Sage had walked the length and breadth of the sands several times but could find nothing that needed acknowledgement. Voices from the other side of the rock face drew her attention, and a cold male voice made her blood run cold.

"Come on," she whispered, looking around desperately. If you expect me to protect these people and this place, I must know everything, including the Magi's Coronet. Charlotte, if you've made me care this much, there has to be an answer. Now show me."

Suddenly, a breeze came from nowhere. Looking around, Sage found the other three glancing toward the back of the beach area. Turning toward that point, Sage noticed the sand dancing; it seemed to move quicker the closer she moved in that direction. The others moved with her, and the sand stopped dancing. Sage stopped and turned toward them.

"It would seem I need to go ... in there," she vaguely indicated the back of the beach, "on my own."

Nodding, the three retreated to the beach's edge near the rock face. Stuart paused and looked at her with worry in his gaze.

"Whatever you need to do, do it quickly," he said before joining the others. The breeze started again, and Sage moved with it as it wafted around her ankles.

"What is in here?" she asked, moving into the narrow entrance. Squeezing through, she gasped as she took in the well-lit, vast area of the cave interior, "This is huge."

The sand wafted toward the large circle of moonlight in the cave's centre. Slowly following it, Sage took in the crates and barrels lining the cave walls. Sage frowned. The smuggling was still happening even now and after all this time. Stopping in the centre of the circle, she waited. Nothing happened.

"Oh, come on," she muttered. "I'm Sage Caroline Mary Annabella Rosemary Cooper-Channing, and so far, I've gone through all of this dishevel and emotional trauma, learning everything I can about this place, its history, and its people, and now you stop. Doesn't seem fair, does it?"

Still, nothing happened, but there was a shift in the air. Sage frowned, looking around. It felt like a presence lingered or had arrived—a presence that felt uncertain, unsure, and untrusting.

"I'm sure you had your share of hardship when you lived here … Charlotte," Sage whispered, "trusting people is hard for me to do as well, especially when there is something as important as this place, the people that live here and those who depend on it for sanctuary. Heaven knows I've often thought of it as my own sanctuary. Especially the house, it's become my home. I don't want to leave here because of Jeffery and whoever wants to have whatever treasures you inherited from your father."

Turning in a circle, Sage gasped, narrowing her eyes as she saw a whisp of … what was it? Mist? A ghost? Steam? So far, she had gone with her instinct, and it had not steered her wrong. Inhaling, she let out a slow, calming breath.

"Wow, I don't startle easily, but you just got me to jump … Charlotte," she waited, watching the white wispy movement near the ocean side of the cave, "I'm not sure what you need or want, but if I'm to save this place and people we need to move alone or that depraved evil man out there will have everything."

The white wisp moved toward her, slowly vaguely taking form and stopping close to Sage.

"Wow, it's like looking in a mirror," Sage whispered. Please… trust that I want only what is best for the land, the islands, and those precious souls living there."

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Sage waited, hoping, nervous and, for the first time in her life, scared of not being accepted. The wisp of white must have made a decision as it moved closer, disappearing … Sage gasped as memories flashed through her mind; emotions she knew were not hers rose, boiled and seared into her soul. Knowledge of conversations, information from documents, and memories of a love so strong the loss of it was literally heartbreaking.

Sage wondered if she could take anymore when suddenly, a knowledge of the Magi's Crown exploded through her.

What it was.

Where it was.

The reason it was made.

The information it held.

The power it gave.

Everything slammed into her and tumbled through her, making her stretch her arms out to the side, trying to make room for so much emotion, knowledge, and understanding as it coursed through her. It pulled at her and plunged into her, running through her veins hot and cold, clashing with her thoughts and feelings, pushing them aside as more poured into her from centuries before.

The tidal wave stopped as quickly as it started, leaving Sage crumpled on her hands and knees, panting in the moonlight. She knew … everything, but the presence had not left her.

Quiet words filtered through her mind, "Thig mi còmhla riut gus crìoch a chuir air na thòisich mi"

Nodding, Sage rose, "Yes, you will come with me to finish what you started. We'll do this together and begin afresh ... together."

Leaving the cave, Sage strode across the sands toward the rocks, separating the haven from the commotion on the other side. Stepping around the corner, she stopped watching the tall evil man reaching for the mark in the ceiling. Sage knew it wasn't there, and the evil person had not sought permission to touch the rock face. Stretching out her hand, she felt a sudden surprise ripple over her as a flash of lightning extended through the air, scorching the man's hand.

"Cha bhean thu ris an rud nach eil agadsa," the words roared on a warbled version of her voice out across the sand and reverberating against the rock walls, "Chan eil còir agad, chuir thu cùl ri bhith."

Startled faces turned toward Sage, striding toward the group.

"Anyone know what she is saying?" Maddy asked, quietly stepping out of the way.

"I'm taking a guess ..." the linguist said vaguely, "but I think she said something like ... You will not touch what is not yours. You have no right, you perverted being."

"Huh, the air is crackling," Rosemary whispered, worry in her voice.

"Kill her," the sobbing man, holding his burnt hand, screamed, "listen to your master and kill her."

"Chan eil thu nad mhaighstir an seo. Is tusa an neach-cleachdaidh agus feumaidh tu bàsachadh," Sage warbled, shooting another bolt of lightning at the man, sending him tumbling over the sand toward the pile of bodies.

Everyone looked toward their interpreter, who cleared his throat, "Wow, that was clear .. um ... I don't think that's Sage talking," he glanced at the eerie eyes staring at him before they moved back to the man just beginning to move on the beach, "that is definitely not Sage talking. Whoever that is said ... You are not master here. You are the usurper and must die."

Rosemary gasped, "Charlotte. That is Charlotte."

"Aunt Rose, is that good or bad," Maddy asked.

"Not for him," Matthew said as the man pulled a gun from its holster aiming at Sage.

"Everyone down," Sally called, trying to get her men to listen, but they stared dumbly at the man on the beach.

Stuart ran across the sand, pulling his sister from the group of men and plunging them into the water, narrowly missed by the sparks from Sage's crackling body, which extended over every inch of her form. Quickly, bodies dropped to the sand or hid behind large rocks on the beach. Pure rage sounded around the area, reaching their sensitive hearing and causing those who could to clap their hands tightly over their ears and duck closer to the ground. The sound of gunfire came to a split second before the area crackled with power. Time seemed to stand still as the light became brighter, and nothing but a glaring, eyes-searing white could be seen. The group closed their eyes tightly, but the brightness shone through, and they waited.

Slowly, the brightness dimmed, the cry of pure rage disappeared, and silence fell.