Bound by Song (Cauld Ane Series) Read online

  “Aye, love.” Connall chuckled. “Besides, I’m just a lowly prince…I can’t king you.”

  Pepper giggled. “Oh, funny.”

  Kade strolled in and stared at the board for a second before moving Pepper’s bishop. “Checkmate, Con.”

  “Does that mean I won?” Pepper asked.

  “Aye, you won.” Connall shook his head at his brother. “There’s just no loyalty anymore.”

  Kade laughed and shook Max’s hand and then hugged Grace. “You look well, lass.”

  Grace nodded. “I feel amazing.”

  “Can I get you anything?” Samantha offered.

  Grace and Max both shook their heads.

  “Well, have a seat,” Samantha said. “I have something to tell you, and it’s somewhat delicate.”

  “That’s our cue, love,” Connall said. “Let’s check on Cody.”

  Pepper nodded and rose to her feet. Once the couple left the room, Grace gripped Max’s hand, admittedly a little nervous now that they were here.

  “I discovered something not long ago, that I believe applies to you as well, Grace,” Samantha said. “Dalton, my brother, played a bit of a trick on me and cut open his finger to see if I could heal him. Since Kade was the first Cauld Ane to bind a human in a very long time, we had no idea what would happen. What we found out is that even though he’s still human, I am able to heal him.” Kade squeezed Samantha’s knee and she smiled at him before facing Grace again. “I am led to believe that now that you are Cauld Ane, you’ll be able to heal Maggie.”

  Grace gasped. “What? You mean the way Max can heal me?”

  Samantha nodded. “Yes.”

  “Well, let’s do it.”

  Kade leaned forward. “There’s a small issue with that, Grace.”

  “What?”

  “It’s not permanent,” Max explained.

  “I don’t understand,” Grace said. “If I heal her, then her cancer’s gone, right?”

  Samantha nodded. “It is, however, it could come back.”

  “But she’d be well for now.”

  “She would,” Samantha agreed. “But there’s another minor hiccup. Maggie has been accepted into the trial, which really wouldn’t be an issue, but it’s very important that we keep our identity as secret as possible. There are currently only two humans who know anything about us. One of them is my brother, the other one is Colton Drake, the head of our human security force.” Sam linked her fingers with Kade’s. “If you were to heal Maggie right away, there might be a lot of questions.”

  “My family would never say a word,” Grace argued.

  “I’m not saying they would. I’m sorry, Grace. I don’t mean to put you on the defensive. Truly. I’ve never been particularly good with patients; it’s why I chose research.” Sam smiled. “I’m much better with a microscope than I am with people.”

  Grace sighed. “No, Sam. I’m sorry. I overreacted. I’m just worried about my sister.”

  “I know.” Samantha bit her lip. “I do hope this doesn’t sound insensitive. There is the other side of this and that’s the experiment side. We have a chance to create a miracle, God willing, and Maggie’s a huge part of that.”

  Grace dropped her face into her hands and nodded. Her nerves were on edge and she felt a bit like an emotional basket case, but she really did see where Samantha was coming from.

  “We can do whatever you feel comfortable with,” Max said. “If you want to heal Maggie right away, no one will object. Right?”

  Grace raised her head in time to see him give Kade and Samantha a look of warning.

  “Give me a second,” Grace said, as she rose to her feet and walked to the windows that overlooked Edinburgh Castle. She stared into the gray sky.

  She turned, surprised to find both Kade and Max standing. Ancient rules of etiquette obviously died hard. Max gave her a lopsided grin, and Grace shook her head.

  “If the trial doesn’t work, or appears not to be going so well, will I have time to heal her still?” Grace asked.

  “Yes,” Samantha assured her, standing now herself.

  “Can I make the call?”

  “Yes, of course. And if Maggie gives me permission, I’ll be happy to share whatever she feels comfortable with.”

  “Right. Doctor patient confidentiality,” Grace complained.

  “Grace, I will be with her the entire way,” Samantha promised. “She’ll be in the best hospital in Scotland, right here in Edinburgh, monitored by me and other Cauld Ane medical staff. I can’t tell you anything about the trial or her progress, unless she allows it, but if I don’t feel it’s going well, I will give you some kind of indication that it’s time for you to step in.”

  “What kind of a sister does this make me, though? If I have the ability to take all of her pain away and heal her, but don’t?”

  Max closed the distance between them and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Whatever you decide, baby. If you want to heal her now, then no one will stop you.”

  “It’s not that simple, Max,” Grace said. “If I heal her, then the research is blown and it could mean the lives of a lot of other people.”

  “I know, baby, but we’re not talking about the lives of other people right this second, we’re talking about Maggie.”

