Page 42 of Shaw

When you love someone you’re blind to their faults, her friend told her softly. Just as you never saw how I tried to drive away anyone who got close to you. I wanted to have you all to myself.

“Whoa.” She hadn’t ever noticed that about her friend. “Were you, like, in love with me? Why didn’t you say something? I would have been nicer.”

Julianne, none of that matters now, Eva urged. You need to talk to your aunt. Talk to Klee.

“Why?” When her friend didn’t answer she turned this way and that, trying to see in the darkness. “Eva?”

Like your given màthair and sire, she’s no’ yet born, lass, a sweet lady’s voice said. Nor may you remain a wee girl forever.

The lady didn’t sound at all like Eva—her bestie had come from Chicago, not Scotland—and she knew a little too much for a stranger. Julianne looked around and saw two vague lights now shimmering in the darkness, but while one was blue and green, the other was brown and covered in pine needles. She could also smell Mitch’s cologne, which made her stomach heave, and candy apples like that time at the courthouse.

This is so going to be a nightmare, she thought. “Can I wake up now, please?”

You saved my husband’s brother, the lady said, and her sweet voice seemed to be coming from the blue-green shimmer.

His life yet depends on your wisdom and courage. ’Tis time you emerge from your cocoon, lass.

“I’m not a bug, and Shaw can take care of himself.” Why was she getting angry with a misty blob of light? “Look, ma’am, I appreciate that you want me to guard him and save him again from whatever. But I’m not smart enough to figure out all this stuff. Can’t you, you know, pick someone else?”

’Twas the old one who stole your life from you, lass, the lady told her, her voice growing more distant as the patch of light began to fade. Remember the time before dwelling in the valley. Remember the forest world, and when you lived there.

“Wait, wait, wait. You totally have me mixed up with someone else,” Julianne said, and then made a frustrated sound as the blue-green blob disappeared. She eyed the darker pine-needle thing. “Well? Aren’t you going to talk to me or help or something?”

The time for that has not yet arrived, my pet, but your ghost guardian speaks the truth. You no longer need my protection. Shed it when you wish.

The booming voice seemed to shatter the darkness pressing in on her, which abruptly collapsed like a smothering cloud of ash. At the same time Julianne hurt as if someone had burned all her skin off and doused her with freezing sea water. She tried to fight her way out of the nightmare, tearing through the layers of smoke and mirrors and pine needles. The smell of candy apples almost choked her, it had grown so thick and cloying. Then someone grabbed her by the forearms. They were a lot stronger than her, and for a moment she thought she would actually suffocate until Shaw’s mouth touched her temple, and he whispered to her.

Dinnae fight me, my beauty. Come back. Wake.

Julianne clutched at the hands and arms holding her, and when she opened her eyes she saw she stood naked in front of a hearth, and Shaw seemed to be physically holding her back from it. The first breath she took made her lungs hurt, and what seemed like a bad sunburn blazed over her skin.

“What the– Where are we?” she demanded. “Why am I naked? What burned me?”

“We’re in the druid village,” Shaw said quickly. “You tore off your garments in your sleep. You’re no’ burned.”

She glanced down to see the tattered remains of her clothes and the broken chain of her locket on the reed mats covering the dirt floor. She’d also torn off three of her fingernails, and had dozens of long, angry red welts on her arms. The burning sensation on her skin slowly dwindled away to nothing.

“I’m sorry.” As she turned around she discovered he only wore his trousers, and his ink seemed to be shivering, as if it were cold. “Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

He rubbed her back with gentle hands. “I’m well, my lady.”

“I don’t know why, but I just had the worst dream,” she told him, trying not to cry. “My bestie Eva was there, and then there were these two women, I think. Their voices came out of light blobs, and they were telling me to do things, but I didn’t understand what they were saying.” All right, now she was crying, but who wouldn’t after all that? And why did it seem like someone had ripped off some of her skin? “Don’t let me go to sleep again, okay? I might die if you do.”

“Naught shall harm you, I vow.” He swept her off her feet and carried her over to a bed that looked too narrow for them both. After lowering her onto the thin ticking, he knelt down beside it. “The DayBridge druids provided us with lodging for the night. I carried you here to their settlement. You slept so peacefully I expected you should until morn.” He touched her cheek, stroking away a tear.

She blinked her eyes clear, and saw the long, thin red welts across his chest. “Did I do that to you?”

“’Tis naught but a few scratches,” Shaw chided. “You did worse the other night when we loved.”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you, either, Big Bad.” Julianne reached out to touch his tats, which went still the moment her fingertips touched them.

“You’re safe, and ’tis all we desire,” he murmured.

“Are you sure about that?” She couldn’t help smiling when the ink vibrated against her hand as if it were purring. “Maybe not here. Should I try to take us back to the island?”

Shaw shook his head, and pressed his hand over hers. “I need speak again with the druids in the morn. ’Twas their blood-kin cast out in ancient times for practicing dark magic that enslaved me. The NightRiver once belonged to the DayBridge tribe.”

Wrapping her head around that would take forever, Julianne thought at first, but then oddly what he said did make sense to her. “We were talking about those guys right before we left the island. Is that why I brought us here? Or did you have something to do with it?” And why was she talking like Valerie now?