Page 117 of Triumph at Pemberley

“My dearest, you have told me how much you tried to help and protect Jane because of her lack of a land bond to Longbourn. But is it necessary now? Your sister, like the two of us, is a descendent of Ysmeina the Fair. For that matter, she could be the Prophesied One. Perhaps you should give her a chance to be strong.”

She hated to admit it, but he had a point. “My old habits are not helping me now, are they? You are right. I will speak to her. She can always refuse.” That would only leave her father, who seemed unlikely to agree. “There is something else I must tell you, my love.”

“What is that?”

She took a deep breath. “Cerridwen’s vision has me opening the Gate at the Dragon Stones.” He was not going to like this. If the Gate failed, it could destroy the estate. He had risked his own life in France, but could he bear to put Pemberley itself in danger?

He froze. “On Pemberley land? Is there no other choice?”

How she hated to do this to him! “Not really. I need my land bond to be able to find anyone, and it is strongest here. There is an anchor at the Dragon Stones I can use to stabilize the Gate. Still, I do not like it either, even if we can send everyone away first.”

He stood and walked over to stare out the window. In a low voice, he said, “Pemberley has been Darcy land since the Conquest. My father would be horrified if he knew I was risking it. But he never faced Napoleon or being forced to leave Pemberley behind.” He rubbed his hand over his mouth. “I will lose Pemberley if you do not open the Gate, too, so I suppose we must.”

She let out the breath she had been holding. “But we should have as few people in danger as possible. You must leave with Jenny, and all the staff and tenants.”

“The tenants and staff, yes, and of course Jenny,” he said firmly. “I will be there beside you.”

She was already shaking her head as he said it. “No. If anything goes wrong, Jenny should have one parent.”

“You are counting on Napoleon dying as soon as he comes through the Gate, but that will only happen if he has already been Gated once. What if he has not? You will have a mad dragon right there. You will need my land Talent as a weapon. It may not be enough, but it will be something.”

Tears burned at the corners of her eyes. “No. If I make a mistake—” She could not bear to be responsible for his life, too. “And there is nothing you can do. It all comes down to me. If the Gate does not kill him, then I will use Ysmeina’s Cuff on him.”

“But if neither of those work, you will need every bit of help you can get. Jasper, for his speed and sharp blades. Richard for the guns. I imagine Granny will insist on being there, and I will be glad to have her magery supporting us. If you fail to stop Napoleon because you have no help, he will kill us soon enough anyway.”

“I suppose so,” she said reluctantly. She would prefer for him to leave and be safe, it would help to know he was there beside her.

He turned back to face her. “How can you pull him through when your sister would only be touching him for a moment? Even if you knew the day and the hour, how could you tell when it was time?”

She huffed out an annoyed breath. “Rana Akshaya says she will take care of that, but she will not explain how.”

“That, at least, is not surprising,” he said dryly.

“You look worried,” Jane said.

“I cannot deny it.” Elizabeth sank down into her favorite chair. “I need your help.”

Jane’s sweet smile lit her face. She had been quieter and lost some weight since learning of Bingley’s treachery, but nothing could change her basic goodness. “Anything. You have only to ask.”

“It is dangerous and frightening, and I will not think any less of you if you refuse.”

“Dangerous, hmm?” Jane tipped her head. “Then you would not be asking me if you had any other choice.”

“How well you know me!” Elizabeth said ruefully. “I do tend to be too protective when it comes to you.”

“Perhaps a little. Now, what is this favor you need?”

She could not believe she was asking this of her dear Jane. Especially when she could not even explain herself fully, given Bingley’s betrayal. Jane was trustworthy, but she could be weak when it came to her husband. “We have found a way to use my Talent to stop Napoleon, but to do it, I must be here while someone else is in Napoleon’s presence, close enough to touch him.”

Her sister had gone pale. “How could that possibly help you?”

How to explain this to someone who knew nothing of Gates? “There is a way I can transport him to my side, but only if he is being touched by someone I love, someone I long to see. I have never done it before, though I came close with my husband once, when I was completely untrained. Still, there is no guarantee. If something goes wrong, if Napoleon has some kind of magical defense, or if the French stop you for some reason.”

“Why, though? Our soldiers are fighting him; is that not enough?”

Elizabeth reached out and took her sister’s hand. “Dearest Jane, we are losing. Badly. Jack…Captain Jack was our last hope, and he has been captured. According to the dragon Seer, this is the only option that remains. Napoleon is hunting down anyone with mage blood, which means our family is in danger – you, me, Tommy, and Jenny. Our father and sisters. Still, I will understand if you refuse.”

She almost hoped she would say no. Gentle, kind Jane had never signed on to fight Napoleon, but then again, neither had Elizabeth. Had Darcy not discovered her Talent and insisted upon marrying her for it, her biggest worry would still be how to further enrich the earth at Longbourn.