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Though her claim made little sense to him, he continued after only a brief hesitation. “Very well. I remember in my dream you cut your finger with the paring knife moments before two merchants arrived at the cabin claiming some disturbance at a store I owned in town. You were quiet, but warned me not to leave, yet I did because there were children caught in the midst of the dispute.” Unable to watch her tear up any longer, he focused on Shaye as he pressed on. “I rode off on my horse, but was ambushed on the path to town. Half a dozen men or so surrounded me. I tried to escape them, riding into the forest toward a river, but my horse spooked and threw me off. That’s when my dream turns into a nightmare. When they catch me, and…”

“Murder you,” Shaye finished. “Do you recall how you died?”

Bryce swallowed hard, mindlessly rubbing the front of his neck. He barely realized what he was doing until a sob escaped Rihanna, shaking him free of the strange memories. She curled over on herself, her shoulders heaving with each sob. Shaye didn’t comfort her. Instead, he burned his gaze into Bryce’s.

Bryce pulled Rihanna close. Damn propriety. Damn that this was only their third encounter. Damn all expectations, because he could not sit there and let the woman who drove him insane in her absence suffer for something he couldn’t understand.

As he cradled her against his chest, stroking her back withhis hand, he glowered at Shaye. “Is it really necessary to know how I died? It’s a dream.”

“Aye, ’tis necessary,” he said matter-of-factly.

“They slit my throat after beating me into submission. Said I had no right to her.” He shot Rihanna a quick look. “I was a man with no title and self-made wealth, and apparently that meant I was undeserving of a woman.”

Shaye stared at him, unblinking, his eyes darkening and digging deeper into his skin. Seconds slipped by, tension growing until, at last, Shaye groaned.

“Goddess almighty,” he breathed. “You do realize they are not dreams? They’re memories from your past life?”

Bryce stiffened, his head lowering and gaze dropping to Rihanna. Could it be possible? Did Shaye speak the truth? It would certainly make sense of everything that’s occurred over the last six months, right down to the madness of being away from Rihanna.

Her tears dampened his shirt, but her sobs had softened to occasional sniffles and ragged breaths. She clung to him like she’d never see him again. Like he’d leave and never return.

“Do you recall the name given to you in your dream?” Shaye asked.

“Mikhail,” Bryce said without hesitation. “I was Mikhail. She was my…anam cara.”

A soul-crushing sound fled Rihanna’s lips.

Shaye gathered her into his arms, cradling her against his chest, and stood up, carrying her away. He cast over his shoulder a stern, “Stay where you are,” and disappeared through the archway into the foyer.

Bryce stayed put, as much as his body screamed to go after Rihanna. Something in Shaye’s tone anchored him, keeping him on the kitchen floor until the man returned a few minutes later. He held out his hand. Bryce accepted theassistance to his feet, swayed, then shook the dizziness away.

“Rihanna hasn’t said much to you in regards to your past. I fear dredging up the events from that day would cause undue heartache and a relapse of her prior grief. Allow her rest for the moment, as you shall find rest here this eve. You’re in no condition to drive home.” Shaye spread his hand toward the kitchen table. “Sit.”

Bryce shuffled to the table and took a seat, his legs weaker than he had expected. He felt as if he’d been run over by a truck. Whatever occurred between him and Rihanna did a job on his energy, both physically and mentally.

“As I said, you’ve suffered memories, not dreams,” Shaye said, his back to Bryce as he filled the kettle with fresh water and placed it back on the stove. Once the flames ignited beneath the metal, he turned to face Bryce, leaning against the counter and crossing his arms and his ankles. “A little over a century ago, you and Rihanna found each other. Aye,anam caras. Soul mates. ’Tis a blessing from the Goddess to find one’sanam cara. Alas, with joy comes strife. The bond between soul mates is maddening until a blood bond is formed. Once the blood bond is complete, it entwines your souls together, your energy and life essences, with the Goddess’s blessing, for all eternity.”

Bryce laid his hands, palms up, on the table and stared at the reddening mark. The line across his palm burned.

“The mark?”

“’Tis from your blood bond, the sacred bond created betweenanam caras.”

From the corner of his eye, he caught Shaye shift and looked up to see the man holding out one hand. He exposed his own palm to Bryce, a similar scar cut across his flesh.

“Moira and I shared in a blood bond before the eve youcrossed my sister’s path. ’Tis more than a simple promise to another person. ’Tis a promise of forever. A combining of souls. Myanam cara’s emotions become mine, and mine hers. Her fears my fears. Her worries, my own. ’Tis more than knowing you belong with a person, that your heart is no longer your own to give, but one that has been preordained to another’s care. Soul mate, Bryce, does not equal happiness lest one is willing to accept all that encompasses becoming one with another being.”

Tucking his hand back into his arm, Shaye pursed his lips in thought while observing Bryce’s every move. Bryce couldn’t help but wonder if Rihanna was truly okay. How could his story of his subconscious imagination cause her grief he’d only ever seen when one lost someone dear to them?

You’ve suffered memories, not dreams.

“You’re Fae,” Bryce said before he could filter his thoughts.

“Aye. Talaenian Fae, to be precise. As some might say, a tainted Fae line, or cross-breed. Humans are our cousins, a point pureblooded Seelie once turned their noses up at.”

“Why are you so forthcoming with all of this information?”

“Shall I keep it secret?” Shaye chuckled, flicking his hand over his shoulder toward the stairs behind the partition. “’Tis it not necessary for you to completely comprehend what is happening to pursue a life with my sister in this present day?”