“We don’t need to let that happen. We can use it as a lure. Once she’s out in the open, the police will catch her, take her into custody.”
Dilys smiled in a maternal way as she had what now seemed like eons ago back in the cottage. “If it were only that simple, dear Jordalyn.”
“It can be.”
“No. Yer heart is there, Jordalyn. You are on the brink of understanding that this extends beyond the realm of the rational, are ye not?”
She wanted to say no. She wanted to say that this horrific crime was a police matter, nothing more, nothing less.
“If Alfred could, he would end this himself. It is his place. But he cannot.”
“Cai doesn’t want Alfred to die feeling he’s failed.”
“Neither do I. But I am afraid that Malacai can only finish this if he believes.” She walked over to Jordy. “He must believe, in his heart, or he will fail.”
“He wants to. I want to. But it’s not that easy. You can’t just say to yourself ‘believe this’ and, bingo, that’s it.”
“Look around you, Jordalyn. What do ye think this place is?”
“I—I don’t know. Show me the Dark Pearl,” Jordy said suddenly.
Dilys shook her head. “I cannot.” She lifted a hand at her protest. “It is no’ because I doubt yer intentions with it. It is simpler than that. Ye will no’ see it if ye dinna believe in it.”
“Show it to me. If I see it, then that will be proof enough that I truly believe, will it not?”
“The time will come. Go back to Master Malacai. He will be needing you shortly.”
“We won’t fail him, Dilys,” Jordy said, holding her direct gaze. “Whatever it takes, we will do it.”
Dilys nodded. “I believe ye mean it. If willingness were only enough.”
“If Alfred is going to—If this is the end, don’t you think you should be in there as well?”
“I am doing what I must, what he has asked of me. We have made our peace.” She nodded. “Go on.”
Jordy went back inside the bedroom. Cai still sat on the bed, Alfred appeared to still be sleeping. Cai reached for her hand as soon as she stepped close enough.
“Is he okay? Has he said anything else?”
“He’s sleeping.”
She slid her arm around Cai’s shoulder. “Dilys thinks the time is soon,” she said quietly.
Cai only nodded.
“I asked to see the Pearl.”
Cai said nothing, his attention remaining on Alfred.
“She wouldn’t show it to me. She said it can only be seen by those who believe.” When Cai still said nothing, she said, “I asked if they knew Margaron was here. Dilys knows where she is, Cai.” She felt him stiffen. “I told her she had to tell us, but she won’t.”
“The police cannot be of help to you in this.” Alfred’s weak voice got their abrupt attention.
“Grandfather,” Cai said. He stroked his forehead. “Just rest.”
“There is no time to prepare you, Malacai. You have not the power, but you must wield the Dark Pearl for me.” His hand fluttered against Cai’s. “I will be there, in spirit, guiding you. You must listen.” His eyes opened. “You must believe. You must!”
“I will.”
“Do not placate a dying man, Malacai.”
Abashed, Cai opened his mouth, then closed it again.
“Dilys will show you, will teach you the words. But without belief, the Pearl will not exist for you. Trust in it, Malacai.” His grip tightened. “Trust in me.”
“I do trust you.”
“You love me. It is why you did not tell me of Margaron’s evil.”
“I do love you, more than anything.”
“Then let that love expand, Malacai. Let it expand into a place where rational ideals are no longer the only truths. Where anything is possible.”
“I want to.”
“It is the legacy I leave you, it is all I am, all I have lived for, beyond you. Do not fail me, Malacai. For you are the hope of the future.” His voice broke and Jordy felt Cai’s breath come in heavy gulps.
He leaned down and kissed his cheek. “Please know that you have done everything right by me. You have been everything to me. I love you.”
“I have done what I have done. I hope it will be enough. It is now up to you.” He looked past Cai to Jordy. “And to you.”
She came closer and sat on the bed, stroking her hand over his forehead and hair. “I’m here, Alfred. I’m here.”
