He snorted. “I doona think there’s any danger of that, lass.” At but a few inches over five feet, even heavily pregnant, his wife would ne’er be aught but a wee lass in his mind. He pulled her onto his lap and clasped his hands around her, holding her close.

The day was overcast, rainy and chill, a perfect day for a cozy peat fire, and in time, lulled by the combination of the woman in his arms and the comforts of home, he relaxed. He was nearly dozing when Dageus and Chloe finally finished eating and joined them.

Gwen rose from his lap and greetings and hugs were exchanged.

“Silvan and Nell said to give you their love,” Chloe told them.

Drustan grinned, noting that Chloe’s hair was still slightly damp from her shower. So was his brother’s. ’Twas no wonder they’d not come down. Keltar men had a decided penchant for making love in the shower or bath. Indoor plumbing was one of the many luxuries of the twenty-first century that he wasn’t sure how he’d lived without. A shower? Delicious. Sex in the shower? Och, life didn’t get any better.

Gwen beamed. “Didn’t you just love Silvan and Nell? I was so envious that I couldn’t go along and see them again.”

“Nell gave me a letter for you, Gwen,” Chloe said. “It’s upstairs. Do you want me to get it now?”

Gwen shook her head. “Drustan might die of impatience if I let you leave the room. We have news—”

“But first,” Drustan interjected firmly, “let’s hear yours.” He studied Dageus carefully. Though his eyes were the color of deeply burnished copper, the outer edges of his irises rimmed with black, there was a sense of peace about him that hadn’t been there before. Och, aye, Drustan thought, love could indeed work miracles. He had no idea how long they’d spent in the past, but it was long enough that they’d fallen head over heels in love. Long enough that they were united as one against the uncertain future.

While Dageus filled them in on what they’d discovered, he listened patiently. When Dageus told him of the chamber library beneath the study in Maggie and Christopher’s castle, he had to grip the arms of his chair to prevent himself from leaping up and racing off to explore it. To touch and read the legendary Compact, to rediscover their lost history.

Finally, it was his turn to tell the news.

“These members of the Druid sect of the Draghar you spoke of,” Drustan began.

“Aye?” Dageus encouraged when he paused.

“We have one of them in our dungeon.”

Dageus shot to his feet. “How did this come about? Have you questioned him? What did he tell you?” he demanded.