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  Christian stopped purring, stretched, and jumped off Cathal’s lap, sauntering toward the open kitchen door. “Don’t even think about it,” Cathal warned, knowing his cousin a little too well.

  The cat’s tail jerked up and down a couple of times before he disappeared toward the stairs.

  “Whatever ‘it’ is, you’re wasting your breath. That cat has always had a mind of its own.”

  “That he has,” Cathal agreed. Unfortunately his cousin also knew him very well, and would have figured out from his reaction that Tomas would be joining them soon.

  Donovan raised an eyebrow. “Would you care to enlighten those of us who didn’t major in cat speak? That sigh suggests I’m definitely missing more than I thought from that one sided conversation.”

  “Tomas will be joining us shortly. Christian is going to ensure it’s sooner rather than later.” For some reason the two of them did not get on as well as Cathal would have liked. He wasn’t sure as to the reason why. After all, Tomas had said the character of Christian was one of the things that had drawn him to read his and Alice’s story and find the sequel he was convinced must exist. Perhaps he was still trying to mesh the fantasy and the reality. While the journal that had formed the basis for Wynne’s book, In Hidden Places, had been written by Christian’s betrothed, Alice had described him fairly accurately.

  “And you know that because?” Donovan’s attention was taken by something beyond the kitchen door. Cathal was not about to turn around to watch Christian’s latest performance; he was enjoying showing off just a little too much.

  “I felt him begin to wake.” Cathal got up to pour a cup of coffee for Tomas. “Everyone has a different feel to them. I can usually sense someone approaching before I see them.”

  “Like an aura?” Donovan chewed on his lip, trying to make sense of it.

  “It’s not visual.” Cathal had read a little of such things in one of Alice’s books, but his ability was difficult to define or explain. Occasionally he had a sense of other’s emotions, but mostly it was just a strong feeling of someone’s presence. “More of a… sense of someone, of knowing they are there.” On a rare occasion, as with Tomas, it brushed against his mind or touched his own emotions, but with others, it was more of an intrinsic knowledge he couldn’t explain. He’d learned to trust the instinct over the years, as it had saved him and those he cared about more than once.

  “It sounds like a handy talent to have.” Donovan grinned. “Do you have to have met the person first?” The grin had a disturbing element to it. Donovan had a plan.

  “No.” Cathal eyed Donovan suspiciously. “I’d sense them but not be able to identify them. Why?”

  “Tomorrow’s Wednesday.” Donovan’s grin suddenly took on an innocent air that Cathal didn’t trust in the slightest. It reminded him a little too much of one of his own. “Mrs. O’Neil visits on Wednesdays.”

  Who was this Mrs. O’Neil? Both Tomas and Mikey had mentioned her and seemed to want to avoid her. Perhaps she was someone that Cathal needed to meet.

  “You don’t need to meet Mrs. O’Neil just yet,” Tomas muttered, catching the end of the conversation. “Morning,” he mumbled, walking over to Cathal. “Is that coffee for me?” he asked hopefully, pulling Cathal back against him. “That damn cat sat on me and wouldn’t move until I got out of bed.” He wrapped his arms around Cathal’s waist.

  “It’s for you.” Cathal leaned back, tilting his head so that he could kiss Tomas good morning.

  “Hmm.” Tomas murmured his appreciation, although Cathal wasn’t sure whether it was for the coffee or the kiss. Not one to shirk politeness and knowing the importance of saying thank you, he deepened the kiss a little, feeling the morning bristle of Tomas’s whiskers against his own recently shaven cheeks. He rather liked Tomas unshaven. His facial hair had a hint of red to it that was missing elsewhere. It suited him.

  “Haven’t you guys heard of getting a room?” Donovan drawled.

  Cathal broke the kiss, frowning. “But we are in a room,” he said, wondering if this was another of this world’s strange expressions with which he was unfamiliar.

  “Donovan needs to heed his own advice.” Heidi interrupted from the doorway. Cathal looked up in surprise, not having felt her approach. Being in Tomas’s arms seemed to distract his ability more than a little. He’d noticed that the last time Donovan had interrupted them kissing.

