Page 56 of A Little Highland Magic

After one brief hesitation on Aria’s part, the three of them continued walking towards the dais. “I did no such thing. I returned to the family I was always meant to be a part of.” She concentrated on her clothing and with a flick of her hand changed her dress back to her original blue gown.

Oberon made to snap his fingers again as Aria stopped at the bottom of the dais. “I would not do that, if I were you.”

Oberon scrambled to his feet and came before her with a challenge written clearly in his eyes. Keiran followed, pausing at the fairy king’s side. “How dare you speak to me that way?”

Aria straightened as she took another step closer. From the corner of her eye, she could see Graeme’s hand move to the hilt of his sword. He would protect her even now. She would have smiled had the situation not been so fraught with tension.

She took a deep breath and met the fairy king’s dark gaze with a steely one of her own. “I have always been a commodity to you—something you could possess and barter away. But no more.”

“The other fairies would never speak to me with such disrespect, for they would fear my retribution.” Oberon’s face flushed.

“As you have pointed out more than once, I am not like the other fairies,” Aria reminded him.

“Why will you not follow me as the others do? I have taken everything from you. I trapped your mother in the shadow realm, I turned your half-sister against you by forcing her to steal the MacLeod twins, I cursed the remainder of the clan you claim to care about, and still, you will not follow me,” he growled. “Why come back here? What do you want?”

Aria wrapped her hand around the vial that hung at her chest. She slipped the chain over her head, clutching the glass tightly in her hand. “Keiran. I want to return him to his family.”

Keiran stepped close, close enough for Aria to see the swirl of the enchantment once again in his eyes. “I do not wish to leave Fairyland.” Anger darkened his cheeks. “This is where I belong. The fairies are my family.”

With her thumb, Aria popped the cork and threw the contents of the vial into Keiran’s face. He staggered backwards, clamped his hands over his face and howled as though in pain.

Oberon drew in a sharp breath. “Nay!” he cried as he realised what she had done.

Keiran brought his hands down and stared first at Oberon then Aria, Graeme, and Gille. He blinked several times, then shook his head, no doubt clearing years of foggy memories. He turned to Oberon.

“My son,” Oberon said, “come sit by me while I punish these intruders.”

“You are not my father.” His words were short and brittle.

Aria had not been certain that the Dunvegan water would work to break Keiran’s enchantment. She was pleased that it had. “Welcome back, Keiran. Would you like to go home with us?”

Oberon erupted from his chair. “No one is going anywhere,” he thundered. He raised his hand and, with an invisible thrust, sent her sliding across the floor. Her body slammed into a column. She no longer had the protection of the water. Oberon twisted his hand, and she doubled over in pain.

A whisper of steel against leather sounded as Graeme drew his sword. He lunged forward, but one of the nearby male fairies positioned himself between Oberon and Graeme.

The fairy held his sword at Graeme’s chest. “Withdraw your weapon or feel the bite of mine.”

Graeme held his position. “I am not afraid to die. What about you, Oberon? Are you afraid to die as mortal men do?”

As Oberon shifted his focus to Graeme, the pain he inflicted on Aria ceased. She straightened, drawing in a ragged breath.

Oberon pointed his fingers at Graeme and twisted his hand and clenched his jaw, trying to punish the warrior for advancing on him.

Graeme remained unaffected. A hint of a smile tugged at his mouth.

Anger darkened Oberon’s expression. “What sorcery is this?”

“No sorcery. Only iron.” With a twist of his wrist, Graeme sheathed his weapon and revealed the iron chain beneath his shirt.

The warrior before him recoiled, as did Oberon. “How did you get hold of that?” Oberon asked, turning to face Keiran. “I told you to wait to use it until they reached the castle, you stupid oaf. As you are the only one of us who can touch the metal without harm, I order you to take that chain from him.”

Keiran crossed his arms over his chest. “I will no longer do your bidding. If you want the chain back, get it yourself.”

Aria returned to Graeme’s side and drew her sword.

At the sight of her sword pointed in his direction, Oberon’s brow pulled down.

“We have had enough trials, torture, and words from you. If you are bored with your life as king, then find something meaningful to do besides manipulating your subjects.”