Aidan frowned. “A vacuum affect?”
“Aye, she and Adlin feel ‘tis a draw betwixt us that will ultimately help you protect wee David.” Though clearly uncomfortable continuing, Cray went on. “An unresolved issue of sorts, according to Adlin. One that we must overcome for you to see through your quest.”
“That makes sense,” she muttered before she could stop herself. When they looked at her, she shrugged. “Well, it does. Just look at the friction between you guys over a woman who sadly enough isn’t even here anymore.”
“There isnae any friction,” Aidan replied a smidge too dutifully.
“Not yet,” Cray agreed, looking her over again, evidently referring to her now rather than Maeve.
“Get changed, Chloe, then join us in the hallway.” Aidan gestured at the satchel, ignoring Cray’s innuendo, not allowing him to rile him up. “We must join Robert Bruce.”
Just like that, the men switched modes, and talk of women vanished.
By all appearances, they got along well enough, but she sensed discord simmering beneath the surface. Did they sense it, though? Or were they in denial? Because Aidan, while he seemed fine, definitely wasn’t. Like she had sensed in the hallway, his reality was dwindling down to a cold, lonely place made up of memories he refused to let go of.
As she soon learned, because she was ‘married’ to Aidan, she rode a horse with him as they traveled. The summer day was overcast and gusty, and the scent of incoming rain lingered in the air. They rode alongside Robert for a while, as requested, and all went well. While he often glanced her way curiously, he spoke to her very little, as his conversations were primarily with Aidan and Cray.
Eventually, he rode with his men, and she and Aidan fell back. Cray headed more toward the front. Though she and Aidan had shared a few tense moments back at the castle, he’d since reverted to being a gentleman, pointing out various things along the way. For all intents and purposes, he was the perfect tour guide.
She couldn’t help but wonder, though, if he wasn’t trying to get out ahead of the endless questions she was sure to have about her surroundings. The woodland, people, just about everything, sparked her curiosity. Who could blame her? She was in another time and place. Luckily, his passion for his country was obvious, so she was kept well entertained, and her curiosity satiated.
She truly enjoyed chatting with him, and if she didn’t know better, he enjoyed chatting with her too. Typically, people sort of got a glazed look in their eyes after she asked too many questions, but not Aidan. If anything, he seemed to welcome them. Could she, in some small way, be expanding his world once again? Helping him get out of his own head, so to speak?
Unfortunately, her questions inevitably turned to more pressing matters, and she swore she felt him retract back into himself. Nonetheless, she pressed on. She needed to know what the immediate future held beyond faery Godmother moments and angry dragon shifters who came on too strong. What could she expect over the next few days? What would meeting King David be like?
Then, of course, the scary questions.
“So, this evil Irish brotherhood can possess anyone at any time?” She spoke softer now so others couldn’t hear them. “That’s why the first regent died? Because he was possessed?”
“Aye.” His tone was grave when it whispered through her mind.“And because I killed him.”
Though she initially stilled at his admission, she couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder at him. She needed to see the look on his face. The look in his eyes. It was an instinct she didn’t quite understand until their eyes met, and she felt his multi-layered misery as if it were her own.
While she knew he was tempted to drag his gaze from her, he didn’t. Rather, he allowed her to see his pain. Either that, or she saw past his barriers. It was hard to know. What she did know, however, was that he had done what he had to do, and she said as much.
Or better yet, thought as much.
She had intended to whisper, but an odd sensation washed over her, and apparently, she spoke telepathically instead.
“Regent Thomas Randolph had to die when he did,”she said.“You did what you had to do for your country, Aidan.”
A mixture of emotions flashed in his eyes before his expression smoothed, and he stated the obvious. “You just spoke telepathically.”
Where it had startled her before, this time hearing him speak within the mind had a more sensual affect. It was hard to describe other than to say it was definitely arousing and very personal. Not only that, but she felt strangely exposed. Connected to someone in a way she never had been before.
Worse yet, immersed in the sadness of another.
“Ididspeak telepathically, didn’t I?” she whispered, thrilled at the initial sensation but not quite ready for more of it at the moment.
The truth was she felt a little winded, so she turned back.
“Are you all right, lass?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she murmured, suddenly feeling like she had when she first slid her Claddagh ring on. Strange and exhausted.
She wanted to keep trying to convince him not to blame himself for Regent Thomas’ death, but she was too wiped. So tired, in fact, that she started to doze off then jolted awake.
“What the...” she exclaimed.
