Page 67 of Dark Rival

“I’m not sure,” Claire said slowly, “that it’s a good idea to fall too deeply for him.”

“Too late,” Allie said.

Claire took a breath. “Want to start from the beginning? I’ll help if I can.”

“I fell in love with him in 2007—in the span of twenty-four hours. And then a demon murdered him.”

Comprehension filled Claire’s eyes. “You must have fallen in love with an older Royce—because he’s not dead now.”

“His fourteen-hundred-year-old self and then some,” Allie said. “He’s got exactly five hundred and seventy-seven years left.”

A maid appeared with bread, cheese and wine. Claire thanked her and the maid inclined her head, murmuring, “My lady,” before casting a quick, curious glance at Allie.

“You seem to have adjusted really well to the whole demonic thing. It took me a while—I was freaked out to learn evil was a race,” Claire said when the maid was gone.

Allie shook her head. “I’ve been fighting demons for years, since I was a kid.” Claire started. “But I’m a Healer first and last. I only fight because they get in the way of my healing.”

“I thought I felt a power coming from you,” Claire said, eyes wide.

“Healing is my destiny. I can heal pretty much anyone, anytime,” Allie said seriously. “It’s what I’m meant to do.” Then she thought of the young girl she’d tried to bring back to life—and the modern Royce, dying in her arms. “But I can’t raise the dead.”

A pause fell. “How did you wind up here?”

Allie sighed. “I fell in love with Royce in my time. When he died, I conned Aidan into taking me back here, to him in the past. It’s a huge coincidence, but when I first met Royce, he’d come from 1430, and Aidan had followed him. So when Aidan went home, I went with him.” She added, “Royce was awful when I first got here. But then we saved a boy from a rockslide and we fought demons together and we even made love. Now I don’t want to go home. I can’t go back to a future without Royce. And I can’t leave Mr. Medieval behind, either. He needs me—they both do.”

Claire was wide-eyed. “So you are planning to stay in the fifteenth century?”

Allie hesitated. “For now. The only thing I’m certain of is that I have to figure out how to vanquish Moffat so he doesn’t murder Royce on September 7, 2007.”

Claire gasped. “The bishop of Moffat murdered Royce?”

Allie tensed. “And he may be after me. How bad is he?”

“Bad. Extremely ambitious and well-connected—he claims a distant kinship with the Queen. And he is power-mad. I guess the deamhanain want to turn you—or force you to use your power for their ends.”

“I can’t be turned,” Allie said, meaning it.

“Allie, you don’t want to go head-to-head with Moffat.”

“No, I don’t. You sound as if you’re speaking from experience.”

“In a way, I am. Malcolm and I vanquished the earl of Moray, against all odds. He’d preyed on Innocence in Alba for a thousand years, but somehow, we did it, together. However, that was after he took me prisoner. It’s something I prefer to forget.”

“I’m sorry,” Allie whispered.

A strange look passed across Claire’s face as she reached for the jug of wine. “How about a glass of wine?”

“Sure. What is it?” Allie asked with some alarm. “Why does the name Moray still bring dread and fear to your eyes?”

Claire grimaced. “I sometimes dream about him. Three years ago I wasn’t even sure we’d vanquished him—I expected him to come back. But everyone said that even if he did, he’d leave Malcolm and me alone—we’re too powerful and he’d avoid that kind of confrontation again. We’re even more powerful now,” Claire added. “Three years ago Malcolm was new to his powers, and I didn’t even know I had any.”

Allie had a bad feeling, too. “You don’t believe he’s gone.”

Claire hesitated. “It’s not Malcolm or myself I worry about.”

“Then who?”

“Aidan.”