She nodded. “Good point.”

Ian raised his voice and put an end to the family meeting. “Amber and Helen have much to do in a short amount of time.”

“Why the hurry?”

“A battle looms, lass. When it begins, all of you need to be miles and years away. We hope to spread word to the enemy that you’ve traveled south and hope they will follow. Then we can take the offensive approach and flush out the man behind this siege. The sooner you’re out of harm’s way, the faster we can implement our plan.”

“We’ll have to prepare the children.”

“There’s no time to make them clothing. Simon said the home they’ll be in is secluded.”

“It is. But Mrs. Dawson’s clothing isn’t going to fit anyone here.”

Lora waved a hand in the air. “Don’t fret. We know your time still uses gold.”

Helen laughed. “Yeah, it was up to over a thousand dollars an ounce last month.”

Todd whistled. “Wow.”

“I know, the economy is in the toilet and gold is through the roof.”

“You and your friend will have funds to support everyone,” Ian said. “We need to act fast. No more arguments. If anyone has a legitimate concern we’ll discuss it, but the decision is made.”

“Father?” Myra asked.

“Aye, lass?”

She ran her hand over her stomach. “We don’t know if time travel is safe for an unborn babe.”

Ian’s shoulders fell, he walked around the desk, and gathered Myra’s hands in his. “This child is part of you.”

“But, ’tis never been done.”

“We’ll ask for guidance from the Ancients. However, would you risk staying and having this child while hiding above stairs? Todd will worry to distraction. We both know how costly that can be.”

Todd placed an arm around his wife. “You’re going to be fine. Besides, if you go into labor in my time they have amazing medication to take all the pain away.”

“I can attest to that,” Lizzy said.

“I know you’re scared. Hell, we all are, but this is the right thing to do.” Todd kissed the end of Myra’s nose and gathered her in his arms.

This family was being torn apart and all because they loved one another too much to see anything bad happen to each other.

Helen’s heart swelled deep in her chest. Her parents didn’t care enough to stick around at all, good times or bad. Unlike many of the orphans she’d grown up with, Helen didn’t harbor any fantasies about perfect parents who died unexpectedly. The people responsible for her birth discarded her. Simple as that.

Helen learned to live without a loving family, or responsibilities for another person. On some level that made her the lucky one. Only Helen didn’t feel so lucky.

Chapter Nineteen

Helen was a photographer, not a jewelry maker. But since she was in possession of the piece for over a year, she knew exactly what it looked like. Unfortunately, she had no knowledge of how to create the piece from scratch. She didn’t even know what the thing was made of. Only that there weren’t any precious stones or metal on it at all.

Amber studied the sketch and asked questions. “Is this a Celtic knot?”

“Not in the truest sense. The weave was looser.”

“Less perfect.”

“Right.”

Helen picked up the small sacred stone and turned it over in her hand. “It’s hard to believe what this thing is capable of.”

“’Tis hard to believe I’ll be leaving here forever.”

Helen put the stone down and gave Amber all her attention. “You have a great family. I can’t imagine what you’re going through.”

In the days since the declaration of Amber’s departure they hadn’t spoken of leaving. Because the daggers they decided to make didn’t have a predetermined image, they went to work on them first. They’d used a standard metal for the time to create the knife and were working on a sturdy handle for both. There was one small sacred stone left over with no clear purpose. They had no idea what to do with it. Not that it mattered. Amber and Helen hadn’t finished the necklaces or even truly started work on them outside of their concept.

“When I was young, a child, I expected to one day marry. I knew the possibility of my husband taking me away from my family. Yet once Tara arrived, then Simon and the others, I knew leaving my family wasn’t an option.”

“What happened that made you think that?”

“I couldn’t stand the touch of anyone, let alone a man not of my kin.”

“Wow. No one?”

“Aye.”

“Not one kiss?”

“Nay.”

“That means you’re a virgin.”

Amber nodded. “Aye.”

“I guess I should have realized that before now. Wow. That sucks.”

Amber let a coy smile cross her lips. “You don’t miss what you don’t know.”

“Yeah, but…damn. I’m sorry.”

“So was I for a while. Everyone around me found love. Part of me yearns for that life.”

“According to your mom, you’re going to find it.”

Amber shook her head. “My mother said a man will find me in the future, and that he will be the balm that saves me. Nowhere did she say I’d find love. Or even passion.”

Helen watched a rosy blush creep onto Amber’s cheeks with the last part of her comment. “When I think of a balm, I think of someone who makes me feel safe, warm, and taken care of.” Loved. “I think the man behind this balm will be more to you than a blanket.”

A knock on the door pulled them out of their conversation. “’Tis Simon.”

Amber crossed the room and unlocked the door to let him in. He wore leggings and a white shirt that hung past his hips. For the first time in days, he appeared rested. “You look well,” he told Amber.

“I feel much better.”

“But you worry about the future.”

“Aye.”

Helen felt like a stalker watching the two of them talk. They were as close as brother and sister, and obviously loved each other deeply.

“You’ll not be alone. We’ll help. Won’t we, Helen?”

“Of course.”

Amber laid a hand to the side of Simon’s cheek. “Thank you.”

Simon patted Amber’s hand and moved to stand beside Helen at the worktable. He stood close enough that she felt the heat of his body, the smell of his skin. Every part of her sparked into awareness and leaned closer. Simon didn’t back away when her side rested next to his. He ran one finger on the back of Helen’s hand and she knew he was just as happy to see her. “How far have you gotten?”