“That’s hard to imagine.”
“Even so.”
He could hardly believe that Madison and, without doubt, her sisters were something so revered. And from the twenty-first century, no less. Hidden there if he were to guess until the time was right.
Madison glanced from the blade in her hand to him. “So because of this, or what I am, I can tell someone they’re not going to die when they should have, and it might actually happen?”
“If said correctly, that’s right,” he confirmed. “’Tis said that if you reveal their destiny with a true heart, seeing all facets of what may come to be, that the gods will heed your wisdom if they agree.”
“That’s unreal,” she whispered, her gaze pained. “And a lot of responsibility.”
“Responsibility of which you are worthy.”
She tilted her head in question. “Why do you and Liam say, ‘you’ when everyone else says ‘ye?’”
He understood she asked such a random question because her mind was overwhelmed. Trying to cope. “’Tis an inherited thing. A means to make you feel more comfortable in the midst of something so incredible. Adlin and his Scottish kin did the same for their time travelers.”
She nodded and gazed at the blade again as if trying to understand what to do with it. “How is it that you have such an old blade in your armory, anyway?”
“I don’t know.” He shook his head. “It’s just always been there. Handed down through the generations, I assumed. Now one has to wonder...”
When he trailed off, she filled in the blanks.
“You think it waited for me,” she murmured, unsettled. “Was here for me.”
“It seems likely.” Desperate to comfort her when he felt her emotions fluctuating so much, he rested his hand on her shoulder. “’Twill be all right. I promise you.”
“How can you promise me anything when I’m something that’s not supposed to exist anymore?” Her tortured gaze rose to his face. “I feel so...lost...and scared.”
“But you’re not.” To hell with what he should and shouldn’t do. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
She rested her cheek against his chest and released a shaky sigh. “I hope so.”
“No need to hope.” He cupped the back of her head, closed his eyes, and tried his best to soothe her when arousal roared up so fast there was no stopping it. “I will, lass. You have my word.”
And my heart.
He knew it like he knew he was a king and a wizard.
They stood that way for a time. Him soothing her. Her taking comfort. Loving every bit as much as they lusted without acting on it. Giving in to it. Nothing was harder, though. More difficult. Because he wanted all of her. Here. Now. In this very room. He wanted to kiss her. Taste her. Undress her. Sink deep inside her.
“What should I do with this blade?” Madison eventually murmured. She pulled back enough so their eyes met. “Because I’m not sure I’m ready for the sort of reception you and Deirdre gave me from more of your people.”
“Yet you may have no choice.” He had never wanted to kiss her more than he did at that moment but knew it would be too much on top of everything else. Even so, he felt renewed hope that they could be together in the end. That losing his heart already might not be so catastrophic.
“The blade must stay with you now,” he said. “But we can try to hide it.”
“Try?”
“Ta, but you must give it to me first.” He sank to a knee again and held out his hand. “An Unnamed One can only ever give her blade, an extension of herself, to another.” He shook his head. “No one can take it from you.”
“Not even the enemy?”
“So they say.”
“All right,” she said slowly, handing it to him. “And you’re on your knee, why?”
“Because I intend to put it where lasses tend to hide their blades.” He couldn’t help a small smile, amazed by how easily they came now when smiling had been difficult for so long. “As soon as you lift your dress and offer me your thigh.”
