No one could remember when, exactly, the portal had been discovered, but many marked its existence occurring when the old deities, the Tuatha De Danaan, went to the Underworld for the final time. They caused such a tear in the opening of this world that it could not quite close, and lest someone attempt to follow them, they created a portal that would send any quester across time, unbidden, and completely out of control, so as to never disturb the Tuatha again.

Finding the portal was one thing; knowing what to do with it, how to harness its potential was another task all together; a task that had begun long since anyone could remember, carried forth by Lachlan's mother and her apprentices, and now, by Lachlan himself, though he had vowed never to set foot into the portal himself, he was the overseer of the Sacred Place, and it was his decision who would go. Maeve knew why he pushed so hard; partly because of what they knew was coming, and partly because of the loss of his mother so many years ago.

When he was younger and not as wise as he was now, he had boasted that he would be the one to enter the portal and learn its secrets. When his mother died, and he went charging into the forest after her, Birch had barely managed to stop him and tell him his mother's last wish: "Promise never to allow my son to follow me," she had said to Birch just before going through. "He does not have what is needed to be a successful quester." Those were the last words ever spoken by the great Druid priestess.

Birch had kept his promise, and Lachlan had searched for the right individual who had what his mother possessed. He'd found Quinn, who had yet to come back. Maeve had found Cate, and in time, they had feverishly trained her.

And now, time was running out.

180 *181.

"When was the last time you bought or smoked?" Dr. Dunbar asked. He wore those goofy black-rimmed gla.s.ses that were back in style and they sat upon a bulbous nose that was pink at the end.

Jessie counted back on her fingers. "Five months ago."

Dr. Dunbar looked up from his file. His face registered disbelief.

No surprise there. He cleared his throat and ran a hand through jet black hair that looked as if he had cut it himself. "Then why are you here now?"

"I jumped bail on another psych visit."

"Because?"

"Because I don't need therapy and I had better things to do."

"Such as?"

Gee . . . like traveling through time. "Meeting new people. Of course, my folks don't approve of my new friends, even though one of them is seventy-something."

"Really? Why do you suppose that is?"

"Honestly? Because Tanner wears a studded leather jacket, which makes him a stoner in their judgmental Christian eyes, and Ceara wears gypsy clothes and reads palms and tarot cards for a living." Jessie shrugged. "I suppose being h.e.l.l-bound disturbs them a bit."

"You don't agree with your parents' religion?"

"I don't believe in being so G.o.dd.a.m.ned judgmental, no. Ceara is one of the most fascinating people I have ever met. So what if she reads tarot cards for a living?"

"And what does that make her in your parents' eyes?"

"A cuckoo. Look, Dr. Dunbar, I'm here because I'm a victim of my parents' misconceptions and erroneous prejudgments of people they do not know. I haven't smoked weed in five months because I am through with that phase of my life. It's a go-nowhere, do-nothing place that is a draino. The only problem I'm having is finding someone who will believe me."

And so the session went. When it ended, Dr. Dunbar said, "I know it's hard to believe at times like these, Jessie, but your parents really are *

180 *181.

on your side."

"Oh really? Is that why they believed an eleven-year-old stoner over me?" Jessie held her hand up. "Rhetorical. I already know the answer."

How long would she would have to play these games with her parents and these shrinks? After all, time was of the essence, and she had so little of it to waste.

"Let me ask you this, Doctor: if someone you loved was in danger and you knew it was within your power to save them, would you let anyone stand in your way?" Before he could answer, Jessie held up her hand to stop him. "No questions, no shrink response. Just give me your honest person-to-person answer."

Dr. Dunbar set his chin on his hands. "I doubt that I would, no."

Jessie nodded. "Thank you for that."

"Is someone you love in danger?"

The question grabbed hold of Jessie's heart and she realized what she had said when she posed the question. Someone was in danger, and yes-yes, she loved them both.

She leaned forward on his desk, her brow furrowed. "Okay, since I'm here, let's make the most of this, shall we? I want to talk about self-love."

Dr. Dunbar removed his elbows from the desk and leaned back.

"That's a good place to start."

Smiling, Jessie nodded. "Yes it is."

Watching Maeve and Lachlan walk away was one of the hardest things Cate had ever done. For the last nine years, she and Maeve had been inseparable, and though most people believed their relationship was one-sided, Cate knew better. Maeve had come for her, yes; for her and no one else, and once she had found her, she had never let her go.

Until now.

Now, when the time of reckoning was so near, Cate understood why she needed to stay behind, but that hadn't made it any easier to let Maeve go. Even though she was with Lachlan, he was a man of peace, with very little warrior within him. He could not wield a sword *

182 *183.

like she could; he did not have it in him to kill another man, and that worried her.

Still, after the vote, Lachlan and Maeve left for the hills, leaving Birch in charge of the necessary ceremonies and rituals. Birch was a good man, a strong priest, and a loyal friend. He would make sure all that was needed was met, and that their people were properly protected by the G.o.ddess.

"Watch over them," Cate murmured as she turned and started for the portal.

"Cate McEwen!" Birch called out to her.

Cate turned. "Sir?"

"Before you go, I'd like a word or two with you if you don't mind."

Cate walked over to Birch. In the last year, his hair and beard had turned completely white, but his blue eyes sparkled from beneath his furry white eyebrows. "Did you know that I'd give anything to be going with you?"