  “What if the cancer comes back?” Grace continued.

  “You can heal her again.”

  “But not permanently.” Grace rubbed her forehead. “This might give her a shot at a permanent solution.”

  “Aye, but she could also be in unnecessary pain.”

  “If it were Kinnon, what would you do?”

  “Baby, both Niall and I tried to heal Kinnon. His issues were self-inflicted, and he continued to make the same choices over and over.”

  “Okay, what if it were Moira or Niall, then?”

  Darkness covered his features. “I don’t know.”

  “See? It’s not so cut and dried.” Grace focused back on Sam. “I know you’ve said the trial will last for six weeks, but how realistic is that timeframe?”

  “Honestly, we should have some measurable results sooner,” Sam said. “Perhaps even within four weeks.”

  “Okay, so in four weeks, if there isn’t some kind of tangible evidence that this treatment is working for Maggie, then I would like to step in.”

  Samantha glanced at Kade and then back at Grace. “I think that’s fair.”

  “And if she’s in pain. If Maggie’s in excruciating pain, I want to heal her.”

  “There might be a way for you to ease her pain, without interfering with the trial,” Samantha said. “But we also have human narcotics available, which typically take care of things.”

  “I’m open to all of that,” Grace said. “But if the pain meds don’t work, or she’s in pain to the point of me not being able to ease it, I want to heal her.”

  Samantha smiled and nodded. “Yes, that’s perfectly fine. How would you feel about donating some blood?”

  “For Maggie?”

  “Yes. It’s something I want to try, but I have no idea how she’ll react to it.”

  Grace cocked her head. “If you think my blood will make a difference, then I have no problem donating.”

  “Thank you.”

  Grace sank against Max. “No, thank you for being honest. You didn’t have to tell me about being able to heal her.”

  “I disagree, Grace. Max and Niall are essentially part of the family, which means you are now too, and I would never want you to feel as though your trust was betrayed.”

  “I appreciate that.”

  Max’s phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out. “Bruce is waiting for us in the garage, love. It’s time to pick up your family.”

  Grace nodded. “Okay.”

  “We’ll meet you there,” Samantha said. “I’ll have everything ready for you when you arrive.”

  “Thanks, Sam,” Max said.

  Grace gave Samantha a warm hug before following Max from the apartment.


  * * *

  One week later, Maggie was resting comfortably after a grueling night of blood tests and transfusions, and Max had forced Grace to leave the hospital to get some rest. She was gathering Max’s clothes that were still on the floor from the day before. Obviously, he was used to someone picking up after him, since he never seemed to.

  You need a lesson in domesticity.

  Why? You’re here.

  “You’re not funny,” she called down the hallway.

  “Yes I am,” he called back.

  Grace grinned as she hung up one of his jackets.

  “I wanted to swing by the warehouse and grab one of my guitars,” Max said from the doorway. “Do you want to go with me?”

  “Sounds fun,” she said.

  “Great. We can stop and pick up something to eat on the way home and then head back to the hospital.”

  “I’ll grab my purse.”

  Grace followed Max down to the garage and took in Edinburgh as he drove through the city to an industrial area on the outskirts. He parked and then opened Grace’s door, holding out his hand to assist her. She climbed out and kissed him as he pushed the door closed.

  “Did you know that you are the best kisser?” he asked.

  Grace giggled. “Do you think it’s because you love me more than anyone ever…of everdom?”

  He raised an eyebrow. “I feel as though no matter which way I answer that question, it won’t go well for me.”

  She patted his chest. “Smart man.”

  “Yes, yes, I am.” He took her hand. “Follow me.”

  Max entered a code that opened a roll-up door and then led Grace to a regular door that he entered another code for. The lights turned on as the door popped open, and Max stood back to let her precede him. She let out a quiet whistle at what she saw inside.

  Rows and rows of guitars, some in cases, some hanging on hooks, were neatly lined up in the temperature-controlled room. Drum sets and drum cases were on the back wall. A stand up piano was next to them, and varying types of horns and reed instruments were intermixed between the others.

  “Have a look around, love. I won’t be long.”

  Grace nodded and walked the perimeter of the room. She found herself drawn to a 12-string blue guitar in the center of the room, and as she drew near, she felt as though she was supposed to step to the right. How she knew that, she didn’t know, but when she tried to turn the other way, she felt physically ill. She turned toward the blue guitar again and stepped to the right. Moving several small drum cases to the side, she saw a beat-up guitar case that had been hidden behind them. She pulled it from the clutter.

  Laying the case on its side, she opened it and ran her fingers over the instrument. She felt her hand move against her will to the pocket on the top of the case.

