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  Tomas’s head came up sharply. “You were on the ground by the horse. You were barely breathing, Cat. What the fuck happened?”

  “I couldn’t breathe.” Cathal’s hand went to his throat instinctively at the memory. “It was as though something was tightening around my throat. It got worse as I got closer to the boundary.” Buttercup had probably saved him. If he’d gone over the fence and through the invisible barrier, if that was even possible, he might not have survived long enough to be found in time. A sudden thought occurred to him. “How did you find me?”

  “Will.” Tomas mumbled something else under his breath, repeating it when Cathal raised an eyebrow. “And Mikey.”

  The first part made sense, the second not so much. “Will had a vision.” Cathal nodded, piecing the puzzle together.

  “When were you going to tell me about that?” Tomas had issues about being left what he called “out of the loop.”

  “It wasn’t my place to do so.” Cathal laid a reassuring hand over Tomas’s, moving over in the bed so that they could be closer. Tomas didn’t need a second invitation. He shifted from where he was sitting on the edge of it and leaned his back against the headboard, swinging his legs onto the mattress. “However, I can speak of it now that Will has told you. He has had visions for as long as I can remember. Much like my own ability, though, it waxes and wanes. Sometimes they come to him in dreams, but occasionally he has them when he is awake.”

  “I should probably worry that I’m not as surprised by that as I suspect I should be.” Tomas snuggled in, moving them farther down the bed so that they were lying down and could hold each other. He kissed the top of Cathal’s head. “Perhaps I am growing more used to the ways of your world, love.”

  “Perhaps.” Cathal smiled, threading their fingers together. “How did Mikey help?”

  “That’s the weird bit,” Tomas admitted. “When Will had the vision, he began to describe it so that we could pinpoint your location and find you, but Mikey had already drawn it. He said he could see it.” He frowned. “There was something in the picture that Will hadn’t described. I thought it was odd at the time, but it makes sense now that you’ve told me what happened.”

  “What was it?” Cathal already had an inkling of an idea, and had suspected a little of it when Mikey had mentioned dragons and said he didn’t draw things that weren’t there. While dragons did not exist in Cathal’s world, that did not mean that Mikey hadn’t seen them in this one. Cathal had learned the hard way that it was important to keep one’s mind open about such things.

  “He drew what looked like a glowing thin strand of… something. It was wrapped around you, around your throat, and the other end of it reached back to the tree.” Tomas said the words calmly enough, but it was impossible to miss the shadow of panic that tinged them. “I thought… I yelled at him, Cat.” He buried his head on Cathal’s shoulder. “It scared me, and I didn’t want to think it might be real. I wanted to believe that he was letting his imagination go wild.”

  “Mikey can see magic,” Cathal reasoned slowly. There was no point in keeping the theory to himself under the circumstances, and Mikey had already admitted it to them by sharing his drawing. It wasn’t a common ability, but it wasn’t unheard of either. No wonder the boy felt as though he didn’t totally belong in this world. He straddled both, not quite part of one or the other. Someone needed to reassure him that his abilities were a gift of his birthright, and something to be embraced, rather than feared.

  He groaned aloud. With the way he was feeling at the moment toward his own abilities, he wasn’t sure that he was the person to convince Mikey of that. There must be some way to dampen the waterfall of emotions that still threatened to overwhelm him. For the moment he was holding them at bay, but it wasn’t only Tomas that he could feel since waking but whispers of everyone else in the inn as well. This wasn’t the way his ability worked. Was this part of the enchantment that still held him?

  “You’re still not okay, are you?”

  “No, not really.” Cathal bit his lip. “I don’t know what’s happening to me. My ability is much stronger than it was, and I can feel other people’s emotions, not just yours.”

  Tomas frowned. “I thought you could only sense whether someone else was there, like a sixth sense or something.” He pulled Cathal closer, holding him tightly, as though by doing so, he could keep him safe. Cathal wished that it was that simple.

