“You did.” There was no missing the humor in her voice. “I know your rhythm better than anyone’s anywhere ever. You did.”
“My rhythm?” he replied, amused despite himself when he should be anything but. For, this was as serious to her as the moon was to ocean tides.
“Yes,” she said. “When you’ve been a wolf as long as I have, protecting the same person, you know their patterns and tendencies. Rhythm is the best way to explain it.” She shrugged. “It’s of the earth and sea, poetic people of your time might say. Those from the twenty-first century might compare it more to how animals react to changes in the magnetic field. How they feel and relate to vibrations around them.”
Though she didn’t look at him, he knew she wanted to. “That’s how I’ve always felt about you...” Her voice grew softer. “Like you’re part of my magnetic field...as though we move as one.”
He could tell by the way she clammed up immediately afterward that she felt like she’d said too much. But she hadn’t. Not really. Or at least he didn’t feel like she had. In a strange way, her revelation felt bizarrely normal. Natural.
Rather than remain silent as he’d intended, because, truly, what did one say to a statement like that, he ended up stopping and saying what he really felt. Unfortunately, his words came out more formal than intended. But who could blame him? He was talking to a complete stranger who had been his faithful wolf for countless lives.
“Though ‘tis hard for me to ken, ‘tis interesting, and I look forward to hearing more.” He nodded once when he wanted to touch her shoulders. To tilt her chin and make sure her gaze stayed with his. To ensure she truly understood how grateful he was for her devotion. “You’ll share more as we continue on, aye? About you and me and...vibrations?”
The minute he said it, he knew it sounded wrong, but she handled it well, smiling kindly when he suspected she wanted to chuckle. “Yes, Ethyn, I’ll tell you all about our vibrations.”
He met her smile, grateful for her levity. “Good.”
“Good.”
When they kept smiling at each other but neither moved—mostly because he truly enjoyed looking at her—she finally spoke up. “We should probably keep going, huh?”
“Going?”
“Yeah.” She chuckled and gestured at the campfires flickering through the forest. “To your family. To King David’s retinue.”
“Aye, of course.” Honestly, he found her so appealing it was difficult to think straight or even look away. “We should go.”
Yet neither moved.
Rather it felt like heat built between them as their gazes remained locked. As though by looking into her eyes, he drew closer to understanding himself better. To remembering who he truly was. What he once was. It was a bizarre, unsettling yet alluring sensation.
“Who goes there?” someone called out, jolting them from their reverie.
He didn’t want this moment to end but knew it had to when the soldier called out again.
“All is well,” he called back, pulling her after him, forgetting her fear about them touching. Until that is, she yanked her hand away. Until he felt her withdrawal bone-deep.
“Och.” He glanced at her. “Did ye feel that lass?”
She nodded but said nothing when the others joined them.
“Ethyn, is that you?” Tiernan said already knowing full well it was him. Something Julie called him on.
“Of course, it’s Ethyn.” The two of them appeared just at the edge of the firelight. “And, as we knew it would be, as I’d hoped it would be, he’s with Ciara.”
While new to catching Ciara’s thoughts, there was no mistaking her relief at Julie’s words. She didn't just have Milly and Adlin in her corner but Julie and possibly Tiernan.
“Aye, you did hope Ciara would be with him, my lass,” Tiernan said carefully. He and Julie drew closer. “And now here they are.”
“We are here,” Ethyn said firmly. “And hoping to join you by your fire, aye?’
When he and Ciara left the darkness and stepped into the light, it was not to a wary couple awaiting them but a welcoming one. At least Julie anyway as she embraced Ciara hello. Tiernan, however, looked at Ethyn with tentative concern. Despite Marek undoubtedly filling him in on the latest, it was clear his cousin wished to see things with his own eyes.
“All’s well, cousin.” He meant every word. “Ciara is with me.”
He nearly ended with, ‘at least for now,’ but bit his tongue because though he didn’t know her well, he knew she deserved better than that. Never mind their other lives, she deserved devotion from him in this one for remaining by his side. For being such a fierce protector.
