hands, shifting herself away from him. "No, I am not. But I think the place I come from doesn't exist, at least not yet."
More nonsense. He must remember that she'd somehow injured her head. "I see."
"No." Her tone was sharp, echoing in the confines of the cave. "You don't see. I am farther than mere miles from my home. God!" She shook her head, the motion sending her hair flying wildly. "Now I'm even talking like you."
"Calm yourself." Taking her arm, he guided her to where his saddle blanket still lay, spread on the ground near the fire.
"Come, sit and have some bread. You will tell me all you know of this Roger."
Reluctantly, Megan allowed him to lead her over to the fire. She didn't know what to do. He wanted to know about Roger, but anything she could tell him would seem like the ravings of an insane lunatic. Roger drove a silver Porsche 911, lived in a tony North Dallas house, and preferred to have his suits custom made. He loved football, especially the Dallas Cowboys, and enjoyed finding small ways to torment her. Lately he graduated to bigger and bigger torments. The last time, he'd given her a black eye and a broken rib when she'd refused to change her will, making him her sole beneficiary.
The thought sobered her instantly. Maybe she was better off here, for now. Safer, at least. She'd been a fool to think Roger would let her break their engagement. No doubt he would kill her if she returned.
She shivered. She was safe, for now. Right now Roger had no idea where she was. He'd been walking toward her, the sky had been that particular Texas shade of brilliant blue, then bam! She'd been transported somehow to the winter in some godforsaken place, attended to by a Conan the Barbarian look-alike who honestly believed he lived over nine hundred years in the past.
It was hard to decide which was worse.
This Kenric meant to help her find Roger. Though in truth she had no desire to ever see her former fiancee again, this task was all she had to keep Kenric with her. Perhaps somehow, he could arrange it for her to return home. Though how, she wondered, was he going to take her across time? Yet she knew if she mentioned that little fact to him, he would truly believe her mad.
At this point, she wondered it herself.
"I am waiting." With the tone of a man used to being obeyed, Kenric spoke. Still, he made no move to hurt her, reminding her that not all men were like Roger.
"Roger." She said, thinking back to what little she knew of medieval culture. If she remembered right, it was not uncommon in those times for a bride to know little about her husband before the wedding. She could use this, make it work for her, because what she knew of Roger she couldn't tell this man. He'd never understand.
"Roger is wealthy." She told him firmly, deciding to tell as much of the truth as possible. "I have known him all of my life."
Kenric cocked his head, his gaze considering. "And what value does he place on you?"
It took her a moment to realize what he meant. "He loves me very much." She said, gagging on the lie. She felt a pang of sorrow for the fool she had been.
Raising her eyes, she found Kenric watching her.
"What is it?" His voice, though soft, seemed edged with steel. "What brings such fear and sorrow to your face?"
Startled, both by the way he'd been able to read her so correctly, and that he even cared, Megan swallowed.
"Nnnothing."
For the space of a heartbeat she thought
More nonsense. He must remember that she'd somehow injured her head. "I see."
"No." Her tone was sharp, echoing in the confines of the cave. "You don't see. I am farther than mere miles from my home. God!" She shook her head, the motion sending her hair flying wildly. "Now I'm even talking like you."
"Calm yourself." Taking her arm, he guided her to where his saddle blanket still lay, spread on the ground near the fire.
"Come, sit and have some bread. You will tell me all you know of this Roger."
Reluctantly, Megan allowed him to lead her over to the fire. She didn't know what to do. He wanted to know about Roger, but anything she could tell him would seem like the ravings of an insane lunatic. Roger drove a silver Porsche 911, lived in a tony North Dallas house, and preferred to have his suits custom made. He loved football, especially the Dallas Cowboys, and enjoyed finding small ways to torment her. Lately he graduated to bigger and bigger torments. The last time, he'd given her a black eye and a broken rib when she'd refused to change her will, making him her sole beneficiary.
The thought sobered her instantly. Maybe she was better off here, for now. Safer, at least. She'd been a fool to think Roger would let her break their engagement. No doubt he would kill her if she returned.
She shivered. She was safe, for now. Right now Roger had no idea where she was. He'd been walking toward her, the sky had been that particular Texas shade of brilliant blue, then bam! She'd been transported somehow to the winter in some godforsaken place, attended to by a Conan the Barbarian look-alike who honestly believed he lived over nine hundred years in the past.
It was hard to decide which was worse.
This Kenric meant to help her find Roger. Though in truth she had no desire to ever see her former fiancee again, this task was all she had to keep Kenric with her. Perhaps somehow, he could arrange it for her to return home. Though how, she wondered, was he going to take her across time? Yet she knew if she mentioned that little fact to him, he would truly believe her mad.
At this point, she wondered it herself.
"I am waiting." With the tone of a man used to being obeyed, Kenric spoke. Still, he made no move to hurt her, reminding her that not all men were like Roger.
"Roger." She said, thinking back to what little she knew of medieval culture. If she remembered right, it was not uncommon in those times for a bride to know little about her husband before the wedding. She could use this, make it work for her, because what she knew of Roger she couldn't tell this man. He'd never understand.
"Roger is wealthy." She told him firmly, deciding to tell as much of the truth as possible. "I have known him all of my life."
Kenric cocked his head, his gaze considering. "And what value does he place on you?"
It took her a moment to realize what he meant. "He loves me very much." She said, gagging on the lie. She felt a pang of sorrow for the fool she had been.
Raising her eyes, she found Kenric watching her.
"What is it?" His voice, though soft, seemed edged with steel. "What brings such fear and sorrow to your face?"
Startled, both by the way he'd been able to read her so correctly, and that he even cared, Megan swallowed.
"Nnnothing."
For the space of a heartbeat she thought
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