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grieved him immensely. That his benefactor would come to him so ill, and that she would give her precious time to come and recite the enchantment that freed his body, was a gift from the Goddess herself. It was, as some were fond of saying, nothing short of a miracle.
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    Stone Heart
    by Candace Sams
    He considered the state of the woman before him. Her long tawny hair, captured by a circle of some kind of ruffled material, hung over her left shoulder, cascading in a straight, neatly bound line. He guessed her age to be well over twenty years, but she still looked very young. Perhaps times were not so harsh on men and women as when he last walked the land. Her eyes fluttered open. Even in the coming darkness, he saw the blue of them and smiled. Her eyes were like Elspeth's.
    Karen sat bolt upright and tried to scoot away. Her chest was pounding and all she wanted was to get away from the huge man. His dark hair hung almost to his waist and he had a thick, dark beard to match. A black, long-sleeved leather shirt covered all but the front of his massive chest. Undone laces of the shirt emphasized bulky pectorals. Black leather pants and boots matched his thick hair. She could imagine his eyes were just as dark, though she couldn't see the exact color from where she was.
    "Aggie, what in the name of God have you got me into?"
    she whispered.
    "Please, lady. Dunna' be frightened. I could never harm the one who set me free. I am forever your servant."
    That deep voice. Did voices sound like that in dreams? This had to be a dream. It just had to be. "Wh-who are you?" she stammered.
    Angus tilted his head in surprise. "You spoke the words undoing my spell. Do you no' know me then?" He backed away so she might feel more safe.
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    Stone Heart
    by Candace Sams
    "I came as a promise to a dead relative. She told me a wild tale about some man who'd been turned to stone by a Druid."
    "Aye," he nodded. "I am Angus MacGregor and I was imprisoned by a Druid Sorceress three hundred years ago to the day. A child from my village knew my plight, and promised to befriend me in my helpless state. She and her kin did keep me company through many long, lonely years where I stood. Then someone moved me from my original place, and I was left in this spot where you found me. You are that child's kin?"
    "I ... I don't know. I suppose so. According to my aunt, that story has been passed down from one generation to the next. But it was only a story. Until now ," Karen murmured as she looked up at the mountainous figure before her.
    "'Twas no pointless tale. I am real, lady. But your manner of speech is strange to me. Are you no' a countryman?"
    "American," she said as she slowly scooted farther away.
    Maybe she could make her way back to the car and forget any of this had ever happened. She could blame it on a bad prescription.
    "Please. Dunna' be frightened." He moved closer. "'Tis natural you would be, but I will no' harm you." Angus held out his hand to her. He didn't know what an American was, but if she was an example, he was intrigued.
    Karen's chest hurt in earnest now. She plunged her hand into her left pocket and brought out the small vial of pills that would stop the pain. She popped the lid off, took one pill, 43
    Stone Heart
    by Candace Sams
    then shrugged and took another one. The shock had almost been more than she was physically able to handle.
    Angus watched. While he didn't know what it was the lass took, he knew enough to perceive that she was consuming a pain remedy. The last thing he wanted to do was cause further illness in the one who had saved him. He looked around and saw wood lying nearby. It took him only a few moments to gather enough for a fire. While he reveled in the feel of cold air, the night might well be too cold for a woman who was unwell.
    "If you are ill, lady, I will take you to those who might help."
    "No. No, I'll be fine in a few moments." Karen watched as he piled the wood for the fire. If she thought events so