Page 70 of Treachery in the Highlands
Before the tour guide can resume her spiel, a commotion erupts near the entrance.A group of men in dark suits push their way into the hall, their eyes scanning the crowd with predatory intensity.My heart races as I spot a familiar face among them---Joey Finnegan, looking exactly as he did moments ago in 1621, but now dressed in modern attire.
He catches sight of me, his eyes widening in recognition.Without a word, he grabs my arm and pulls me toward a hidden alcove behind a tapestry.My heart pounds as he presses me against the cold stone wall, his body shielding mine from view.
"Rachel," he whispers urgently, his breath warm against my ear."I need you to listen carefully.We don't have much time."
I want to ask a thousand questions, but the intensity in his eyes silences me.
"The men who just came in are dangerous," Joey continues."They're after something hidden in Dùndubhan---something that could change everything if it falls into the wrong hands.We have to get back to 1621 and stop them before they find it."
"What are you talk..."I start to ask, but Joey cuts me off with a shake of his head.
"I know this is confusing, but I promise I'll explain everything later.Right now, I need you to trust me.Can you do that?"
"I reckon so," I reply slowly.
"Thanks, baby."Joey exhales gusty breath, evident in every line of his body."It's complicated.The short version is that we're caught in a temporal loop.The decisions we make here, now, will affect what happens in the past---your present."
My head feels as if it's literally spinning now."I don't understand."
"Those men out there?They're after something hidden inside Dùndubhan.Something powerful.If they get their hands on it, it could change everything---not just the future, but the past as well.We have to stop them."
I take a deep breath, trying to process everything Joey's telling me."So, what can we do?"
Joey's eyes dart around, checking our surroundings."We need to get back to the past.But first..."He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small, glowing stone."Take this.It'll help amplify yourdà-shealladh.You might need it."
As I take the stone, our fingers brush, and another jolt of energy courses through me.Suddenly, I'm seeing double again---the modern castle overlaid with its medieval counterpart.I can see the clan gathering, frozen in time, tension thick in the air.
"Joey," I whisper, "I can see them.My family, the clans---they're all there, waiting."
"I know.But you need to remember this---the book was hidden for a reason and may not even exist anymore."
Suddenly, the tapestry is ripped aside.One of the men in dark suits looms over us, a cruel smile twisting his lips."Well, well.What do we have here, Joey boy?Ya shouldn't be screwing a girl right now, not when you've got explaining to do."
"Who is he?"I ask Joey, my voice barely a whisper.
"Fulvio Barbieri, the mob enforcer," he replies in an equally soft voice.But then Joey abruptly shoves me behind him as he faces the intruders."Run, Rachel!"
I hesitate for a split second, torn between fear and the desire to help.But Joey's urgent command spurs me into action.I bolt from the alcove, ducking under the arm of another suit-clad man who tries to grab me.Adrenaline burns through my veins as I weave through the startled tour group, my unfamiliar high heels clicking against the stone floor.
"Stop her!"I hear Fulvio bellow behind me, followed by the sound of a scuffle.
I pray Joey can hold his own against them.
But as I race down a corridor, I search frantically for a way out or back to my own time.The stone in my hand pulses with energy, and suddenly the world around me flickers.For a moment, I see the medieval castle superimposed over the modern one.I clutch the stone tighter and concentrate on the image of the clan gathering, willing myself back to that moment.
But I'm abruptly hit with a dizzying wave of disorientation.The world around me flickers and shifts, medieval stone walls blending with modern fixtures.I stumble and nearly lose my footing on the uneven ground.
"Rachel!"I hear Joey's voice, distant yet urgent."The stone!Use the stone!"
My fingers fumble in my pocket, closing around the small, warm object.As soon as I touch it, my vision clears.I'm back in 1621, standing amid the tense clan gathering.But now I can see more---shimmering threads of energy connecting people and objects, whispers of future events echoing in my mind.The stone has amplified mydà-shealladhbeyond anything I've experienced before.
But the stone is no longer in my hand.It's vanished.
You need to remember this--- the book was hidden where none would think to find it.
I frantically scan the area, searching for Joey.He's still by my father's side, but his eyes are darting around, alert and wary.Does he remember what just happened in the future?Before I can make my way to him, a commotion erupts near the castle entrance.
Three men push their way through the crowd, their strange attire marking them as outlanders of the most outland sort.With a jolt, I recognize them as the suited men from the future.Somehow, they've followed us back.