  “Oh?” Tomas’s eyebrow rose. He glanced between Heidi and Donovan. But surely Heidi was involved with Doug Greene, the local law enforcement officer? From what Cathal knew, Donovan had not mentioned a significant other.

  Heidi grinned. She had an evil sense of humor, Tomas had said, and wasn’t above teasing someone if she thought they deserved it. It was no wonder Christian spoke highly of her.

  “That’s not fair!” Donovan mumbled. “It was only once, and we were more discreet with it than these guys.”

  “We?” Tomas took the opening, saving Cathal the trouble. They were both curious now.

  “Ethan.” Donovan shot Heidi a glare. “I hadn’t said anything yet, okay?” He took a deep breath. “Ethan and me. He came looking for you while you were gone. We’re seeing each other.”

  Tomas looked at Donovan. Ethan was Tomas’s friend. They’d met while at university and had stayed in touch ever since. “Ethan?” he spluttered. “As in my Ethan? But… he’s not… is he?”

  “Gay?” Heidi said helpfully. “From what I saw when he was here, he most definitely is.” Her expression softened, and she smiled at Donovan. He blushed. “You were missing for six weeks, Tomas. A lot can happen in that time.”

  Chapter 2

  TOMAS was silent for a few moments. Cathal guided him to his chair and placed a cup of coffee in his hand. He’d never seen Donovan blush before, although once he was over his initial teasing by Heidi, he recovered his composure quickly.

  “Ethan’s a good guy.” There was an edge of defensive pride in Donovan’s voice. However far his and Ethan’s relationship had progressed, it was more than obvious Donovan had fallen for Tomas’s friend. Cathal hoped that it was mutual. “He was worried about you, him and Kathleen both. He figured he’d find out more if he came here, so he did.”

  “I know he’s a good guy,” Tomas replied quietly. Cathal slid into the chair next to Tomas, took his hand, and squeezed it reassuringly. “I’m sorry, Donovan. My reaction was rude. I just….” He shook his head. “Why didn’t he tell me?”

  “You didn’t tell him that you preferred men, love,” Cathal pointed out calmly.

  “I couldn’t tell him what I didn’t know,” Tomas shot back, more than a little testily. He lowered his gaze to the table but didn’t pull free of Cathal’s hand.

  “Perhaps that is the same reason he didn’t tell you,” Cathal suggested. “Or there could have been any number of reasons. He’s your friend. If it upsets you, you need to talk to him about it.”

  “Perhaps,” Tomas mumbled, shifting in his seat. It was apparently not a conversation he wanted to have now, with others listening, and was not something to be discussed in front of Donovan, who clearly had feelings for Ethan.

  Cathal gave Donovan an apologetic look. “We’ve all had a lot happen over the past few weeks. I suspect that our reactions are a little on edge because of it.”

  “Yeah, we have.” Donovan glanced at Tomas. “Don’t judge him until you’ve heard the full story.” He shrugged. “There’s a lot you didn’t tell him either, so I’m guessing this one goes both ways. One thing I do know, though, is that you guys need to talk, and without Cat and me there to butt in and save either of you from coming out with the crap you probably need to say.”

  “Ethan is coming to stay this weekend, so you’ve got plenty of time to think about it.” Heidi opened the fridge and peered in before taking out a tray of eggs and some bacon. “In the meantime, one of you can help me cook breakfast. Someone also needs to check on Will and see if he’s awake and hungry yet.”

  “Is she organizin
g us?” Cathal blinked, unsure as to how the conversation had just managed to shift so quickly.

  “Yep.” Donovan grinned. “Get used to it. Heidi is a force to be reckoned with.” He gave her a mock bow.

  Christian sauntered back into the kitchen, sniffed the air, and meowed. He walked over to Heidi and rubbed against her legs, looking pitiful. “Do you want some bacon, hmm?” Heidi cooed over him.

  “Cupboard love,” muttered Tomas. “Don’t forget that he doesn’t like peas.”

