Shoulder the Skye (Skye Druids #2)(75)
Author: Donna Grant

 

Rhona glanced to the side to see Elias sitting up, his hand gripping Bronwyn’s as he stared at her in earnest. Rhona’s eyes then moved to Bronwyn, who still hadn’t woken. Rhona turned to find Finn and Sabryn fully healed. Carlyle walked into the parlor with bruises still on his face.

 

“Ah. You’re back with us,” he said. “I’ve seen the healers out. Lovely people who don’t like being told that I’ll be fine without them.”

 

Finn rolled his eyes. “They still checked him out before they relented.”

 

“We were getting concerned about you,” Sabryn said.

 

Rhona shook her head. “I was fine. Promise. When do they expect Bronwyn to wake?”

 

“They don’t know why she hasn’t,” Balladyn told her. “They healed the concussion as well as the fracture in her hip.”

 

“She should be awake,” Elias said.

 

Rhona swung her gaze to him. “She will. Give her time. While we wait, tell me everything. I need to know about George and Sydney, as well as Bronwyn’s use of blood magic. I’m also extremely curious about what she opened to stop the mist.”

 

“Aye. I’ve an interest in that, as well,” Balladyn said.

 

Elias’s bright blue gaze moved between them. “Bronwyn can open portals between dimensions.”

 

“We stood in it for a short while,” Sabryn added.

 

Carlyle nodded. “That was where we were when DI Frasier searched the manor for Elias.”

 

“We weren’t alone in there,” Finn said.

 

Rhona’s gaze jerked to the Irishman. “What do you mean?”

 

“I saw a shadow on the other side. It seemed to know we were there.”

 

“Bronwyn plans to remove Beth as soon as she wakes,” Elias said.

 

It was just one surprise after another. Rhona raised her brows. “I’m sorry, but did you say Beth is in there?”

 

Elias swallowed and glanced at his hand holding Bronwyn’s. “You want to know everything. I’ll tell you.”

 

For the next thirty-two minutes, Rhona and Balladyn listened as Elias and his friends detailed it all. When they finished, Rhona sank into a chair in disbelief. She could hardly wrap her head around learning about Robert Stewart’s murder. She hated that Bronwyn had felt she couldn’t turn to anyone in her time of need.

 

“We’ll sort things out with Bronwyn when she wakes,” Rhona said. “For now, I’d like to focus on George and the proof she has on you.”

 

Carlyle snorted. “There’s no proof. Elias didn’t murder anyone.”

 

“We, ah, have someone getting into the police computers,” Sabryn said. “The fifth member of the Knights is an internet expert known as Sabertooth.”

 

“That’s his real name?” Balladyn asked, his face creased with distaste.

 

Finn smiled. “It’s his hacker name. No one goes by their real names in his line of work.”

 

“He’s our eyes and ears in places we can’t go,” Sabryn continued. “We keep things as legal as we can, but sometimes the rules have to be bent a little. As is the case with Elias.”

 

Rhona nodded in agreement. “Theo is a good police officer. He’s just doing his job, and I understand why he couldn’t share anything with me. However, I want to know what proof George gave them.”

 

“We’re still waiting on that,” Carlyle replied.

 

Elias blew out a breath. “I should’ve talked to Frasier the first time he asked. I never should’ve run, hoping I had time to clear my name. All it did was bring George and Sydney into each other’s orbits.”

 

“It’s done. Let it go,” Sabryn told him. “We need to move forward, and we can now. We’ll clear your name.”

 

Balladyn leaned against the side of the overstuffed chair Rhona sat in. “It appears someone wants Elias out of the way. We need to know if its George or someone else.”

 

“There are a couple of people we can ask,” Rhona said as she turned her head to look at him.

 

“By the way, where are George and the others?” Elias inquired.

 

“They’re—” Rhona began when the fire in the hearth suddenly fluttered as if a gust of wind had come through the chimney.

 

On the heels of that was the sound of a door slamming upstairs.

 

No one said a word. The atmosphere of the house had changed, moving from friendly and welcoming to what Rhona could only describe as troubled and agitated.

 

“Bronwyn?” Elias asked.

 

Rhona’s head swiveled to the bed to find the Druid’s eyes open. Bronwyn sat up and swung her legs over the bed. As she stood, her eyes lifted to the ceiling.

 

“All of you need to leave. Now,” Bronwyn demanded.

 

Elias got to his feet and never took his eyes off her. “I’m no’ going anywhere.”

 

The house gave a loud moan.

 

Rhona frowned when she saw Bronwyn’s face drain of color. Rhona got to her feet. “What’s going on?”

 

“A problem I need to fix.” Bronwyn looked at Rhona. “You don’t want to be here.” She then looked at the others. “None of you do.”

 

Finn scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “It’s that shadow I saw, isn’t it?”

 

“Maybe.” Bronwyn shook her head. “The house is warning me. Something is trying to come through.”

 

Rhona got to her feet and looked at Balladyn. He gave a nod without her having to say anything. She should have known that he would always stand by her side no matter what she faced. “You don’t have to do this by yourself, Bronwyn.”

 

“She isna doing this alone,” Elias replied.

 

Sabryn shrugged, her lips twisting. “The Knights have never turned away from a challenge.”

 

“Count me in,” Carlyle said.

 

Finn glanced at the ground. “Bugger it. I’m not going to run from a fekking shadow.”

 

The sound of boards creaking as if something were bending them reverberated through the manor.

 

Bronwyn ran from the room.