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Then she understood. Of course, it all made sense! The way he walked out of the forest without a rustle of leaf or crack of twig to herald his approach, the unearthly glow of him, even her own calm acceptance of his presence was nothing to be wondered at. Worn out with longing and worry, she must have fallen into sleep. And for all her failure to summon an image, Deirdre knew enough of magic to understand that a dream so vivid was bound to have some deeper meaning.

"I came looking for my own true love tonight," she said, gesturing toward the pool. "But he isn't here."

"Is he a silkie then, that ye seek him in the water?" The question was asked without a trace of laughter, confirming her belief. Why not a silkie? Anything was possible in a dream.

"Nay, I sought his image, not himself."

"Why? Is he in Ireland?" he asked, giving her a bright, shrewd glance.

She shrugged. "Perhaps. But it does not matter, for I am here in Scotland, wed these four years past."

"Four years wed and still ye pine for a man ye left behind in Ireland? Why, then, is your own husband such a fool that he canna make ye love him?"

"Ours was not a love match," she answered sadly. "Or, at least—sure, I don't know what it was on his part, desire maybe. But even that—" she made a pretty, helpless gesture with her hands. "Whatever it was he wanted, I did not give it to him. Nor have I given him a son. I think he hates me now."

"A fool indeed," he said, his voice deep and soft.

A long slow shiver wound down Deirdre's spine as she looked into the stranger's cool gray eyes. But of course he was no stranger. It was he, the one she had waited for, the one she had despaired of ever finding. Hadn't she always been certain she would know him?

Too late, she thought bitterly. Where were you four years ago when I accepted Brodie? But of course he was not real at all. Such things only happened in dreams. Still, she thought with a sigh, it was a lovely dream, the finest she had ever known. If only it could go on forever...

Then, without quite knowing how she knew, Deirdre was certain it was about to end—or in the manner of dreams, to change into something very different.

"What is it you came to say to me?" she asked, standing and looking warily about the clearing. "Why have you disturbed my dream?"

"Nay, lady." He smiled with a flash of even teeth. "This is my dream, not yours. And a verra pleasant one it's turning out to be."

He rose in a single graceful movement to stand before her. He is perfect, she thought, tall and strong but not so ungainly large as Brodie. She imagined how snugly she would fit against his shoulder, then smiled wryly. Of course he would be perfect! He was her invention, after all!

She was a bit surprised that her imagination had fashioned such a man, when she had always thought dark slenderness the very model of male beauty. But now she saw how wrong she had been. The man before her seemed spun from moonlight, with his silver-gilt hair and cool gray eyes, yet he was strong and solid as the earth. Exactly as she had dreamed of him so long ago, when she was still a child.

But, she realized suddenly, she was no child now. She was a woman grown. What would it be like to walk into his embrace, feel those strong arms close around her? For all his strength, his touch would be gentle, Deirdre thought, and a tingle started somewhere in the region of her heart, moving slowly downward. It was a strange feeling, not unpleasant, but unfamiliar and a little frightening.

Four years of marriage had taught Deirdre many lessons, but none of them prepared her for the dizziness she felt when she looked into his eyes. And he knew—he understood without a word between them—for the same dazed wonder was etched upon his face.

This is a dream, she thought, staring wide-eyed as he extended his hand to her. I can do anything tonight and it won't matter.

Yet even as she moved forward, she stopped, knowing she had been wrong. This did matter. It mattered very much. Dream or no dream, he was more real to her than anyone she had ever known. And whatever was to happen between them now would change her for all time. She hesitated for the space of a single breath, so short a time that he could not have noticed it. But still, it was too long. She watched in horror as his outline shimmered and began to fade.

"Wait," she said desperately. "Oh, don't go—please—"

She reached to grasp his outstretched hand, then cried aloud in wordless disappointment as her fingers met only air.

But Alistair felt the warmth of her touch. It streaked through him like a burning brand. Quickly, before she could vanish altogether, he leaned close and kissed her full soft lips. At that moment a flame leaped between them, searing to his soul, so sharp and sudden that he could not tell if what he felt was pain or pleasure.

She drew a quick breath and stared up at him, one hand pressed against her mouth. She had felt it too, then, had been burned by the same fire that had marked him for all time. Oh, he did not want to wake. Whatever she was, wherever she had come from, he would stay with her and gladly, even if he could never have more of her than this.

Her sapphire eyes were large and wondering, shimmering with sudden tears. He moved to draw her into his arms, knowing from the start that it was hopeless, yet powerless to stop his instinctive gesture of comfort. She swayed toward him, then froze with a small gasp of fear, her gaze moving over his shoulder. Turning, he saw nothing but the forest and heard naught but a bird's harsh cry.

"Two ravens," she whispered. "There, just behind you. What does it mean?"

"Ravens?" he repeated. She began to waver before him, as though he viewed her through a veil of water. "Ah, corbies. Twa corbies," he said and was seized with an unreasoning terror, as though he had pronounced his own doom.

"Ah, no—farewell!" Her voice was small and distant, and as his sight faded, he tried once more to reach her.

"Wait!" he cried. "Who are you? What is your name?"

Whatever answer she might have made was lost in the rushing of the waterfall. Alistair pulled the stiffened hide around him and stared into its depths as dawn slowly lit the sky beyond.