“She will be soon if you do not help her. We cannot keep her alive. You must. All we can do is guide you in the right direction. She is too cold. Even the fire is not helping her. Something isgoing on inside her mind—something we cannot tell—so tread carefully with your words.”
“I don’t understand what that means.” Alex would do anything at this moment for his wife, but he didn’t wish to hurt her more, either. He needed guidance.
“She’s losing her strength, her will. The will to live is everything. Speak to her. Bring her back.”
“Maddie,” he whispered, then said it louder when she didn’t respond. “Maddie.”
Still no response.
“You must give her your heat.”
“What?”
“Pick her up. Take her into your arms,” Dyna said. “We built a fire, but she needs your heat inside, too. It is why she has not warmed enough.”
He did what Dyna said, picking up his wife, the fear of losing her gripping him so hard that he would believe anything these apparitions told him. “Help me. Tell me what to do. Anything. I’ll do anything.”
“Warm her. She needs to know it is you. You are much of her strength. It comes from you.”
Alex wrapped his arm around Maddie and held her tight, closing his eyes to take in her scent. “I’m so sorry, Maddie. Do not leave me yet. Please. Wake up. Yell at me. Anything. I promise I’ll listen to you always. I may not agree, but we’ll compromise. Please.”
Nothing.
“Tell me what to do,” he said to Dyna. “I don’t know what else to do.”
“Give her your heat. Your breath. Your verra will in that breath. The storm drained her will. She is tied to you. Only you can bring her back.”
He stared at her, not sure he understood.
Alasdair moved next to Dyna. “Hurry, we don’t have much longer. We are only given a short time to do our work.”
“Dyna?”
“Place your lips against hers. Part her lips and kiss her so she knows it is you. Your bond should do the rest.”
He did what she suggested, setting his lips against Maddie’s cold ones, tears filling his eyes at how limp she was, this woman who could be fire in his arms, who could light up his entire being with just a look, whose sweet touch could shoot passion through him as nothing else did.
Limp, nearly dead, not responding.
Alasdair stepped back. “We have to go, Grandsire, but don’t give up. She’s fighting on the inside.”
Dyna reached for Maddie’s arm and grasped it tightly, her body taking on a glow and a warmth that made Alex sit back to stare at her, her gaze locked on his. “Don’t stop. She will come back to you.”
Then Dyna and Alasdair faded away right in front of his eyes.
Alex was frozen for a moment, staring at the empty space where they’d been, before he startled into action. He set his lips against Maddie’s again, but she remained limp.
He shifted, holding her tight against his chest as the sobs he’d been holding inside burst forth. He’d only cried like this one other time in his life, and it felt as if the emotion would swallow him whole.
He buried his face in her hair, crushing her against him as he slid closer to the heat of the fire Alasdair had built. “Maddie, Maddie, please ... come back to me ... please, Maddie. I love you, I need you. We have more bairns to bring to life. Bairns and grandbairns and more love to give.”
He put his lips to hers again, willing her to wake.
He thought he felt a movement against him, so he stilled. After a moment, he set his lips on hers again, willing her to breathe.
This time her lips did move, slowly melding against his, and the joy in his heart burst inside him. She pushed against him, and he lifted his head, looking at her, praying she would awaken and be strong enough to return. Her eyes fluttered open.
“Alex?”
