Page 83 of A Legacy of the Light

The landscape is full of every shade of the wild plant. Dark purples, lilacs, pinks, and whites blend to create the most beautiful masterpiece that’s so vivid it doesn’t look real. There’s a sense of magic in the field that wraps itself around me, and the delicate bloom creates a perfect picture of spring in the wintery conditions. A soft floral scent permeates the air around us.

Tavish notices that I have stopped.

“What?” he asks, looking around for danger.

“Heather.”

“What?” he asks again, softer this time.

“It’s a field of heather,” I repeat.

“Yes?” he questions.

“My Mom’s name was Heather. This was my Granny’s favorite flower,” I say.

He smiles kindly and waits with me while I ready myself to fight the tears. Only they don’t come. Warmth floods through me as I picture Mom in these fields. I wish this is where she was laid to rest. It was made for her.

“Come on,” Tavish urges gently. “Not far now. We’ll cut through the fields to get there.”

He leads Atlas through the path that narrows ahead, and I reluctantly follow.

We enter the clearing and the scent envelops itself around me fully. It takes me a minute to remember it’s exactly the same as Mom. Like her being named after it meant she would always smell like the wild flower.

Another sorrowful smile pulls at my lips and I close my eyes briefly and remember what it felt like in her arms. A single tear tracks down my cheek and I wipe it away before Tavish notices. It’s not a sad tear. I remembered something other than the sorrow and pain of losing her.

She’s here with me, and my fear from the Brollachan finally slips away. No harm will come to me while I’m in this space. I don’t know where that surety comes from, but it settles me and I embrace it. My feelings are confirmed when the static energy that had settled over me from the Craobh slowly pulls back.

Tavish leads me down the hill and over another before heading back toward the woods.

“Are you okay?” he asks quietly as we approach another break in the trees.

“Yes. I’m glad I saw this. It’s like she’s with me. And I haven’t felt that in a really long time.”

He smiles at me again and reaches over to squeeze my hand. “I will bring you here again when it’s warmer. It’s even more beautiful.”

“I’d like that,” I tell him. But it dawns on me I may not be here then.

For the first time, I feel sad about the prospect of going home.

◆◆◆

Thankfully, there are no more Brollachan, or other terrifying creatures on our way, as I follow Tavish through the forest for another ten minutes.

He jumps down from Atlas and takes Mabel’s reins from me and leads both horses off the path, tying them to a tree with low branches.

He offers me his hand. “We need to go the rest of the way by foot.”

I’m perfectly capable of dismounting this horse myself, but I slip my hand in his and throw my left leg over the saddle and move to dismount. Tavish grips my waist with his other hand and makes sure both of my feet are on the ground before he lets me go.

“I could have done that myself, you know,” I challenge, my voice quiet as he stares down at me, still holding me.

“I know, but you saw a Brollachan for the first time and I wanted to make sure your legs were steady,” he replies calmly.

I keep my gaze locked on his as he slowly, reluctantly, lets me go and steps back to Atlas to take the bags off his saddle.

Tavish throws the large pack and rolled blanket over his shoulders and gestures with his head. “This way, it’s not far.”

“Will the horses be okay?” I ask, not wanting to leave them alone if there are anymore Brollachan around here.