“I’m so sorry, Doyle—” Sasha began, but Riley shook her head.

“Who came before us, how they lived, what they built? It matters. We honor them by going back, by walking where they walked, living where they lived. They’re never gone if they matter, if they’re honored.”

Doyle looked at her for a long moment. “It’s the one place on this world I never wanted to walk again.”

“Gods are bastards.”

“They are, yes. They are.”

“But Bran built a house where yours once stood. That’s not happenstance. We’ve got to go with it, learn why.”

“There’s no question of not going. And this is where you’ll put the star, as you put the other in the painting of the woods?”

“Yes.”

“Then we’d best go find it.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Though it ate more daylight, they opted to pack. They might have to travel quickly. Sawyer took Annika’s hand as she cheerfully folded dresses into her colorful bag.

“I need a few minutes.”

“Oh, Sawyer, I don’t think we have time for sex.”

“Not for that—though I really appreciate your mind just goes there. I need to ask you something.”

“You can ask anything of me.”

“I need you to tell me if—and I know it’s a big if—but if when we’ve done all we’ve been asked to do, done the duty we’ve been given, and if after that your elders and sea witch, and whoever’s in charge of the big picture, if they’d let you stay, let you stay on land, with me . . . would you?”

Seriously, with hints of sorrow, those mermaid eyes met his. “I would stay anywhere with you. You are my only, my own Sawyer, my love. But it can’t be. The legs are only borrowed. They’re mine until the quest is done, or because I had to tell you what I am, in three turns of the moon. Two now. They don’t wish me grief, or wish you grief, but it is beyond them to give me this.”

“Maybe Bran—”

“I asked.” For a moment, her gaze dropped to the ground. “I know I shouldn’t have, but after I knew you loved me, I asked. It is beyond him. He promised to do offerings, but he can’t break a spell done for the good, for the light. Even for love, for you, I can’t break my oath.”

“Okay. Okay.” He pressed his lips to her forehead. “Maybe I can do a Tom Hanks.”

“What is it to do a tomhanks?”

“No, it’s a name. Tom, first name, Hanks, last name. An actor. He did this movie where he fell for a mermaid.”

“Oh. I would like to see this.”

“Yeah, we’ll get to it. Anyway, she fell for him, too.”

“Yes, so it’s a good story.”

“But there were bad people.”

“Evil gods?”

“No, but bad people, and they would’ve hurt her, or worse. She couldn’t stay with him, so in the end, he jumped in the water after her. And she did something so he could stay with her. So he could live in the water with her.”

Gently, Annika kissed his cheeks, skimmed her fingers back into his hair. “It would be a pretty story. There is nothing I could do to make you live under the water. You are of the land.”

“Maybe the sea witch—”

“That you would think to do this for me makes my heart full of joy and tears. But she has no power to change you.” Because the tears threatened, she started to turn away. “We should pack now.”

“Okay, but I’ve got one more. Don’t cry, Anni, just listen to this one more possibility. The island where I took you. It’s kind of got a magick of its own, right?”

How she wished they wouldn’t talk of possibilities that could never be. “Yes. The water around it is sacred, and the land is important.”

“Right. And it’s not in the shipping lanes. We’re both connected to it. I could live there. I’m handy, so I could build a little house—I’m all about living on the beach. And you could live in the water there. We could be together. I could swim with you, and sit on the beach while you sat on the rocks. Talk to you, see you, touch you.”

Inside her breast her heart trembled and shook. “Your family.”

“Hey, I’ve got the compass. I can see them, bring them to see us—same with yours if they want. But the bottom line?” Eyes on hers, he skimmed his hands down her arms, up again. “Bottom line, Annika, you’re my only, too. I don’t want to live in a world where you’re not. And I’m not going to believe that we found each other, we’ve fought together, and done all we’ve been asked to do only to never be together. I’m not going to accept that. Would you stay with me—you in the water, me on the land?”

“I can’t give you young.”

“Annika, just give me you.”

“I have. I will. Yes, I will stay with you. I don’t want to live in a world where you’re not.” She threw her arms around him. “I will be yours, and you will be mine.”

Closing his eyes, he held on. “And that’s enough for anybody.”

“I love you with all I am.”

When he kissed her, they both forgot about packing and everything else until Sasha rapped sharply on the doorjamb.