Page 60 of Wine & Warlocks

“You’re forgiven, son. I understand tough choices, and you’re wedged tightly between a rock and a hard place.” Alastair met his gaze with a direct look. “All I know is what Alex has told me. I didn’t ask, because I’d have been tempted to alter the situation to suit myself, and I’m trying to trust the process for once.”

“You—”

He held up a hand to silence Ronan. “I’m an empath, and the emotions in this room are overwhelming, to put it mildly. On top of that, I’m worried about the safety of everyone present. My son-in-law’s included.”

Once Alastair made it clear he didn’t have a hidden agenda, Ronan felt like a fool for his rare bout of temper. But the other man’s understanding smile said he was willing to forgive.

“Let’s not keep the Aether waiting,” Alastair suggested as he placed a hand on both his and Dubheasa’s shoulders.

They arrived in the rose garden seconds later.

With infinite patience, Damian gestured to a stone-slab bench. “Dubheasa, if you will.”

Casting one last glance toward Ronan, she smiled softly and complied.

“Don’t be alarmed by the next step. I need to raise the standing stones for this process,” the Aether explained.

Within seconds of him lifting his arms, palms up, the ground around them shook violently. One by one, pillars split the earth and rose until they encircled the altar, towering over their small group. Fourteen standing stones in all.

Walking to the closest, Damian traced the ancient symbols as he spoke the words to illuminate the etching. Latin, if Ronan had to guess, but unintelligible from this distance.

Joining Dubheasa in the center of the circle, he clasped her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Impressive, yeah?”

“I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The awe in her tone made him smile. “Prepare yourself, love. Our future holds a lot more of this type of excitement.”

As she soaked it all in, she laughed her delight, and Ronan logged another beautiful moment. “I have to admit it’s fascinating in a way computer science can never be,” she said.

“There’s a science to magic,” Alastair told her from the other side of her stone perch. “When all this is over, Damian can teach you, as he’s been teaching Ronan.”

“I’d like that, to be sure.”

The Aether joined them, and his expression was as severe as Ronan had ever witnessed.

“Is this too dangerous for her?” The question popped out before he could stop it, and the panicked quality in his tone caught Dubheasa’s attention.

She hadn’t let go of his hand, so she gave a little tug. “It’s going to be all right, Ronan. No matter the outcome, it’ll be okay.”

“I can’t lose you.” His voice was as rough and raw as his battered soul. “I’ll not survive it, Dove. I won’t want to.”

Her soft smile was full of love and understanding, and it was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

“You won’t get rid of me that easily, Ronan Fucking O’Connor.” Her dark brows shot up in challenge.

Her stubbornness alone almost made him believe, but the little voice in his head was screaming a warning on repeat. Some instinct had him turning to look at Damian. Guilt, or something similar, came and went so swiftly in his friend’s expression that Ronan wasn’t positive he’d witnessed it.

“Promise me, if this fucking mission goes sideways, you’ll get her out,” he ground out.

“I promise to get you both out,” Damian replied, and the sincerity in his voice struck a chord in Ronan. “We’re out of time. The stones are supercharged and ready to go. Decide now if you want to do this.”

Dubheasa spoke for them. “Do it.”

CHAPTER26

She hadn’t expected the pain.

It felt as if her skin was being peeled back and her insides were being removed excruciatingly slow with a pair of tweezers. Agonizing and time-consuming was the magic-removal process, and if she never experienced it again, it wouldn’t hurt her damned feelings.

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