Cate nodded. Birch had been in love with Lachlan's mother many, many moons ago, and though he had lost her, he had never stopped loving her and had been a chaste man since her death. "I do, Birch."

"We need what Maeve and Lachlan are sending you for, that much I do know, la.s.s, but we also need you to return. We canna keep losing our folks to that thing."

Cate put her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "You won't lose me, Birch, I'll be back."

"Well, I do not rightly know what transpires in that portal of yours, but I do know there are dangers involved-deadly ones. You must be ever-vigilant, ever-cautious and ever-mindful that you are never the one in control. Do not forget, not even for a second, that the Tuatha created the portal. They control it, and they will do whatever they please with those arrogant enough to enter it."

Cate nodded. She had always known how afraid Birch was of the portal, but he had never deigned to speak of it until now. What did he know that he wasn't sharing with her?

"I shall be very careful, Birch. I have no desire to leave this life *

182 *183.

sooner than I ought."

"Good. Then think with a clear head, do not push the G.o.ddesses to act, and, most importantly, know your limitations. It was Lachlan's mother's greatest mistake not knowing her own weaknesses. Do not follow suit."

"I won't. I swear."

Birch leaned upon his walking staff, a gnarled old oak branch with Ogham carved on one side. "Tell me then, what weakness of yours could bring harm to you?"

Cate inhaled deeply. She knew the answer to that question as easily as her own name, but how could she put it into words? "You know the answer to that, as surely as you knew why you did not follow her into the void."

"I did not follow because she bade me not to. She was not a woman a man wished to anger."

"You stayed to care for her son, which you have done well. She risked all she had to find answers to save those she loved. I can do no less. The G.o.ddess has chosen me and I will not shirk my duty out of fear."

"Then the answer to my question would be what?"

Birch never, ever let you escape without naming a thing. "Love, Birch. My greatest weakness is love. Love sends me into a place that could take me away forever."

"And what, do you suppose brings you back?"

"That same love."

"Then it is both your greatest weakness and your greatest strength."

Cate thought about this before nodding. "It is a double-edged sword, yes."

"Good. Perhaps that is why the G.o.ds have chosen you. When one understands both sides of a sharp sword, one is less likely to be killed by it. Go now, and G.o.dspeed. I shall guard the entrance as I once did so many years ago, but Cate McEwen, you must swear to return. I do not think my heart could stand to lose another to that accursed portal."

Cate stood on tiptoe and kissed the old man's cheek. "I promise."

184 *185.

With that promise on her lips Cate entered a world that had changed since her last visit. The murky mist that typically enveloped her was gone, replaced by something more ominous. Something had happened to Jessie since their last visit.

Stepping back out of the portal, Cate shook her head and tried to collect her thoughts. What was happening to Jessie? Was she in some kind of danger? As Cate stepped further away from the portal, she watched it shimmer like a liquid mirror until it congealed again and ceased its movement. Her head hurt. This was new.

Had Birch known? Why was Jessie so hard to reach? Why did everything feel so closed up and dungeon-like? What was happening on the other side of time?

Cate sat next to the portal and considered going back and trying again. Perhaps . . . if she could go when Jessie was asleep . . . perhaps they could manage another conversation. She had not ever considered the possibility of something happening to Jessie.

Cate rose and she began pacing. She realized with complete clarity what was happening to her, and it was slightly alarming: Cate McEwen cared about the life of Jessie Ferguson. If Jessie was in trouble and needed help . . . then Cate was going to give it.

And it appeared she was just in time to do so.

They heard the hooves pounding long before they saw them. Too late, Lachlan and Maeve tried to make it back into the embrace of the forest, but they were cut off by a squad of Roman sentries patrolling the marshes.

"Should we split up?" Maeve yelled at Lachlan as they ran through the woods. Branches lashed at their faces, but did little to slow them down.

"I'll not leave you to face them alone," Lachlan shouted back.

"Then stop running."

"What?"

"We cannot outrun them, Lachlan. It would be better to turn and face them."

184 *185.

Lachlan immediately stopped, and turned to take Maeve's hand.

Together, they stood waiting for the sentry commander to ride up to them. It felt as if the forest itself were waiting to see the outcome.

"Shall I weave a mist?"

Lachlan shook his head. "If they know what we are, they will surely kill us."

"They may do so any way."

"I do not want you to risk it, Maeve. We must act like we are not what we are."

A guard astride an enormous silver beast brought his steed to a stop and glared down at them. "Only Druids could run through a forest this dense without stumbling or falling. Who be you?"

Lachlan and Maeve said nothing.

"Speak!" he commanded in an awkward, unfamiliar Latin tongue.

"We may, indeed, be as you say," Maeve answered, "But we'll not discuss this with an underling."

The guard glared at Lachlan as if Maeve had not even spoken.

"What kind of man allows a woman to speak for him?"

"It would depend on how wise the woman was," came Maeve's retort. To Lachlan's surprise, she spoke the Roman's language. Was there no end to the things this woman could do?

The other seven sentries behind him chuckled at this. The commander motioned to one of the men, who hopped off his horse and tied Maeve's and Lachlan's hands behind their backs, and slipped a noose around Lachlan's neck.