My legs gave way and I slumped to the floor, too numb to go on. Duncan’s gorgeous yet tortured face appeared before me. His brown eyes held an unrelenting agony at the thought of his beloved home perishing. The hard set of his jaw conveyed his determination to save his world. His mouth clamped tight against unspoken fears that he might fail.
All he’d ever wanted was to serve his kingdom, his king, and his Protector. He’d told me so at Muir Lea. Yet for me, he would walk away from his heart’s desires. How was that fair when I couldn’t—no, I wouldn’t—do the same for him? He deserved better: a long and happy life with someone who shared his ideals. Not some girl who insisted on putting herself first.
Grains of sand continued to drop and shred my insides as I prayed for Duncan and Fiona’s Protector to work a miracle. Please save him, I begged. If you rescue him, along with his king and country, I’ll give him back to you. I’ll give him up forever. I promise!
A gentle whoosh resounded in the hall, followed by a blast of cool, dank air on my face. I blinked my eyes open to absolute black. The breeze that’d come out of nowhere had gutted the candles and left me in darkness.
Was this the universe’s way of telling me to give up? Why would the Protector of Doon extinguish what little light I had? Wasn’t light synonymous with hope? And Divine promise?
Please …
My hand began to tingle. I watched a shimmering green flame dance in the emerald of my ring as amazement stirred in my chest. With each passing moment, Uncle Cam’s ring grew brighter. As the glow expanded to light the room, a great and terrible knowledge settled over me. The curtain had not closed on the final act. The plot still contained a few twists, and there was magic yet to do. In the grand scheme of the universe, my own dreams meant nothing; the only thing that mattered was saving those I loved.
CHAPTER 36
Veronica
The stone felt cold and slimy beneath my fingers as I made my way down the passageway. To calm my nerves, I counted steps as I went. Twelve … thirteen … fourteen. The stairs funneled down in a tight circle. Moving silently, I descended into complete darkness. Eighteen … nineteen … twenty.
I wouldn’t allow my imagination to form pictures of what I would find. Instead, I concentrated on keeping my balance and counting—as if my life depended on it.
Twenty-six … twenty-seven … twenty-eight … twenty-nine … Whack!
I pitched forward, hitting something solid with my shoulder. Belatedly, I realized the steps had ended. My pulse pounded in my ears as I explored the barrier in front of me. It felt like wood, warmer than the stone but still slick with damp. Images of spindly legged spiders dropping on my head and rabid, hungry rats milling about my feet almost paralyzed me. I opened my fist, and the red light of my ring erupted, illuminating a crude wooden door—thankfully, no spiders or rats were in sight.
With trembling fingers, I lifted the heavy wrought-iron lever, cringing as a squeak echoed through the corridor followed by a soft, creaking moan. The door opened about a foot and stuck, forcing me to squeeze through the opening. Flickering torches lined the stone passageway that led to another windowless door at the far end. On tiptoes, I jogged toward the end of the hall as every instinct within me screamed in warning.
I put my ear to the wood, held my breath, and listened. Nothing. I braced for the screech of metal on metal, but this door didn’t make a sound as I slowly inched it closer to me.
Pressing my spine against the gritty wall, I peered through the opening. A single candle flickered in the far corner of a small, cell-like room. I blinked against the shifting light, sifting through shadowy details. A bare cot … a wooden table … Jamie!
He was bound to a chair, his head resting on his chest. Was he unconscious, or was I too late? All thoughts of caution gone, I pushed into the room and ran toward him as his eyes rolled open.
“Stop. ’Tis a trap,” he groaned.
Heedless of the warning, I ran forward. But just before I reached him, something slammed me back against the wall. I hit so hard, my legs collapsed, sending me to the floor.