“I love you both. Do not forget, you are the future. Conquer Margaron, then fulfill that future promise.”
Tears on their cheeks, they could both only nod.
“I will always be with you. Believe that, and you will hear me when you need to.” Alfred smiled then, his gaze fixed on some spot beyond them. His gaze remained fixed there, his smile beatific, even as his chest stopped rising and falling.
Jordy’s heart shattered as she watched Cai’s face crumple. He laid his head on Alfred’s chest and wept.
THIRTY-FIVE
Alfred was buried three days later in a small cemetery in Anglesey, near what once was his home. Cai had thought to bring him back to Florida, to bury him with his son, but Dilys had intervened, saying it was important that his remains be buried where he was born. She’d insisted that he not be interred near the stone house, for she didn’t want the property in the public spotlight.
She had gone to a nearby town and contacted a coroner who had come and silently taken care of moving Alfred to Anglesey. Cai and Jordy hadn’t questioned her choice, figuring as long as she trusted the man, they should as well.
Dilys had apparently chosen wisely, because no word of the other residence had appeared in any of the news stories. And there had been many. All had said he died in Anglesey, near where he’d been born.
The funeral had been private, but the media had picked up on it almost immediately. While he wasn’t keen on the intrusion, Cai was glad to see Alfred get his due respect from his peers. Most of the news stories were reverential, glowing tributes to his remarkable career.
Most of them. More disturbing was the fact that Isolde had passed away the same day as Alfred. Several less respectable media sources had enjoyed making much of the irony of two life-long foes passing on the same day. No mention was made of any family attending Isolde’s funeral. Cai tried to ignore that as much as possible.
He and Jordy were packing the things they’d bought for the funeral in preparation for returning to the stone house.
Alfred was gone.
Cai was still coming to terms with the void. It had been easier when there had been plans to make and paperwork to file. Now Cai had to face what came next.
“I’m worried the media will follow us,” Jordy said.
“I’ve been thinking about that, too.”
Another ugly result of the publicity surrounding Alfred’s death was Kuhn finding out. He had tracked Cai down at their hotel and after delivering a perfunctory platitude on his grandfather’s passing, began a blistering lecture on not alerting him to their plans. Cai had delivered one right back, putting the question to Kuhn as to why his task force hadn’t been able to follow up on the lead the deliveryman no doubt been able to provide. In clipped tones, Cai was informed that the young man hadn’t survived to be taken into custody and questioned. Apparently, he’d opened fire on the agents during the chase and had been gunned down in the battle. Kuhn then informed him that he was coming to Wales and demanded Cai make himself available for questioning.
Cai had told Kuhn exactly what he could do with his questioning, following that with a detailed description of what he thought of his skills as a Special Investigative Agent, then very satisfactorily hung up on him in mid-tirade. For that reason alone he was glad to be going back to the stone house. There were no phone lines there.
He wasn’t certain he was ready for the rest of it.
“I’m hoping the media won’t be interested now that the funeral is over,” he said. �
�Maybe we should return to Mrs. Evans’ first, get our stuff.” They’d called her the day following Alfred’s death and filled her in. With a grimace, Cai recalled how she’d twittered on about how delighted she’d been to find she’d been housing a celebrity but how sorry she was for his grandfather’s passing. She kindly told them she wouldn’t be charging them for their room and they could retrieve their belongings whenever they wanted. Cai imagined she’d be dining out for years on this story, so he accepted her hospitality with a polite thank you.
“I’ll go tell Dilys we’re almost ready,” Jordy said.
Cai caught her hand before she could leave and pulled her to him. “I know I’ve been swallowed up in the arrangements for the funeral and I haven’t said much, but I want you to know how much it has meant to me that you stood by me through all this.”
She looked surprised. “Of course I would.”
“There’s no of course about it. I’ve been difficult and hard on you. Not everyone would have stayed.”
