“Well, no, but then I tend to steer clear of people nowadays.” She shook her head again and flinched. “When it happened before, it was mostly during readings...and with boyfriends.” She shrugged, hopeful. “So maybe I’ll be okay?”
Boyfriends? He loathed the sound of her with other men. The idea of her writhing in pleasure with another.
“Cian?”
“Ta?” He blinked, surprised by how quickly he’d been sucked into jealousy. A truly useless, damaging emotion.
“Are you with me?”
More than she could possibly know.
“I am.” He nodded, took a swig from her skin, and tried to stamp out the darkness rising in him. One fueled solely by envisioning her lying with someone else. “Very much with you.”
“At least half of you,” she murmured, eyeing him. “You really are both dark and light, aren’t you? Torn between two worlds?”
“Iamconsidered a dark wizard,” he confessed. “But thanks to Raven, I’m not nearly as dark as I might have been.”
He wasn’t sure how she would take that and sighed with relief when she seemed to understand.
“I know...and I’m grateful to her for that.” She rested her hand on his arm. “But I have to ask...” Her brows lowered. “The book said you didn’t do anything together. That you didn’t kiss or—”
“Nay.” He shook his head, never more serious. If Madison understood nothing else, she should know this. “We never kissed nor lay together. ’Twas more of an infatuation on my part due to her magic...and what I owed her.”
She considered him for a moment before she nodded, believing him. “Then, all things Raven are behind us for now, and I look forward to getting to know both sides of you.”
“As do I, both sides of you.” Now that she’d confessed to her psychic issues, he had begun to sense it. Her internal struggle. “Because there are two sides...one just emerging.”
“So you think my telling the negative with the positive is part of my inner druidess?” She frowned. “That can’t be good.”
“If it transforms you into what you were always meant to be, ‘tisgood.” He rested his hand over hers in reassurance. “You’re going through a transition, Madison. One, I believe, started months ago and will progress very quickly now that you’re here.”
“Quick would be great,” she replied. “Especially if it means pushing past this saying too much phase.” She narrowed her eyes. “Speaking of saying too much, is that even possible here? Will they understand me? Because I imagine they don’t speak English.”
“Because of your inner druidess, I strongly suspect they will understand you and vice versa.”
“And how will you explain it if they don’t?” She cocked her head. “Moreover, how are you going to explain my being here?”
“My people know of the prophecy, so fear naught.” He wondered how she would take the next part. “You should know, however, that ‘twill be said we are courting.”
Her brow shot up. “Is that really wise, all things considered?”
“Whether ‘tis or not, ‘twill make your stay easier.” He shrugged. “Plus ‘twill give us the opportunity to get to know each other better. Form the friendship we strive for.”
Even as he said it, he knew it would be a struggle having her close so much, but it was the most logical course of action.
“While I’m all for it, I’m curious why it’ll make my stay easier?”
“Because ‘tis best my people see you as their potential queen rather than just a woman from a prophecy.” And because she would likely have far too many men swarming her if he didn’t make things clear. “’Twill ease your stay if they think you are to become one of them.”
“Ah.” She nodded. “Makes sense.” Her mouth curled up at the corner. “And, of course, it’ll keep the guys away even though that should be the last thing on your mind.”
Should be but was not.
He offered a small, knowing smile. “I told you that you would start catching my thoughts.”
“You did.” A strange light entered her eyes. Perhaps desire? “It’s a more intimate feeling than I expected.”
“To say the least.” They were almost to the exit, so he held out the crook of his elbow. “Are you ready to see my castle?”
