Ronan lifted his chin just a bit, nervously shifting as though standing trial. And in her opinion he was—the one stark difference being that she had already condemned him. “The witch was my father’s queen. His wife.” Pulling in a deep breath, he stood straighter, clasping his hands to his back as he continued, “But she was barren, so my father sought an heir from his beloved leman. My mother was his mistress.”
“So, the jealous witch put a curse of immortality on you, your mother, and your best friend? That’s it?” Mairi studied Ronan closely. If the jilted queen was angered enough to stir up a curse, surely, she could have been a little more creative. “You’ll have to forgive me…” Mairi poured every ounce of sarcasm she possessed into her tone. “But immortality just doesn’t seem that dire a punishment for your father being unfaithful.”
Ronan’s rigid posture visibly wilted a notch. His gaze dropped to the floor. “She cursed my father to die before I was born—forbidding him to see the son he had wanted so badly. She cursed my mother, my friend, and myself to walk through immortality alone. It is no small thing to watch all that ye cherish age and die before yer eyes—and to know in yer heart that yer loved ones have gone where ye canna follow.”
Mairi stared at him, mentally cataloging everything he’d just said, looking for loopholes, looking for more lies. “How did your friend get sucked into this curse?” Why would jealousy make the witch lash out at a supposedly innocent bystander?
“After the witch spoke the curse, my father sentenced her to be put to death. Graham witnessed her public drowning.” Ronan lifted his gaze from the floor, bleak sadness deepening the lines of his face. “She attempted to cast an eroticgeasupon him, thinking that—young lad that he was—he would never refuse the seductions she placed into his mind, the things she said she would do for him if he’d but save her. But he saw her hideous soul reflected atop the water and refused. She tied him to the curse as she disappeared beneath the water.”
Mairi turned away, blinking hard against the stinging threat of tears. She massaged the knotted muscles at the back of her neck, rolling her shoulders against the cramping pain. Damn it all straight to hell.No wonder Granny had stopped nettling her about jumping back to the past. She knew that by tricking her heart, Chieftain Sutherland would end up forcing her into doing something she really didn’t want to do.
She closed her eyes. Last night had been so much more than just unbelievably fantastic sex. She had felt such a connection to Ronan. A glance at his scowling face twisted her heart. She had thought he had felt the connection too. Apparently, she had been dead wrong. Now she knew exactly why he’d been such an incredible lover. What better way to trick her into helping him? He didn’t give a damn about her. He just needed her to break the curse so he could move on with his life.
She turned and faced Ronan and Eliza. “Fine. I’ll take you back to the past. I’ll heal your mother and your friend and send this supposed evil packing.” She lifted her chin and mentally hardened the final seal around her heart as she nodded at Eliza. “But you don’t get rid of any of my things. Once I get that curse broken and fulfill all myrequirements,I’m coming back.”
CHAPTER15
“Make her come down. She willna open the door for me.”
Eliza shook her head but kept her attention focused on the crackling fire between the opened doors of the brightly painted cast iron stove squatting in the corner of the parlor. “Leave her be. Ye best learn straight off when to leave a Sinclair woman time to cool down.”
How the hell could he leave the woman be when his heart and soul demanded he make things right with her? “We must make her see reason and understand the way of things before we return to the past. This morning went badly. What the hell will she do when she sees I am the wolf she thought lost?” Ronan paced over to the wall of rain-streaked windows and stared out at the bedraggled winter garden. He fisted a hand against the cold damp glass. “How in blazes will she react when she seesMáthairand Graham? The woman already hates me for deceiving her. How badly will she despise me once all is revealed?”
Eliza motioned for Ronan to join her in front of the fire. “Come. I’ve opened the fire portal. Nia will help ye know what best to do.”
He didn’t care for the gleam in the old woman’s eye. He also was not so sure he wished to hear what Granny Sinclair had to say. That sly old woman was more dangerous than a battle-honed warrior. He remained rooted to the spot beside the windows. “I shall listen from here.”
