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“Any news of my father and my brothers? Ian?”

“They all went to Lorne with the Bruce. No news from there, yet, but I saw all of them alive before they left.”

Owen sighed, relieved. “Thank God. And thank God ye’re alive. But how stupid of ye to show up at the battlefield.” He paused. “Ye shouldna have come.”

Amber swallowed. “Do you want me to leave now?”

He inhaled sharply and held her gaze.

Say no. Please, say no.

“Nae,” he said, and she was suddenly light as a feather, like she could fly up into the air.

“I want ye to never leave. I want ye to be mine. Forever.”

Her heart burst with love and gratitude. Every cell of her body lighting up like Times Square.

“Do ye want to stay with me?”

Her mouth opened to say, yes of course, there was nothing she wanted more than that.

And yet…

There was this nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach that she couldn’t. That she still had a job to do in her time. That she’d never be happy and complete if she didn’t take care of that last thing.

She’d stood up for herself in front of a king. She’d endured torture and imprisonment in the fourteenth century. She damn well could clear her name and stand up to a bully back in her time. She needed to stop the drug smuggler from hurting others. Or she’d always be running away. And she couldn’t live that life.

“I can’t.” Her voice dropped.

Owen stilled, and it seemed he stopped breathing. His eyebrows furrowed. And if it was at all possible, he seemed to pale even more.

“Why?” His voice was so low, it sounded like a raspy whisper.

Amber licked her lips. How she hated to hurt him like this. She could only hope he’d understand.

“I’ve been a coward, Owen. Back in my time, I ran away. I’ve learned so much about bravery and strength from you and because of what I’ve been through, but I’m still running.”

Amber’s throat clenched, and she swallowed a hard, painful knot. “I was terrified to stay and fight to clear my name. To fight a drug smuggler and murderer. To get justice for those he harmed.”

Owen’s mouth curved downward in a pained grimace. “Ye dinna have to worry about that, lass. Ye life can be here, with me. Can ye nae forget all that?”

She shook her head.

“I thought that was exactly what I could do. But seeing how bravely you fought for what’s right for you, risking everything to save your king and your country… I should be like that. I’m a soldier, too. It’s my job to risk my life for my people. And yet I cowered instead of rising to the challenge.”

“Lass, no one would blame ye—”

“No, Owen. I love you, and I want to be with you. But if we want a chance of a happily ever after, I cannot let myself be a coward. You don’t deserve that.” She let out a quick breath and looked straight into his eyes. “I need to be my own goddamn hero.”

“Aye. Be yer own hero, lass. Ye’re verra much mine,” he said with pride in his voice. Then he sighed, and his eyes clouded with sadness. “’Tis goodbye, isna it?”

“I hope you understand.”

He gave several small nods, thoughtful. “I do. Course I do.” He covered her hand with his. “I’m proud of ye, lass. Though I wouldna think any less of ye if ye just let all that go.”

“Thank you.”

He pushed himself up and sat straighter. He looked at one of the chests by the wall.