Page 5 of The Darkest Knight

Chapter Three

Tammie pulled out a small backpack she’d grabbed from Gwen’s room earlier and began looking around the room deciding what to take. Was the alter-world cold or warm? Did she need to bring sweats or shorts?

Where was Gwen? Her older sister had traveled to the alter-world when rescuing her handsome husband, Tristan.

No sign of anyone approaching, so she settled for a pair of worn jeans and a t-shirt and stuffed them into the pack. She went to the small bathroom and grabbed toothpaste and a toothbrush. After a few minutes she decided to grab a deodorant and a small bottle of body lotion.

Tammie walked back into the bedroom and screamed, dropping her toiletries in her fright.

Niall stood by the bed, glaring down at the backpack.

“You actually meant to come to the other realm?” he asked in deep, heavily accented Scottish tones.

“Y-you startled me,” Tammie stammered, crouching down and picking the dropped items off the floor.

He opened the backpack and peered inside. “How long were you planning to stay? You are not packing very much.”

His clothing that consisted of a tunic and leather pants, was interesting. Somehow, his way of dress suited his wide-shouldered, well-built frame. Then again, the man would look good in just about anything.

She shoved the toiletries into the backpack. “As long as it takes to convince your stubborn self to tell me what the terms of breaking your enchantment are.” Tammie jutted out her chin and looked up at him.

“That is not enough clothing for two hundred years.”

“You do realize that the sooner we break your curse, the sooner Padriag can be rescued. Not only that, but then the others can go on with their lives.” Tammie let out a slow breath before continuing. “Don’t you think it’s time for everyone to be happy?”

“Yes. I do.” His brows drew together, his lips pressed into a tight line. When they locked gazes, Tammie was the first to look away. “Do you not have a husband you should be with?”

“I am not married,” Tammie replied. “But I do not plan to stay here trying to help you for two hundred years. Besides, at the most I have about sixty years tops left to live.” She snorted at her joke.

He scowled, but did not say anything.

“Do you have a lover?”

Interesting that he’d ask that. “What difference does that make?” Tammie sat on the edge of the bed and frowned. “I do have a man in my life. His name is Gerard.”

“Return to him and leave me. I am where I want to be.”

“Really?” Tammie asked and glared up at him. “You want to stay in that place? All alone without your friends? You want to give up on ever having a family, a normal life?”

The storm in his eyes made her wish she’d not spoken. He’d had a life, a family, and lost it all.

“My reasons are my own. I know what is best for me. There are things that even breaking from the enchantment would not change about my life.”

Tammie found herself at a loss as to how to help him. “Have you explained to the others why you don’t want to leave? Because honestly, I don’t get it.”

“No. There is nothing to explain.”

Stubborn, stubborn man.

Tammie decided to change tactics. “What about Padriag? What if his enchantment terms are tied to you?”

“I doubt it. The conditions of his enchantment have nothing to do with me.”

“Has he told you the terms of his enchantment?”

His nodded. “All of us know the rules for breaking his enchantment by heart. The lad never stops talking.”

Tammie smiled. “I have not met him. He sounds nice from what the others say about him. Can he leave the enchantment and appear here?”