“I think he’s in love.”
Her words filled Thea with gladness. She’d not dared let herself think as much, and yet she sowanted to believe it was true. “I love him. I’ve told him I love him.”
Cass held up a warning hand. “Don’t be so pleased. You are in danger of losing him. Harold’s death was not good. It started with a numbness, and he grew worse over time. It started in a pesky way, but he knew what would happen. His father had the numbness and his father before him. I ask again, have you had the dream?”
A gust of wind scampered along the ground, teasing their skirts, then whirling up and around them. It was a cold wind and at odds with the warmth of the day. Cass looked around as if testing the air. “She’s here.”
“Who’shere?” Thea demanded.
“Fenella, the Scottish witch who put the curse on them. She knows.”
Thea shook her head, backing away. “Knows what?”
“That she almost has Neal. She is going to claim another.”
This was too much. Cass had obviously been a good actress as well as a dancer. Thea turned away, not liking the way Cass’s eery declarations put shivers through her. There was no such thing as curses, and Thea did not believe in witches, either....
Cass reached out and caught her arm. She whirled Thea to face her. “You must not be afraid.”
“I’mnotafraid.”
“Then why do you deny what I’m telling you? It is of the greatest importance.”
“I don’t believe in curses,” Thea said, but her insistence was sounding weaker.
“She is here.” Cass tightened her hold on Thea’s wrists. “I didn’t believe either, but she came to me in my dreams. They were the most horrific ones I’ve ever had. She wanted to burn me alive.”
Thea immediately wanted to reject the knowledge that they might have shared the same dream. “If she lived centuries ago, she isnotalive,” she said, struggling for reason.
“She reaches from beyond the grave. Her hatred is that strong. If you are having the dreams, then know she is sharpening her claws. You’ve heard her in the dream. I can still recall the sound of her laughter. Her evilness. She will claim Lyon.” Cass released her hold on Thea. “And I’m sad, because in spite of his ill will toward me, Lyon truly is a good man.”
“He has never said he loves me,” Thea protested.
“But what is in his heart?”
And in that moment, Thea realized the curse was true.
The horror of what the curse meant came home to her. “He can’t die,” Thea whispered, almost afraid to speak aloud. “I won’t let him.” She loved him. Within weeks, he’d become the center of her world—
“What can I do?” she asked Cass. “How can we stop it?”
“We can’t” was the bleak reply. Tears were now rolling down Cass’s cheeks. “I don’t know if there is a way to stop the witch. Harold tried everything. His father, his father before him. They’ve all tried to stop her and they’ve failed.”
“Thea?” Neal’s voice interrupted them.
With a start, Thea turned to see her husband standing on the step. He frowned, seeing her with Cass. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes, it is,” Cass answered for her.
Thea was thankful she’d spoken. She was having trouble finding her voice. She loved Neal so much. She could not imagine her world without him.
Neal started walking toward them. Cass gave Thea a quick hug. “Be safe,” Cass whispered. “Be strong.”
“Wait,” Thea said. “How much time do we have?”
“No one knows,” Cass answered and started for her waiting sedan chair, as if wishing to avoidNeal. She climbed in and waved her servants onward.
“Are you all right?” Neal asked. The concern in his voice pulled at Thea’s heart.
