But once again, her manners forced her to grudgingly murmur, “Thank you.”
“Ya are welcome.” Daegan pulled a chair out for her.
She took the other one.
He chuckled and sat, eating quickly. He didn’t mind the brief stop since even soldiers needed to refresh and eat. She might have had nothing since her meal last night, which he had interrupted.
They ate in silence for just a few minutes, finishing at the same moment.
“Why were you at the grocery store when I spoke with Cathbad?” She lifted a paper napkin from a decorative stand on the table and dabbed her lips.
He’d originally traveled to the village to find out who Luigsech was and if she could be one of the squire family possessing Treoir history.
He discarded that for a better answer.
“I have told ya I am huntin’ the grimoire volumes. I heard of your reputation. That led me to your centre.”
She stood, lifting both bowls, but paused before walking to the sink. “If that was the truth, you would have come inside and asked for me, but you stayed outside hidin’ and watchin’ me.” She stood there a moment then lifted a shoulder. “You have not threatened me, but your mere presence puts everyone I love in danger. I will only do so much with all that at stake. Do not be askin’ for more than I am willin’ to share when you are not willin’ to tell me who you are and the real reason you are here.”
He weighed the value of sharing his identity, but he could not when it changed nothing about hunting the grimoire.
Her words finally hit him.
One word in particular.
How could his presence put everyone in danger?
Who else did she mean besides Fenella?
Chapter 24
Cathbad held his posture erect as he stood in the queen’s private chamber, observing her.
He had never dealt with this Queen Maeve. He’d known many versions. The seductress who could lure any man into her bed and keep him there for days without chains.
He’d known the queen that also enjoyed chaining virile men to each side of her throne for months.
He’d admired the woman who managed to capture the most dangerous red dragon of all time. Then he’d been disgusted as she’d allowed Daegan to live and eventually escape.
Now he faced a woman whose mind he had to tread carefully around or a battle of wills would erupt with enough power to ravage TÅμr Medb.
And possibly destroy one of them.
He’d proven his point last time when she’d trapped him in a clear enclosure of majik, but he was no fool to believe he knew for sure he could take down Queen Maeve in her own realm.
He’d lived over two millenniums using a simple rule.
Never, ever, go up against an opponent you are not positive you can defeat.
“You dare to come here asking to use my scrying wall, druid?” She’d recovered from her earlier loss of control. Her hair continued to lift and moved on its own, rearranging from multi-colored waves to a golden twist of curls that crowned her head. Her face aged not at all as was the privilege of immortals and those succulent lips deserved their own place in history.
Ah, yes, this queen possessed a beauty difficult to define.
Just as impossible as defining her level of malevolence.
“I merely wish ta see if the wall works, love. Show me somethin’ on yar scryin’ wall and I will go verify if ’tis accurate.”
“Why now?” She began moving slowly from side to side as if listening to music heard only in her head.
“I left here thinkin’ about how we parted ways. We are headed toward a split. I do not want that after all we have done ta reach this point.” He stepped around her to stand in her line of vision.
When she finally paused and looked down, he continued. “I thought long and hard on how we could rebuild trust with each other. It dawned on me that I might aid ya in developin’ the scryin’ wall. I could fuel it with my majik and make the wall impossible for anyone to ever break again.”
“Such a selfless thought.”
He ignored the sarcasm dripping from her lips. “I have never claimed to be a saint, nor would I want ta be. I have always told ya the truth regardless if ya would like what I said or not.” He opened his arms out, palms up. “I come to ya with a plan for reunitin’ stronger than ever.” He lowered his hands and waited on a verdict.
Her body descended until her feet touched the floor. She studied him, taking her time as if to memorize his face. A smile began to lift her lips.
He would not race to a conclusion that she’d accepted his words, so he remained stoic.
Sighing gently, her eyes softened and her lips continued to build a smile that would bring most men to their knees. She moved close to him.
He kept his arms loose at his sides.
Lifting a hand, she brushed it over his hair and hooked her other hand lightly around the back of his neck.
Hairs stood on his skin, but he managed to appear unmoved. Just barely. Allowing someone of her power to put her hands close enough to snap his neck would normally be unwise.
But coming here at all was as unwise as it was necessary.
He had to show her he trusted her.
She cupped her fingers more snug around his neck in an intimate way and moved her body as close as she could to his. Her lush breasts brushed his chest.
Damn if he wasn’t hard.
He hadn’t planned on sex as she’d disgusted him so many times recently, but he could make use of her interest. His lips twitched with a smile.
She noticed. Pulling him to her, she kissed his lips, slowly at first until he lifted his arms to embrace her. She gave a tiny moan, just enough to make his dick jump. If she wanted sex, he had always been a