She grinned. “I’m not everyone.”
There was no truer statement than that. He tugged her close. “I’m not sure how I would have dealt with all this if you hadn’t been here.”
“You would have handled it, Cai.”
“Maybe.” He grew serious. “If you want to go back to Crystal Key, or even home to Virginia, I’ll understand.”
“Is that what you want?” She looked insulted. And hurt.
He felt only relief. “No. I don’t want to let you out of my sight.” Ever.
She tensed at that. “Are you still worried about me? Because you have enough—”
“I’ve been numb for the past three days. I do worry about you. Until this whole mess is taken care of, I don’t think that will stop. But that’s not the only reason.” He wanted to tell her how he felt, that he was falling in love with her. Had already fallen.
“Well, I’m not going anywhere, you can stop worrying.”
“Good.” He held her more tightly. “Good.” It had been an emotional week for them both. Now wasn’t the time for declarations of love. She was here and she was safe. For now, that would have to be enough.
“Unless you want Dilys to claim the driver’s seat,” she said, “we’d better get downstairs.”
“Thank you for that, too.” At her questioning look, he said, “Making me smile. It feels good.”
She reached up and kissed him. “Yes, it does. Alfred would approve.”
Dilys didn’t waste any time once they returned to the stone house. She settled them in a room not far from Alfred’s massive chamber and instructed them to come downstairs at five for supper. After that, they’d begin.
Neither of them had asked begin what.
After a supper of wine, cheese, bread, and soup, the latter prepared on a black iron coal stove in a kitchen only slightly less massive but far darker than the one back on Crystal Key, they ascended the stairs and walked the long hall back to the set of double doors.
“We must begin right away. These past days were spent revering the dead, as must be, but if we are to truly honor himself, we must now work ever harder to attain our goal.” Dilys went around the room and lit the sconces. The yellow haloes illuminated the room, but didn’t reach beyond the catwalk above their heads. “Sit there,” she instructed, motioning to two stools near a table, cluttered with books.
They sat.
Dilys explained again about the role of the Keeper. Cai did his best to open his mind and try to embrace what she was saying as the truth. Even sitting in this remarkable room, it was difficult to grasp. A quick look at Jordy proved she wasn’t having as much difficulty.
“Tomorrow morning, we will go over the steps you must take if you are to overcome Margaron. The time is drawing close I’m afraid. The confrontation is unavoidable.”
“Do you think she knows we are here, in this house?” Jordy asked.
Dilys nodded. “Of that, I am certain.”
Cai’s skin prickled at her admission. Despite his loathing of law enforcement at the moment, he was tempted to find some way to contact the special agents on the case here in Britain. If Margaron was close, then how hard could it be to trap her? He schooled himself to be patient. All he had to do was go along with Dilys, follow her directions. At some point, it meant dealing directly with Margaron. That was all he needed.
Dilys pinned him with a dark look that had him straightening in his seat. “Do nothing foolish, Master Malacai. You would not dishonor your grandfather.”
“No. Of course not.”
She stared at him a moment longer, then waved her hand. “Off to bed with ye, then. Breakfast is at eight. We will work the rest of the day.”
Relieved, Cai slid from his stool and walked with Jordy to the door. He was looking forward to curling up in the massive bed in their room. He desperately needed to lose himself in her.
“Ye’ll need yer strength, Malacai, so make certain you sleep as well.”
She couldn’t have possibly read his thoughts, but his face colored nonetheless. “Yes, ma’am.”
Jordy woke first. Cai was sprawled facedown next to her, gloriously naked with his hair tousled on the pillow. She stroked a gentle hand down his back and reveled once again in the night they’d just shared. He’d been so needy and yet he’d done most of the giving. She loved him.
The revelation rocked her and yet she shouldn’t have been surprised.
With slightly trembling fingers, she continued to trace the path of his spine. So much had happened to the two of them in such a relatively short time, perhaps she was confusing empathy—and incredible sex—for love.