  “He never has,” Cathal started to say. He frowned at the cat. “How did you manage to tell them that?”

  Christian meowed again, his tail sweeping a pattern back and forth across the floor behind him. Cathal could have sworn he grinned, if indeed a cat was capable of such a thing. Perhaps this was one of those things about his cousin he really didn’t want to know. Heidi busied herself heating the frying pan, turning her back to them. The package of bacon edged itself closer to the end of the kitchen counter. Cathal’s eyes narrowed further when it did it again.

  “Christian!” He let go of Tomas’s hand and shoved his chair back. It was doubtful that anyone else would have noticed, but then they were distracted with the fallout of the conversation that had recently taken place, and they didn’t know what to look for. He and Christian apparently needed to have words, or rather he would have words, and for once, Christian would listen. While he agreed not to keep as many secrets as they had, there was no need to be so blatant about their abilities. If this performance was anything to go by, it certainly showed that Christian’s ability to move objects without touching them was not hindered by his current form.

  Everyone in the room turned to stare at him. Christian looked up with an expression of pure innocence across his feline face. There was no way for Cathal to explain his reaction without saying what Christian had just done. What was wrong with him? Usually he was more cautious than this. Since their return his behavior had been very out of character. For all his tendencies to be direct, and somewhat of a tease, this was not the close friend Cathal had grown up with.

  “He wanted the bacon,” he said a little lamely in the finish. “It’s a little too close to the edge, and he’s rather partial to it.” He walked over and picked up the cat, instinctively running his fingers through the soft fur. Christian began to purr, but not before Cathal got a strong blast of an emotion that could only be described as a mix of frustration and grief.

  “Cat?” Tomas asked softly.

  Cathal felt hot pinpricks against his eyes. How could he have been so insensitive? At least he was free of the enchantment of the tree to some degree. Christian had gained nothing. He’d discovered he had a family he’d known nothing about and yet could hardly communicate with them like this.

  “Cat?” Tomas asked again, already sliding back his chair. Heidi and Donovan were quiet, Heidi having turned her attention to her cooking and Donovan to his coffee. They were not about to interfere in what appeared to be a private matter until invited to do so.

  “Tomas and I will go to Will,” Cathal said, his voice not quite as firm as he would have liked. Christian struggled free and hit the floor running. He headed toward the kitchen door and was gone from sight within moments.

  “Thank you,” Heidi said. She exchanged a glance with Donovan. “Take your time, Cat. I’ll cook your breakfast when you’re ready to eat. Donovan can help me.”

  “Thank you,” Cathal murmured politely, not needing to be given permission to leave twice. He’d barely reached the bottom of the stairs before he felt Tomas pull him close.

  “What just happened?” Tomas had moved far more quickly than Cathal had expected. The ankle he’d wrenched several days ago was far from healed, but Tomas could apparently still hobble at a decent speed.

  “Christian….” Cathal sighed and rested his head on Tomas’s shoulder, leaning into him.

  “Christian is being a brat,” Tomas said calmly. “Did he do something to upset you?” He glanced around the hallway, scowling.

  “No, it isn’t that.” The last thing Cathal needed was to fuel the fire between Tomas and Christian. He threaded his fingers through Tomas’s. “Christian has lost so much, Tomas. At least we’re together, but….” He muttered under his breath, slipping for a moment into Naen, the language of the mages of his world. It was not a language he cared to use often, but for some reason it always felt better to swear in it.

  “He’s still a cat.” Tomas kissed Cathal softly on the lips. Cathal looked up at him in surprise at the regret in his voice. Tomas shrugged. “Just because Christian and I don’t get on, it doesn’t mean I’d wish this on him. I’ve had a lot of time to digest stuff and think since we got back, Cat. Besides, Christian is important to you, and he is family. That counts for a lot.”

