“He’s—”
Mr. Simeon appeared again, holding a white cloth to his cheek. “You cut me,” he said, sounding more mystified than angry.
“He didn’t mean—”
“I meant it,” Nicholas corrected her. “He is fortunate I did not kill him.”
“Um, Nicholas,” she turned her face away from Simeon and said on a whisper that grew louder as she spoke, “I would use caution. He can disappear and reappear behind you an instant later with an axe and bash your brains in.”
“’Tis all right,” Simeon told them, hearing her. “I wouldn’t kill a man with such skill, especially one who is so generous with my payment.”
“Ah,” Nicholas frowned. “Walter hired you to help take her home.”
The traveler nodded and wiped the blood from his wound. “I am Roldan Simeon, a colleague of Walter’s. No one has cut me before.”
“Sir Nicholas de Marre, Earl of Scarborough, Commander of the king’s army.”
“You are very quick, Commander.”
“As are you,” Nicholas allowed. “Now tell me what you are. A witch?”
He said the last word as if it were poison on his tongue.
“I’m not a witch, but I was cursed by one to travel through time for the remainder of my existence. To never settle down or enjoy relationships.”
Nicholas shifted his gaze to her while Simeon spoke. She wanted to look away from the fear she saw in his eyes. Fear for her. And from the sadness that he was going to lose her to the future.
“You can move through time,” Nicholas asked him.
“Yes. As I said, ’tis a curse. Thank you for your sympathy.”
Nicholas ignored his jab. “Are you going to take her back?”
“You mean forward, don’t you?” Simeon flashed him a toothy grin.
Still paying no attention to him, Nicholas gazed at her. “Am I too late? Is he taking you home, Kes?”
“He’s trying,” she told him and turned to Simeon. “Is there any news?”
“Yes,” said the traveler, making her heart accelerate again. “As I suspected, the brooch is impossible to get. It has been returned to the Lady of the Lake. And as skilled and adept at thieving as I am, I’m afraid no one has ever gotten into Avalon who was not invited.”
So, that was it then? She was never going home?
“As discussed,” he continued, “I cannot take you. You need a conduit, an instrument like the brooch. Rest assured, I am searching for one.”
“You have our thanks,” Nicholas told him. “If you must speak to us again, we will be at Scarborough Castle. You will use every caution not to let anyone see you appear or disappear and think you a witch. If you are careless, I will not be. I will kill you before you can escape. Understand?”
“Maybe I should just stay here,” Kes interceded on Simeon’s behalf.
“No.” Nicholas softened his tone when he took her hand. “Come back with me. A little bit of time spent with you is better than none.”
She agreed. Was it a mistake?
“Well, I will see you both again…eh…with discretion. Right now, I have a lock to pick and a diamond necklace to steal.” Simeon didn’t wait for their reply but disappeared before their eyes.
“Nothing is safe with him,” Kes shook her head looking at the empty space.
“There was no shimmer,” Nicholas noted.
“No,” she agreed and started back for the house to retrieve what few possessions she had. Mostly, her two dresses. “Do you think it’s a good idea to go back to the castle?”
“Aye. ’Tis a good idea,” he said as though he had no concerns whatsoever.
“Goodness,” she smirked then laughed a little. “What exactly did Elia tell you?”
“She mentioned that you missed me, and something about suffocating. I cannot remember.”
She gave his arm a little slap. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her in close.
“I feel the same way, Kestrel,” he said against her lips, “’Tis as if I’m dying of thirst and there is no water for my parched throat.”
He ran his fingers over her temple, her cheek. He looked into her eyes as if something vital to him was there. He kissed her, softly at first, breathing her in. As his kiss grew deeper, his arms closed around her.
Oh, if there was any magic at work here, it was his touch, his kiss, his embrace. She never wanted to leave him, and maybe she was never going to.
The brooch was gone. She didn’t want to take a chance and use just any old vessel to get home. She might step into a nightmare. She was most likely going to live out the rest of her life here.
She broke away from his kiss, his steel embrace with just a gentle shove.
“What is it?” he asked.
“My father. My friends. The people I work with. I probably won’t ever see them again.”
He said nothing but looked down.
This wasn’t his fault. She smiled and took his arm as they stepped inside Walter’s house. “I’m glad you’re here with me, Nicholas. You’ve eased the shock and drew my attention to you. You’re the only thing that could keep me from going mad at all I’ve lost.”
“After you mourn,” he said in a low voice when they saw Walter coming down the corridor to greet them, “maybe you will find room in your heart for a new family.”
Did he mean him and the children he wanted to give her? Or him and the people in the castle? Maybe it didn’t matter.
“My lord,” Old Walter greeted. “’Tis good to see you back so soon.”
Soon? Kes thought. It had been days!
“Thank you, Walter. I will be seeing to Miss Locksley now.”
“Of course, my lord,” the old man said with a smile. “It was a pleasure having her stay here. She is welcome anytime. Anytime at all.”
After she gathered her dresses, she set them all down again to hug Walter. “I’ll come back and visit.”
“I would enjoy that!” he exclaimed when she withdrew. “I will have a feast made in your honor!”
She laughed. “Who am I that I should be honored?”
The old merchant smiled looking at her. “A
