“Let her go!” he roared.
MacAllister turned his head and the bastard had the audacity tosmile. “Too late, Campbell.”
And before Niall could move, he yanked Charlotte backward through the doorway followed closely by Lady Murray.
“No!”
Niall lunged as they disappeared, Charlotte’s startled cry echoing through the corridor. Then...nothing. Niall’s heart leapt into his throat. His mission, the rebellion, the conspirators—none of it mattered anymore.
Onlyher.
Without thinking, without hesitating, Niall did the only thing that made sense.
He threw himself after her.
***
CHARLIE HIT THE FLOORhard, the breath knocked from her lungs. The smell of dust and old paper filled her nose. She coughed, rolling onto her side, and then she heard it—the distant hum of car engines, the occasional blare of a horn. Edinburgh.HerEdinburgh.
She was back. An instant later, she realized she hadn’t come back alone.
MacAllister groaned as he pushed himself up nearby. Lady Murray stood a few feet away, her gown askew, her perfectly arranged curls now wild. But when she lifted her head, her eyes burned with triumph.
Terror spiked through Charlie. No.No!
She scrambled to her feet and looked around wildly. There: a window. She sped over to it.
“Help!” she cried, fumbling with the window’s catch.
Lady Murray’s hand lashed out like a striking snake, sending Charlie sprawling.
“Ye think ye can call for help?” she hissed. “And what, dear girl, will ye tell them? That two people from the past have come through a portal in a bookshop? They’ll think ye aremad.”
Charlie growled and elbowed Lady Murray hard in the ribs, sending her stumbling into a bookshelf. Books rained down around them, thudding onto the wooden floor.
Charlie dived for the window—
Pain shot through her scalp as MacAllister’s fingers tangled in her hair and yanked her backward. She cried out as she was dragged off her feet, landing hard against his chest. Before she could struggle, something cold pressed against her throat.
A knife.
“Enough of that,” MacAllister growled, his voice thick with menace. “Dinna think I’m above cutting yer throat. Ye are only alive right now because we need a guide in this time. Dinna make me reassess that choice.”
Charlie froze, fear curling in her gut. She had no doubt that MacAllister would carry out his threat. The knife’s edge felt cold and hard where it pressed against her throat.
“All right,” she whispered. “All right.”
“That’s better. Now tell me—”
Before MacAllister could finish the sentence, he gave a low grunt, his grip slackened and he suddenly went tumbling away.
Charlie stumbled back and whirled. Relief, joy, and something deeper surged through her, making her knees weak as she spotted the figure standing over MacAllister, fist still clenched from the blow. His chest rose and fell with quick, shallow breaths, as he raised his head, bright green eyes locking onto her.
Niall.
***
THE WORLD FELT WRONG.
