“You seem as though you expected more even though you have only just learned of this.”
Cian's gaze narrowed in on Riona in a way that made Madison tense. As if he looked more deeply into her sister when his eyes darkened ever-so-slightly.
“You’re using magic,” she whispered before she could stop herself. “Right now. On Riona.”
He blinked as if startled she knew but didn’t deny it.
“Yes.” His gaze returned to normal. He apologized to Riona. “’Tis habit where I come from. Times are more perilous. Many people never to be trusted.”
“Apology accepted.” Riona meant it too. She never held on to things for long. “So you and your brothers are destined to save your country, then become obsolete?” Her voice dropped an octave. “So, four brothers and four sisters.” Her eyes narrowed. “And I get the sense it’s not us four helping you all at once but each of us helping one of you at a time?”
“That would be my guess considering the state of my brothers right now.” He glanced around. “And that I sense only the two of you here.”
“So far,” Madison confirmed. “Our other sisters should arrive in the next few days.”
“You touched on it, but what’s the state of your brothers, exactly?” Riona asked.
“Conflicted.” He shook his head. “My closest brother, Declán, King of Leinster, recently turned traitor and fights alongside King Raghnall. My brother, Aodh, King of Ulster, in all his fury, pursued Declán over enemy lines, and we cannot go after him. Only Liam, King of Meath, remains, and the two of us are not enough to do what must be done.”
“Declán,” Riona whispered, her gaze different once again. “I know that name.” She narrowed her eyes. “Why do I know that name?”
“Perhaps, like Madison and I, you connected across time?”
“Maybe.” Riona seemed unsettled as she disconnected her camera and closed her laptop. “Which sorta sucks, huh? Considering he’s one of the bad guys now.”
“Mayhap, or mayhap not.” Cian explained how there were discrepancies in Declán’s actions prior to teaming up with the enemy mid-battle. Almost as if things weren’t as they seemed. “I hope once Madison and I return, we will be able to learn more.” He considered Riona. “Perhaps you should come along if you think you have a connection with him?”
Come along? As if they were merely catching a ride to another town. Madison managed a sip of coffee but could barely swallow it. Was she ready for this? To finally go where her dreams had long taken her? Her gaze lingered on Cian’s face. To go there withhim?
“We can’t go until after our sisters arrive,” Madison said. She cringed at how Shannon would likely respond to this. Her aversion to Irishmen since she’d had her heart broken years ago. “We need to explain what’s happening. And prepare them.”
“We cannot linger, Madison.” There was no missing the urgency in Cian’s voice. In his gorgeous eyes. “Time tends to go by differently between here and there, so we must return as soon as possible lest King Raghnall attack in my absence.”
“And I, adruidess, am going to help fight him somehow?” She cocked a brow, circling back to their previous conversation. “What does that mean exactly? Is it just another name for being a psychic?”
“No.” He sounded almost reverent. “’Tis far more than that. ‘Tis something honored by those in my era. From my country. And I suspect you will soon feel why when the gifts you have experienced up until now morph into what they were always supposed to be.”
His voice thickened with what she realized was desire.
“You will, to fulfill the prophecy, undoubtedly become my perfect match,” he went on. “Your gifts will become complementary to my powers so that we might see through what we must.”
The way he looked at her made her acutely aware of how long it had been since she’d slept with a guy. And God knows, she had never been with one like him.
“That sounds a little sad,” Riona murmured. “Considering you can’t ultimately be together.”
It sounded more than sad. But then, despite what he said, maybe this crazy chemistry she felt between them would fade once she embraced her inner druidess? Maybe it was just a matter of getting a magical grip on her emotions? Assuming she would possess magic and magic had that kind of power.
Come to think of it, maybe it already did.
“I can’t read you, Cian,” she exclaimed. “Outside of my sisters, I can usually foresee someone’s future within minutes of meeting them, but I’m not sensing anything from you.” She arched her brows. “Maybe my druidess is already kicking in, and we won’t be as well matched as you think?”
“Doubtful.” Painfully honest, he gestured from Riona to her. “I suspect you can’t read your sisters or me because our future is so shrouded. Uncertain. Perhaps even non-existent.”
“Ouch.” Riona cringed. “Probably not the best way to sell us on traveling back in time to help you out.”
“I don’t think it’s about selling us on anything.” Personally, Madison was grateful for Cian’s honesty. “I think it’s about helping us go into something we knew was coming with our eyes wide open.” She shook her head. “No room for rose-colored glasses or sugar-coating here. Not with what’s at stake.”
Because there was a lot at stake. The future as they knew it.
