Free Mark of the Highlander (The MacLomain Series: Next Generation, Book 1) by Sky Purington

them all to the test. Maybe. And Seth would surely back out when he heard. “Okay, summon me a Claddagh ring with a gem the exact shade of Trevor’s eyes.”
    “Nay, dinnae do it,” Trevor said, angered.
    “Nay, dinnae,” Ferchar agreed.
    “Why not?” Leslie asked, obviously impressed.
    Hurt, McKayla looked at Trevor. “If Seth can summon it then he should be able to unsummon it. Worse case, you or Ferchar will. No worries, I don’t want to be with you, anyway.”
    “You dinnae ken,” Trevor shot back.
    Too late.
    Seth must’ve somehow seen an opportunity to lash out at Trevor. Clasping her hands he began to murmur. “Irish ring of gold, green at center, her one true love. Irish et inaurem auream unam. viridem ad centrum. illi qui in amore veri .”
    Trevor roared in rage but it was too late. A ring similar to Caitlin’s appeared on her finger with a bright emerald at its center. McKayla felt nothing but a cool breeze wrap around her finger before the ring appeared. Dumbfounded she stared. This couldn’t be!
    “You bloody bastard, I dinnae have green eyes in my true form!” Trevor said.
    “Sucks to be you!” Seth roared back. “If you hadn’t been deceiving her all these years you might not be in this position.”
    Before Trevor could get to him, Ferchar was between them.
    It took more magic than any of them were ready to witness for Ferchar to keep them apart. Black sparks spit around the room. The microwave crackled then lit on fire. Dishware exploded. Even the overhead light popped and broke.
    The girls screeched.
    Caitlin waved a loose hand and put out the fires.
    Only little Logan’s declaration seemed to halt them all. “No more Scotland!”
    “Och, nay laddie,” Ferchar said and lashed out one last time. Whatever he unleashed had both men falling back, motionless. He scooped up his son and walked away, whispering, “Always Scotland for ye me wee bairn, just not for the likes of them, aye?”
    Caitlin stood, hands on her hips, and looked between the paralyzed men. “Never a good idea to piss off a Scotsman’s bairn. It tends to piss off the Scotsman himself.” She looked at Trevor, disappointed. “You especially should know that.”
    Shaking her head, Caitlin pursued her husband and son out of the room.
    McKayla, Leslie and Sheila all remained motionless, looking back and forth between the unmoving slack-jawed men. Never in her wildest imagination could she have dreamed up what she’d just witnessed. Not only did she wear the very ring she’d requested of Seth but Ferchar with one quick motion of his hand turned both of these big men senseless.
    Leslie waved her hand in front of Trevor’s face but he only stared back unseeing. Sheila did the same with Seth but his expression remained frozen. The women looked at each other before they sat down at the table. McKayla, for the life of her, could summon no fear for either man. Shouldn’t she be afraid? What if they remained this way? Lifeless.
    “Do you think…” Sheila started but stopped.
    “Perhaps they’re just…” McKayla started but stopped.
    Leslie stared blankly for several long seconds before she stood and grabbed the coffee pot, careful not to nudge Trevor’s lifeless form. After she filled hers and McKayla’s mugs she sat down again, not touching what she’d just poured. She folded her hands neatly on the table.
    “Do you suppose we’re all wearing a Lucid Dream mask and don’t realize it?”
    For the first time in a very long time Sheila smiled in Leslie’s direction. “I’m not sure if I hope so or not.”
    McKayla placed her hand on the table and they all stared at the ring. “Do you think I should take it off?”
    Leslie touched it then glanced between the two men before her eyes returned to McKayla’s. “It couldn’t hurt, right?”
    “Who knows. Maybe it could,” Sheila said.
    “Well she won’t know unless she tries.”
    “Look at everything we just witnessed. God knows what might happen,” Sheila