But she didn’t think so.
Love.
In love. She grinned, wanting to hug the feeling to herself, revel in it for a while without examining it.
Cai didn’t stir. He was exhausted. He’d held it together incredibly well over the past few trying days, dealing with everything, and then the press as well. She’d been very proud of him, but she worried, too. Despite what he’d said in Anglesey, he’d closed a part of himself off from her. It was understandable with everything going on, but she’d still worried that he’d continue to pull away. Last night that had changed. He’d been more open with her than ever before.
In love. Was there a chance he felt it, too?
She couldn’t sit still, but she couldn’t disturb him either. He needed the rest.
She slipped from the bed, shivering even though the floor was covered with a thick rug and a fire still burned low in the grate. She dressed quickly and went downstairs, thinking she might help Dilys prepare breakfast.
There was no sign of her in the kitchen. Jordy thought she’d surprise them both and begin breakfast herself, but she had no idea how to use the stove. It couldn’t be too complicated if she could just light the coal. But there were no matches about.
She wandered back to the grand foyer and peeked in the two rooms that were connected to it. Both had high ceilings, though nothing like Alfred’s chamber. One was lined with bookshelves, but they were empty, as was the room, save for the rug on the floor and the heavy drapes on the tall window.
The other room had a large, bare fireplace and a grouping of furniture in the middle of the room, all underneath white sheets. It struck her then that the place wasn’t dusty. If this was where Alfred had spent his time before coming to Crystal Key, than it had been closed up for twenty-some years. Jordy went to the window and pulled the draperies back. She gasped at the sight before her.
The sun was coming up over the mountain peaks. It was dazzling red, making a gorgeous backdrop to the pristine white snow that lay beneath it. She grabbed her coat from the rack in the hallway and slipped outside. It was freezing and she thought about going back in, but the sunrise was too beautiful to be viewed behind the thick, wavery panes of glass.
She wandered up a small footpath to the left of the house. The house was close to the peak and if she got to the top, the view would be spectacular.
The w
ind bit at her cheeks and ears and she flipped the collar of her coat up, then stuck her hands in her pockets. It was worth it. This sunrise was like a new beginning.
She thought of Alfred and the pain was still there. She missed him terribly, ached that he’d never see her dragon, that they’d never again walk in his gardens.
But when she looked at this sunrise, she wondered how many he’d seen, perhaps from this very spot, and she felt close to him again, as if he were right there next to her.
“I knew you’d come.”
Jordy whirled around so fast she almost lost her footing. A woman in a dark cloak stood not ten yards away.
“Who are you? Where did you come from?” Had she been so caught up in her thoughts she hadn’t heard her approach?
“You know who I am.” She stepped closer. “You shouldn’t have left his side, you know.” Her eyes glowed an unnatural shade of bottomless black. Her mouth curved in an evil smile.
Evil. A sick ball of fear formed deep in Jordy’s gut. “Margaron.”
THIRTY-SIX
Cai sat bolt upright in bed. Disoriented, coming out of a deep sleep, it took him a second to process what had awakened him.
He was alone.
“Jordy?”
No answer. The space next to him was cold. A look at the clock told him the sun had barely risen. She was probably downstairs talking to Dilys. Or, knowing Jordy, snooping in Alfred’s chamber for the Pearl. That latter thought should have made him smile.
But it didn’t. He’d smile again when he found out where she was.
He was pulling on his pants when there was a banging on his door.
“Master Malacai, come quick.”
Dilys sounded frantic. Even more so than when she’d come to fetch them back to Alfred’s side.
He flung the door open. Dilys’ white face only jacked up his fear. “What is it? Where’s Jordy?”
She clutched his arm. “Why did ye let her leave yer side? Oh, Master Malacai, she’s got her, too. Dear merciful God.”
His heart plunged to his toes. “Who has her?” he choked out. But he knew. It was what had woken him up.
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