Page 54 of Nyall

You see? He pulled his arm out of the water to show his friend. Your eyes, they’re no longer filled with lightning, either. Shaw yet lives?

Nyall stood, and turned away. Aye.

Then he’ll recover. From the shaking of his shoulders Jamaran knew to stay back and give him the time to compose himself. Control of the boon, ’tis all you need learn. I shall aid you however I may.

His friend faced him. “And Caroline? Shall I burn her to cinders the next time I take her in my arms? Shall my kiss set her face on fire?”

Now he understood why Nyall feared his strange boon so much. “You’d never harm our lady.”

“Reckon you I wished harm Shaw?” Nyall shook his head. “I lost my temper and almost turned my brother to ash. What shall I do when next I argue with her? When she angers me? When she does whatever she wishes, as always, no matter what I say?”

He knew Nyall would first set fire to himself than risk hurting anyone, especially Caroline or him. Then he understood why his friend kept pushing him out of his thoughts. “Calm yourself. Your màthair wasnae right about you. You’re but a man, no’ a monster.”

“You saw what I may do. Indeed, even now Shaw runs across Caladh away from me. Shaw, over whom no one’s ever prevailed since his return.” Nyall’s expression grew bitter. “Indeed, in the end I may need beg him slay me.”

“No problem.” Footsteps rustled the grass as Caroline stepped out of the shadows, a basket of bread in one hand. “If you really want to die, I’d be happy to kill you.”

Eavesdropping on her men didn’t bother Caroline in the slightest; both of them still kept way too much from her, especially Nyall. Seeing him demonstrate his lightning power for Jamaran had startled her, but his crap about possibly using it on her made her furious. After all they’d gone through, and everything they meant to each other, he was still pushing her away.

As soon as he saw her the captain backed away. “Dinnae come near me, my lady.”

“Why? Are you going to burn my face off tonight?” She dropped the basket and walked right up to him, grabbing his hand and pressing it to her cheek. “Nothing is happening. Well? I haven’t got all night to die a horrible death. Let’s get cooking, Captain.”

“Stop tormenting me.” He pried her hand off his wrist to end the contact. “I spoke of only what may pass, no’ what I wish do.”

“Oh, I get it. You think you might accidentally set me on fire.” She imagined punching him with both fists. “It’s a shame you can’t read my mind, or you’d be running away from me very fast right now.”

Nyall made an impatient sound. “’Tisnae time for jesting, either.”

“I’m not joking. I could seriously kick your ass all the way back to the stronghold for saying such stupid crap. I also don’t torment you. Neither does Jamaran. We’re your friends. You’re my lovers.” She watched his eyes for any sign of the lightning, but the only thing she saw in them was terrible despair. “Come on, what happened with Shaw was probably scary, but it’s not your fault. He got away alive, didn’t he? So you just learn how to control the lightning power.”

“You speak so merrily of what you dinnae understand.” He looked for a moment as if he might grab and kiss her, but then he caught himself and moved back. “Jamaran, take the lady home.”

“No, you don’t get to dismiss us like that,” she said flatly. “Make me understand why you would give up the only two people who will do anything for you. Being alone isn’t any fun for you. Sometimes when we’re sleeping together you put your arms over both of us, did you know that? Like you’re trying to protect us even when you sleep.”

“I cannae protect from me,” Nyall shouted.

Caroline had never seen him like this, and it was starting to scare her. Although she had a whole new appreciation for what Shaw must be going through with his demon, what the captain was doing was the same as cutting his own lines so he could sink alone to the bottom of his despair.

“You have some nerve, you know?” She paced back and forth for a moment, trying to work off a little of her own anger. “You made me trust you, Nyall. First with my safety and then with my body. I’ve never let any man get that close to me, but I believed everything you told me. You turned out to be a liar anyway.”

He rubbed a hand over his face. “Caroline, please.”

“You don’t have any faith in me. You think I’ll fall apart when things get bad with you.” She uttered a brittle laugh. “I was left to die in the ocean by a man I cared about and trusted. I nearly drowned in this bay, too. Believe me, it doesn’t get any worse than that. Also, I can stop time, maybe someday forever. That seems a lot more dangerous than your lightning bolt thing. But look, I’m still here. I’m not crazy. I’m making a life for myself.”

“So you should, without me.” His shoulders hunched. “You dinnae ken the madness in my blood. Whether you care or no’, I shallnae risk harming you again. ’Tis over between us, my lady. I wish you and the commander much happiness.”

She watched him stalk off, and imagined going after him. That would only make things worse, and in the end this demon was his to fight, not hers. Not yet, anyway. When Jamaran came and put his arm around her she leaned against his shoulder and sighed.

“If I throw a big rock at the back of his head, would that kill him?” she muttered. “No, then Duncan would have to fix him, and end up with a massive migraine.”

“Our captain’s facing his worst enemy,” her lover said, his tone soft and thoughtful. “His hatred of himself.”

“He hates himself so much he just gift-wrapped and handed me to you? I’m betting it’s not that simple. There’s more he’s not telling either of us.” She turned to face him. “How much do you want to bet he comes over to my cottage later to sneak a peek in the window to see if we’re consoling each other?”

He released a sad chuckle. “’Tisnae a wager I’d make.”

“You really are a decent guy, commander.” She touched his arm. “Don’t worry. We got him into bed with us. We’ll help him get through this, too.”