When she was around, that is.
So where was she when she wasn’t around? He hated the niggling doubt he suddenly felt. Truly, where had she been off to, though? Aye, in the future, becoming acclimated, but where else? Was she traveling through time, causing havoc? For Madison had said she was at the Irish Stonehenge in the distant past.
“Let’s start there then,” Ciara said, cutting off his thoughts, confusing Tiernan and Julie with her random words. But in retrospect, he suspected that’s just what she intended. “Let’s talk about why I was at the Irish Stonehenge.” Her gaze went to the other two. “But trust me, you’re going want to sit down for this first.”
Chapter Seven
EVEN AS CIARA said it she wished she hadn’t. But Tiernan and Julie were at the forefront of all of this, so best that they know. Best they understand just how very dark the Brotherhood, the ‘Disinherited’ they were dealing with, really were.
So Ciara shared what she knew after they sat around a fire, and skins of whisky were given to them. How she traveled back to ancient Ireland via her cursed-lines to glean as much information as she could. Which, unfortunately, wasn't much because her curse shrouded a lot of it. Yet still, her wolf senses allowed her to gather vague bits worth knowing.
“They didn’t just sacrifice a unicorn and use the power of dragon magic to accomplish their goals,” she began. “Nor did they simply use the awful power they’d cultivated from the Celtic god of death Donn Fírinne’s bloodline.” She shook her head. “There's someone specific involved. Though I'm fairly certain I’ve never traveled to the era I was first cursed, I’ve sensed enough to know whoever they have helping them has more influence than death himself.”
“What does that mean?” Tiernan said. “Who has more influence than death?”
“Life,” Julie whispered. She met his eyes. “Life is always more powerful than death. Yet one cannot exist without the other.”
“So the root of all this, our ultimate enemy,” Ethyn said, “is someone who still lives...though this happened thousands of years ago?”
“I think so.” Ciara nodded. “Whoever helped oversee all of this was alive then and is alive today.” She shook her head. “I just don’t know if they’ve time-traveled or were reborn.”
“It has to be Alyssa,” Ethyn presented. “And like you’re able to, she traveled the ley-lines.”
“Maybe,” she murmured, not entirely sure of that. It didn’t feel quite right. “It’s hard to explain, but there’s darkness and light both then and now, influencing everything.”
When she struggled to say more, close to a truth that had forever eluded her, Julie shook her head.
“Let’s not worry about it right this sec, okay?” Her friend looked at her kindly. “Why don’t we eat, get caught up on your story from your perspective rather than Marek's, then go from there?”
“Aye.” Marek appeared out of the night and joined them. “I could stand hearing her explanation again and then some.”
The dragon laird was back to being grumpy and distrustful, and she didn’t blame him. After all, she was almost certain he was tied in directly with everything they’d just been talking about. He was, in a way she couldn’t pinpoint, connected to what was at the root of all this.
“’Tis not Ciara’s fault you experience pain when you’re t
ransported on our cursed-lines, Marek,” Ethyn defended, evidently understanding what upset him. “She has no control over the nuances of this curse.”
Marek muttered something under his breath about it being a good thing Iosbail liked her, then gestured for Ciara to proceed with her explanation. While she intended to, first she had to know something.
“Was the pain a little less this time, Marek?”
His frown deepened. “What does it matter?”
“I’m just curious.” She glanced at Ethyn. “Because you weren’t affected these past few shifts, were you? No nausea?”
“Mayhap just a wee bit when we shifted to the stones.” He shook his head. “Then none shifting here.”
“What stones?” Marek looked between them. “I was shifted directly here.” He narrowed his eyes. “Come to think of it, though the pain of transporting was just as strong, ‘twas over in half the time.”
She nodded. That backed up her theory then.