Eliza rolled her eyes and backed into the chair she had pulled in front of the stove. “Verra well, my fine chieftain. I shall leave ye to yer druthers.” She leaned forward, peering into the fire. “Speak loudly, Nia. Our lovely chieftain is none too fond of the fire portal.”
“Where is Mairi?”
A chill rippled across Ronan’s flesh and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Aye, that was Granny Sinclair’s voice echoing from the flames.
“She isna here.” Eliza stirred the coals with the iron poker.
Ronan couldn’t resist. He inched a step closer. “Pray tell, how areMáthairand Graham?” He wasn’t sure how either his mother or friend could have fallen gravely ill so quickly. He’d hoped the evil of the curse wouldn’t poison them so soon.
“Weak.” The flames sputtered and danced as though Granny had breathed upon the fire. “It is the curse. I had thought surely we would have a bit more time, but apparently, I was wrong.” Granny’s voice sank lower but still came through loud and clear. “The witch thought through the curse quite well before she unleashed it. The priestess knew the Sinclair born to free you from the curse would more than likely come from a different century. The longer you are separated from them, the weaker they will get.” Granny’s voice brightened. “But take heart; as soon as you arrive back in this time, they should immediately recover.”
Ronan clasped his hands to the small of his back and stared at the floor as he slowly circled the parlor. Son of a bitch.Mairi’s anger would grow even worse when she arrived in the past and found there was none there needing her healing touch. “We told Mairi she was the only one to heal them. Yer granddaughter already hates me for deceiving her. I will never hope to wed her once she seesMáthairand Graham in good health—and may the gods help us all when she sees them to be a wolf and a dragon, no less.”
“Ye shouldha thought of that before ye shared her bed.” Eliza shook a finger at him as she leaned closer to the fire. “Quite typical, Nia. The man did his thinking with the wrong head.”
A noise akin to a clucking hen chortled through the flames. “Mairi is slow to anger, but once you’ve triggered her temper, she never forgets. She holds a grudge to the grave.”
“She doesna like to be duped. Ye ken how hard it is for our girl to trust.” Eliza squirmed in the confines of the small armchair until she managed to cross her plump legs. Her bloodred tights gleamed in the firelight as she bounced a sparkling wedge-heeled tennis shoe in time with her words. “Ye ken he’s—”
“—I’ll thank ye to leave off talking as though I am not in the room.” Ronan crossed the parlor in two broad strides and planted himself beside Eliza’s chair. “Tell me how to make things right with yer granddaughter. I canna lose her.” He swallowed hard, trying to ease the aching knot burning in his chest. “And the way I feel about needing her has nary a thing to do with the damnable curse or the wants of my cock.”
A pleased chuckle set the orange and white flames to dancing. “I am very glad to hear that.” The red coals glowed brighter as Granny’s voice strengthened. “Give her time. Charm her. If she didn’t feel the same about you, she wouldn’t be so angry. Truth be told, knowing my Mairi, she’s angrier with herself for trusting you too soon. Mairi’s heart will eventually force her to come around. Just be patient.”
“Aye, well . . .” Ronan returned to pacing. He couldn’t bear standing still. Every fiber of his being silently shouted,Do something, fool!“For once in my life, time is a luxury I dinna feel that I have. As soon as we enter the web of time and my wolf takes over, the woman will be ready to skin me and use my sorry hide for a new pair of slippers.”
Again, Granny’s chuckle filled the parlor. Ronan could almost see the slight old woman laughing. “Hold Mairi tight in your arms as you pass back in time. Not only will this give you strength against your wolf, but it will also soothe your beast’s soul. Holding Mairi will bring balance between you and your wolf.”
“It is a daring task to hold tight to someone who swears they hate ye.” He sank to the settee, sagged forward, and cradled his head in his hands. Mairi was so angry; she’d clearly rather slip a blade between his ribs than slide into his arms. He’d seen it in her eyes. He feared her hatred more than any sword.
“You’ll figure it out.” The edging of white ash widened, creeping across the orange red glow of the fiery coals at the base of the flames. Granny’s voice lowered to a hushed tone. “Time is precious. Get here, Ronan. Soon. I must go now. I’ve risked enough opening the fire portal here at the keep.”
