A Mirror's Dark Prison

Cian MacKeltar, a powerful ninth-century Druid, has been imprisoned for over a thousand years inside the Dark Glass, an ancient Unseelie artifact. His world is stone and silence, his only company the memory of betrayal by his closest friend, Lucan Trevayne, who used Cian's power to bind him to the mirror and secure his own immortality. Cian's existence is a torment of endless days, counting stones and plotting vengeance, his only hope that one day the mirror will change hands and offer a chance for freedom. The centuries grind on, and Cian's legend fades into myth, but his hunger for life—and revenge—remains undiminished.

The Reluctant Summoner

Jessica "Jessi" St. James, a driven archaeology graduate student, is consumed by her studies and dreams of adventure, but her life is routine and lonely. Everything changes when she is tasked with receiving a mysterious, ancient mirror for her professor. The mirror's arrival brings a chilling sense of being watched, and soon Jessi is attacked by a ruthless assassin seeking the artifact. In a desperate moment, she chants the words that release Cian from his prison. Suddenly, Jessi is thrust into a world of magic, danger, and a Highlander whose raw power and sexuality both terrify and enthrall her.

Assassin in the Shadows

Jessi's world becomes a nightmare as she is hunted by Lucan's assassins, who will kill anyone who has seen the Dark Glass. Cian, now briefly free, becomes her protector, using his Druid powers and lethal skills to keep her alive. The two are forced into a fragile alliance, their fates entwined by the mirror's magic and the relentless pursuit of Lucan's agents. As the body count rises, Jessi's skepticism is battered by the reality of magic, and she must decide whether to trust the dangerous man she has freed—or risk everything to survive.

The Highlander Unleashed

Cian's presence is overwhelming: a man out of time, fierce, arrogant, and devastatingly attractive. Jessi is drawn to him despite her fears, and their chemistry explodes in moments of danger and intimacy. Yet Cian's freedom is always temporary; the mirror reclaims him unpredictably, leaving Jessi vulnerable and desperate. As they flee across Chicago and then to Scotland, Cian's knowledge of the modern world is limited, but his instincts as a warrior and lover are undiminished. Their connection deepens, but secrets and the threat of death loom over every stolen moment.

Bargains and Betrayals

With Lucan closing in, Jessi and Cian must rely on each other and the help of Cian's modern-day descendants, the MacKeltar twins, Drustan and Dageus. The castle in the Highlands becomes their sanctuary, but trust is hard-won. Cian's past is shadowed by guilt and secrets, and Jessi's determination to save him is tested by the revelation that his only hope for freedom may be his own death. As the tithe that binds Cian to the mirror approaches, bargains are struck, betrayals are revealed, and the line between love and sacrifice blurs.

The Keltar Legacy

The MacKeltar twins, themselves time-displaced Druids, recognize Cian as their legendary ancestor. The castle is steeped in Druidic lore and protected by powerful wards, but the presence of the Dark Glass and Cian's use of black magycks threaten to unravel the fragile peace. The family's history is one of oaths, secrets, and the ever-present danger of the Unseelie. As Cian and Jessi's relationship deepens, the legacy of the Keltar—honor, sacrifice, and the burden of power—becomes both a shield and a curse.

Fugitives Across Time

On the run from Lucan's assassins, Jessi and Cian cross continents and centuries, using every resource and Druidic trick to stay ahead. Cian's inability to remain free of the mirror for long complicates their escape, and Jessi must navigate a world of magic and violence with only her wits and a growing love for a man doomed by fate. Their journey is a test of trust, resilience, and the willingness to risk everything for a chance at life—and each other.

The Castle Sanctuary

The MacKeltar castle offers a brief respite, its ancient walls and powerful wards a bulwark against Lucan's sorcery. Here, Jessi finds unexpected friendship with Gwen and Chloe, the wives of the twins, and a sense of belonging she has never known. Yet the threat is never far; Lucan's power is growing, and the tithe's deadline draws near. Cian works tirelessly to strengthen the castle's defenses, even as he and Jessi steal moments of passion and tenderness, determined to make the most of the time they have left.

Love Amidst Danger

As the days slip away, Cian and Jessi's love becomes a fierce, desperate thing—an antidote to the darkness closing in. They marry in a private ceremony, exchanging vows that bind their souls for eternity. Their nights are filled with passion, their days with laughter and sorrow. Yet the specter of Cian's impending death haunts them both, and Jessi is torn between honoring his wishes and fighting for a future together. The castle's peace is a fragile illusion, shattered by the knowledge that time is running out.

The Enemy's Approach

Lucan Trevayne, desperate to maintain his immortality, arrives at the castle, his power checked by the Keltar wards but his cunning undiminished. He offers Jessi a terrible bargain: help him pass the tithe and save Cian's life, or watch her husband die. Jessi is forced to choose between love and the greater good, her every instinct screaming to save Cian, even at the cost of betraying his trust. The castle becomes a crucible of fear, hope, and impossible choices as midnight approaches.

