The Parchment Scroll (Highland Secrets #3)

by C.A. Szarek

Published August 2014 by Paper Dragon Publishing

Synopsis:

*Can be read as a standalone

Book Three in the time travel, fantasy romance trilogy, Highland Secrets!
Her sister is lost…in the past.
Three weeks after her sister goes missing, Juliette McGowan encounters her on a beach in Scotland. Her sister gives her a scroll full of claims about time travel and disappears—literally.
As a sister, Jules is determined to find her. As a cop, she can’t go to the authorities. The piece of parchment declares magic exists; they’d think she’s nuts.
When a mysterious woman vows she can help her get to the seventeenth century, Jules goes along with it out of desperation.
He’s an infamous barbarian…
Hugh MacDonald is intrigued when he finds a disoriented naked lass on the beach. She holds a scroll that was written by his rival’s wife. Clan MacLeod will pay ransom for her safe return, so he takes her captive.
She challenges his authority—and his desires. What started off as a plan to anger the MacLeods ends with Hugh wanting to keep her for himself.
Can Jules break free of the barbarian, find her sister and return to the future or will she give in to her attraction and desire to remain in the past?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22368109-the-parchment-scroll?from_search=true

EXCERPT

“I’m not giving up. I have to find her.” Jules listened to her partner drone on about needing her. He wanted her to come home to Texas.

Now.

Too freaking bad.

“Jules, I hate that this happened, but what else can you do?” Dan asked.

She tried not to growl at him. “I’m a cop. I’m gonna do what I do.”

“In another country?”

“Yes. You might as well leave off, Dan. I have two more weeks’ vacation. Chief is cool with this. Why aren’t you? Some support would be nice.”

“I think you’re setting yourself up for disappointment is all. I’m worried about you.”

“Disappointment? You’re acting like this is a missing puppy. We’re talking about my baby sister. So you can kiss my ass.”

He sighed and she pictured him shoving his hand through his dark hair like he always did when he was frustrated with her. “I’m sorry, Jules. I’m not trying to be a jerk, or sound insensitive. It’s just—”

“I know. It’s been three weeks. It’s just if they’re not found within the first forty-eight hours, they’re usually not found.”

Jules didn’t tell Dan about the scroll in her hand. Or that she’d seen—held—Claire in her arms on the beach.

She didn’t believe a word on the parchment. Despite the fact it was written in her sister’s neat, tight handwriting. “I know my sister. Something’s not right. She didn’t take off on her own.”

Despite what the letter says.

He sighed again, not answering right away. “Jules…”

“Look, I gotta go. I have an appointment with a guide and I don’t want to be late.”

“Just be careful. Call me if you need anything.”

“I will.” Jules hung up the phone in the bright room of the hostel. She shook her head and glared at the broken MP3 player on the nightstand.

She’d hit every isle, every historic landmark, museum, even castle and quaint village Claire’s tour group had traveled to. No sign until Tuesday last week when her sister had fallen into her arms naked—literally appearing out of nowhere. Jules had hugged her and demanded to know where Claire’s clothes were, as well as where she’d come from.

Hadn’t gotten her anywhere.

If she didn’t have the MP3 player and the piece of parchment as proof, Jules might’ve thought she’d dreamed it.

Claire had told her to read the scroll. Said she’d gotten married.

Then she’d said she loved her, and… well, disappeared.

The rest was hazy.

Jules was still full of what the hell?

No logical explanation.

No sign of her sister, either.

Claire had told her she’d probably never see her again.

“Screw that.” Jules made a fist, but was careful not to crush the fragile scroll. She’d read the words more than a hundred times.

Still didn’t believe them.

She sucked in a breath and sat hard on the bed. “What the hell am I supposed to do?” Jules closed her eyes and tugged at her messy ponytail.

Silence and a whole lotta no answer to her question.

Claire’s all I have.

“Dammit,” she muttered.

Jules stomped her feet into her boots and yanked the side zipper all the way up. She hadn’t worn the clunky things since she was a patrol cop, but they came in handy trudging all over the rocky beaches of the Hebrides.

“Not that it’s got me anywhere,” she growled, yanking her backpack off the chair in the corner. She grabbed her hoodie and slipped it on. The weather was chilly, and warmer clothing was almost an afterthought, since Texas was usually pretty mild in the spring.

With a sigh, Jules slipped one of the bag’s straps over her shoulder and surveyed the room. She had everything she needed to be gone all day, including two flashlights and food in her bag in case she got the munchies.

She didn’t know the chick she was meeting at the pub. The woman was Irish—at least from her accent on the phone—and she’d called Jules in response to the missing persons ad she’d placed in the local paper.

What the caller knew about her sister was a mystery—she’d refused to spill on the phone.

“Well, I’m about to find the hell out.” Jules pulled her door shut.

“Goin’ ou’, lass?”

Jules plastered on a smile for the owner of the hostel when she made it to the foyer of the building. “Gonna check out that famous pub.”

The older woman smiled. “Enjoy tha day.”

She nodded, turning away without another word. The only way Jules would enjoy her day was if she found Claire.

The sea air made Jules close her eyes and take a deep breath. It permeated everything, but she didn’t mind. The wind was clean and refreshing. Too bad she couldn’t take a minute and enjoy the serenity.

Her sister had always been fascinated with Scotland, but until Jules had set foot on Skye, she hadn’t understood why. She could see the appeal now, with the sprawling green fields and rocky beaches, the castle ruins strewn about, and even buildings as much as eight or nine hundred years old still standing.

History and legend dominated the Hebrides and if she hadn’t been on a mission, she would’ve loved exploring. Every place Jules had visited had been beautiful, even if it was a bit cold. And the accent—add it to a cute guy, and she could see why Claire would melt. She probably wouldn’t get used to the plaid everywhere, though. It made her think of school uniforms.

BuyLinks:

Amazon: http://goo.gl/zm6sLE

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-parchment-scroll-ca-szarek/1120137301?ean=9781941151082

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/469885

Author Bio & Links

Bestselling, award winning author of romantic suspense and epic fantasy romance, C.A. loves to dabble in different genres. If it's a good story, she'll write it, no matter where it seems to fit!
She's a hopeless romantic and always will be. Risking it all for Happily Ever After is what she lives by!
C.A. is originally from Ohio, but got to Texas as soon as she could. She's happily married and has a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice.
She works with kids when she's not writing.

Website: www.caszarek.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/caszarek

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caszarek

Fun Facts:

About Highland Secrets

Claire and Duncan’s story (The Tartan MP3 Player) was supposed to be a 15k short story.
I knew there would be three books from the start, and what they were called as well as who they were about. (Weird for me cuz I am a pantser—I don’t plan what I write).
I knew Jules would be my favorite from the start.
Hugh MacDonald (Hero of The Parchment Scroll) looks like Jason Momoa in my head. (Yes, I know, Yum.)
There will be another trilogy in the upcoming year or so.