Page 26 of The Darkest Knight

Chapter Eleven

Tammie glanced between the worn book resting on her lap and the cell phone buzzing insistently on the side table, its happy ringtone jarring against the quiet of the room. Her eyes narrowed when her mother’s name flashed across the screen. She held her breath, tension coiling in her chest, and exhaled in relief when the ringing stopped. No message. Her mother’s silence didn’t fool her—she knew it was only a temporary reprieve. The inevitable conversation loomed, thick with unanswered questions.

Since Gwen had come to Scotland, her mother had voiced that she’d prefer it if Tammie not go to Scotland. Then when Sabrina had gone, she’d actually demanded it. Why had her mother been so adamantly opposed to her traveling to Scotland? And what did that cryptic mention of her fate mean?

She couldn’t run from it forever, not when the answers mattered so much. Still, facing her mother over a video call felt hollow. Tammie wanted to see her in person, to gauge her reactions, though she knew how well her mother could mask her thoughts. Frustrated with her own hesitation, she grabbed the phone, considering calling back—until voices in the hallway interrupted.

Niall’s unmistakable deep timbre rumbled through the corridor. “Aye, everyone is fine. Padraig and Liam are both well.”

It had been several days since she’d last seen him. Unable to resist, she rose and moved toward the library door. Niall and Tristan were walking toward the sitting room, their strides confident, purposeful. Her heart stuttered as her gaze fixed on Niall’s broad shoulders, the effortless strength in his movements. Almost as if he sensed her presence, he turned, his stormy grey eyes locking with hers, intense and unreadable.

“Hello, Tamara.”

The men paused, waiting for her to join them. Flanked by their imposing forms, she felt dwarfed, yet not threatened—just more aware of Niall’s presence in a way that made her pulse quicken.

Once inside the sitting room, they waited for her to sit. She chose a loveseat, hoping Niall would sit beside her. He did, though he left a careful space between them, a distance she wanted to close.

Tristan poured himself a drink. “What could possibly interest Meliot in that particular border region? There’s nothing there but a simple village.”

Niall shook his head, and for the first time, she noticed a faint bruise along his jawline. Concern flared.

“What happened?” she asked, leaning toward him.

“We fought alongside Atlandia’s warriors to defend the village from an attack.” His voice was steady, but he avoided her gaze.

“Are you all right?” She reached out to touch his face, but he pulled back, evading her hand.

“I’m well.”

She frowned, withdrawing her hand, irritation flickering in her chest. “Your charming personality seems to be intact, at least,” she muttered.

Tristan cleared his throat. “I will leave you both to talk.”

The moment he left, Niall rose and moved to the window, his back rigid, his focus on the world beyond the glass. Something in his posture made her chest tighten—distance, isolation, a quiet pain he refused to share.

“The sky is different in the other realm,” he murmured, as if speaking more to himself than to her. “More purple than blue. Any day now, three moons will grace the sky and remain for several weeks. Padraig’s enchantment is tied to that.”

Tammie stepped closer, curiosity piqued. “How many moons are there normally?”

“Two, most nights. Sometimes three suns during the day, depending on the season.”

“And yet, it’s a frozen land? How does that work?”

“Only certain regions are frozen. Where we lived, the weather was much like here.”

She moved to stand beside him. “How are the three moons connected to Padraig’s enchantment?”

“That’s for Padraig to explain, not me.” He didn’t turn, his voice distant. “I’d rather not get it wrong.”

Frustration simmered beneath her skin. She turned to face him directly, determined. “Fine. Then let’s talk about you.”

“There’s nothing to discuss.”

Her jaw tightened. “Can’t you try, for once? You mentioned something about a family. What exactly are the terms of breaking your enchantment?”

His lips pressed into a hard line, and she knew that look—he wouldn’t talk. But she couldn’t back down now.

“Niall, for the love of God, can’t you let someone in? Let someone help you?”