Sweeping the pair of them into my arms, I kissed her, ignoring the roving fingers of my daughter as she touched my face.
Breaking away, Sam grinned, adjusting her hold on the baby. “I’m going to go make dinner. Do you want to help?”
“More than anything.” Taking her hand, we turned toward the cabin, strolling down the hill at a leisurely pace. I hadn’t a care in the world, my heart full of so much love I thought it might burst.
We arrived at the house and Sam went inside, opening the door to a small, but homey space. As I made to go in, something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye.
“What’s that?” I asked, moving toward the opening in the hillside.
“What?” Sam called, coming back to the door.
“That cave,” I stated, pointing. “I’ve not seen it till now.”
She gazed at it, a confused expression on her features, and then shrugged, going back inside. “It’s nothing,” she stated. “A hole in the ground. Why don’t you wash some vegetables?”
Nodding, I touched the doorframe, meaning to follow her. I couldn’t tear my attention from the cave, though. Something inside me pushed me to go explore, to discover what was in there.
“Tristan?” Sam’s voice enticed me to enter once more.
Instead, I suddenly found myself striding toward the cave, frowning. Something wasn’t right, which was odd for my happy life. Everything was always exactly as it should be. So, why was this cave here?
Walking into the mouth of it, my stomach twisted. It was a small space, housing a single object in it—a giant stone with a sword stuck in it.
Samantha called my name from the house,. She sounded worried, scared even, and I headed in her direction.
But, something wasn’t right. This shouldn’t be here.
Should it?
Thinking hard, I tried to remember if I’d ever seen this cave before. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind. In fact . . . I couldn’t remember anything. Not how I’d gotten here, where I was, or even what my child’s name was.
Panic washed over me, Sam crying out for me to return.
“Tristan, come home! I need you!”
Her voice soothed me and I smiled, taking another step toward her. But, no! This Sam was . . . different. How had we gotten here?
Panic gripped me once more, my mind a blank. What could I remember? Racking my brain, I pushed through the haze surrounding me. Sam. I definitely remembered her. She shouldn’t have been here, though. Where was she?
Putting my hands in my hair, I squeezed my head, frantically attempting to figure out what was going on.
Then, it came to me. Samantha was on a ship. She was waiting for me somewhere, expecting me to return. I was bringing something back . . .
My eyes landed on the sword. Suddenly, I remembered everything. I was here for the blade, in the Otherworld.
This place I was in now wasn’t real.
It felt real, though. There was so much happiness and joy, it broke my heart to think of leaving it. This was what I truly wanted out of life. All I needed was my family and a home to keep them in.
But, it still remained as false as a traitor’s promises.
Striding forward, I grasped the hilt of the sword with both hands and tugged, pulling it from the stone with little effort.
Gasping, I sat up in a panic. It was if I’d not taken a breath before, my lungs burning as I greedily sucked in all the air I could get. Coughing, I peered around, surprised to find I was on the beach. The sand stuck to my damp clothes, sneaking into every crack and crevice it could find.
Excalibur rested in my palm, the blade glinting in the night, glowing with power. Tightening my hold on it, I shoved to my feet and made for the ship, trying not to let disappointment fill me for the perfect life I’d imagined and lost.
“Are you okay?” Sam’s voice broke through my troubled reminiscing, her form joining mine behind the desk in the captain’s quarters. Taking my hand in hers, she squeezed my fingers, leaning her head against my shoulder. “Something’s been bothering you since you returned.”
I swallowed, the image of our perfect life still stuck in my mind. It’d been so real and tangible, I was having a tough time letting it go.
Smiling to myself, I remembered at least part of it was true. Turning toward her, I pulled her close, touching her stomach. “I’m planning the future,” I replied softly, leaning in and kissing her. Then, I bent, placing a small kiss over her navel.
She hummed in contentment, playing with my hair. “Are you sure? I’m here if you need to talk.”
Straightening, I nodded, cupping her face. “Aye, I’m sure. How are ye? And the babe?”
