“That’s all I’ve ever been called, other than Miss Kilbrid.” A small memory poked its way forward. “Well, except when my older brother, Sean, was still alive. He preferred Sabie as a nickname for Selah Elizabeth.” My face tightened from the unexpected confession. Sabie. For the past three years that name had remained tucked away. “But that was a long time ago,” I murmured.
Embarrassed, I dropped my eyes to my lap and my hand resting in between his. He wore a gold signet ring on his fourth finger, with a sunken seal of a lion imposed over the letter S. The beast leaned back on his hind feet, forefeet in the air, and its tail raised. A small piece of red wax clung to its ear.
Julian pressed my hand, and his warmth infused my skin. “I’d not dare impose in a brother’s place.”
I lifted my gaze and looked at him in earnest. “A cousin then, and I insist you call me Selah.”
He chuckled. “A cousin will do fine.”
Just then, the most exciting idea popped into my head. “London is only half a week’s journey from Ireland. There must be loads of our kind living in the city.”
“In the months I’ve been here, I’ve discovered two score who share a similar surname. Of those, none are aware of their true lineage.”
I frowned at the news. “Please tell me there’s an altar in London at least.”
“At present, I know of only one in all of England, and that’s on my father’s estate. But in addition to my search for descendants, I have been working in earnest to locate other passageways. So far, most of my leads have come to naught, though there is one that shows promise. If the legends hold true, it was opened for the first leath’dhia to leave Ireland, a young woman known as Caitria Ni Brid.”
“Caitria, daughter of Brigid,” I said, translating the Gaelic surname. “I’ve never heard of her before.”
“It’s an ancient name, so for all I know the altar may have been destroyed ages ago.” He looked at me for a moment. “Selah, how long has it been since you’ve been to the Otherworld?”
“Eighty-seven days,” I answered without hesitation. “I tried to conserve my power during the voyage, but the storms were relentless and sailors kept getting hurt. It was my duty to help them...” My words trailed off as I considered the odd prickling sensation while healing Henry’s hand.
“Yes?” he prodded.
“Did your mother really almost die when she was barred from the Otherworld?”
“She told me herself what happened while I still lived in France. Healing was in her nature and keeping her away was akin to taking away the very nourishment she needed to survive. Once she depleted her power from the Otherworld, she had to draw power from her own life in order to continue healing. She knew it was slowly killing her, but she refused to turn anyone away no matter the danger.”
Understanding came quickly, as did a tight knot in the middle of my chest. “Brigid warned me of the same thing during our last visit. Until now though, I had no specifics other than death would occur over time, depending on the circumstances.”
We fell silent for a moment, and I wondered just how long it would be before I drew upon my own life to help another—if I hadn’t done so already.
I sighed. “Our first mother can be frustratingly vague at times.”
Julian responded with a mirthless laugh. “And sparse. I’ve not seen her for almost a year, otherwise I would have just asked about Caitria’s altar instead of searching every nook and cranny in London for it.” He pressed my hand again. “Selah, I promise to devote my time in finding the location of this newest lead. But if it proves a dead end like the others, you must consent to come with me to my estate and enter the Otherworld from there.”
“Oh, yes,” I said, nodding eagerly. “I would like that very much, and I’m sure Henry would be more than happy to accompany us.”
A shadow crossed Julian’s face. “Does Henry know what you are?”
“Of course,” I said. “He knows everything.”
Julian studied me for a moment. “From my father I learned that even men of honor can go back on their word. Though you have chosen to trust Henry, I must ask that you not tell him about me.”
“But Julian—”
“I insist that you respect my wishes.” He paused as though searching for the right words. “And I would prefer that he does not join you at my estate. It will be too difficult to keep my identity secret with us running off together into the woods. Can you do this for me?”
I hesitated, knowing that Henry would never stay put in London while I went off to another man’s estate. Unless I lied about my destination, and even then I doubted he would willingly stay behind.
“Please, Selah,” Julian said, his eyes pleading with me.
Against my better judgment, I nodded again and felt Julian’s hands tighten around my own. “Then it is all settled.”
The French doors swung open, and I glanced over just as Nora came into the drawing room, followed by Henry and James. “You won’t believe who I found on the front step,” she started, then seeing Julian seated next to me still holding my hand, she came to a sudden stop. “Oh, my...”
James looked from me to Julian. “Should we come back at another time?” he asked, obviously delighted by the awkwardness of the situation.