“Do the knights think you or Nicholas is…”
“No. They’re searching for their…” the thought of Mr. Green’s company letterhead invaded her thoughts as if to drive the truth home. ISOAP. In Search Of Arthur Pendragon. “If they thought they’d found him, they would have acted upon it. Celebrate. Something.” She shook her head. “I don’t even know if I was supposed to land here. I think it was a mistake and that’s why I appeared in the middle of a battlefield.
“Unless,” Elia pointed out with a growing look of horror on her face, “the brooch is their way of eliminating an enemy and they sent you to that field to die.”
“Elia,” Kes said calmly. “It doesn’t make any sense that Arthur’s knights would be sending people to their deaths. No. They’re looking for him. I may have Pendragon blood, so I may be a key.”
“I hope you are correct. I would not want to fight Sir Gawaine.”
Kes cast her a surprised look mixed with emotion. “Thank you.”
Elia nodded.
“But you would lose.” Kes smiled and then they both laughed.
After that, Walter had tea made for them and brought to his gardens, where the ladies sat under the sun.
“’Tis lovely here,” Elia said, looking around.
“Yes, and there are even more treasures inside.” Kes knew the fruit-bearing trees and the multitude of flowers spread out around her with shy butterflies pausing above them were beautiful, but the artifacts inside were priceless to her.
What if she didn’t go back? What if she stayed here and catalogued Walter’s pieces? She could learn to embroider, maybe have exercise classes for the girls, learn to play a new instrument, have children.
No more father, no more roommates, or phones, or traveling, credit cards, dentists. The list went on. She leaned back in her garden chair and sighed to the sun. These things were difficult to give up.
But why should she give up her life when Nicholas was going off to fight and could be killed?
“How long will he fight for York?” Kes asked.
“However long they take to win.”
“And if they don’t win?”
Elia’s eyes opened wide and changed from golden to green. “You know, do you not?”
Kes nodded. Oh, she would burst if she didn’t tell someone. “Richard will be defeated by Henry Tudor.”
For a second or two, Elia’s look of horror returned. And then it disappeared. “Mayhap ’twould be for the best,” she whispered.
Kes wondered if Richard had any allies. Maybe Reg.
“Elia, you have to promise not to tell Nicholas. If he does something to change what will happen, it could change the entire future. Oh, I shouldn’t have said anything—”
“I will not tell him, Kes. You have my word.”
They left the gardens together and then parted after finding Elia’s escort. They promised to see each other again before Kes left…if she left.
Kes didn’t expect to see Nicholas at the door two hours later.
Chapter Sixteen
How was it possible that he could look better than an oasis at the end of a dry desert? There were circles under his eyes. He looked like he hadn’t slept for days. But his eyes were alert, piercing and powerful on her when she greeted him.
“What are you doing here?” she asked him, stepping outside as he dismounted.
“Edward’s daughter, Elizabeth, arrived this morning to visit the king,” he told her, staring at her long enough to make her fidget.
“Oh,” she said dreamily. “You look good.”
He exhaled as if he’d been holding his breath for a long time, then smiled slightly. “So do you. We should take pictures later.”
“Yes,” she laughed softly. “So what does Elizabeth—oh, she’s Elizabeth of York! Right.”
He quirked his brow at her and nodded. “Aye. What is said of her in the future?”
Kes remembered that Elizabeth was Edward’s daughter, sister to the two princes. Nicholas loved Edward and his children, including Elizabeth. “Historians believe she was very well loved by everyone who knew her.”
He smiled more fully, looking genuinely pleased by her news.
“And it is said that she and Richard were lovers.”
His smile faded. “Aye. It seems to be true.”
“She will do well.”
“Married to whom?”
“The victor of your war.”
His smile deepened on her. “I do not want to know about anything but you,” he told her on a raspy voice and came a little bit closer.
She held her breath. She missed him. She missed how he smelled and how he looked and how he moved. She wanted to tell him.
“Come back to the castle,” he beckoned. “Richard will not find any interest in you now. He will be leaving with me to return to Nottingham. You may stay until you return to your time.”
“But what about—”
“Forget everything else and just come back with me.”
She remained quiet but she couldn’t forget everything else. He’d been right to stay away. But he hadn’t done it just because of Richard. He’d left her at Walter’s and stayed away because he wanted to forget her.
“Does this mean you’re no longer worried about getting to know me more or—?” She remembered where he’d gone with this originally. So did he apparently because he stared at her with a subtle smile that made her knees weak.
“Nothing has changed.” His voice was low, like a rumble as he leaned in closer. “I still want to hold you and kiss you. Mayhap more now than before.”
Her heart beat so frantically she was almost sure she would pass out if he kissed her.
He came close, but Mr. Simeon appeared. In fact, he appeared right beside her.
He didn’t stay long. Kes estimated it took less than one second for the sharp blade of Nicholas’ dagger to slice a thin line down the traveler’s cheekbone, and then Simeon was gone.
“Nicholas, no!” Kes shouted and held out her arms to stop him. She looked around—and then she looked at the man she’d realized she was falling in love with a minute ago. He appeared horrified, wide-eyed. His hands were shaking.
“What kind of magic is at work here?” He looked around also, but his