She shrugged, giving me a lopsided smile. “Fine. Worried about you.”
Chuckling, I leaned in and caressed her lips, letting the touch linger. It’d been so long since I’d thoroughly kissed her and shown her the strength of my feelings. Everything was so chaotic and misconstrued, there hadn’t been any opportunity to do so. She’d been so sick, too, and I hadn’t wanted to make her uncomfortable.
Today, though, she claimed she was improving, her color better than it’d been in the past week. So, as my lips pressed against hers, I took the opportunity to tangle myself in her tresses, pulling her close and deepening the embrace. My tongue swirled inside her mouth, tasting her in my familiar way.
She moaned, leaning into me, grabbing my shirt and pulling my body flush. Hot breath brushed over my skin as she nibbled at my neck, the simple touch sending fire through my veins.
She giggled as I sighed happily, trapping her against me.
“I love ye,” I whispered. “I know it’s been one trial after another, but that fact has never changed.”
Smiling, her perfect lips curved in a manner that made me wish to kiss her again. “I know it hasn’t,” she replied. “I love you, too. Even if you’re a bonehead and won’t talk to me.”
Laughing, I released her, grabbing her hands instead and raising them to my mouth. “I don’t deserve ye, lass. But I’m glad ye haven’t figured that out yet.”
She wiggled her eyebrows with a contemplative expression, as if she were reconsidering her opinions of me. The look only made me chortle harder.
“Callaghan’s been telling me stories about you,” she reported, offhandedly. “Perhaps I have realized you’re not who I supposed you were.”
Chuckling, I shook my head. “Don’t believe a word he says. Cal is famous for embellishing the truth.”
“Oh.” She frowned. “So you didn’t chase a cow through the city when you were fifteen because the widow who lived next to your farm couldn’t do it herself?”
Surprised, I snorted, having forgotten about the incident. “Aye, I suppose I did.”
She grinned, her point proven, and pulled me in for another kiss.
Just as our lips met, the door to the room opened and Cal cleared his throat.
Glancing his way, I saw his cheeks flush, embarrassment clouding his features as he refused to meet my gaze.
“I apologize,” he sputtered “I didn’t realize I was interrupting . . . ah . . . any of, I mean, I shouldn’t have—”
Chuckling, I held Sam to my side, refusing to let her go. “Ye haven’t interrupted anything, Brother,” I contested warmly. “Come in. What is it ye wish to tell me?”
Hesitating, he stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. Eyeing Excalibur on the bed, he paused, a strange look flashing over his face. It took me a moment to realize it was fear.
“What is the matter?” I immediately asked, releasing Sam and moving toward him. “Is it Randall? Has he escaped? Are the Children of Darkness upon us?”
He shook his head, his attention returning to me. “Randall is locked below, safe and sound. I’ve not heard the hunting horn of the Children, either. I suspect they’ve realized we are coming to them.” He swallowed hard. “That is my reason for interrupting ye and Sam. We have reached the location I wish to leave the Adelina behind in. She wil
l be safe here, I believe.”
Relaxing, I took a deep breath. We’d discussed leaving the ship behind, to protect it from any enemies who may try and swarm it and strand us in the Dark Isles. Samantha and Randall would stay with it, much to Sam’s continued dismay.
“Already?” she asked, interrupting my thoughts. “We only left the island of the Lady of the Lake half a day ago.
Cal’s features were grim as he confirmed her queries. “Ye need to be at a safe distance. I know the demons and hunters in the Dark Isles. They will smell ye if ye are any closer.” He flinched, and then cleared his throat again. “We should leave as soon as possible.”
Nodding, I remained silent. I could feel Samantha’s nervous energy radiating behind me. As soon as Cal left the room, she was by my side, speaking quickly.
“I can come with you,” she insisted. “I know it’s dangerous and there’s the baby, but I can’t stand waiting her for you again. Tristan, please.” Grabbing my jaw, she forced me to look at her. “Don’t make me stay behind.”
Taking her hands in mine, I smiled gently. “I’m not making ye do anything,” I reminded her. “It is yer decision, whether or not to go.”
