Besides Faelan, Cody’s the only warrior in recent times who’s been assigned one of the ancient demons.”
Bree remembered the danger emanating from him. She guessed the demons were happy he was retired. “But he offered to help fight?”
“Warriors can fight as long as they can hold a sword. They’re encouraged to marry and have families after their duty is over, but some choose to serve for life.”
“Do the talismans still work, even if a warrior is retired?”
“That they do. Why this interest in Cody?”
“I had a premonition, a vision, something about him. There was a woman with him. I think she’s in trouble. I should warn him. Like I should’ve warned Angus.”
“Angus?”
“I’ve seen him before. In New York, at the bed and breakfast where Faelan and I stayed. I sensed danger surrounding him, but I brushed it off. I didn’t recognize him until Coira cleaned off the blood. I think he recognized me.”
Sean grew quiet. “Have you had these feelings, these visions, before?”
“Since I was little. Usually about family or friends.” When she was younger, after she’d learned about her sister, she’d believed it was her twin helping her from the other side.
“Anyone else in your family have these abilities?”
“I think my great-great-grandmother did. Are you thinking about Druan’s castle and how I could see it?”
“It is peculiar.”
“Maybe only warriors can’t see it. It was right there, plain as day.”
“Perhaps. There are many things we don’t understand.”
“That’s a problem for me. I have to know things.”
Sean chuckled. “So Faelan says.”
At least Faelan was saying something to someone. It sure wasn’t her. But her problems paled next to Angus’s fight for life. Bree sighed. “Will you let me know how Angus is doing? If I’d said something, warned him, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Angus is hard-headed as a mule. Who’s to say he would’ve believed you, anyway? You were a stranger to him. He’s strong. Dr. Gillum is with him, and Coira. She’s a fine nurse.”
“It must be tough on the women.”
“That’s part of the reason warriors aren’t to marry until their duty is over. Not to mention they don’t need the distraction of a demon targeting a mate.”
“What about the female warriors? Can they marry before their duty is up?”
He shook his head. “Same rules apply. It’s frowned on, because of the danger involved, but there’s plenty of time for raising a family after a warrior is done. It’s not uncommon for a warrior to live well beyond a hundred years. We almost never get sick. Something in the genes. It’s getting past the battles that’s tricky.” Sean patted her hand. “This has been a whirlwind for you, finding Faelan, getting thrown into the middle of all this. Most women wouldn’t have taken it so well. You’re strong, Bree Kirkland. It was good that you found him.”
“I don’t know. Maybe Sorcha should have…” Bree trailed off.
“No, I think it was best this way. Destiny. That’s what it was, destiny,” he repeated, almost to himself.
“Well, I thank you for your hospitality. I wish I had more time to see the sights, since this is my first trip to Scotland.”
“Ah, there’ll be plenty of time for that later. You’re welcome back here anytime you want, lass. You see the size of this house. We’ve got plenty of bedrooms, and they’re always ready. Warriors come and go like it’s a train station. I hope we’ll be seeing more of you.” He studied her again, as if trying to decipher a code. “In fact, Coira will likely come fetch you if you stay away too long. She’s taken a liking to you, as we all have. Now I’d best check on Angus and get these old bones off to bed.”
“Good night, Sean. Oh, can I ask you something?”
“Aye, lass.”
“You speak Gaelic?”
“I do, though we don’t use the language much now.”
“What does… let me see, I’m not sure I have this right.
Sean smiled. “Why don’t you ask Faelan?”
“He won’t tell me. He’s the one who said it.”
“Then I can’t say as I blame him,” he said, chuckling, with a twinkle in his eyes, “but I think I’ll leave that telling to him.”
Bree waited a minute before leaving the garden. The house was quiet. At the top of the steps, she turned the corner and saw Faelan enter her bedroom and close the door behind him. When she got over the shock, she began to seethe. Did he honestly think he could go from Sorcha’s bed to hers?
Bree turned and headed back downstairs, wandering aimlessly for a while, trying to distance herself from anger and hurt. She ended up in the library, every bit as grand as Druan’s. She sat at a table, staring at the pile of books Sean had given her to study, but her mind was too troubled to concentrate. She sank into an overstuffed leather chair near the low-burning fire and settled in for the night.