  “This is so unfair.” Cathal returned the kiss, letting it linger for a moment. Being close to Tomas like this was already settling him. He bit his lip. “I don’t know how to make this right, love.” His gaze dropped to the marks on his wrist. After his sister had sent them back through the portal into this world, the twig bracelet he’d worn had vanished, to be replaced by a tattoo of the same design, etched into his skin so it could not be removed. For so long it had been the only way he’d been able to lengthen the magical leash that bound him to the tree. He obviously no longer needed the original bracelet, so why hadn’t the enchantment that held Christian also been broken? They were two parts of the same spell. Or at least he’d always thought they were.

  “Perhaps when Irene closes the portal?” Tomas suggested. “It’s still open, yes?” He instinctively moved them farther away from the window that viewed the hallway at the foot of the stairs.

  “Yes. I can still feel it.” It was difficult to tell whether it was an echo of the enchantment which had bound him, or the portal itself. Often shadows of such things lingered long after the original spell had been broken. Before now if he’d attempted to stay for too long out of the shadow of the tree, he’d begin to feel very tired, as though his life force was being drained. It was a warning, one he’d ignored several times to his detriment. The pain that had followed had been excruciating, with unconsciousness threatening soon afterward.

  He scratched at his wrist absently. There was none of that now, and this was the longest he’d spent at this distance from it. He was tired, but that was to be expected. Will wasn’t the only one recovering from injuries, and he’d spent most of his imprisonment without rest, food, or water.

  A suggestion to examine the tree more closely had been vetoed by both Tomas and Will. Cathal had pointed out, calmly he’d thought, that if Deryn was determined to come after them through the portal, the short distance between the tree and the inn would not make any difference. She would be upon them quickly, and with a full patrol of Falcons at her disposal. The comment had not impressed either of them. But then, stating the obvious when someone wished to cling to illusions tended to do that.

  “I know you’re more than capable of looking after yourself,” Tomas said, choosing his words carefully, “but I’ll still do whatever I need to keep you safe.”

  “You’ve already been put in enough danger because of me,” Cathal protested. He’d never forget the shock of seeing Tomas pushed into the room by one of Deryn’s men or the knife being dragged against his skin to leave a fine line of blood in its wake. Deryn did not give up easily, and would not hesitate to threaten or use Tomas to persuade Cathal to bow to her demands.

  “I’m not having this discussion now.” Tomas held one finger against Cathal’s lips. It was one in which they went around in circles. He studied Cathal for one long moment. When he spoke again his voice was very quiet, almost hoarse. “I still have nightmares, Cat. I see that knife coming for you, knowing that you’re about to be killed and that there’s nothing I can do to stop it.”

  It wasn’t just a nightmare; it was a memory of what had nearly become their reality. If it wasn’t for Irene’s intervention, Tomas would have also died. Deryn would have
no longer had any reason to keep him alive.

  Cathal shivered. “I have my own nightmares, my love.” His sister had saved them once, but she might not be able to again. Already she trod a fine line between what was permitted and what was not. “I don’t want you to die, nor do I want to return to find that so much time has passed between our worlds that I’ve lost you.”

  “The only way you’re going back there is if I go with you.” Tomas traced the tattoo on Cathal’s wrist. “This is a small price to pay for you to be safe. Perhaps for Christian the answer is something just as simple.”

  “There is nothing simple about this enchantment.” Tomas seemed to see all of this in black and white. Life wasn’t like that. Cathal used to think it was, but too much had happened to allow him to cling to that hope. “There has to be some way to break it completely.” He groaned aloud, allowing himself to vocalize his frustration.

  “You don’t think that Irene will be able to? She seemed very powerful to me. I know I wouldn’t want to get on her wrong side.”

  “No one is that powerful, and there is always a price to pay for tampering in such things.” One of Cathal’s fears was that that price would be too high. Irene had told Tomas that he was included in whatever form that payment might take, that he was bound to Cathal’s world in the same way as those of Cathal’s blood. For now, that also included Christian, Wynne, and Mikey—a cat, an old man, and a fifteen-year-old boy.

  God, what the hell were the mages playing at? For all her talk, Irene did not and would not have acted alone. This was all a part of some overarching plan. It had to be.

  “You’re overthinking again, love.” Tomas nuzzled the side of Cathal’s neck, trying to distract him.