Page 32 of A Celtic Secret
Near her.
Part of this moment.
“’Tis,” he agreed, grateful she didn’t seem upset he was there. She wasn’t entirely herself right now, though, was she? So said the odd glaze in her eyes as she looked beneath the archway. “Do you see the stump now?”
“I do not.” There was nothing there. “Are you sure, lass?”
“Positive.”
“Yet you see the tree?” She looked up in awe as though the oak appeared far more impressive than it actually was. Not that it was unattractive. It just wasn’t comparable to King’s Heart.
“I see the tree,” he confirmed. “But ‘tis more to you, is it not? You see something I cannot?”
“I think I do,” she whispered. “I see what I saw at King’s Heart. Old roots, an ancient twisting trunk, glittering leaves with a pattern. A message.”
“And what is that?”
“To pay attention to the stump,” she said softly. “That death comes, and a tree can quickly become a stump.” Her gaze dropped to something only she could see. “But what a beautiful stump.”
Before he could stop her, she crouched beneath the arch and appeared to inspect something. Most definitely see something he could not.
“I swear I left it here,” she muttered under her breath as she felt around on the ground. “I’m certain of it.”
“Left what?”
“You’ll see.”
Rather than doubt her, he stood guard and waited. What was she looking for? What would she find?
“Ah ha,” she exclaimed and pulled a dagger turned glorious sword out of thin air before she stood and smiled at him over her shoulder. Smiled at him in a way that made his soul light up. “See,toldyou I’d find it!”
“You did and,” he began before she ignited in flames and screamed in pain.
Terrified, he whipped his cloak off and grabbed hold of her, only for everything to go dark before his eyes snapped open to more screaming. Somehow he was looking up at his brothers, who had their swords aimed at his throat.
Worse yet, Madison glared down with her eyes ignited in emerald.
“I did nothing....” He held his hands up in surrender and tried to get his bearings. He was in Riona’s bed, and she was curled into a ball next to him screaming.
“I swear,” he went on. “Ye’ve my vow I did nothing.” He shook his head, confused. “I was in my chamber, then at the tree in the courtyard....”
He went to try to help Riona, comfort her, but he wasn’t getting past Madison’s magic.
So said his sudden immobility.
“Riona?” Fear and worry lit Madison’s eyes as she tried to get through to her sister. When she touched her, Riona curled closer to him and something she seemed to be protecting.
“What did you do to her, Declán?” Madison narrowed her eyes at him. “When we came in, you had your arms wrapped around her, and now this....”
“I did nothing but try to save her,” he swore, feeling Riona’s pain. Her sheer terror. “Let me go so I can keep saving her,ta?”
He might be powerful in his own right, but his magic wasn’t at its best, so it would be impossible to stand up to them. Most especially Madison because her magic was hellishly angry and more uncomfortable than he would admit.
Yet he had not reigned over this kingdom at the forefront of their enemy’s land by giving into rage or dramatics. So he remained as calm as he could, considering Riona’s anguish. “Let me go so that I might help her, Unnamed One. Because Icanhelp her. Otherwise, I would not have been given this vision...or whatever this is.”
Because itwassomething.
Everything.