  “Usually that’s all I can do, apart from the occasional strong burst of emotion, but since….” Cathal grew silent, it dawning on him when the change had occurred. If he told Tomas, it risked upsetting him more. Tomas felt guilty enough about what had happened after his last outburst of anger.

  “Cat?” prompted Tomas. “Since when?” The reassurance in his voice did not reflect the turmoil in his heart. They were both out of their depth with this. Cathal wanted to tell Tomas that it would be all right, that it would settle in time, but how could he do that when he wasn’t sure himself?

  If this was part of his punishment for defying the elders, it was a cruel one, even for them. How could something that was so right, bring with it this burden?

  “Since the first time we made love it is much stronger, almost too much so.” Cathal tensed, waiting for the expected hurt and angry response, but it didn’t come.

  “Do we need to stop?” Tomas stroked Cathal’s hair and laid a light kiss on his forehead. “If it would help, at least until we can find an answer for it, so be it. I want to be with you, Cat, but not if it’s going to hurt you. We don’t need to make love in order to show how we feel about each other.”

  Cathal blinked back his own emotions. “You’d do that for me?” It wouldn’t come down to that, it couldn’t. He’d find a way. Another realization hit him, and blood rushed to his face. “Actually,” he mumbled, “it is not while we’re making love that the emotions are so strong, apart from yours, which are very very good at that time….” He knew he was rambling somewhat, but speaking his thoughts aloud made it easier to make sense of them.

  “It’s afterwards?” There was an edge to Tomas’s voice. Cathal looked up and met his eyes. Tomas was smiling. A wave of emotion washed over Cathal, and he felt himself harden in response.

  “Oh,” he murmured. There was no mistaking what Tomas was considering. “Well,” he admitted. “If there is no other way….”

  Tomas leaned in and kissed Cathal enthusiastically. “If we have to make love several times a day in order to give you some relief from this thing, I’m all for it.” He grinned. “At least until we find out another way of dealing with it.” He didn’t sound at all interested in finding an alternative.

  There was a knock at their bedroom door.

  Reality hit both of them like a cold shower. The odds of being left alone to do just that were fairly much on par to zero.

  They’d have to find another way.

  Chapter 4

  TOMAS moved over a little in the bed but kept his arm firmly around Cathal before calling out “come in” to whoever had knocked on the door. Hadn’t anyone around this place heard of the concept of privacy?

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt you again.” Will poked his head around the door, crutch balanced carefully under one arm. In a few days he would progress to a walking stick if he needed it, although it was unlikely he’d use it, as he was way too stubborn for that. Luckily the arrow had not pierced anything vital, but his leg was still very sore, and Harry had suggested keeping the weight off it for as long as possible.

  “You’re making a habit of it,” Tomas pointed out. “Cat’s awake, if that’s what you’re here to find out. He’s tired, though, so he needs to rest.” If Cathal got too tired, Will would have to leave. It wasn’t up for debate, and Cathal would have to deal with it. He’d already shown loud and clear today how good he wasn’t at looking after himself. If he argued the point, Tomas would remind him that he’d do the same if the situation were reversed, although he had to admit it gave him a warm
feeling knowing Cathal was just as protective in return.

  “I heard voices, so I figured that he was.” Will eased himself into the chair by the side of the bed. “I won’t stay long. Donovan has taken Mikey home, and I wanted to talk to you, both of you, about something while I had the opportunity to do so.”

  “Thank you for finding me,” said Cathal.

  “You owe your gratitude to Mikey too.” Will ran one hand through his hair, brushing it back off his face, and gave Tomas a long, steady look of what could only be disapproval. “He has not had an easy life, and needs encouragement to accept himself for whom and what he is.”

  Tomas sighed. “I know that, and I’m not proud of what I did, okay?” He’d known as soon as he’d done it that he shouldn’t have raised his voice, but with everything else going on, the thought of backing down and apologizing had slipped his mind. “I’ll talk to him tomorrow about it. I was worried about Cat, and not thinking clearly.”