“Though I’m sure it’s the last thing you want to hear, I think you might be more involved in our curse than I first thought, Marek,” she revealed. “Not just a ‘vibration’ in Alyssa's ‘web’ when you entered the house but quite possibly part of what happened when the curse ignited. The good news is because of that, I think the closer we get to breaking free of our curse, the less pain you’ll feel.”
“Och,” Marek muttered but left it at that because what else could he say until they knew more? Until the past was no longer shrouded?
“’Twill not be for much longer,” Ethyn assured his cousin with more confidence than she expected. “If ‘twas but three shifts for me to feel fine, then ‘tis likely Ciara and I are quickly closing in on our truth.”
The look Ethyn gave Ciara was telling. He was interested in what the future might hold for them. Which, naturally, made her heart soar. How long had she envisioned a reality that he might care for her? Want to get to know her? Like her beyond her wolf?
She still reeled from their shared experience earlier. What it had felt like looking into his eyes after she shifted back to her wolf. The fear and trepidation had been tremendous. Almost too much. But what she found in his gaze was what she’d always found there. Compassion. Friendship. In truth, his heart had been in his eyes as he looked at her. As he tried to understand.
As he saw past the wolf to the woman.
It had been one of the most profound moments of her life seeing him that way. Him finally knowing who she was. What she was. Where some men, especially considering how hurt he’d been by her deception, might still look at her with distrust and disappointment, he did no such thing. Instead, he looked at her with a longing to understand more. Something she fully intended to make happen.
That in mind, she did as Julie asked and filled them in on what she’d already shared at MacLomain Castle. Then she addressed Ethyn’s concerns about her whereabouts when she wasn’t with him.
“Phelan was a few years old when it began happening,” she led with. “One moment I’d be running through the forest beyond MacLomain Castle then the next I was in a foreign woodland. I’d been transported to the future and America’s Stonehenge. Not surprisingly, I was drawn to the colonial but didn’t understand why.” She glanced at Ethyn. “Not until after I shifted to a human when I was with you. Then I began to understand what was happening. It was as if a locked door in my subconscious had been opened.”
“What does that mean exactly?” Julie asked.
“It means I recalled what Iosbail had done for me in another life,” she replied. “I had Broun lineage and was meant to arrive at that colonial. It was quite possibly my way back to Ethyn.” Emotions bubbled up as she recalled her joy. “I was supposed to be part of the MacLomain, Broun connection across time.” She glanced at Ethyn again. “Because of that, when I shifted in front of you, I knew the time wasn’t right. It had to wait. We had to connect like all the other couples had...even if it meant activating the unraveling of the curse.”
“Waiting like that had to have been hard,” Julie murmured.
“You have no idea.” It had been excruciating. “At first, I thought I’d been freed from the curse, and could be with Ethyn as a human but knew almost immediately that wasn’t the case. There were steps I had to take first. So I started visiting the future more often. I steered clear of the colonial and established myself the best I could in the twenty-first century until the time was right.”
Julie’s brows perked. “That would be when you joined the online Broun forum, I take it?”
“Correct.” She shook her head. “I wish I could tell you how I knew when the time was right, but it was more of a sixth sense. I imagine something to do with my Broun lineage.”
“Without a doubt.” Ethyn’s gaze never left her face. “That’s why Phelan was around less and less. Because you were in the future preparing to finally ‘meet’ me?”
“Yup, I even hid my car down the street, so when the time was right, it looked like I was just arriving at the colonial.” She was glad that end of things was behind her because every moment apart from him had been agony. “Sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner...to explain my absence.”
“’Tis all right,” he said softly, evidently reflecting on a great deal. He glanced from her leg back to her face, suddenly understanding. “Your injury...”
She nodded, following his train of thought. “It’s from when I was hurt as a pup.”
“Och.” Tiernan frowned, understanding as well. “Your leg was broken when Ethyn found you.”
“That's right.” She sipped whisky and tried not to rub it. “While it healed entirely in my wolf form, for some reason, it occasionally pains me in my human form. No doubt, something to do with the curse.”
