Kat MacArthur still feels the loss of her brother to another time. Seeking solace, she stumbles upon Ceallach, a Fae warrior, she’s had feelings for ever since she met him. The emotion grows stronger whenever they are together. Yet he warns her to stay away from the upcoming gathering for the Iona Stones. Kat refuses—she needs to be there to help her family and Ceallach.
One of my favorite behind-the-scenes challenges—and ultimate payoffs—came in Stone of Destiny, the final book of the series. I had to braid a fully realized love story into the emotional and mythic conclusion of the entire saga while honoring a rule I seeded into the world from the very beginning: the Gathering of the Stone Guardians. That rule shaped not just the plot, but who was allowed to be present for the ending—and who wasn’t.
From the opening pages, the story signals that every guardian and every maiden must gather to complete the Iona Stones’ journey. That requirement carries a quiet but enormous implication: characters who chose love in another time must step forward into the present. This choice let me deliver one of the most emotionally charged reunions in the series—Colin from Stone of Love finally comes face-to-face with his sister Anislie, who remained in the Viking past for true love in Stone of Lust. At the same time, I made the deliberate—and painful—decision to deny Kat, the heroine of Stone of Destiny, the same grace. Her brother Doug stays behind after Stone of Faith because while he serves the Stones, he never stands as a guardian. That absence sharpens Kat’s journey in ways a reunion never could. She must witness someone else receive the very miracle she longs for, and that emotional imbalance feeds directly into her growth, her resilience, and the cost of destiny.
Bringing everyone into one room raised the stakes in ways I couldn’t have achieved earlier in the series. Love (Colin & Bree), Fear (Marie & John), Lust (Ainslie & Rannick), Hope (Moira & Dom), Doubt (Evie & Aodhán), and Faith (Ewan & Lorilie) all carry their own histories, sacrifices, and scars.
Watching those threads converge forced the story to answer a final, unavoidable question: what happens when every choice, every sacrifice, and every kind of love collides at once? That question became the engine driving the finale—and the emotional heartbeat of the series’ conclusion.
Ceallach stood rooted, eyes locked on Kat’s retreating form as she slipped her arm through his cousin’s. The gesture was casual, intimate, but her hand on another’s sliced through him like a blade wrapped in silk.
Aodhán’s mind speak came to him. Stop standing there gaping at her. Aye, she’s grown into a beautiful woman. But that’s something you should know with ye spying on her ever since my wedding.
Ceallach frowned, covering his shocked expression as the very woman they spoke of turned, glaring at him. Glaring wasn’t quite right, and gazing wasn’t like his Kat. No, her expression scrutinized, examined to the point of leaving him feeling naked. He shook himself. Naked was exactly what he wanted to be with her. Long strides closed the distance to his cousin and the blonde beauty striding beside him.
The enchantress shook her head, making her cascade of warm blonde strands wave at him from the back of her head. The scent of Camellia flowers wafted, soft and sweet. Which was what Kat was under all her tart smarts—a contradiction of intellect and her outgoing nature that wrapped in one scent representing her.
Kat turned slightly as they continued strolling towards the reception. “Ye will tell me what this gathering is.” She stopped, yanking her arm from Aodhán. “Is my brother coming? Is he part of this?”
Ceallach didn’t want to get her hopes up. Doug’s decision to stay in the past wrecked Kat’s life. He’d never hurt his Kat.
Drawing near till they almost touched, he said, “I wish it were so, Kat.” He took a deep breath, truth always. “No, I am truly sorry. Doug is not part of the gathering.” Stillness held the moment as he took in her face, pleased to stand close to her again. Her eyes roamed his, searching for the truth in what he said.
He pulled back, breaking the contact. “Ye should be glad he isn’t part of this. There will be a fierce battle.”
Previous books in the series, Stone of Love, book 1, Brielle and Colin’s 18th century Scottish story. Stone of Fear, Book 2, Marie and John’s 13th century Scottish story. Stone of Lust, Book 3, Ainslie and Rannick’s Viking tale. Thistle in the Mistletoe featuring a couple in the past from Stone of Love.
Next in the series: Holly and Ivy, a Christmas companion book. Stone of Faith, book 6. Stone of Destiny, book 7. Evergreen Evermore, a Christmas companion book.
This series leads into another connected series, Dragons of Tantallon, a dragon-shapeshifter series revolving around the magic Iona Stones.
Margaret Izard is a multi-award-winning author of historical fantasy and paranormal romance novels. She spent her early years through college to adulthood dedicated to dance, theater, and performing. Over the years, she developed a love for great storytelling in different mediums. She does not waste a good story, be it movement, the spoken, or the written word. She discovered historical romance novels in middle school, which combined her passion for romance, drama, and fantasy. She writes exciting plot lines, steamy love scenes and always falls for a strong male with a soft heart. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and adult triplets and loves to hear from readers.
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