved as close to Spreag as possible. "You're going now?"

"Aye. Now."

She managed a watery smile. "At least Callum won't think I'm crazy anymore."

"Aye, right." Spreag's eyes narrowed at Fraser again. "Ye'll treat her well, or seventy-eight Jacobite warriors will rip ye to pieces and force-feed ye to yer sheep."

Callum's eyebrows rose. "Seventy-eight? That many?"

"It's a long story," Lorraine interjected. "One we'd better tell you before they all show up at the wedding."

Spreag's frown deepened. "That's a proposal, Blairgowrie."

The big man nodded. "Well, then, I accept."

Alexandra opened her mouth to protest, but Spreag shook his head. "I must go now. Time for me to turn to the light."

"Spreag!"

He reached out. Their fingers touched, and for one precious moment, she felt him, truly felt him! But the green mist swirling around them kept them apart.

"Thank you for coming back," she whispered. "For saving me."

"We saved each other, my own. Now say farewell."

She drew in a deep breath and held it, knowing what would happen when she let it go. Tears jumped from her eyes and splashed down her cheeks. Finally, she could hold it no longer and whispered, "Goodbye."

Spreag nodded to the sisters, to Callum, and finally, to her. Then he faded into nothing.

The green mist that had been swirling around his knees dissolved. Alexandra lunged forward, grasping at the empty air where he'd stood, devastated she hadn’t wrapped her arms around him, hadn’t kissed him, one last time.