Page 148 of The Ranger

She turned to her side, closed her eyes, and prayed for sleep. The ache in her heart was growing worse, and she didn’t know what she could do to take the pain away. Except of course, to see Markhel.

* * *

Vale finishedthe piece of cake Rosie brought and sipped his coffee. “We should be checking on Markhel. Wasn’t Kwaku doing it?”

“He’s with him, remember?” Makama said.

He made a show of rolling his eyes. “Oh, yes, darling. Forgive me. I guess I’m getting nervous now that we’re coming to the home stretch as they say.”

“Depends on how you look at it,” Cyrus said. “I’m just glad the two of you are here and handling it. We all love Maida; she’s a fine young woman.”

“That she is,” Polly agreed.

The four had dinner together, and Vale found the Van Cleets fascinating to talk to. Cyrus made his fortune with a shipping business in Boston. He wouldn’t mind visiting it when they were done here but doubted he’d get the chance.

Paddy Mulligan interrupted his thoughts when he burst into the dining room. “We’ve got trouble.”

All heads turned in his direction. “What trouble?” Vale asked.

Markhel trudged through the lobby and entered the dining room.

Makama gasped. “What are you doing here?”

Vale stood. “Great Scott man. You’re supposed to be with Maida, bonding!”

Paddy gulped. “She threw him over.”

“What?!” Vale screeched.

“Threw him over?” Makama repeated in confusion. “She dumped him?”

“I believe it’s all the same, darling,” Vale said as he got a good look at Markhel. He was pale, his blue eyes fuller than before. Good heavens, he even looked like he’d lost a little weight. And they’d just seen him hours ago.

“Oh, my,” Cyrus drawled. “You’d better sit down and have some coffee.” He got up, pulled out a chair, and motioned Markhel to sit. He did without question and slumped in the chair.

“He looks... despondent,” Vale said.

“Discouraged comes to mind,” Polly added.

Makama shrugged. “Depressed.”

Markhel’s head swiveled to each. “She told me to leave.”

“Aye lad,” Paddy said. “We know that part. But why did she tell ye to leave?”

Markhel took a deep breath. “I told her I was Muiraran.”

“Okay,” Vale said. “I can see how that conversation might not have gone well.”

Markhel rested his hands on the table. “I told her I have two hearts.”

“Again, not properly prefaced, that could have ended in disaster.” Vale blew out a breath. “What else?”

The big Muiraran let his head fall onto the table with a loud thud. “I told her that if we do not join, I will die.”

Vale’s jaw went slack. “How did she takethatbit of news?”

Markhel raised his head enough to look at him. “She ran out of the house. When she returned, she told me to leave.”