“But you don’t want me to,” she argued.
“No, I do not,” I agreed. “It is too dangerous and ye are with child. It would destroy me if I lost ye. There’s a level of comfort I will maintain if ye remained here. Besides, there’s no one I trust more to make sure Randall doesn’t escape. Ye know as well as I how slippery a snake he is.”
She frowned. We’d had this conversation before and she knew I was right. It had taken many hours to convince her she was doing the right thing by staying. In the end, she’d see reason and bid me farewell, but until then, I had no choice but to remind her of all the reasons for her choices.
“I can fight,” she offered lamely. “I’d be an asset.”
“Yes, ye would be.”
“But we need someone to protect the ship and keep the torches lit.”
“Right again.”
She leaned against me, a great sigh heaving from her chest. “It’s very frustrating when all you do is agree with me.”
“I suppose it is.”
Laughing as she playfully slapped my arm, I couldn’t help but feel awe and thankfulness for the woman that was mine. She was a rare find, for sure.
“Be careful,” she said quietly. “And quick. I don’t like being apart. Bad things happen.”
“Not this time, love.” I hoped the nervousness in my tone didn’t show. “I’ll return as soon as humanly possible.”
Cal’s silence unnerved me. He held himself as if he were facing the hour of his death, rowing stoically. His face, tight and sullen, was unlike I’d ever seen it. A darkness flitted within him, some hidden secret I couldn’t decipher in his eyes.
Shifting to one side, my brow puckered slightly, the quiet and swirling mist causing my skin to prickle with nervousness and anxiousness. I couldn’t see the ripples our tiny vessel made in the glassy water. The longer the silence persisted between us, the more unnerved I became by the unnatural happenings of this world. Unable to stand it, I cleared my throat and leaned forward. “Is it much longer?” I whispered, afraid to speak louder in this gloomy atmosphere.
He shook his head, glancing in the direction we traveled. “We should see it any minute now.” Meeting my gaze, he seemed to study me, pursing his lips.
“I always thought I’d be the first to get married,” he suddenly confessed, breaking into a smile. “Ye were so peculiar around women, as if ye’d no idea what to do with them.”
The quick change in conversation caught me off guard and I chuckled, remembering the awkward occurrences well. “That didn’t stop ye from pushing me in front of them whenever the occasion presented itself.”
“Aye, ye needed all the help ye could get,” he replied seriously, humor in his gaze. “But, it would seem ye’ve managed just fine on yer own.”
The mirth faded away from both of us in an instant. “That I have,” I agreed, unable to bring myself to talk about his disappearance. “I was lucky. Samantha is a rare kind of woman.”
Cal nodded, smiling tightly. “When I watch the two of ye . . .” He paused, whatever he wanted to say falling short. Then, remaining silent, he exerted himself rowing.
Looking down, I grasped Excalibur’s hilt tighter as it rested across my lap, the dim glow of the blade the only light in our tiny craft. Somehow, it seemed to light the entire thing, though, allowing me to clearly see Cal and the space around us.
“Ye remind me how lonely I am here.” The words spurted from him in a rush. “So many years, alone. Sure, I had enemies, and there were fairies, but I never came across anyone who was like me.” He frowned. “All this time, I’ve been alone. But, I never realized how horrible it was until I saw ye with yer wife.”
“Cal.” I wanted to apologize, but I didn’t know what to say.
“No.” Waving, he silenced me. “It’s not a bad thing. The two of ye . . . Ye lift each other up. I always felt we were each other’s strength, when we were young. But, I look at ye and I know that’s not my place any longer. It’s hers.”
Going back to his rowing, he sighed. “I can’t help but wonder what my position will be when I have left this place,” he mused quietly. “What will it be like to age again? Where will I call home?” He grinned, trying to lighten the mood, but failed miserably. “Will I be as lucky as ye in matters of love?”
