Jacqueline gave him a gentle, reassuring smile and seemed to suck some small measure of tension away. She leaned up, her lips brushing his briefly as her fingers stilled against his cheek. \u201cI wish I could do more.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLater,\u201d he murmured, closing his eyes. \u201cLater you will.\u201d<\/p>\n
She squeezed his knee. \u201cWhy does Brigh\u00edd being so close to the surface in Mar worry you so much?\u201d<\/p>\n
A shiver crept down Phelan\u2019s spine. He slid his arm around Jacqueline\u2019s shoulders, desperately needing the touch of something\u2014someone\u2014warm and real and solid in that moment. She squeezed his knee again and pressed a kiss against his jaw.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d she asked, her voice still quiet, worry starting to bleed in around the edges. \u201cWhy\u2019s that getting you all tied in knots?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe already lives with one foot in the future,\u201d Phelan whispered. \u201cShe shouldn\u2019t have to live in the past, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh.\u201d Jacqueline ran her fingers through his hair, sighing softly. \u201cI\u2014Phelan, I think in some ways, seeing the past through Brigh\u00edd\u2019s eyes gives her some comfort.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt worries me, Jac. I can\u2019t tell you how much.\u201d His arm tightened. \u201cI\u2019m afraid that she\u2019ll lose herself in those memories the way that Ciar lost himself when he was possessed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Marin\u2019s not possessed. She was<\/em> Brigh\u00edd once. You said it yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know I did,\u201d he said, throat tight. \u201cI know that I did, but that doesn\u2019t make me any less worried or make it any less of a concern. And then there\u2019s the question of what could<\/em> be drawing Brigh\u00edd to the surface\u2014like some sort of protective spirit, almost.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCould it be \u00c9riu?\u201d<\/p>\n He\u2019d wondered that before, but shook his head. \u201cNo, I don\u2019t think so. It\u2019s something else\u2014but I don\u2019t know what.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you think she might?\u201d<\/p>\n Lips pressed into a thin, white line, Phelan nodded. \u201cYes. Yes, I think she just might.\u201d<\/p>\n But getting her to tell me will be far easier said than done.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Jacqueline gave him a gentle, reassuring smile and seemed to suck some small measure of tension away. She leaned up, her lips brushing his briefly as her fingers stilled against his cheek. \u201cI wish I could do more.\u201d \u201cLater,\u201d he … Continue reading