waited.""Prince?" Archer said. Very interesting. He'd wondered if the queen had perhaps been impregnated by a commoner, thereby giving up her son's right to the throne if word ever got out. But young and perhaps foolish as she was, she was not stupid.

The young man nodded. "The second son of King Jorik. I've known Catriona since we were children." The young man's expression hardened. But it was the honest fear Archer saw in his eyes that held him still. "I know she believes I abandoned her, but I have not. We argued when she learned she was ill. We had differing ideas on how she should care for herself. But I never gave up on her. I have spent these past months looking for a cure." His jaw tightened mutinously. "I will not let her die." He looked past Archer's shoulder. "Or our son."

Niall looked to Archer. "Please allow me to pa.s.s. There is much we must discuss. Stay in the room if you must, but I must speak with her before it is too late."

Archer turned to the queen. She nodded warily. But she also didn't try and get Archer to leave, either, which calmed him. She was aware of the danger and he silently applauded her resilience, even in the face of this new, emotional twist. To that end, he remained near the door but within easy reach of the young prince.

"I didn't leave you, Cat," Niall said softly as he approached the bed. "I told you I was going for help."

"Just as I told you there was no help. Where I needed you was by my side."

"To sit by and watch you die?"

Catriona turned her head away and Archer went to remove the young man, but Marietta held his arm. "Please, give them some time." She tugged at his arm and he bent down. "He brought help with him. I think he has honestly found the miracle we have prayed for."

Archer went on full alert. "Help? As in a doctor? Or medicine? What?""I'm... I'm not sure he's a doctor."

"Where is he?" Archer was already pushing past her, heading to the door. Had Chamberlain somehow gotten to the young prince? Had he totally misread the situation?

He was stopped at the door by the queen's voice. "Archer?"

"I'm going out to talk to the visitor your young prince brought with him." His tone sent an unmistakable warning.

What he saw was the prince's hand grasped tightly in the queen's hand. Tears

still wet her cheeks, but from the look in her eyes, he guessed that they were tears of hope.

"Please show Dr. Denby in," she commanded.

"Your Highness, allow me to just-""It may already be too late, Archer. Please, I can't waste time. If what Niall says is true, I still have a chance."

Niall took her hand and kissed it. "We. We have a chance, Cat."

"I must at least talk to him. Hear him out. Please, Marietta, show him in.

Archer, you can stay right beside him the entire time."

Archer swore under his breath. He'd never seen the queen so hopeful. And

perhaps he was on instinct overload after listening to all of Baleweg's mumbo jumbo about dark forces and unknown powers. Still, when the older man stepped into the room, Archer moved to stand directly behind him... and remained less than a hairsbreadth away.

"That's close enough," he said, when the man had barely entered the room.

Then he remembered the shield Marietta had activated the first time he'd brought Talia here. He turned to Marietta and motioned her close.

She smiled. "Already done." She opened her hand slightly to reveal the

activator.

Archer realized they'd effectively sealed Niall in with Catriona, but he honestly believed the young man to be exactly what he claimed to be. Any

fool could see he was completely besotted. He'd have to be blind not to notice that the queen had similar feelings.

The doctor turned to him and put out his hand. "Good day, I'm Dr. Denby.

Must you stand so close?"

Archer grinned and ignored the outstretched hand. "h.e.l.lo. Make one false move and I'm your worst nightmare. And yes, I really must."

The doctor swallowed visibly, then smoothed his white hair. "Yes, well, I

suppose you can't be too careful these days, hmm?"

"No, you can't."

The man's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed once again and nodded.

Archer looked closely into the older man's faded blue eyes, but he saw only

what one would expect to see from a slightly rattled guest to the queen's

private quarters.

The doctor turned to the queen and cleared his throat. "Your Highness." He bowed somewhat awkwardly. "Thank you for allowing my presence. I believe I can help you. In fact, I know I can."

The queen said nothing and remained regally still. Archer noted that she still held Niall's hand, rather tightly, but despite the fatigue and pain, she projected her most royal, controlled self.

"Tell me exactly what it is you think you can do for me.

He glanced nervously at Archer, then took a tentative step forward. Archer moved with him, despite the presence of the shield.

"I... I know of a new technique that can repair the cell damage and reverse the corrosive decay that is ravaging your immune system."

Catriona's eyebrows lifted dubiously. "I a.s.sure you, Dr. Denby, that I've seen every specialist there is. Along with every quack. I have no doubt I have exhausted every possible solution available."

"But there is a method-""I've heard of several controversial methods of treatment, all of which place my unborn child in immediate jeopardy. I will not risk him, not even to save myself. If that is what you are here to offer, then you can save your time and mine."

"You are far enough along to deliver with some degree of hope for his

survival, are you not?"

"I am not willing to induce labor early in order to give myself treatment." She

raised her hand to still his reb.u.t.tal. "And I will be frank with you, Doctor. At this stage I do not think I'll survive the delivery to seek treatment afterward."Niall looked at her, taking her hand in both of his. "Cat-"Still the queen, she cut him off, but with honest emotion in her eyes. "Niall. I know this."

"The method I am talking about should not jeopardize your child," the doctor explained.

"How is it we have not heard of this procedure?" She turned to Niall. "Did you

find him off-Earth? Because I've had my consultants look to every plausible

advanced society and the only methods they had were extremely questionable."

"Gat, I know you're going to find this somewhat hard to believe, but I've seen it firsthand." He looked to the doctor and then to Gat. "He's from the future."

As soon as Niall said the words, Archer realized they'd all been set up. There was only one person who could have taken Niall to the future. And it wasn't Baleweg. But the realization came a split second too late.

The triangle had already opened beside Niall. And it was on the other side of the shield. The doctor smiled then, his blue eyes twinkling. A cold chill shot down Archer's spine. The disguise had thrown him, but he recognized those blue eyes now, just not the demonic light behind them. Emrys!

"Shut it down! Shut down the shield!" Archer shouted to Marietta, who was already punching at her device.

"I'm trying! The b.u.t.tons are stuck!"

Archer had already palmed his gazzer and was diving toward the doctor, belatedly remembering to grab for the orb in his pocket.

The doctor walked right through the shield, but it held fast for Archer, his speed bouncing him off it, and knocking the blue stone from his hand. It rolled across the floor, far out of reach. There was no time to go after it. He could only hope he'd held it long enough to signal to Baleweg.

"Gall the guards!" he commanded as he rolled to his feet.

Emrys turned and smiled at Archer. "Your worst nightmare?" he taunted, his voice sounding much, much younger, even though he still looked like the

elderly doctor. He tipped back his head and laughed. "You haven't had yours yet. But you're about to."

And then it was as if the triangle were sucking them into it, with a force of its

own. The Dark One lifted a hand toward Niall as the young man charged him, sending him flying back against the shield. "Don't waste your time. Join your lady love there. You're about to take a trip."