She couldn’t stop herself from rolling her eyes, but she answered anyway. “Thousands of years ago, druids were the most important people in Celtic society. They were healers, visionaries, and guardians, and they pretty much ran the world. From here, across Europe, all the way to India. When the Romans came, they knew that the druids were their main threat, so they targeted them ruthlessly. The visionaries, who we call Seers, were terrified because too many people were dying all around them, usually brutally. The Guardians and the Healers were overwhelmed. A lot of Dru-vid died. After that, they formed the Council who decided that they should all go into hiding.”
Ethan frowned. “The Council?”
“They head up the Order. Since we fled the Romans, those Shadow Weavers who choose to do so have worked in Circles. Each Circle has three Healers, three Seers, and three Guardians, triads that protect and help the communities around them. Each Circle is headed up by a Custodian who reports to the Council.”
“And they decided that all the druids should go into hiding?” Ethan said slowly.
“Yes. They decided that the most important thing was to protect the knowledge of the Shadows and protect themselves. They moved back into the wilderness of the Welsh and Scottish mountains, taking every piece of evidence of their existence with them. To this day no one has ever found any written work left by the druids. There are lots of debates about why that is, but the answer is simple—they took it all with them when they left.”
“So that’s it? They went into hiding and never came back?”
“They came back after a few hundred years; during the Middle Ages. At first, it was fine. People need midwives and doctors as well as experienced elders, but time passed and humans, being humans, started to doubt. They started to get jealous of people who seemed to have something they didn’t.”
Kay leaned forward, keeping her voice low. “You mentioned witches, so you must have heard of the witch trials. The Seers predicted bloodshed, the possibility that the druids would be lost, and the Council reacted. Everyone went back into hiding before our people could get hurt. And that’s the way it stayed, although some people, me included, think it’s time to start planning to reveal ourselves again.”
“Right.” Ethan rocked back in his chair, watching her. “Druids. Hiding. Shadows…. Okay. But there’s still something I don’t understand.”
“Yes?”
He grinned. “Whendoyou dance around naked?”
They both laughed. It was the first time he’d truly relaxed. It made him look younger, and even more insanely attractive. Her Shadows slipped out toward him, and she pulled them back, shrugging nonchalantly. “Naked dancing is only for special occasions.”
His eyes darkened as he leaned forward, but then he blinked and took a sip of coffee and the moment passed. “What do you do? Are you one of the Seers?”
“No, I’m a Guardian. Getting into fights just seemed to come naturally to me.”
He snorted. “I would never have guessed that about you.”
They both smiled, the silence stretching until he pulled out his wallet and set a few notes on the table.
This was it. She’d helped him. And now he would go. And, this time, she would let him.
Ethan stood and shoved his wallet into his pocket, not meeting her eyes. It wasn’t what she would have chosen, but fine.
Kay stood too, picking up her jacket, and they made their way outside to the river in silence. He looked at her, gave a slight shake of his head, and then looked away again, and she waited for him to say goodbye.
“Shall we walk along the river?” he asked instead.
She blinked, as surprised as he seemed to be. She had been certain he was going to leave, but now… now she was taking this chance he offered her.
They meandered side by side in the sunshine on the towpath as their conversation moved away from the intensity of the last half hour, and she found herself telling him about her life. Answering the questions she’d avoided earlier.
She told him about the Circle House and how lately she’d felt like she’d outgrown it. About living with her gran in Wales as a teenager and how much she loved the open space and missed the mountains. It was easy and friendly. He was a great listener, completely focused on her, with a wry, sarcastic sense of humor that matched hers.
A peaceful feeling settled over Kay as they walked—the feeling of being in the right place with the right person—a feeling she’d been desperately missing from her life, without even realizing it.
Despite the sense of rightness, she found herself increasingly distracted. Her Shadows were going insane, and it was all she could do to keep them from pouring out and wrapping themselves around Ethan. She had to force herself not to stare at his mouth or run her hand along the bare skin of his arm. Or, more honestly, push him against a wall and plaster herself to him. And by the combustible looks he kept giving her, he was having similar trouble.
Still, Ethan had been absolutely clear that he wasn’t interested in a relationship, and she wasn’t going to push him. Taking a chance was one thing. Throwing yourself at someone who didn’t want you was something else entirely. Her parents had taught her that.
Eventually, they found themselves back on the narrow road that led to where she’d parked.
“You going back on the tube?” Ethan asked as they passed the restaurant.
“Ah, nope,” Kay replied, remembering Zach’s comments about buying a Volvo.
Ethan’s eyebrows drew together. “You drove? Through London?”