Returning the expression, I was surprised to feel stirrings of pity for him. Ever since I’d seen him at the mouth of the cave, I’d been in this state of shock, unable to believe he was actually here. That had given away to happiness at having him returned to me. Now, I began to fully realize the extent of his suffering.
He hadn’t just been battling demons and wandering the Otherworld, cursed to remain until granted permission to do otherwise. He’d suffered alone and afraid, condemned to a fate not meant for him. His entire life was ripped from him. All of his dreams and ambitions were nothing but dust, vanishing in a wind from which he couldn’t shelter them.
I’d was so caught up in my joy at having him by my side, in planning how I’d assist him in gaining his freedom from this place, I hadn’t realized how much damage had been done to him. In my mind, death was the worst thing that could have happened to him. Now, I understood dying would have been a mercy, compared to the life he lived here.
“It will be as if nothing changed.” I put my palm on his knuckles, stopping his rowing and staring at him intently.
“It cannot be.” He chuckled, shrugging off my oath. “Too many years have passed. And I’ve done too many things.”
“There is nothing that cannot be forgiven,” I insisted. “I swear, Callaghan. Ye are my brother in every way that counts. I will not allow ye to be forgotten and left alone any longer.”
Clamping his mouth shut, he sucked a deep breath in through his nose, meeting my look evenly. After a moment, he nodded, accepting what I’d said.
Pleased he’d agreed, I released him, settling myself into my seat. I’d meant every word of it, too.
If it was the last thing I ever did, I would get him out of this place.
The Dark Isles loomed before us, great, towering cliffs of stone rising so high it was impossible to see the tops. Black pools of water swayed back and forth between the mountainous peaks, hiding untold horrors in their deep depths. The ocean twisted its way into the rocks, creating caves and cutting through the landscape like a knife, breaking the behemoth into several different islands. Any vegetation on the shores were as gloomy as the rest of the place, gnarled, leafless branches reaching out like arms begging for help and ragged underbrush crumbling in on itself, as if there were no water to sustain it.
The whole image caused a ripple to go over my skin and I straightened, instantly feeling alert and cautious about our surroundings. The air here was heavier, the denseness of it making me feel like I couldn’t take a proper breath.
&
nbsp; Cal slowed considerably, eyes narrowing as he stared at the closest island. His shoulders tensed, his whole body suddenly taking on a battle-ready appearance.
Alarmed, I stiffened, splitting my attention between him and the approaching land. “Do ye see something?” I whispered, narrowing my gaze on the shore.
He shook his head and put a finger to his lips. “Stay close,” he muttered. “And sheathe the sword.”
Doing as he requested, I swallowed hard, already missing the comfort of the small glow the blade emitted. It was a heartening weight to have on my belt, secured where I could easily access it.
Carefully, Cal directed our boat into one of the caves, plunging us into near blindness. Somehow, he seemed to know exactly what to do, avoiding large stones threatening to sink us and maneuvering through the maze of tunnels branching off through the stone.
Once again, I was reminded this place had been his home for almost half a millennium. The thought made me uncomfortable as I imagined how many times he‘d traversed this very place. How often had he fallen prey to one of the traps here, captured by those who hunted him? What suffering had he endured?
Shaking myself, I put the guilty thoughts from my head, knowing I needed to focus. Adjusting to the lack of light, I made out a few of the twists and turns.
“We’re nearly there,” Cal whispered.
“Where?”
“My safe hold.” He sighed, rubbing his face. “If it’s still standing. If anything, we should be able to hide there until we’re ready to move on.”
I nodded, swallowing hard, my mind returning to Samantha. The image of her face steeled me some, reminding me of the reasons I had to survive this, one of which was the fact I’d not leave her alone with Randall for the rest of time.
The bottom of the boat scraped across the ground, a tiny shore suddenly presenting itself. The sand was dark and gave way easily enough, Cal’s body sinking to his knees as he jumped out to pull the vessel from the water.
Following suit, I helped to finish the job. Sand poured into my boots, weighing me down, the grain seeming to pull me back into the water.
Stolen Away : A Time Travel Romance (The Swept Away Saga Book 4) Page 25