More pointedly, Ethyn's presence, but she kept that to herself.
“That’s awful.” Julie sighed, her gaze compassionate. “I’m so sorry about how tough you’ve had it. I know the other girls are going to feel the same way.”
“If anything,” Ethyn grumbled, “they owe her an apology.”
Ciara shook her head. “No, they don’t.” Though tempted to squeeze his hand for coming to her defense, she refrained. “All they saw was my crappy attitude when we first met online, which was only meant to keep them at arm's length. Safe from my curse.” She looked at Julie. “Then, when this all started, I was MIA when I should've been at the colonial with you guys. After that, as we all know, everyone thought I was the rogue Broun.” She sighed. “Heck, I still might be.”
“I highly doubt that.” Julie shook her head. “No way.”
She wished she felt as confident, but remained wary. The idea of finally being with Ethyn like this only to turn on him in the end was heartbreaking.
“You were brought to the Clava Cairns, Ciara,” Tiernan reminded, just as supportive. His kind eyes met hers. “I would say that’s telling.” He shook his head. “I dinnae think you would have been brought there if you were truly the enemy.” His eyes flickered from his cousin back to her. “Nor do I think Ethyn would be by your side if he wasnae meant to be there.”
“And Iosbail never would have gotten involved,” Ethyn added, making her heart soar yet again. It was obvious he didn’t want her to be the enemy.
Yet that didn’t dispel the fact that they weren’t allowed to touch.
Something she reminded him of later when he refused to let her sleep anywhere but in a tent with him.
Having so recently been thought of as the enemy, he feared for her safety. Or so he said. She knew he simply wanted her close. Somewhere he could keep an eye on her.
“We willnae touch,” he swore, gesturing at the amount of space between the furs he had laid out.
She frowned. “What if I roll over in my sleep?”
He chanted a tiny light above the area between them, reminding her how much room there was. “You would have to roll twice.”
“I’m an active sleeper,” she lied.
“And I’m a light sleeper.” He sat and pulled off hi
s boots, urging her to do the same. “I’ll wake before you touch me.”
She sighed and sat, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. Space or no space, this setting was way too cozy and intimate. As it were, she was already far too aware of him, her mind back on the night she first shifted. How much she had longed to do more than kiss. Since then, she’d had time to acclimate to her new body and wanted it a thousand times more. Wanted it for the first time ever, if one wanted to get right down to it.
“Bloody hell,” Ethyn cursed under his breath, focusing a bit too much on his boots as he set them aside. A means to not look at her. “Your thoughts...”
She flinched and pulled off her boots as well, embarrassed by what he’d likely just caught. The last thing she wanted him to know was that she was sexually inexperienced. “Sorry, I don’t know how to keep you from overhearing what I’m thinking.”
“’Tis all right.” He chanted out the light and reiterated what he’d said before. “I willnae touch you, lass.”
Intentionally, no, never. That wasn’t who Ethyn was. Unintentionally was what she worried about. Seriously, though, why worry? She wouldn’t be able to sleep with him so close anyway. Not while she was in this form.
Which, she discovered a short time later, wasn’t true in the least.
She hadn't taken into consideration her inner beast’s natural response to him. What she was used to. Her natural instincts when it came to him. Ones that were pretty much automatic at this point. When his breathing slowed, and she knew he was safe and sleeping soundly, her inner wolf relaxed. Naturally, when that happened, she drifted off.
Or so she thought until moments later, she was running for her life.
Chapter Eight
“FOLLOW ME,” HE roared, hoping she listened, praying that she didn't turn back and fight to protect him. “Come, Phelan!”
Unsure what to call her, he had taken to Phelan, which meant ‘one who is like the wolf.’ Truth told she wasn’t ‘like a wolf’ but a wolf through and through now. Yet he knew what she had once been. What she might someday be again.
A Scot's Favor (The MacLomain Series: End of an Era Book 4) Page 5