  “We were all worried about him, Tomas,” Will reminded him gently. He cleared his throat, moving the conversation along. “I’m presuming that, given what Mikey saw, the enchantment still binds you”—he shifted his attention to Cathal—“to the tree.”

  “Yes.” Cathal drew Tomas closer. Tomas wasn’t the only one who was shaken by what had happened. “I should have realized sooner, but I wanted to believe it wasn’t so. It was originally cast in two parts to make up the whole, and as Christian is still a cat, it was foolish to presume only one would be broken without the other.”

  “Not foolishness, but more a need to believe it was.” Will shook his head as though to clear it. “You were unconscious for several hours, Cathal, and given the circumstances in which you left the house, I’m presuming there is something else going on with this.”

  “Something else?” Tomas asked sharply. “Do you know what’s going on here, Will?”

  “I think so.” Will’s hand went to his neck, his fingers closing around a small locket. It hadn’t been noticeable before, but it was not quite hidden by the shirt he wore now. Tomas tried to get a closer look at it without seeming obvious. Was this locket like the pendant he wore, and a gift from Will’s late wife, Amelia?

  “You’re not just referring to the enchantment, are you, Will?” Cathal asked the question hesitantly, which was understandable. For the moment there was no need for everyone and his dog to know he was having issues with his ability.

  Will watched them for a moment, his gaze lingering on their joined hands and the way in which they leaned into each other. “Your ability to sense others has suddenly become much stronger.” It was a statement, not a question.

  “That sounds like the voice of experience,” Tomas noted. He tightened his grip on Cathal.

  “I mean you no harm, Tomas. I promise. I only wish to help because I know what you are going through.” Will leaned back in his chair, his eyes closing slightly in memory. “When Amelia and I were first married, my visions increased to the point where they plagued me almost constantly. I could not find relief and thought I would lose my mind.”

  “I thought it was something triggered by the enchantment to try and prevent us being together,” Cathal said slowly. Tomas squeezed his hand, reminding him that, whatever happened, they were in this together. Cathal returned the gesture. “It’s… not?”

  “Did your father not speak to you of it?” Will seemed puzzled. “You’ve been of marrying age for a good ten years now. He should have warned you.”

  “I was not interested in being with anyone until I met Tomas, despite my father’s expectations that Deryn and I would marry when we came of age.” Cathal stilled for a moment. “Amelia did not have our abilities. Neither does Tomas. Has this something to do with that?”

  “I’ve caused this?” Tomas’s stomach clenched. “Oh, Cat, no. I never wanted to hurt you. Ever. I’m so sorry.”

  “You haven’t, my love, and you have nothing to apologize for.” Cathal kissed Tomas softly. “Our world… is a little different from yours. Part of the way in which our society is structured and why those of the royal bloodline hold the power is that we are descended from the mages who first settled our world. Those who are not descended from them do not possess our abilities.”

  “You’re royalty?” Tomas glanced accusingly at Will, daring him to admit this was yet another thing that had been kept hidden.

  “I am not in any danger of inheriting the throne, if that is what you are referring to.” Will was amused by the idea. “My family and Cathal’s are distantly related through cousins on my mother’s side. The royal bloodline is much diluted, although enough of it apparently remains for the occasional throwback, as I believe the saying goes.”

  Cathal snorted. “You have spent far too much time listening to Uncle Alden.”

  “No, I believe that particular comment came from his son.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me either. Christian and his father hold similar opinions on many things.” That figured. When Cathal had spoken of his uncle, there was warmth in his tone, together with a wistfulness that suggested he was one person who would be considerably missed. He’d probably even encouraged some of the antics Cathal and his cousin had gotten up to as children, let alone more recently.

