"Where are you off to?" Baleweg asked.

"Why on earth would you care?" He sneered. "Archer says, Archer says. Well, he of little brain is not all-knowing. I have many grand adventures planned and none of them concern you. I will be perfectly happy to never see you again. I've tired immensely of our little game of cat and mouse. You'll not be

seeing me again for quite some time, though I daresay that won't bother you as you go back to your yawningly dull little existence."

"It is rather dull, isn't it."

Emrys said nothing, but neither did he move away. And Archer knew he

wouldn't. He was finally getting what he'd always wanted. Baleweg's full

attention.

Baleweg took his time, fulfilling the role of the reluctant parent all too well. If the situation hadn't been so serious, Archer would have been amused as he watched the war wage behind those blue eyes.

Finally Baleweg sighed, as long-suffering a sound as Emrys had made earlier.

Quite grudgingly, he asked, "I don't suppose you'd like some company on your next adventure?"

Emrys's eyes, an exact copy of Baleweg's, narrowed. "What manner of trick

would this be?"

"No trick. Perhaps I am tired of living a shrouded existence. Perhaps I should try to spice things up a bit. See how the other side lives."

Emrys laughed. "I seriously doubt my pursuits would be of any interest to

you."Baleweg merely raised his brows. Challenge issued... and accepted. "Why don't we find out? Then perhaps you can try on one of my rather tedious little adventures of the mind."

Emrys examined his nails and Archer felt himself relax. Emrys was well and truly caught now. His interest was piqued. He was indeed nothing more than a very spoiled child, albeit one with dangerous powers, who'd been doing anything and everything to get the attention of the only person in his life who could possibly understand him. Baleweg, a man with pent-up jealousies who had hidden himself away instead of confronting them, burying his head in the sands of his studies... and thereby provoking Emrys on and on. It was a vicious circle, the cycle of which might never have been broken if they hadn't been finally forced to confront one another. Archer only wished they could have done so without putting an entire kingdom at risk.

Not that he thought it would all be resolved so easily. But, at the very least, Baleweg could watch over the devil rather than leaving him to his own devices. And perhaps the old man would learn that there was more to knowledge than what could be found inside his own head.

"I suppose we could try," Emrys said finally. "But one little squeal from you,

old man, and phht, I'm gone."

"We'll see what the future holds." Baleweg turned to Archer, then looked back to Emrys. "Would you mind if I spoke to young Archer here in private?"

Emrys huffed, but opened a triangle behind him. Archer moved forward, alarmed that perhaps this had all been an elaborate charade. He wouldn't put it past Emrys.

"I'll be back," Emrys said, then sneered. "And don't worry, hunter. I hate

Connecticut in any time."

Archer felt like collapsing with relief. He was surprised to find a very stern Baleweg when he turned around. "Don't give me that look. I just saved your a.r.s.e, old man."

"And set me on a course I'm not so certain I like."

Archer shrugged. "I didn't force you to make that offer."

Baleweg said something that actually sounded like a curse under his breath.

Archer would have grinned, but he had other concerns on his mind. "Do you

think he meant it? He'll leave Talia alone?"

Baleweg nodded.

She was safe. He leaned his head back against the wall. Thank G.o.d. So he had

no right to feel cheated. No right to feel sorry for himself. This was what he'd

wanted for her all along. A safe return home for them all.

Safe. He remembered then what Baleweg had started to tell him earlier. 'You meant Talia was the one who gave you strength against Emrys, didn't you?"

Baleweg nodded.

"But didn't you say she was almost killed trying to help Catriona and helping

you find us?"

"But she is a woman with an immense heart. I told her she had done her best,

that it was my turn to fight. I should have known she wouldn't be able to stand back and do nothing."

Archer grabbed his robes. "Is she okay?"

Baleweg smoothly released himself from Archer's grip. "I imagine she is very,

very weak. But yes, I think she's okay.""You think?"'You could go find out for yourself."That stopped him. "Don't bother playing matchmaker. Talia is back where she belongs. I'm sure she'll meet someone who can keep her safe and warm."

"You can walk away so easily? It is you that she loves."

His heart stopped.

"Her connection with Catriona may well have saved that baby's and the young

queen's life. But I couldn't connect with you through all that. It was her

connection with you that did it. She had to surrender her heart to do it."

He felt as if Emrys had sent him into the wall again, headfirst this time. "She did?"

Baleweg nodded. "I promised her that her questions would be answered."

Archer slumped back then. He should have felt an overwhelming joy and relief that there was even a slim chance he'd see her again. But how on earth

could he ever walk away from her if he knew that she felt for him what he felt for her?

"All that talk about heart. Now it's your turn to tell her. You owe her that

much."

He was right. She was home, in Connecticut with no idea what had happened to them all. He owed her a proper good-bye, even if it killed him.

"And, of course, I a.s.sume you'll want Ringer back."In all the tumult, Archer had actually forgotten about his little mate. "Where is he? You didn't leave him-"

"I left him in very good hands." Baleweg smiled.

Archer swallowed hard. "Talia has him?"

He nodded.

"What, you didn't think I'd go back so you put an insurance policy in place?

What if I decide to just leave him with her?" He didn't say he'd already thought about that anyway. Ringer had never been happier than when he'd been in Connecticut. With her.

And he couldn't deny he had ever been, either. Dammit.

"Okay. I'll go back. But just so she knows what happened and to say a proper good-bye."Baleweg said nothing, merely gave him that wise look he'd grown to... Okay, so he didn't mind it as much these days.

"What about the queen? What if Talia wants to go back to court?"

"I'll arrange whatever you wish."

Archer fell silent then. "I can't believe I saw a life come into this world today."

Baleweg merely nodded. "A miracle every time."

"Do you think they made it?"

"I'm sure they did all they could."