Page 40 of Duncan

She used the fingers of one hand to touch Lady Joana’s ring on the other. If she pried it off, would the castle disappear? Would she find herself back in the ocean, drifting down through the icy water to the bottom as her father’s yacht sailed away? Was she already dead in her time? Had Hudson murdered her father by now, too? Tears stung her eyes, and when she closed them a terrible weariness came over her, sending her into the oblivion of sleep.

“Nicolina, my little love.” Her Aunt appeared in the darkness, and then a garden sprang up around them filled with flowers and berries and butterflies. Sunlight filtered down through the fruit trees, and the air smelled like a night at the circus, just like her aunt.

Although the bed and Duncan’s room had vanished, when Nicole glanced down at her wrists and ankles she saw they were still in the medieval restraints. “Can’t you get me out of here and take me to a better place, Aunt?”

“I wish I could, my dear one.” The plump, middle-aged woman came closer, smiling as cheerfully as ever. The sun poured over her curly white hair showing streaks of purple and blue that matched her twinkling eyes. Her aunt gently hugged her. “Don’t be afraid of what’s happened. As long as you have her pendant, you will be protected.”

“You don’t know where I am.” She pressed her cheek against Merry’s shoulder, leaning against her. “I don’t know why I even bother talking to you. This is just a dream anyway.”

“It’s polite, and you should enjoy yourself while we’re here.” Suddenly they were seated at a white wrought-iron table set with fine porcelain plates of finger sandwiches and tea cakes, and flutes of pale, sparkling champagne. All around them bloomed a lush rose garden, the flowers glowing in impossible shades of violet, green and blue. “You were too young for this when I visited you the last time. I should have stayed longer, too, but your father despised me. It’s because I had the same effect on him that you have on the Fletcher fellow. A rather common family trait, I’m afraid.”

Nicole reached for a cake, lifting her hands as her chains clanked against the plate, and took a nibble. “This doesn’t taste like anything, and I can’t smell those roses.”

“It’s all an illusion, I’m afraid, as it has to be.” Her aunt grinned. “Tell me about the new man in your life. From what I’ve seen he’s very handsome.”

“You couldn’t possibly–” Realizing she was giving herself away, she dropped the rest of the cake on her plate. “You’re wrong, Aunt. I’m not involved with anyone. I promised you I wouldn’t.”

“Then who put you in manacles?” Merry sighed. “I told you not to trifle with men because you wouldn’t be ready to manage the consequences. I even told your mother that you needed more time with her before she left, but after what happened she couldn’t stay.”

Nicole scowled. “I’ve been looking after myself since I was four years old.”

“Of course you have.” Her aunt patted her hand as if comforting a temperamental child. “I didn’t mean it that way.”

Nicole never lost her temper. She had been raised by a succession of nurses and governesses, all of whom had drummed perfect manners into her. She never raised her voice, made a scene or otherwise caused people around her to become uncomfortable. Yet in this moment she wanted to do nothing but shriek at Merry and upend the table of beautiful, tasteless food. None of this was fair, it never had been and it never would be.

“Go away.” She got to her feet and tried to walk away, but her manacled ankles made her stumble and fall into a huge pit of blackness.

Strong arms caught her, and big, gentle hands held her close to a hard-muscled body. She breathed in the scent of darkly sweet lemon, and nearly screamed again.

“Let me go, Healer MacMar,” she said. Although she couldn’t see anything in the darkness, she would not let him manhandle her like this.

“Leannan sìth,” he murmured against her hair, slurring the words. “I forgot as soon as I remembered.”

Duncan began whispering kisses over her face, touching his mouth to her brow and eyelids and temples. His breath skimmed across her throbbing lips as he nipped the side of her jaw, and then her earlobe. He said things to her in another language, one she understood and yet could not comprehend at all, and both made sense to her.

I can’t cry again. If he keeps kissing me this time I’ll give into him.

“Duncan, for pity’s sake.” When he didn’t reply she turned her head away from him. “Please stop.”

“I cannae permit you run reckless through a battlefield such as ours,” he told her. “You cannae heal monsters such as the hybrids. You mustnae sacrifice yourself for my clan.”

“But that’s what you do every day. Why is it right for you and wrong for me?” Light suddenly blinded her, making a whimper escape her as she squeezed her eyes shut. “Duncan, please, I don’t want to dream anymore. I want to wake up. I want to be with you in the real world.”

Even with her eyes closed the darkness seemed to lighten, and when she opened them she saw she was back in the healer’s bed, still chained there. Beside her Duncan lay, his drowsy dark eyes watching her face. He had his hand on her arm, and slid his palm down to the manacles.

“I dreamt we lay together in a night garden,” he told her, his voice husky, as if he’d just woken up like her. “Why did you resist me, even in a dream?”

She knew the answer to that.

“Because you’re in love with me.” Looking into his eyes made her heart melt, for along with his passion she saw sadness and fear, and knew it was all for her. “It’s not your fault. Most men are attracted to me. If I stay around them long enough, that turns to this.”

She heard the chains clink, and then he removed the cuffs from her wrists and set them aside. He pushed himself up, and bent over to do the same to her ankles. The slowness of his movements and the tense expression on his face told her he wasn’t happy about releasing her.

I should climb over him and run out of here and lock myself in my room. Tomorrow he’ll hate me for rejecting him.

Once he had finished, Duncan lay on his side facing her. For a moment she thought he was going to touch her again, but all he did was look at her from head to toe and back again.

“’Twas wrong of me, keeping you here against your will.” He rolled over and sat up with his back to her. “I shallnae interfere any longer. You may do as you wish, Mistress Fairburn.”