“It means I went onto the plane—which apparently is a real place and not a dreaming realm, as such—and talked to him.”
“Just talked? Are you insane?” She stopped in front of me and raised the back of her hand to my forehead. “No temperature...”
I laughed and knocked her hand away. “You know well enough why I only talked to the man.”
“Because you’re afraid,” she said with a nod. “Thing is, you and I both know the time to be worrying about heartache has long passed. The term ‘falling hard and fast’ is rather apt when itcomes to your relationship with Cynwrig. Sadly, that does leave poor Eljin out in the cold emotionally, at least for the time being, anyway.”
“That’s presuming poor Eljin isn’t playing some game of his own,” I said darkly.
Her eyebrows rose. “Really? Do tell.”
I waved the comment away. “Later, if there is something to tell. It might be nothing more than my hormones determinedly fixating on the totally unsuitable man in my life rather than the logically better option.”
“Love is never logical.”
“It can’t be love. I barely even know the man.”
“Time has very little to do with emotions, and besides, sometimes you just got to take a leap of faith.”
“You’re saying that to someone who has a very bad record when it comes to picking suitable lovers.”
My voice was dry, and she laughed. “Well, yes, but let’s be honest here—aside from the whole royalty never marrying commoners issue, Cynwrig is the most suitable man you’ve ever had a relationship with, and you two are very obviously in sync both physically and spiritually.”
“Because his presence was thrown into the game by the opposing force to distract me.”
“That doesn’t alter anything I’ve said about you and him.” She pressed her fingers against my temples, and her magic rose, a warm caress of energy that swept my length, checking for any other injuries, before returning to buzz around my scraped cheek. “But go on, what did you talk to him about?”
“I asked the man what his plans were and where he saw the relationship going.”
“I bet the one thing he didn’t do was answerthatquestion.”
“Got it in one.” I paused. “He did say he’d never intentionally break my heart and that he would never marry anyone unless hewas in love. He also said he’d rather walk away from the throne than be told who he could take as a wife.”
Her eyebrows rose sharply. “Nowthatis an interesting comment.”
The heat of her magic increased, its warmth centering around the wounds, making my skin tingle and twitch uncomfortably as she worked.
“Andyouhad best explain the emphasis you placed on ‘that.’”
“Beth, I saw his face when he brought you to the hospital after he and Mathi rescued you. The man cares, and deeply.”
“Caring isn’t love. Caring doesn’t mean he will ever marry me. He can’t. His people will never accept it.”
“Perhaps he never plans to marry and simply wants to play around with you for the rest of his life.”
“That is hardly fair to me. Besides, he has a duty to produce heirs.”
She released me, stepped back, and shoved her hands on her hips. “Well, whatever that man intends, it’s pretty clear you have two options—and you’re already well aware of both.”
I gave her a twisted smile. “Yeah, which is why I’m giving you advance warning to stock the pantry with all the usual items required for the breakup wake.”
She laughed. “Anything else? Because I’ve got the decidedly big impression that there is something else worrying you.”
I hesitated. “You can’t tell anyone what I’m about to reveal—especially not Lugh.”
Alarm flitted through her expression, and she touched my arm, her grip tight. “What the fuck has happened? What’s wrong?”
I took a deeper breath and said, “I had that dream again.”
