Read HauntedLaird for Free Online

her.”
    “That’s what you just recited for me,” she said. He nodded.
    “She placed them in a diary. Nay but one person knew the
answers and it was not her. She did not want ta have both riddle and answer
together. It was up ta us ta pass it along ta a family member and swear them ta
secrecy should something happen ta us.” His shoulders sagged.
    “Did you pass the answer to another?”
    “Nay,” he replied in a somber tone. “I did not. I kept him
secret, giving only the riddle ta Akira.”
    “Is it because you loved him that you did this?” Lynn must
have touched a nerve because he leapt to his feet.
    “Padon was closer ta mi than a brathair .” His voice
shook as he spoke. His hand fisted over his heart. “’Tis mi fault this
happened. If’n I were there MacGillivray would not have gotten into the castle
and the curse would not have happened. Clan MacKinnon would not have ended in
such an evil manner.”
    And there it was, the reason for his guilt. He blamed
himself for what happened to his friend and his family. Jasper floated upward,
spinning around as a horrific screech left him. Lynn covered her ears against
the din resonating off the walls. When she located Jasper levitating near the
ceiling, she knew from the sight of him he was a broken man when he died.
    A man in love with another man. That must have been tough
during the time when he lived. Now it was more accepted, but back then, she
couldn’t be sure if they would have been ostracized for their actions. It was
something of which she had no knowledge. She didn’t doubt that love between men
happened throughout history. After all, the men of today didn’t invent it. They
just were apt to admit it more freely.
    “Jasper, how can I help?” she asked in the most tender and
caring tone she could muster across the knot in her throat. This was a love
story that time forgot.
    He floated down to face her. “Ye can set Padon free.” He
turned and waved a hand gallantly in front of all three openings. “Choose
wisely.”
    With his hand fisted over his heart he stared directly at
her and waited. The pressure was on. Which did she choose and what would he do
if she chose incorrectly? Oh yeah. His wrath would fall upon her. Damn. Why
couldn’t this be simple with a bright-red flashing arrow pointing the way?
    Bright. Red. Arrow.
    Lynn glanced over her shoulder at Jasper. He hovered behind
her in a stoic stance with his hand still fisted over his heart. She turned
face forward and let the grin split her lips. He was practically broadcasting
where he’d hid his friend. She looked at the left, then the right and made her
choice. Shoulders lifted, back straight, she walked toward the left opening and
heard him hiss ever so lowly to the point if she wasn’t paying close attention,
she would have missed it. Not skipping a beat, she grabbed the lit lantern off
the ledge beside the opening then turned and marched directly into the center
tunnel.
    Several feet in, the sound of running water whispered in the
air. Coolness filled each breath. Lynn held the light and took each step
carefully. After her harrowing experience down the side of the mountain last
night, she had no intention of misstepping again and ending up
lord-knows-where.
    The ground was soft and moist, causing her boots to sink a
little. She swung the light around, inspecting the area. It seemed to be very
damp and wet and the sound of running water echoed even more loudly. After a
few more minutes, she reached a slight drop that appeared to be natural-made
steps. She tested each one before placing her full weight upon it. At the
bottom, she continued following the sound of the water.
    She walked around a bend and a wondrous sight met her eyes.
A waterfall cascaded from the ceiling into a huge pool of water. Dimmed rays of
the rainy morning sun snuck in through holes here and there in the roof.
Nothing could ever be more pristinely beautiful. Untouched by anyone, preserved
by nature. Lynn spun