  Grace, what’s wrong?

  Um, I don’t seem to have control over my hand. She reached into the pocket of the case and pulled out a letter, discolored and torn due to age. She gently unfolded it and read: Moira, I’ve been called away. Will meet you at stables, K.

  “Grace?” Max asked from behind her. “What are you doing?”

  She glanced up at him. “I have no idea. I felt like I was supposed to open this case.”

  Max frowned and took the note from her. “How did you find this?”

  “It was in the case.”

  “I know it was in the case,” he said. “There was a reason it was hidden.”

  “Don’t get growly at me, Max. It’s not like I had control.”

  He sighed.

  “What?”

  “You obviously have physical empathy,” he said.

  “What’s that?”

  “Physical empathy is a Cauld Ane gift. At times you may find yourself drawn to certain objects or places. And sometimes you will become emotionally charged when you walk into a room, or even when entering a town or a country.”

  “What’s the significance of that note?”

  “It’s the letter that led my sister to her death,” Max said.

  “Who’s K?”

  “Kenna.”

  “McFadden?”

  “Aye.” Max scowled.

  Grace took a deep breath and stood. She knew she had to proceed carefully. “How did it lead to Moira’s death?”

  “If Kenna hadn’t sent the note, Kinnon would never have been able to persuade her to go to the stables with him. That’s the reason she was so anxious to go and didn’t want to wait—she thought Kenna would be there. And Kinnon was more than happy to use her willingness to get what he wanted. Why would Kenna tell her to meet her at the stables, when she knew Moira wasn’t to go there without one of us?”

  “Whoa, baby. Hold on.” Grace laid her hand on his chest. “Do you really believe this note led to your sister’s death?”

  “I don’t know.” Max squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. “Maybe.”

  “Hey,” Grace continued. “I love you. Nothing’s going to change that, okay? If you need to verbally process, don’t worry about the words. We’ll sort it out.”

  He nodded.

  Grace stroked his cheek. “What was Kenna’s explanation?”

  “She didn’t have one.”

  “She just left you hanging?”

  “No,” he said. “I didn’t ask her. I shouldn’t have to. She knows what she did.”

  Grace gasped. “Are you telling me that you’ve been holding onto anger and hurt all this time without asking her for an explanation?’

  “What would be the point? It’s not like she can be prosecuted for writing a note.”

  “Max!” she snapped. “We have to ask Kenna about this.”

  “It’s too late.”

  “It’s never too late. Good lord, baby, it’s time, don’t you think? You and your brother deserve to know the whole story, and so does Kenna.” She gripped his chin when he tried to turn away. “Look at me. You have to forgive her and move on.”

  “How can I forgive her for writing a note? It sounds petty even to me.”

  “You feel what you feel,” she said. “And you’re entitled to those feelings, but because you didn’t deal with this at the time, it’s eating you alive, whether you want to admit it or not.”

  “What’s to deal with? She sent a note rather than finding me or Niall, and it led Moira to her death.” Max dragged his hands through his hair.

  Grace sighed and gave him what she hoped was a gentle smile…not one that said, “Hey, dummy, you’re jumping to conclusions, and I’m smiling in an effort to placate you so you won’t break anything in this really big warehouse filled with priceless musical instruments.”

  “You’re not funny,” Max grumbled.

  “I am a lot a bit and you know it.” She smiled. “Let’s get Kenna’s side and then go from there, okay?”

  “I don’t really want to stir all this up again, Grace.”

  “Sometimes the Band-Aid needs to be ripped off in order to clean the wound,” she said. “I’m going to ask Niall and Kenna to come over, okay? Let’s just hash this out while we have the time to do it.”

  Before Max could protest, Grace pulled out her phone and sent a text. “Did you get what you needed out of here?” she asked.

  “Aye.”

  “Okay, come on. We’ll meet Kenna and Niall back at the apartment. She said an hour or so will work.”

  Max nodded and locked up the warehouse, and then drove them home. Grace put some pasta on the stove and frowned when she saw Max standing by the window, his arms crossed, his body rigid, and his head lowered. Her heart broke for him. She made her way over to him and laid her palms on his chest. “Hey. I love you. Whatever happens, I’m here, okay? We’ll sort this out. Do you want a quickie before they get here?”

  He rolled his eyes. “I no longer need to solve my stress with sex, Grace.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Dang it!”

  He chuckled and kissed her. “Thank you for that, though. I needed a laugh.”

  “Oh, great. No
longer sex kitten…now comic relief.”

  “I’m sorry?”

  “For a minute there, I figured I was put on the earth to be your sex kitten,” she quipped. “Apparently now it’s for comic relief.”