“Damnation! I can’t hold onto this cur—”
I shoved my fingers beneath the dog’s fur, straight to the skin. It froze mid-growl and slumped to the ground. James stepped aside, his hand cradled against his chest. Through narrowed eyes, he watched as I thawed Deri’s mark, no doubt scrutinizing my every move for answers. It was done in a matter of seconds, the dog fully restored and bathing my face in kisses.
“That’s enough.” I laughed and pushed its head away. Other than this unique incident, animals were so much easier to work with than humans, never judgmental, nor in need of outlandish excuses to accept my gift.
“How did you do that?”
The frosty words slammed me back into the here and now, much like a snowball to the face. I stood, straightened my skirts, and answered his question with one of my own. “How did you know Deri had been here?”
Anger stirred in his eyes, and I swore I heard his teeth grind together. The dog whined, nudged its nose against my hand for more attention. I ran my fingers over the soft fur, receiving another lick.
James glanced at the dog for a few seconds. “What are you, Miss Kilbrid?”
A defiant line tensed in my shoulders. “Why do you dislike being home so much?”
The blood crept above the white linen cravat at his neck. Not sure what to expect, I braced myself for any manner of possibilities. The anger cooled first in his eyes, replaced by something more calculating.
“May I suggest another approach, Miss Kilbrid? A game perhaps?”
“That’s odd, Mr. Roth. I thought we were already playing one.”
Creases formed at the corners of his eyes from the slightest hint of amusement. “In that case, I propose a different one. More like a game of truth.”
I tilted my head to the side. “Why ever for?”
James smiled and the creases deepened. “It is the only way either of us shall get any information from the other. An orderly compromise, if you will.”
The idea intrigued me. A game of truth...”In the woods so no one will overhear.”
He nodded once and strode past the front gate.
I patted the dog one last time before hurrying to catch up. Across the road, we entered a stand of trees, my skirts turning dark in places from the residual rain that clung to the undergrowth. James stopped in a small clearing next to a stream, which measured no more than three long strides across. Turning toward each other, we faced off like two opponents.
He bent slightly in a sardonic bow. “Ladies first. Ask what you will of me.”
At least the man was a gentleman. “How did you know Deri had been at the inn?”
“I saw her face in your head right after you grabbed my leg.”
My mouth popped open in surprise. That’s impossible!
“I also saw how you healed that dark spot on Anna’s brain and calmed what appeared to be some nerves.” His gaze moved to my forehead as though he were attempting to see inside once more. “A most interesting talent, if I do say so myself. Though after the run-in with that hound in Pennsylvania, I must confess myself not entirely surprised. I knew then you were different. I just didn’t know exactly how much so at the time.”
The events from the stable flew through my mind, one upon the other. The shocking cold...losing my balance...groping for something to hold onto... Oh, heavens above! I had continued to release power from both hands, and as the girl was the greater draw, James had somehow been pulled right into my head.
I shuddered from the intrusion. “That wasn’t supposed to happen.” Until this moment, I didn’t even know it was possible.
He snorted. “Well it did, and now you’re going to explain it to me. I want to know how you were able to do all that to Anna and Sam.”
My mouth pulled to a knot. What to tell him... I had acted to save my life, and once James had experienced my power, Brigid’s law no longer demanded that I keep it hidden. Which might very well explain why I’d flapped my tongue so quickly in the stable—a sudden release from the rules that usually bound me tighter than a swaddling babe.
At this point, all I could do was go forward. James would believe me or not. “It’s a gift from my first mother. I was born from her fire and can heal any living creature, no matter how serious the wound or illness.” I paused to gauge James’s response.
The man’s expression was so blank, the muscles appeared frozen in his face. “I... I don’t understand.”
It would have been a miracle if he had. I glanced at the hand he still cradled against his chest. Blood had begun to coagulate around the puncture wounds that lined the skin. If a picture was really worth a thousand words, James was about to get more than he bargained for.
“Give me your hand.”
He pulled it closer to his chest. “It’s just a dog bite. I’ll have it tended once we return to the inn.”