“I dinna mind at all, thank ye.” After raking a hand through his dark, shoulder-length hair, Jeros settled into a nearby wingback chair, tossing its pillows onto the floor. “I never understood the need for all these pillows. Does the chair need better upholstering?”
“You’re just going to sit there. While I’m in the bath?”
He shrugged. “I thought we might visit. Get to know one another better. Other than the fact that ye are a wonder with animals, ye lost yer parents at a young age, and come from the future of a different realm, I know verra little about ye.”
Thankfully, the sides of the tub were tall enough and the water deep enough that even if she sat up straight, nothing would show but her bare shoulders. “And you didn’t think we could have this visit over breakfast or something?”
He turned thoughtful, an unmistakable coldness in his eyes that reminded her of the blue-white gaze of a cautious Husky pup she had once treated at the infirmary. She didn’t know if it was their icy shade or the emotions flashing in them, but his glare cut right through her, letting her know in no uncertain terms that he was not pleased. “As intent as ye were to leave me last night, I feared I would not have much time with ye this morning. I wished to catch ye afore ye ran away again.”
“I am not some kid plotting to escape and run away from home, and I am notleaving you. I’m going back where I belong.”
He shook his head. “Nay, my own. Ye are a stubborn woman determined to run away from yer mate rather than give destiny a chance to make ye happy.”
My own.Whenever he called her that, a part of her melted, which was not good. She had a life in twenty-first century Kentucky that she intended to resume as soon as she figured out how to get back to it. The ache in the center of her chest flared stronger, making her swallow hard. Jeros Seventhson didn’t play fair.
And so far this morning, he hadn’t even flinched when he’d looked at her, and she knew her scars tended to turn darker whenever she was in hot water. And boy was she ever in hot water, figuratively and literally. “Do you intend to come with me again when I try to find my car?”
His expression hardened into a narrow-eyed scowl. “I intend to accompany ye any time ye leave the safety of Sevenrest Hall. War is on the horizon with the Fifth Kingdom. I shall not leave ye unguarded.” He glanced over at the bed where the great Fae tiger was still stretched across the foot of it, sound asleep. “Especially since yer wee guardian there appears to be lax in his duties.”
She picked up the dark pink bar of soap from the marble stand beside the tub, sniffed it, then started sudsing it between her hands. It smelled so much like juicy, ripe strawberries that her mouth started watering. It reminded her of a soap Mammaw had always used. “Maybe Aylryd knows I am safe here, so he’s conserving his energy.”
Jeros’s cold, piercing stare cut through her again. “He should never let down his guard. Not ever. There is too much at stake with war on the horizon.”
Even though the strawberry scented water of the tub remained at the perfect, near scalding temperature she loved, the mention of war made her shiver. What sort of situation had she wandered into here? Even if she remembered her European history lessons word for word, they would do her little good here, because this was a different Scotland entirely. “You mentioned the Fifth Kingdom, but said you are the prince of the Seventh Realm. What exactly is the difference between a kingdom and a realm here?”
“The Realm encompasses the entire Seelie world in thisplaneof Scotland. The Fifth Kingdom is a part of the Seventh Realm. A very thorny, difficult part.”
“So, they’re trying to revolt and take over the Realm?”
“Aye.”
“I’m sorry.”
He eyed her, tilting his head like a loyal dog trying to understand its master. “Why are ye sorry?”
“War is never good for either side. It’s bad for everyone concerned. People suffer and die, and things are never the same.” She wouldn’t add that the thought of all the innocents, whether they be people or animals, harmed in any conflict made her heart ache. “Is there not any way to resolve the Fifth Kingdom’s issues? Come to some sort of agreement that would be acceptable to all parties involved?”
His strong jaw flexed as though he were grinding his teeth. “No accord has been found as yet. The Fifth Kingdom is more like the Dark Fae, the Unseelie. They dinna always embrace the ways of the Light, and their stubbornness blinds them to all reason.”
“Maybe you need a neutral arbitrator. You mentioned there was a Seven Cairns in this reality. Is there a Mairwen-type person there? Back in my Seven Cairns, she seemed like the glue that held everyone together and helped them all get along. She always struck me as being their leader, like a mayor or something.” Lexi scrubbed her arms and legs, taking care not to expose any parts that didn’t need exposing. The strawberry-scented steam somehow made it seem not nearly so strange that she was bathing in front of a man she’d only met yesterday.
“Mairwen resides in every Seven Cairns of every reality.”
Lexi dropped the soap with a loud splash. “What?”
“Mairwen, the old one, in fact, all the Divine Weavers, exist in every Seven Cairns.”
“I distinctly remember you telling me that your Seven Cairns was different frommySeven Cairns.” She patted around the bottom of the tub until she found the soap. She clutched it so tightly her fingers left dents in the luscious pink bar that smelled good enough to eat.
“This Scotland’s Seven Cairnsisdifferent from yers. The residents’ manner of dress fits this age, as does their manner of living. Yer things, the items belonging to yerself and the place where ye stayed, will not be in this Seven Cairns—nor would any of yer things from the future function in the same way.” He tipped his head toward her phone on the bedside table. “That wee rock would remain a useless bit of slate rather than return to whatever ye used it for in yer time, in yer world.”
“But Mairwen and the rest of the Weavers remember and differentiate their behaviors according to whichever Seven Cairns they happen to be in? That’s impossible. How can someone be in every reality, in every realm and world, at the same time and yet different, fitting into whichever world they need to fit into so they can interact with outsiders or people of that particular place?” It made Lexi’s head hurt just thinking about it. “That’s impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible for a Divine Weaver. Never forget that.” Jeros stretched out his long, muscular legs, made even more tempting by his tall boots and the soft drape of his kilt. He crossed them at the ankles. With another lazy stretch of his arms, he folded his hands behind his head. “Are ye not going to wash yer hair?”
“I washed it yesterday.” At least she thought she had washed it as recently as yesterday. Her time management skills were limping along, trying to keep up with this strange new place. “I think.” Now that he’d asked, she was second-guessing herself. “Does it look dirty or smell…off?”
His expression as he slowly rose from the chair set off a herd of butterflies in her stomach. “I need to be closer to give ye an honest answer, lass.”
