The Curse: Touch of Eternity (The Curse series) (14 page)

I tore the necklace from my neck and flung it away. It slid over the wooden floor and wrapped itself around a table leg. I didn’t care. I didn’t plan to ever touch that thing again.

I decided I had to talk to Kim and tell her everything. It was only five thirty in Delaware, so hopefully Kim would be around. She answered after only three rings. I was so happy to hear her voice that I couldn’t speak right away; I had too many tears in my throat.

“Sam? Is that you? What’s wrong?”

“Oh God, Kim, everything is terrible!” I sobbed and sniffed into my cell phone.

“Oh no, sweetie. Do you want me to fly over and kick some English butt?”

“Scots. They’re called Scots here. I’m in Scotland, Kim.” But her reaction made me feel better, and I could at least put together a complete sentence. I told her about Payton, how much I liked him and how mysterious he was. Then I told her about his scary behavior that evening.

“Wow, I don’t know what to say,” Kim said. “But this I do know. Your Prince Charming seems to be totally insane. You should just forget about him.”

That pissed me off. It was easy for her to say. After all, she was constantly falling in love, but when it didn’t work out, she found a replacement right away. But this was the first time I had ever been in love. Completely. The full package. And I knew I’d never find someone like Payton again. I didn’t want to forget about him.

“Oh, Kim. It’s not that easy! I love him!”

Silence.

“Uh, hello?” she said. “Your exchange program is going to be over in two weeks. You’re still coming home, no? It’s not exactly convenient to be in love with someone who lives on the other side of the world.”

That was Kim. Tell it like it is.

“I think I’ll die if I can’t see him again,” I wailed, trying to imagine a future without his sparkling eyes.

“Well, don’t die immediately. There’s still Ryan…”

“Hmph! That conceited idiot. I couldn’t care less about him.”

“Oh really? Maybe I should fill you in on what’s been going on here in Milford. I’m still seeing Justin, by the way—not that you asked—and things are going really well. Your hoochie cousin Ashley got here right after you left, and sure enough she started chasing Ryan, and I guess he was desperate for some consolation after you broke his heart, poor guy. Anyway, they were spotted together a few times, but all of a sudden, no longer. Justin thinks Ryan got tired of her because he’s actually totally fallen for you.”

“Ryan is in love with one person, and that’s himself. Surely Ashley isn’t going to give up that easily. And you know yourself what Ryan is like. He’s not exactly picky.”

“Yes, but he told Justin that he thinks about you all the time. And he keeps asking me if I’ve talked to you and how you’re doing.”

I didn’t want to talk about Ryan anymore. Kim obviously didn’t understand my situation. No matter what happened with Payton and me, I could never get over him so easily.

“Listen Kim, I have to get going, can you do me a small favor?”

“Sure, what is it?”

“Be nice to Ashley? I don’t really like her either, but don’t forget she’s kind of messed up because her mom died when she was so young. It’s got to be hard. And she’s probably not doing too well if she had an argument with Ryan.”

“Oh, Sam! Ashley wouldn’t talk to me anyway. I’m sure she’s doing just fine.”

“Kim, please. Just go by the house and say hi. And while you’re there, you can do me another favor.”

“No way, José. I am not going to talk to Ashley, and you can forget the second thing, too!”

“Please… It’s for school,” I lied. “There’s a book in my bedroom, a red book. I just need you to look and see if there’s anything in it about a Scottish clan by the name of Cameron. I’ll call you again tomorrow night, OK?”

I put the phone down on the bedside table and slid under the covers, too tired to undress.

I longed to talk to Payton, to tell him how much I loved him, and to find out why the necklace had made him so upset. Tears ran down my cheeks and onto my pillow. The hands of the clock crawled on relentlessly, and I tossed and turned from side to side. With Payton’s Gaelic song running through my head, I eventually cried myself to sleep.

