“If we end up in the Stone Age, it’s going to be your fault.” She jerked her head toward the struggling ring of fire. “We have to get closer. Once I say the words and the flames freeze, jump when I do.”
His face a tensed mask, he briefly glanced at the fire then returned his focus to her. “Aye. I remember the wretched jump. I ken what to do.”
She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from reassuring him that everything would be all right.Stop it. He is not endearing. Don’t feel sorry for him,she told herself. Still, her heart ached to ease his fears.
She sucked in a deep breath and nodded at Eliza. “I’ll be back soon.”
Eliza didn’t say a word, just slowly turned and faced the fire.
Mairi spread her fingers across the small of Ronan’s back, doing her level best to ignore how the wet silk of his shirt smoothed to a sensuous velvety heat beneath her hands. Turning her head, she locked her gaze on the blue-white flames of the fire, hissing and sputtering against the icy rain.
Tensed, she stared at the fire, eyes burning for want of tears. Focus, dammit.She sucked in a deep breath and blocked out every sound except for the pelting rain.
And then she felt it.
Faint at first and then stronger. Finally.She released the breath she held and welcomed the old familiar burn. The energy grew, enfolding her with tendrils of pulsing, welcoming heat.
“It’s time,” she whispered. “Hold tight.”
“I swear I will never let ye go.”
She forced herself to remain focused, but a tiny part of her shivered at the underlying meaning in his tone. She knew on a deep, very basic level that he wasn’t just talking about the jump.
Licking the rain from her lips, she slowly rocked back and forth toward the fire as she began the chant.
“Web of time
Veil of space
Carry us to our chosen place
Borne of water
Trialed by fire
My Sinclair blood claims this power
For the good of all
With harm to none
So as it is spoken
So let it be done.”
The flames crackled like tinkling glass as they stretched in length and froze into solid shards of glistening blue-white ice. Mairi nodded one last time at Eliza then looked up into Ronan’s face. She gently rocked them to and fro three times. When they swayed toward the fire the third time, Mairi shouted, “So mote it be!”
It took a moment for Mairi to realize that the deep growling sound shaking through her was Ronan roaring some sort of battle cry. “Close your eyes,” she shouted against his cold clammy cheek as they tumbled through space.
His arms tightened around her and he buried his face in the crook of her neck. Mairi couldn’t help herself. She clutched him tighter, lacing her fingers through his close-cropped hair and wrapping her legs around his waist.
The energy of the tunnel moaned and screeched, snatching at hair and clothes as they spun through the layers of time. Mairi kept Granny locked in her mind. Granny’s smiling face, her glowing staff, and her welcoming outstretched hand was their target.
Their spinning slowed as their fall through time drew to a close. “We’re nearly there,” she shouted. “Brace yourself.”
Her ears popped as they broke through. Mairi opened her eyes and shifted her weight as they spiraled downward. The ground rushed up to meet them with an abrupt and painful thud. Still clenched tightly together, they rolled and bounced down the hillside.
Ronan hissed out another stream of Gaelic. They finally thudded to a stop against a grassy incline. She slowly lifted her head, opened her eyes, and looked around. A groan escaped her as she shifted atop him.
