the point he was considerin’ taking his own life. Tha’s when the Protector spoke to him in a prophecy about the Brig o’ Doon. The bridge would be destroyed but he would rebuild it from the shards and, in the process, bring forth a mighty army to defeat the witch.”
“That would certainly fit with what Jerimiah told me. Like Cheska, he saw angels as he crossed the bridge in Nigeria.” I explained to him what the boy had told me about the angels’ message to rebuild the bridge and prepare an army. “It made little sense at the time, because we are hardly an army, but considering Alasdair’s dream and the other recent arrivals, I guess the army is coming to us.”
Duncan nodded. “We need to get ready. Prepare housing and supplies. I’d planned on using part of the paddocks to train the bairns in the art of combat, but I think we’ll convert the entire south field into a training camp.”
“About that. Are you actually using real weapons to teach the Crew to fight?”
“You heard about that, did you?” I arched my brows and nodded as he grinned sheepishly back at me. The boy was so busted. After a second, he looked away. “Jamie and I were accomplished swordsmen by their age. And I asked Rabbie to dull the training swords. They canna do much damage with blunt weapons, except for a few bruises.”
As much as I hated to admit it, Duncan was justified in what he was trying to do. These weren’t modern kids; they were Doonians. If it came to a battle, I doubted we could keep them out of it. The best thing we could do for them was make sure they were trained by the best, and that was Duncan MacCrae. “You should expand the training to the Destined.”
He smiled gratefully and reached across the table for my hand. “Aye. Rabbie and Eòran can start military drills in the morning while you and I go to see the solicitor.”
“What for?”
“To see if we can accelerate the rebuilding of the Brig o’ Doon.”
The MacCraes’ lawyer had pulled out all the stops in cutting through the red tape that hindered rebuilding the bridge. Apparently, permits and special approvals were inconsequential when you had more wealth than a small country.
Being crazy rich also came in handy as inspiration for the most qualified architectural firm around to drop everything for the Scotland job, at ten-times their quoted rate. But no amount of money could get their team—their master craftsmen and masons—to work faster than humanly possible.
When I said as much to Duncan he laughed. “Oh ye o’ little faith, woman. We canna make them work faster, but we can add a second shift of builders—utilize all twenty-four hours in the day. We’ll have the solicitors negotiate the terms.”
“Will the local officials sign off on that?” Initially, they’d been a huge barrier with their concerns about private financing, until Duncan’s lawyer pointed out the obvious—they were getting a historical re-creation for free!
“I dinna see why not. Especially if we make another donation to the parish.” He paused, his magnetic eyes sparkling with hope. “Do you realize what this means, love? We might be able to return home in as little as a fortnight.”
Despite Duncan’s elation, chills crawled across my skin. Restoring the bridge and training an army meant that in two weeks’ time we could be fighting to take back our home. Although I’d thought about that moment a thousand times, and even pictured my friends fighting to the death, I’d never thought about my role. What would I do, what could I do? Stage fencing wouldn’t keep me or those I loved alive.
I stood and stepped around the table as Duncan gracefully rose to meet me halfway. “I want to ask you for something. It’s really important to me.”
Duncan smiled his bone-melting crooked grin and pulled me into his arms. “I will give ye anything. The moon, the stars. I’ll tether the sun and stop it in its orbit if that be my lady’s pleasure.”
“It’s nothing so dramatic.” I chuckled. His fingers caressed my back in soft, warm circles. “When we return to Doon, I plan on fighting alongside you. I want you to teach me.”
The lopsided smile melted from his face as he released me. “No.”
Then he walked away.
CHAPTER 11
Veronica
Ignoring the damp hair whipping around my face, I focused on the weight of the carved bone handle in my palm and leveled the blade, envisioning Addie’s face as