Page 29 of Wine & Warlocks

“I believe you,” she said softly. “I trust you, Ronan O’Connor. Probably more than I should, considering our families’ history.”

“Thank you, love.” His relief was palpable, and he drew her into a tight hug. Biceps like small tree trunks crushed her to him, but he loosened his grip as soon as she shoved his chest.

She placed her hands on her hips and scowled. “If you’re after suffocating me instead, I’ll not be happy.”

His grin didn’t happen often but was a thing of beauty when it did, and Dubheasa caught her breath at the sight of it. The world fell away as their gazes locked, and in her heart of hearts, she knew he didn’t have it in him to betray her.

“I’ll never hurt you, Dove. You know I don’t make war on women and children. But even if I did, I’d never be able to double-cross you to such a degree. You’re the other half of my soul, you are.” He cupped her cheek. “And without you, I’m naught but a broken husk.”

“Feck, O’Connor. You’re making us weep, you are.” Eoin winked at Dubheasa. “If you don’t marry him, I will.”

The devilish sparkle in Eoin’s eyes tickled her funny bone, and she shouted a laugh. Her twin had been her staunch supporter in all things, and he’d die to protect her, as she’d die to protect him. But Eoin could read people’s true intentions. Perhaps it was the watchful artist, or maybe he had a deeper ability to separate the wheat from the chaff, but Dubheasa trusted his instincts. And if he was encouraging her to claim Ronan for her own, then she’d listen and be happier for it.

“That’s a fantastic idea!” Brenna said. Her enthusiasm caught the group’s attention, and more than half looked at her as if she’d lost her fecking mind. With a laugh, she shook her head. “Not in the way you think, but as Dubheasa’s stand-in for the fake wedding. If Eoin is in danger, my Siren will come out and annihilate the threat. It’s doubtful Loman would stand a chance against her.”

“The plan has merit.” Castor studied Brenna an extra moment, then faced those at the table. “And I’ll be there. So will my son. If anything goes sideways, it’s possible the two of us could reset time.”

“Wait! What?” Quentin pushed off the wall he’d been holding up. “What do you mean by reset time? As in, create a new timeline? Because that doesn’t always work so well.”

“No. I mean reset thecurrenttimeline.”

A deep frown drew Quentin’s brows together. “We can do that?”

“We’re Travelers. Our talents are many.”

“How did this never come up before now?”

Castor shrugged. “We never needed to utilize that type of power before. And I didn’t necessarily say wecoulddo it. Simply that it’spossiblewe could do it.”

Quentin scowled. “So you’re making shit up now?”

“No,” Damian said, coming to his friend’s defense. “A pair of previous Travelers were able to reset time a little over a century ago. They, too, were related. Alexander is merely suggesting since it was done once before, you might be able to do it as well should the need arise.”

“That’s all well and good for the Travelers of the past, but since neither of them is still around and we don’t have the spell to pull it off, it’s a moot point, isn’t it?” Quentin reached for a finger sandwich from the tray Bridget held out. After thanking her, he shrugged at the Aether and popped the entire thing in his mouth.

“It’s eerie how much he resembles you,”Dubheasa told Ronan through their connection.

“I like him better for it.”

“Who said we don’t have a spell?” Castor cast his son a smug smirk, to which Quentin rolled his eyes and picked up another sandwich.

“Do you or don’t you?”

“Actually,youdo, Quentin,” Damian responded for Castor with a hint of a smile. “In the ancient grimoire you possess.”

“And you know this how?”

“I was the one who encouraged the previous Travelers to reset the world’s timeline.” Damian’s reply was succinct.

With a sharp look at him, Bridget sat down. “Sure, and why would the world need resetting?”

“It’s too long a story, but like Loman O’Connor, another became too big for their britches and wreaked havoc upon the magical world. The Authority was forced to step in.”

“But they aren’t now?” Dubheasa shook her head. “How is this so different if Loman is possibly killing other witches to amass power?”

“I don’t know that it is, Ms. O’Malley. But if we use the time-reset option moving forward, we’ll need to keep it amongst ourselves. Without permission from the Authority or the Fates, we all face dire consequences for our actions,” Damian said.

He didn’t look thrilled by the prospect.

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