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“What does that mean?” Fern started working over the information like an equation.
“Well, it depends. You’ll notice that we’re still immortal, and you can sense our magic.”
“Yes, I noticed it this—wait.” Fern cocked her head as she leveled a stare at Calum. “How did you know that?”
Calum waved it off. “I’ll get to that in a minute. Our magic has been slipping away from us over the years. I had so little left the last time I returned to Scotland, it incapacitated me for a week. If I left the country again, it would kill me. Even this,” he nodded towards the cane on his desk, “results from the curse.”
“Did you injure yourself after your magic had been depleted?”
“I took a nasty fall during the fighting at the Battle of Culloden, and seconds later, the spell took effect. It stopped my magic’s abilities to heal. The limp wasn’t noticeable for the first few centuries, but then…”
“The last time you came back to the country,” Fern finished for him, “it had progressed.”
“Exactly,” Calum affirmed, his voice growing heavy. His hand stroked the intricate carvings on the cane’s handle. He stood up, limping around to the front of his desk and leaning against it as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Fern nearly grew dizzy at his presence, so close to her, the smell of tobacco flooding her senses. She couldn’t bring her body to move, however, and stayed at the edge of her chair where there were only a few inches between them. She could sense his magic pinging back and forth between the two of them like lightning.
“Have you…” Fern stopped, biting her lip anxiously, but Calum gave her a brief nod in encouragement.
“Ask whatever you need to, Fern.” The commanding tone had slipped back into his voice, and it made Fern shiver, especially when he said her name.
“What happened to your sister?” She whispered it, and Calum’s face contorted in pain like he’d been struck.
“Cora,” he sighed, “was engaged to Eòin. The arrangement made me uncomfortable from the start, but she insisted. My sister was hopeful that it would be good for all our people and that Eòin was nice enough.” Fern was nauseous as Calum slowed, as if it physically hurt him to speak. “Cora was found dead on her wedding night. Eòin blamed me publicly, claiming I poisoned my own sister to start a war.”
“But that’s exactly what he did.” Fern was going to be sick.
“I didn’t even get to bury her…” Calum’s voice cracked. He recovered quickly, but Fern jumped out of her seat. Without thinking, she threw her arms around his neck and burrowed her head in his shoulder.
“I’m so sorry, Calum,” she murmured in his ear, sending a shiver down his side. “I can’t imagine how that feels.”
Calum said nothing in response, and Fern panicked, wondering if she crossed a line. After a second, his arms wrapped around her, squeezing her once tightly against him.
“I appreciate that.” His voice was thick with emotion when he released her. Fern stumbled backwards, plopping down in the leather chair rather ungracefully.
“I… I still have so many questions.”
“I’m sure you do. There will be time to answer all of them.”
“Yes, but I must know. Why me?”
“What do you mean?” Calum returned to his desk chair and sat down, removing the cane from the tabletop. He seemed to hold on to it like an emotional support and a physical one.
“Why tell me? Why bring me here and reveal all of this? You already said the opportunity to pursue my doctorate here was legitimate…”
“Which it is.” Calum held up a hand, interrupting her. His eyes grew dark. “Please know that no matter what happens, that is the truth. Your course of study here was a genuine offer, and I will not see any revelations of this curse’s nature take that from you.”
It flooded Fern with a sense of surprise and warmth. This wasn’t the professor speaking; it was the prince. He was treating her like one of his subjects, ensuring her efforts would not be thwarted. Her heart twisted.
When was the last time anyone ever cared so deeply about what you want?
“I appreciate that.” She smiled in response, unable to keep some of the blush from returning to her cheeks. “But why?” She pushed again.
Calum stared at Fern for a second, studying her expression. Her stomach flipped pleasantly under his intense scrutiny. His eyes shifted, and he looked like he wanted to devour her.
Then, as quickly as it had come, his dark gaze evaporated. Calum leaned forward. He placed his hands on the desk and threaded his fingers together, looking Fern in the eye.
“There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to say it.”
