The Royal Hunter Read Online Free PDF Page B

placating the insane. Archer sympathized. He was beginning to think this whole mission was insane. How in the hell was he going to convince her they spoke the truth?
    He turned to Baleweg for help, but the older man merely motioned for him to continue.
Thanks, mate
. “Your mother was born into service for the House of Dalwyn. She was the royal healer. But there was trouble, an attempt was made on her life, and she escaped. She found a doorway … to the past.” He motioned to Baleweg. “He helped her to come here.”
    Talia simply stared at him, looking mostly numb now.
    “Baleweg says your mother passed her skills to you.” He noticed she glanced immediately at Ringer, then back at him. He wasn’t sure what that signaled, but apparently Baleweg did.
    The old man stepped forward. “Ah, you’re an empath, aren’t you, my dear?”
    The wild edge immediately returned to her eyes.
    “It is fairly common in our time. And certainly among your kind.”
    “My kind?” she whispered. Her face was losing color, except for two bright pink splotches high in her cheeks.
    “You are a healer, as well, Talia,” Baleweg said kindly. “Your mother came here, to this time, to protect you, but it seems as though she was taken from you before she could explain your destiny. She said nothing at all to you?”
    Talia’s mouth opened, then shut again. She blinked a few times, as if seeing something inside her mind, then shook her head. “No. No, she didn’t.”
    “You’re lying again.” Archer knew it, just as he knew they’d run out of time.
    Her eyes flew to him, the bright spots in her cheeks heightening further, her eyes growing glassy. “No! I don’t know anything about what you’re telling me.”
    “You recalled something, just now. What?” He took her arm. “Tell me.”
    “They were just a bunch of fairy tales! They didn’t mean anything.”
    Baleweg shook his head and smoothly relieved her arm from Archer’s grasp. “Archer, really. Not all things can be solved with your bullying ways. And here I had heard stories of your prowess with the fairer sex. Propaganda I’m beginning to disbelieve.”
    Archer tossed him a look. “This isn’t a seduction, old man.”
    “I should hope not. You’d be going about it all wrong.”
    “This is why I always work alone,” he muttered.
    Baleweg turned his gaze to Talia. “I don’t know about the bedtime tales your mother told you, but Iimagine a goodly part of them were based on her life in court. Perhaps she’d have explained that in time. We’ll never know. But that can’t be helped. The queen needs your help. It is time for you to return and take your rightful place.”
    “I’m not a … I can’t—this is crazy.” Her voice was a strangled whisper.
    “Yes, you can,” Archer said firmly. “I will pay you very well. Riches beyond your imagination. And as soon as you help the queen, I’ll make sure you’re brought back to this very spot.” He carefully averted his gaze from Baleweg. He had no idea if Catriona would let her leave, but that wasn’t his problem at the moment. “Do we have a deal?”
    Her gaze bounced almost frantically between Archer and Baleweg. Her throat worked, but she said nothing.
    “Really, Archer,” Baleweg implored, “money is not the solution here—”
    “Money is always the solution,” he shot back.
    Whatever Talia might have said was drowned by the sudden wail of sirens. Two vehicles spun into the side lot. Men in blue uniforms poured out of the doors before the rolling vehicles had come to a complete stop, all of them shouting commands.
    “Come, Archer,” Baleweg commanded. “Our time is up for now.” He closed his eyes and Archer saw the triangle begin to open behind him amid the hedgerow.
    Archer pulled Talia around to face him. Her dazed gray eyes finally locked on his. “You will help us, Talia Trahaern. We will be back.”
    With great reluctance, he released her. Just as the first man in blue planted himself