The Vow and the Sacrifice

As the hour of the tithe arrives, Cian prepares to sacrifice himself to destroy Lucan and end the threat of the Dark Book forever. Jessi, unwilling to let him die, conspires with Dageus to allow Lucan into the castle, risking everything for a chance to save her husband. In a final confrontation, Cian chooses Jessi's life over his own vengeance, shattering the mirror and breaking the Unseelie indenture. His selfless act voids the dark magic, freeing both himself and Lucan from immortality—and sealing Lucan's fate.

The Tithe's Deadly Countdown

The minutes to midnight are a blur of terror and hope. Lucan's attempt to pass the tithe is thwarted by Cian's sacrifice, and the mirror is destroyed. For a heartbeat, it seems all is lost—Cian should be dead, the price of freedom paid in blood. But love, not vengeance, has rewritten the rules. The castle holds its breath as the clock strikes twelve, and the world shifts on the axis of a single, selfless choice.

The Shattering Choice

In the aftermath, Lucan is mortal and defeated, slain by Jessi and Cian together. Cian, miraculously alive, is freed from the mirror's curse. The Keltar gather, awed by the power of love to break even the darkest of magics. Jessi and Cian, bound by vows and tested by fate, are granted the future they dared not hope for. The castle, once a place of secrets and sorrow, becomes a home for new beginnings.

Death, Love, and Freedom

With Lucan dead and the Dark Glass destroyed, Cian and Jessi are finally free to live—and love—without fear. Their marriage is celebrated, their bond unbreakable. The lessons of sacrifice, forgiveness, and the enduring power of love echo through the halls of Castle Keltar. The past is honored, the future embraced, and the spell of the Highlander lingers, a testament to the magic that endures when hearts are true.

The Queen's Hand

Unseen, Aoibheal, Queen of the Fae, watches over the Keltar, her subtle manipulations ensuring the survival of the Druid line and the balance between Light and Dark. Her hand in events is both blessing and burden, her motives layered and mysterious. The collision of destinies, the synchronicity of love and sacrifice, are all part of a greater design—one that will shape the future of both mortal and Fae worlds.

Synchronicity's Gift

In the end, it is not magic or vengeance that triumphs, but the incalculable, improbable force of love. The threads of fate, woven by gods and mortals alike, converge in a moment of synchronicity that defies all odds. Cian and Jessi's story is one of hope reclaimed, of darkness overcome, and of the enduring truth that love—selfless, fierce, and unyielding—is the greatest magic of all.

Characters

Cian MacKeltar

Cian is the quintessential tragic hero: a ninth-century Druid laird, powerful, proud, and deeply sensual, whose life is stolen by betrayal and black magic. Imprisoned in the Dark Glass for over a millennium, he is shaped by isolation, guilt, and a burning desire for vengeance against Lucan Trevayne. Yet beneath his arrogance and ferocity lies a capacity for tenderness and self-sacrifice that emerges through his love for Jessi. Cian's journey is one of transformation—from a man defined by rage and regret to one redeemed by love, willing to surrender everything for another's life. His relationship with Jessi is both tempestuous and healing, and his ultimate act of selflessness breaks the curse that binds him, allowing him to reclaim his humanity and future.

Jessica "Jessi" St. James

Jessi is a driven, intelligent, and practical archaeology student whose life is upended by the arrival of the Dark Glass. Initially skeptical and overwhelmed, she is forced to confront a world of magic, danger, and ancient secrets. Her resilience, quick thinking, and compassion make her more than a match for Cian's intensity. Jessi's journey is one of self-discovery: she learns to trust her instincts, fight for love, and make impossible choices. Her willingness to risk everything for Cian, even at the cost of his hatred, reveals a depth of character and capacity for sacrifice that transforms her from a bystander to a heroine. Through love, she finds both her strength and her place in a world she never imagined.

Lucan Trevayne

Lucan is the story's primary antagonist: a centuries-old Druid-turned-dark-sorcerer whose hunger for power and immortality drives the plot. Once Cian's friend, Lucan's betrayal is the catalyst for Cian's imprisonment and the centuries of suffering that follow. Lucan is cunning, ruthless, and utterly without remorse, his humanity eroded by the dark magycks he wields. His obsession with the Unseelie Hallows and the Dark Book makes him a threat not only to Cian and Jessi but to the world itself. Lucan's downfall is precipitated by his inability to understand love or selflessness, and his death is both a victory and a warning about the cost of unchecked ambition.

Dageus MacKeltar

Dageus, one of the modern MacKeltar twins, is a complex figure marked by his own brush with dark magic. Possessed by the souls of ancient evil Druids, he carries within him a vast and dangerous knowledge. Dageus is fiercely protective of his family and determined to atone for his past. His willingness to risk everything to save Cian, even manipulating events behind the scenes, reveals both his cunning and his deep sense of loyalty. Dageus's relationship with his wife, Chloe, grounds him, and his actions are pivotal in orchestrating Cian's ultimate freedom.

Drustan MacKeltar

Drustan, Dageus's twin, is the anchor of the modern MacKeltar clan. Honorable, disciplined, and deeply committed to his family, he is wary of the dangers posed by the Unseelie and the use of dark magycks. Drustan's skepticism and caution provide a necessary counterbalance to Cian and Dageus's more reckless tendencies. His love for his wife, Gwen, and his role as a father reinforce the themes of legacy and the enduring power of love. Drustan's leadership and wisdom are instrumental in protecting the castle and guiding the family through crisis.

