She gave a weak nod of understanding. Slowly, one drop at a time, she began to drink the contents of the small vessel. Her strength returned quickly. Sips turned into full swallows. Sorcha no longer needed to hold Donella upright. The last remaining mouthful of water, Donella took on her own, having strength enough to do so. She handed the vessel back to Duncan, smiling brightly for the first time in weeks.

Duncan looked to Granny Winter. She nodded. And she rose. She held a hand out to the little girl. “We’ve come to an agreement, Donella and I. This little one has lost her family, and I have room in my cottage. She means to come stay with me.”

“Just as I did when I was orphaned,” Sorcha said.

“You are welcome to remain as long as you wish,” Granny Winter said. “But I suspect you are ready to begin anew.”

Sorcha nodded. “For so long, I have feared what the world held. But I have faced it again and have discovered I am equal to it.”

Granny Winter dipped her head. She turned to Duncan. “Sorcha has a wanderer’s heart. It will pull her away, seeking adventures and journeys. You must decide what pull you feel.”

He hardly needed to think about it. His life would be unimaginable without her. A mere few days on the road, facing dangers they’d never expected and finding in each other the welcome rest and steadfast connection they both needed, had taught him to trust her more than he had anyone else. To cherish her. To love her.

“I may not have spent much time journeying, but I’ve no objection to wandering the lochs and hills and valleys, especially if I can do so with her.”

Sorcha reached her hands out. He took them both and pulled her into his embrace.

To Granny Winter, he said, “I believe you have your answer.”

“But heed my warning,” Granny said. “You have caught the attention of the fairies and monsters. You will not be free of them now. They will search you out.”

“Then we will face that difficulty head-on,” Sorcha said. “And we will help people along the way.”

“Perhaps you would consider making us a gift of your magical bag,” Duncan said. “Just as you promised, all we needed was found inside.”

Granny Winter smiled, deep wrinkles crinkling in an expression of amusement. “All that you needed was inside of you. Courage, determination, cleverness. Together, you have all you need.”

Duncan turned his gaze back to Sorcha. “Together, we have all we need.”

And they did, indeed. As they walked the paths of life, they found in each other everything they had ever dreamed of.

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Fletcher and Stone returned the next morning with food and news. Barnabus had hoped they would.