Part 50 (1/2)

”Good-bye, Baleweg.”

He nodded to her as the triangle slowly shrank, swallowing him up on the

other side. And then it blinked away. And she was alone. In her own bedroom, staring at her own ceiling.

”I'm back in Kansas, Auntie Em,” she whispered. Then she rolled into her

pillow and sobbed.

Chapter 25.

Archer felt Catriona's hand go limp in his. ”No, dammit! Stay with us. You've got a family to fight for now.” Sweat ran from his brow even as his heart pounded in a primal thump of joy at the sound of the new prince testing out his remarkable lungs. He'd never witnessed anything so miraculous in his life.

But he had little time for awe. Right now their focus was on the baby's mother. He and Niall thought they'd lost her earlier when the contractions had moved so close together she seemed to be almost wrenched from her own body. And then there had been a sudden calm and she'd gained steady ground right up until the baby had pushed its way, squalling, into the world.

”And what a world it is, mate,” he murmured as he watched Niall do his best to clean the babe with his s.h.i.+rt. Archer had cut the cord with, of all things, Beatrice's old fis.h.i.+ng knife. He'd gotten used to carrying it concealed on his body and almost forgotten that he still had it on him. The sight of it had wrenched at his heart as he thought of Talia, but the knowledge that she was, hopefully, safe at home with Baleweg allowed him to focus on the more serious problem at hand. The babe appeared healthy enough, but Catriona's pulse was thready and Archer feared she'd lost consciousness.

”Cat!” Niall cradled his son and tapped at her cheek, kissed her lips, then her hands. ”There's work left to do, Cat. I know you want to hold your son. Come on, love.”

Archer had never felt so helpless. The miracle of birth was quickly overshadowed by the specter of death. He pushed to a stand and once again searched their cramped prison cell for any means of escape. Although he feared it was too late now. Too late for Catriona, and her son if they found no way to feed him.

The Dark One had traveled them back in time, very far back, not forward as Niall had hoped. They were still in the castle, only it was hardly more than a tumble of stones, an unoccupied ruin. The lower dungeon held them fast with no chance of escape. He thought of Talia again, terrified at the thought that Emrys had left them here to seek her out.

He swore under his breath at the memory of Emrys's delighted recitation of his grand game. Even now Chamberlain was implementing a worldwide manhunt for the queen and her kidnappers. However, he would be the one to return with her body, and now her son's... as well of those of her killers, all of whom were slain in the rescue. The murderers being Niall, the father of her b.a.s.t.a.r.d child, and Archer, the man who'd do anything for a price. All he had to do was wait for them to die and Emrys to deliver their corpses to him. The Dark One found the whole charade vastly amusing.

What worried Archer was what Emrys's motivation might be. He wasn't in this for whatever measly royal powers Chamberlain could bestow on him after he took over the Dalwyn throne. No, he had something else in mind for himself. Some other twisted little amus.e.m.e.nt. And Archer was desperately afraid it involved Talia. What other target did he have left if his real goal was to get at Baleweg?

Then another thought occurred to him. If Catriona and her son died, that left only Talia with Dalwyn blood in her. Royal blood, and therefore a claim to the throne. Would she know that? And if so, would she try and stop Chamberlain?

Archer doubted that Chamberlain would believe the connection, although he supposed the DNA tests that proved it to Catriona could be used to prove it to the kingdom.

Would she do something so foolish as to risk herself for a family she no longer had? ”Dammit, I should never have left her behind.” Even as he said the words he realized that if she had come with him, she'd be stuck here, left to die, as well. He had never been one to pray, but he prayed now, prayed that Baleweg would have the sense to hide her somehow, anywhere where Emrys would leave her alone.

His heart constricted as he was forced to face the harsh and painful reality that there might be no such place. His only real hope was that Emrys because bored with this game and moved on to some other demented pursuit, forgetting all about Talia Trahaern.

”I'm losing her!”

Before Archer could cross the room, a triangle began to open in front of him.

He flung himself toward Niall, the baby, and Catriona, fearing that Emrys had come back to speed things up a bit.

But it was Baleweg, pale and exhausted, who stumbled through the triangle.

Archer swung around just in time to catch him as he teetered forward. The

buzz he usually felt when he touched the old man was barely a hum as he cradled him in his arms. ”Baleweg.”

”I made it, then?”

”Yes. Where is Talia?”

Baleweg looked at him. ”In Connecticut. Resting. Healing.”

Archer swore loudly. ”No! Emrys has left us here; I'm certain he's off to find her.”

Baleweg, even as weak as he was, shook his head. ”No. He will come to me.

This time he will see it finished.”

”We must get Catriona and the baby out of here,” Niall demanded, his son setting up a squall again. ”We must get her to the future. I've seen proof that there is a cure.”

Baleweg struggled to his feet. ”The babe,” he whispered in awe. ”Then he's arrived.” A smile briefly touched his lips. ”Talia did it, then. She'll be so pleased.”

”Did what?” Archer stood even as Niall remained crouched by Catriona's

body. ”What did she do?”