P
ayton bashed the steering wheel as he raced out of Aviemore onto a deserted street. He floored it and tried to recapture the lack of feeling that came with being immortal. Speed had no meaning; no adrenaline pumped through his veins. His pulse remained steady and the passing landscape may as well have been in black-and-white. It was better this way, he thought. Everything was back to dull, as dull as his life had been until he met Sam.

Still, it was impossible to pretend that he had no feelings for her. And now he knew she could make him human again. She had changed the curse! Because she was a Cameron. She wore the Cameron coat of arms. She looked like the women of the clan. She had crept into his heart. And if she was who he assumed her to be, then she would hate him if she found out what he had done.

There shouldn’t actually be any more Camerons. He and his family had exterminated her ancestors. They had spared no one.

But he wished things had turned out differently.

Payton clearly remembered that day. His little brother, Kyle, had spilled a bucket of milk while playing with their giant wolfhound, Lou. Payton and his father were teasing him about it over a mug of ale. Kyle was a strong boy, who had just turned sixteen, and it was already obvious that he would be a strong man. Nevertheless, Lou was a massive dog, reaching up to Kyle’s waist. When Lou had lunged for the bucket of milk, Kyle dove for it, keeping the bucket from the dog. But the cook had slapped Kyle for spilling nearly all of the milk, and while Kyle held his buzzing head, Lou had greedily licked up the milk from the ground.

Kyle had come to Payton for consolation. The two youngest brothers were very close. Their older siblings were seldom at home, but Payton and Kyle actually liked to spend their time around the castle. Their talk soon turned to the family’s cows. Sheep and cattle were the family’s main source of income, and recently there had been a lot of cattle theft. It was normal in the Highlands for a few cows to go missing, but in the last weeks, dozens of cows had disappeared.

“There are two more cows missing,” their father, Fingal, reported.

This topic always upset the old man. He often told them he felt like he’d spent his whole life on fights and disagreements with the neighboring clans. And as he got older, he didn’t want anything to do with that sort of game. Immersed in thought, he combed his fingers through his shoulder-length snow-white hair.

“I have been thinking about a solution for this problem for quite a while now,” said Fingal. “I would like to hear your opinion.”

Payton directed all his attention to his father, wondering what his father intended to do. Kyle grew more serious, too.

“We joined forces with the Stuarts many years ago because it was only together that we were strong enough to protect ourselves from attacks by the other clans. That agreement made sense. Even after the old Stuart died, Cathal and I renewed our oath. Your brother Blair, my successor, is surely just as interested in keeping peace with Cathal as I always have been.”

This was all common knowledge to Payton and Kyle, and they nodded.

“One could say that I am getting sentimental in my old age, but I would like to leave my sons with a way to have a more peaceful life than I had. The old feud between the Stuarts and the Camerons is a thorn in my side. It often pulls us into trouble, needlessly. That is why I have decided to join forces with the Camerons.”

Payton looked from his father to Kyle and back. He liked the idea of settling the situation between the clans, true, but he couldn’t imagine that the Stuarts would be satisfied with this plan.

“Father, how do you think this will work? Are we to just forget the constant robbery and no longer defend ourselves?” he asked.

Fingal shook his head.

“No, of course not. We must stop stealing one another’s cattle and start protecting our herds together. Thus we could keep almost double the amount of cattle on the same land. The borderlands would be safe, too.”

“That is good. But how?”

“A bond that is stronger than an oath.” Fingal looked at the two questioning faces. “A marriage. I have already talked to Blair about it, but he didn’t like the idea.”

Hidden by his beer mug, Kyle giggled. “And it’s pretty clear that Nathaira Stuart will like your idea even less!”

Fingal nodded. “Yes, that’s what I fear, too, but these decisions are not for the women to make. No, Blair will do what I demand of him. He knows what he has to do for his clan.”

Payton remained skeptical. Kyle, on the other hand, grinned. “Father, if Blair refuses, then I’ll marry a Cameron.”

