Ridge turned to see his father staring at a man who didn’t look much older than the earl. His mind flickered in recognition. The man from his dreams, hugging him and tussling his hair. Could this be his grandfather? But he didn’t look any different than he did in Ridge’s dreams, and the last time Ridge would have seen him would have been twenty-six years ago.
The two men embraced then the earl quickly escorted his grandfather over to where Ridge stood.
“We need your help,” the earl said. “This young woman...”
“Is my daughter!” a man roared from the distance.
Ridge looked up to see whom he presumed was Phillip Ashton charging toward them.
“Bloody hell, could this get any more complicated?” Robby asked. “As if it isn’t confusing enough.”
Ridge heartily agreed.
Ashton stopped in front of Ridge, staring in horror at India.
“Papa?” India blinked in confusion. She stared accusingly up at Ridge. “You told me I wasn’t dead.”
Ridge chuckled. “We’re here, India. We’ve made it to Pagoria.”
“Put me down,” she insisted, struggling in his arms.
“You’ll make the bleeding worse,” he said, holding her tighter.
“I want to hug my father,” she said fiercely.
Slowly so as not to jostle her, he eased her down, holding her tightly so she didn’t fall.
“Papa, oh Papa!” she cried, throwing her arms around Ashton.
Ashton returned her embrace, tears sparkling in his eyes. “There, there now, girl. You’ve an injury that needs tending. We’ll blether on after you’re all patched up.”
India swayed on her feet, her face paler than ever. Ridge swore and swept her back into his arms. He should have never let her down in the first place. She needed all her strength if his grandfather was going to remove the bullet.
“Bring her in here,” Maximus said, gesturing toward one of the cottages. “I’ll collect what tools I have.”
Ridge maneuvered his way inside and found a bed to lay India on. He smoothed his hand across her face. “All will be well, sweetheart. I won’t allow you to die.”
She smiled weakly. “I feel so odd. I swear this is all one big dream. How did you...” she paused for a long moment almost as if she forgot what she was saying. Then she refocused her eyes on him. “How did you find the city?”
“Shhh,” he said, hushing her with a gentle finger. “I’ll tell you everything once Grandfather has tended your wound.”
“Grandfather?” She looked more confused than ever and who could blame her. She had awakened to something he himself had no understanding of.
“We’ll talk later,” he whispered.
His grandfather entered the room, a woman garbed in a blue robe like the others worn by the inhabitants of the city glided in beside him. She bestowed a warm smile on Ridge.
“You’ve grown into a fine man,” she said.
He blinked in confusion. “Do I know you?”
She smiled again. “You wouldn’t remember me. You were but a boy when last we met.”
“Ridge, my boy. Go find your father and your brother. I’ll call you when I am done here.”
“I won’t leave her.”
The woman laid a hand on his arm, and she squeezed reassuringly. “Leave us. She won’t come to any harm. You’d only be in the way here.”