  Tomas wished again that this bloody portal hadn’t made it necessary for Cathal to leave his family behind. He missed them, and conversations such as this stressed that more, rather than less. “It sounds like something Christian would say.” He kicked himself as soon as the words were out of his mouth. This was not a subject that was going to involve Christian like everything else seemed to. “So, if Cat is right and I’m not responsible for this, what is? I’m not from your world, and I think I missed something when you went off on that last tangent.”

  “It’s supposed to be a deterrent to prevent further dilution of the royal bloodline.” Will shrugged. “I’ve always thought that if you truly love someone it’s worth it, and besides it settles down over time. With practice you can draw strength from the person you love, and it can be controlled. The link between you both feeds and soothes it. I suspect you have also noticed that you are much more aware of Tomas than you were before, Cat.”

  More aware? More aware of what exactly? Did it have to do with what he’d experienced earlier when Cathal was in trouble?

  Will’s voice softened. “I don’t regret the time that Amelia and I were together, although I know I will spend the rest of my life alone.”

  “I know it’s not my place to say, but you’re still young, Will.” Tomas frowned, not liking where he thought this might be going. “In time there is a chance that you could find someone else. It does happen.”

  “You haven’t told him?” Will sounded surprised.

  “I haven’t had the chance… and…,” Cathal protested defensively. “I love him.”

  “This is a relationship, Cathal, and a joint decision.” Will wasn’t impressed. “Amelia knew when we married. You should have told him.”

  “Told me what?” What now? Tomas tried to squash his growing anger quickly. Cathal didn’t need to feel that, not now. Nor did he need to be worried about the possibility this so-called awareness could be affecting both of them.

  “When we mate, Tomas, it’s for life.” Cathal looked down, his voice wavering. “If something were to happen to you, I would not be with anyone else again. It’s not an option that is open for me.”

  “So if Deryn had convinced you to sleep with her, we couldn’t be together?” Tomas swore under his breath, a particularly colorful phrase that even he, for all his tendency to be a bit of what his sister called “a potty mouth,” tried to avoid.

  Cathal flinched.

  “Not like this, no.” Cathal took a deep breath and looked at Will for help in the explanation, but his friend stayed silent.

  “There would be no love in the act. We literally give something of ourselves that first time, Tomas.” Deryn must have known that, surely? The bitch. Cathal looked at Will again, a shadow crossing h
is face. “That part is the same whether we mate with someone with abilities or not, isn’t it?” How much had he known about all of this? Just the basics and no more?

  Crap. Tomas put his arms around Cathal, kissing the top of his head, unable to stay angry at him. Cathal bit his lip, leaning into Tomas. He’d said that he and Deryn used to be friends, said it in such a way that it sounded as though, on some level, he’d hoped there was still a part of that left. How could he believe that with what she’d been prepared to do to him, to both of them?

  “Yes, it’s the same.” Will shook his head sadly. Cathal’s breath hitched, very slightly but enough that it was noticeable, his momentary hope dying with Will’s words. Tomas could see it in his eyes. “Don’t give her any credit, my friend. Deryn knew what she asked of you and what the price would be. She had already mated. It did not matter to her. If she bedded you it would be for the sexual act, which was all she wanted and needed.”

  “Fucking bloody bitch.” Tomas held Cathal more tightly to him. “Well, she’s too late now, and she can’t take it from you.” He frowned, connecting the dots to get the full meaning behind what Will had just said. “You knew? You knew she was pregnant, and you never said anything? Bloody hell, Will. Surely you realized what she might take from Cat? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “It was a guess, Tomas, nothing more. Cathal confirmed it when he asked that last question.” Will stood. “The old woman, Merran, is a midwife. At first I thought that Deryn sought her assistance in order to become pregnant, but then I watched her more closely and wondered if she already was. There was something about her that was similar to Amelia in the first few months she carried our son. I did wonder what part she expected Cathal to play in her plans, although in hindsight I suspect she has set her sights on him because whoever she has mated with cannot give her access to the throne.” He shook his head in disgust. “I’m sorry.”