Payton laughed. “You?”

“Yes! Have you ever had a good look at the Cameron women? Each one is prettier than the next. I wouldn’t say no to such a union!”

Fingal clapped his hands on his legs, roaring with laughter, too.

They were still laughing when Blair, Cathal Stuart, and his sister, Nathaira, joined them in the hall. All three seemed to be in a bad mood, and their angry words echoed through the room. Fingal asked them to join them at the table, but only Cathal pulled up a chair. Blair stayed standing with Nathaira by his side, as always.

“Cathal,
ciamar a tha thu
?” Fingal asked.

“I am not well. There have been more raids. This time one of my shepherds was killed,” Cathal said angrily. “I can’t tolerate these thefts any longer. Tonight I am going to the Camerons. We will see whether they have our cattle standing in their stables!”

Everyone could see how upset the young chieftain was. And he did have to prove himself in front of his people, to
not appear weak. Cathal could no longer ignore the voices in the clan who were demanding revenge, but Fingal did not want to fight anymore.

“I can understand that, but this time you will have to do without my support.”

“Father,” Blair cried out, “what are you saying? Of course we are going to stand by our friend!”

“No,” Fingal thundered, “we are staying out of this!”

“Father, you can’t mean that. I am not going to obey you. Cathal needs our help!”

Cathal himself had gotten up, too, and shot an angry look across the table. “Fingal, for all the Saints’ sakes! You can’t refuse to support me. We have an oath sealed with blood.”

The old McLean chieftain stood up slowly, leaned on the table, and declared with more determination than expected, “Cathal,
mo charaid
, I understand why you are so upset, but confrontation is not the only way. At my age, one wants to have one’s inheritance safe. And I do not wish to start a revolt during my last days. I will not lose good men in a fight, nor will I expose my people to arbitrary revenge. No, this is a path we are not going to tread again. An allegiance is what will bring us all a lasting peace.”

Silently, the men stared at Fingal. Only Nathaira couldn’t hold herself back. She went on the attack.

“You old coward! Just because you have no more guts. The clan will refuse to support Cathal if he doesn’t care for their safety!” She had placed herself directly in front of Fingal.

Kyle grabbed her arm and pulled her away. “What are you thinking, you stupid woman? Go! Don’t interfere in men’s business.”

He pushed Nathaira toward the door and threw a warning look at Blair. “Maybe you should marry a Cameron woman instead, as that girl only means trouble.”

Blair, who often acted on impulse, grabbed Kyle’s collar and pushed him against the table. With a loud crash, two chairs fell over and wood splintered. Quickly, Payton ran to help his little brother, but Fingal was already banging his fist on the table.

“
Seas!
Stop this, immediately!”

He glared in warning from one to the other as he spoke. “Cathal, take your sister and leave! You heard my answer. And you, Blair, join me in my quarters. We have much to discuss.”

With that, Fingal turned around and left the hall. Payton was standing between Kyle and Nathaira, who lingered in the door. They both looked like they still wanted to fight.

“Calm down,” Payton said.

“Blair,” Nathaira whined, “what does Kyle mean, that you should marry a Cameron? You are marrying me, I believe.”

“Yes, of course. There is nothing for you to get upset about.”

Blair had good reason to be angry. His father had humiliated him in front of his best friend, treating him like a child. And on top of that, his fiancée was acting up.

But Kyle also still hadn’t cooled down. “You idiot! You can’t put that
nighean na galladh
above the interests of your own clan!”

Now Cathal joined in again. “No one—and certainly not a half child like yourself—calls my sister a dog’s daughter! Away with you or you will get to know me!”

“I am only saying that if I were the chieftain of the clan I would realize how beneficial a marriage with the Camerons could be. I wouldn’t think purely with my pecker!” Kyle whirled around and stomped out of the room. Just in time, too, as Payton would have been hard-pressed to stop Blair from throttling his little brother.