“Instead she’s been able to channel the strength of her black magic.”
“Precisely. Isla is a mix of
Laura rested her hand upon his thigh. “If it happened once, it could happen again. We don’t know if Aisley was forced or not.”
“You’re right, of course. I just want you to understand the possibility of what you’re saying is verra slim. You’ve got a soft heart, my love, and I doona want you hurt.”
“I know. I don’t know what I want or how I feel about Aisley. One minute my heart aches for her because she seemed trapped with Jason. Then the next I despise her because she didn’t help me escape.”
Charon glanced at his mobile phone sitting on the table. “I can call Broc. He’d find Aisley for you.”
“No. I don’t think that’s necessary. I’m feeling sorry for a
He chuckled and kissed her temple. “You’ve a soft heart, remember?”
“It’s a pain in the ass, is what it is. I shouldn’t feel remotely sad for a
As much as he agreed with Laura, Charon found himself wondering if his wife had been right to question Aisley’s motives.
“Did Aisley help Jason capture you?” he asked.
Laura shook her head. “It was just Jason and Dale. Why?”
“Just thinking. Where were the other Druids?”
“Around me. Wait. There was another Druid with Jason. Her name was Mindy. She and Aisley hated each other. Mindy was Jason’s lover.”
Charon recalled that Laura had mentioned Mindy’s name before. “Do you know why Mindy and Aisley didna like each other?”
“It was pure loathing they felt toward each other. I don’t know the reasoning, though. It seemed as though Mindy felt threatened by Aisley. Whereas Mindy was always near Jason, Aisley hung at the back of the group usually by herself.”
“Interesting. Did Aisley retaliate against Mindy with magic?”
“No. Then again, neither did Mindy. Jason repeatedly tried to intimidate Aisley. He whispered something to her about reminding her what he did the last time she thought to do something to him. I couldn’t hear exactly what he said.”
The more Charon heard about Aisley the more he wondered if he should have Broc find her. She was
There was just one catch. Would they believe anything she said?
CHAPTER
THIRTY-NINE
Phelan reached for Aisley in the bed, only to find the sheets cool to the touch. It was only the feel of her magic that kept him from panicking.
He opened his eyes to see her standing next to the window already dressed for the day. The sky was filled with low-lying gray clouds. The sadness surrounding her made his gut clench.
They’d passed the night making love again and again. She asked him to make her forget, and he made sure she had. Through it all, she clung to him as if it had been their last time together. Every kiss, every touch had felt like she was saying good-bye.
He wasn’t sure what to do. He might know how to make love to a woman a thousand different ways, but he couldn’t find the words to help Aisley.
Telling her to forget the past hadn’t seemed to work. Not even when he told her he didn’t want to know about her past. She was determined to tell him whatever her secret was.
He sat up wishing she was naked in the bed with him. Spending the day making love to her sounded like a great plan. Then he thought of Charon and the others, Wallace, and the selmyr.
The time for sorting through what was bothering Aisley would have to wait until he let the others know what he’d learned.
“It looks like rain again,” Aisley said.
Phelan rose from the bed and scratched his jaw. He was in desperate need of a shave. “We might beat it.”
“I’m ready to leave whenever you are.”
The fact she wouldn’t look at him worried Phelan. “Give me ten minutes.”
The entire time he was in the shower he kept a feel out for her magic in case she tried to run. When he emerged from the bathroom, she stood in the same spot she’d been earlier.
“Have you eaten?” he asked while he dressed in his favorite pair of jeans and a dark-blue-and-white-striped button-down.
“I’m not hungry.”
Phelan walked to her and took her by the shoulders so he could turn her to face him. “You know if I could take you back to the cabin I would. I’d be content to spend the rest of my days there with you.”
A smile spread over her face. “I know. Your friends need you though. We need to let them know everything.”
“Why do I feel like last night was your way of saying farewell?”
She took his hand and rubbed it against her cheek. “You slept again.”
“Aye. You’re the only woman I’ve ever done that with.”
“You’re the only man who has wanted me for me.”
“Who else would I want you to be?”
She shrugged and looked away. “I miss the music.”
Phelan realized it had been some time since she’d gotten lost in her music. He knew of a place in Inverness where he would take her. With the music blaring, she could dance and leave her troubles behind.
“I know a club,” he said. “I’ll take you there tonight.”
Her fawn-colored eyes looked at him. “Thank you.”
“The sooner we get to Inverness, the sooner we can get to the club.”
“Let’s get moving then.”
Her smile was a little forced, and she couldn’t quite hide the sorrow in her beautiful eyes. But Phelan was determined to show her she had nothing to be worried about.
She wouldn’t believe him. He’d have to prove it to her. And he was looking forward to it.
They encountered a small section of rain on their way back down to the port. Their timing was perfect, however. When they reached the port, they pulled right onto the ferry.
Five minutes into the ride and Aisley’s laugh filled the air when she spotted dolphins swimming alongside the ferry. Phelan stood beside her, but his gaze was on her, not the dolphins.
He grinned as she tried—and failed—to contain her midnight locks from getting in her face. The wind whipped around them, gulls squawked for food, and the dolphins jumped and played in the water.
But the most beautiful sight he ever beheld in his very long years was the woman beside him. She opened herself to him and showed him a part of life he had missed out on.
She was pulling away from him now, but he’d be damned if he didn’t hold onto her. It had been just a few days, and he knew there was much more to learn than what she had shown him. He wanted to learn from her. Only her.
Aisley turned to him then, her eyes dancing with delight. “Aren’t they wonderful?” she said of the dolphins.
“Magnificent.” He was speaking of her, but she didn’t know it.
She didn’t search out compliments, didn’t try to push him to give more than he was willing. Aisley was unique