Gwen Cassidy MacKeltar

Gwen, Drustan's wife, is a physicist whose rational mind and open heart make her both a confidante and a source of strength for Jessi. Gwen bridges the gap between the modern world and the ancient magic of the Keltar, offering insight, empathy, and practical support. Her relationship with Drustan is a model of partnership and mutual respect, and her presence in the castle creates a sense of home and belonging for Jessi.

Chloe Zanders MacKeltar

Chloe, Dageus's wife, is a historian with a passion for the past and a deep understanding of the Keltar legacy. Her warmth, humor, and resourcefulness make her an invaluable ally to Jessi. Chloe's experiences with magic and danger have made her resilient, and her love for Dageus is a source of healing for them both. She helps Jessi navigate the complexities of castle life and the challenges of loving a man marked by destiny.

Aoibheal, Queen of the Fae

Aoibheal is the enigmatic and powerful Queen of the Fae, whose subtle interventions shape the course of events. Her motives are layered and often inscrutable, but her ultimate goal is the preservation of balance between Light and Dark, mortal and Fae. Aoibheal's manipulation of synchronicity and her protection of the Keltar line are crucial to the story's resolution. She embodies the theme that forces beyond human understanding are at work in the world, weaving destinies together in ways both mysterious and profound.

Roman

Roman is Lucan's primary enforcer, a deadly and efficient killer whose pursuit of the Dark Glass sets the story's events in motion. His presence is a constant threat to Jessi and Cian, and his death at Cian's hands marks a turning point in the struggle for survival. Roman represents the faceless dangers of the magical underworld and the lengths to which Lucan will go to maintain his power.

Professor Keene

Professor Keene, Jessi's mentor, is the unwitting recipient of the Dark Glass and the first victim of Lucan's deadly machinations. His trust in Jessi and his involvement in the artifact's arrival set the plot in motion. Keene's death is a stark reminder of the stakes and the cost of secrets, propelling Jessi into a world she never expected to enter.

Plot Devices

The Dark Glass

The Dark Glass is the central plot device: an ancient Unseelie artifact that serves as both Cian's prison and Lucan's source of immortality. Its magic is complex, requiring a tithe of gold every century to maintain the binding. The mirror's unpredictable reclamation of Cian, its vulnerability to destruction, and its role as the battleground for the final confrontation drive the narrative. The mirror is both a literal and symbolic barrier—between past and present, freedom and captivity, love and loss. Its shattering at the climax is both a release and a test, forcing the characters to confront the true cost of sacrifice.

Time Displacement and Ancestral Legacy

The story's structure weaves together the ninth-century origins of Cian's curse with the modern-day struggles of his descendants. The MacKeltar twins, themselves time travelers, embody the theme of legacy and the enduring impact of choices made centuries before. The narrative uses flashbacks, ancestral journals, and the physical presence of the castle to create a sense of history pressing in on the present. The collision of eras heightens the stakes and underscores the universality of love, loss, and redemption.

The Tithe and the Deadline

The requirement that the tithe be paid at midnight on Samhain creates a relentless countdown, infusing the story with urgency and tension. The deadline is both a literal threat—Cian's life hangs in the balance—and a metaphor for the choices that define us. The approach of the tithe forces every character to confront their deepest fears, desires, and loyalties, culminating in a moment of truth where love and sacrifice are the only answers.

Selfless Love as Redemptive Magic

The ultimate plot device is the revelation that only a truly selfless act—love without thought of reward or vengeance—can break the Unseelie indenture. This twist reframes the entire narrative, transforming what seemed a story of doomed love and inevitable loss into one of hope and transcendence. The power of love to rewrite fate, to void even the darkest of magics, is the story's beating heart.

Fae Manipulation and Synchronicity

Aoibheal's subtle interventions, the alignment of improbable events, and the theme of synchronicity suggest that forces beyond mortal understanding are at work. The narrative structure uses foreshadowing, layered motives, and the convergence of characters and timelines to create a sense of destiny fulfilled. The story's resolution is both a miracle and the result of countless threads woven together by unseen hands.

Analysis

Spell of the Highlander is, at its core, a story about the redemptive power of love and the courage to choose hope in the face of impossible odds. Through the entwined journeys of Cian and Jessi, the novel explores themes of isolation, guilt, and the longing for connection. The narrative challenges the notion of destiny as an unyielding force, suggesting instead that the choices we make—especially those born of selflessness—can alter even the most ancient of curses. The interplay between past and present, magic and reality, underscores the idea that history is not just a burden but a source of strength and possibility. The book's use of time displacement, ancestral legacy, and Fae manipulation invites readers to consider the ways in which our lives are shaped by forces seen and unseen, and how love can be both a miracle and a choice. In a world where darkness and danger are ever-present, Spell of the Highlander offers a vision of hope: that even the most broken of souls can be healed, that even the most impossible of fates can be rewritten, and that the greatest magic of all is the willingness to give everything for another.

Last updated: August 31, 2025