Page 103 of Shield of Fire

“And?”

“It’s now well beyond anyone’s reach.”

“Good. At least that’s one less thing for you to worry about.” He paused again. “Where are you now?”

“Ireland, but we’re heading for the airport in a couple of minutes.”

“Do you need a ride home?”

I hesitated. While there was a part of me that wanted to do nothing more than to go home and contemplate Cynwrig’s sudden distancing, in truth it didn’t really matter. Besides, Eljin and I definitely needed to spend more time together if we wanted to discover if this attraction had any sort of legs. We couldn’t do that if I kept making excuses.

“I promise to take you straight home,” he continued into the silence, “no passing go, no detours for hot sex?—”

I laughed. “Fine, you can pick me up and take me home?—”

“My home, or yours? Because I promise on the soul of my sainted mother to do nothing more than feed you and let you sleep.”

I laughed again. “I need fresh clothes for an appointment I have in the morning, so it’s probably better if you come back to mine for a change. I have to warn you though, my bed’s proportions are far smaller than yours.”

“All the easier to cuddle you close, my dear.”

Cuddling would eventually lead to other things, and we both knew it. I told him where to meet us, and we chatted for a while longer before I reluctantly bid him goodbye and got ready to leave.

Cynwrig met us in the foyer and led us out into a covered area where two cars waited. A chauffeur waited beside the rear door of the first, but we were led across to the second. Lugh jumped into the front seat as Cynwrig opened the rear door for me. He appeared very distracted and even more distant than before. He didn’t kiss me or even bid me goodbye. He simply gave me a nod, closed the door, and walked over to the other car.

While I wondered if something had happened in the brief time I’d been unconscious, it did go some way to hardening my resolve to concentrate more on my relationship with Eljin even if I wasn’t yet ready to give Cynwrig up.

But that time would come, and probably sooner than I might have guessed only days ago.

When we finally arrived back at Deva’s small airport, Darby and Eljin were standing side by side chatting. She was a typical light elf in look—tall and slender, with long pale gold hair platted into a thick rope that ran down her back and eyes the color of summer skies. Her features were sharp but ethereally beautiful, and every movement was lightness and grace. She and I had been friends since school, and I couldn’t imagine life without her in it. Having her as a sister-in-law would be the icing on the cake, as far as I was concerned.

“I see you’ve introduced yourselves,” I said with a grin.

“Indeed,” she said, eyes twinkling mischievously, “and I highly endorse your latest selection of lover.”

“Are they always so open on these matters?” Eljin said to Lugh in a bemused sort of way.

“Oh, it gets far worse,” my brother said. “Every detail, no matter how intimate, is fair game in their discussion books. You get used to it.”

I grinned and hooked my arm through Eljin’s. “It just means you have to bring your A game. No slacking off, or it will be discussed.”

“To reiterate, that’s not an idle threat.” Lugh’s gaze met mine, amusement and love gleaming. “Do you want me along for support tomorrow morning?”

“No, I’ll be fine. Besides, you’d better make an appearance at the museum before they think you’ve hightailed it and stop paying you.”

“Unlikely, given they will not easily get another antiquarian with my sort of experience.” He cocked an eyebrow at Eljin. “No offense meant.”

“None taken. I’ll willingly admit I’m not half the field hunter you are, nor do I ever want to be. I prefer my comforts.”

Lugh grinned and patted his shoulder. “A few hunts with me, and you’ll see the light, lad, I promise you that.”

“Says the old man to the much younger one,” I said dryly. “I mean, there’s all of, what, five years between you?”

“Seven,” Eljin said. “And it’ll take longer than that to convince me into any more wretched tunnels or boring old digs.”

“Was Rogan aware of this field reluctance when he hired you?” I asked curiously. “Because a fair chunk of Nialle’s work involved physical hunts.”

“He was,” Eljin said. “But I think he was desperate to fill the position and, like Lugh, was convinced my mind could be changed. I assure you, it cannot.”

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