by Donna Grant
There was really only one choice for him. “I’m going to return to the place I was cursed and start looking for Ilinca or any gypsy who can help me find my friends.”
“Good,” she said, but her smile was forced and tight.
Stefan didn’t want to leave her, but what kind of friend would he be if he didn’t look for the men he considered his brothers?
“Which way to the castle?” she asked.
Stefan pointed and walked around her. “You could have a good life with the Sinclairs.”
“I’m a child of the forest. It’s where I belong. I never feel…right…unless I’m in the forest.”
He glanced back at her, but she wouldn’t meet his gaze. For all that she had done for him, he was shattering the glow from their night together.
A few moments later, she stopped and picked some berries. She handed a handful to him and picked some for herself. Stefan was starving. He hadn’t had a good meal since he got out of the darkness, but then again, he was used to missing meals when needed. He should’ve realized Morvan needed to eat. What an idiot she must think he was to forget such a thing. So much for him taking care of her.
It just proved that he did need to leave her in more capable hands. No matter how much she calmed the monster inside him, no matter how she’d changed his life, he would only destroy her life.
They walked for another hour until Stefan saw the castle. He stopped on the rise of the next hill and waited for Morvan to draw even with him.
“You really think they’ll take me in?” she asked. “What if they think I’m a spy?”
“I came here yesterday. The people,” he started and saw an old gypsy woman standing off to his right. She was staring at him, her black eyes unblinking and her gray hair pulled away from her wrinkled face.
“The people what?” Morvan asked.
Stefan quickly glanced at Morvan, but then looked back off to his right. Only, when he looked for the gypsy again, she was gone. He cleared his throat as every instinct within him urged him to find the gypsy. “The people looked happy, if no’ a little anxious, but that’s understandable with the threat of battle.”
“What’s so important out there that you won’t look away?”
He faced forward and shrugged. “Nothing. Shall we go to the castle?”
“Nay.” Morvan faced him and smiled. “I’ll be fine. Go find your friends, Stefan.”
As he looked down at her, he realized he wasn’t ready to part ways yet. Before he could put his thoughts into words, Morvan rose up on her toes and kissed him.
She put her cheek against his. “Be safe, my wolf.”
Then she was gone. Stefan watched her walk away. He couldn’t decide whether to go after her or Ilinca, and the longer he stood there, the harder it was for him to go after Morvan.
He didn’t leave until he saw her reach the gates of the castle. What had he heard the people call it? Ravensclyde. It was a grand name for an impressive castle.
Stefan released a breath when Morvan was admitted into the bailey. Now that she was safe, he could focus on Ilinca. Stefan turned his back on the castle and walked to where he’d seen the gypsy.
~ ~ ~
Morvan touched her chest. There was an ache there that felt as if someone had yanked out her heart. Stefan had come into her life as quickly as he left it. She didn’t regret a single minute she’d shared with him, but that didn’t help the emptiness within her now.
She wasn’t just empty without Stefan, she was lost without the forest. Morvan closed her eyes and pictured the tall pines, the thick birch, the sturdy oaks. She imagined ferns on the ground and the constant chirping of birds. The woods would help to heal her. If she could get back to them.
How, when she was homeless? She had nothing but the clothes on her back. The Sinclairs had welcomed her into Ravensclyde, but it wasn’t her home.
“Morvan?”
Morvan opened her eyes to find herself meeting a gray gaze. The woman that addressed her was frowning, concern showing in her gray depths. Her red hair was pulled back in a loose bun. That’s when Morvan remembered entering the bailey and introducing herself to two women.
“She doesn’t look well at all,” said a second voice.
Morvan shifted her gaze to the left and saw another woman with long brown hair and sky blue eyes. “I’m fine.”
The redhead snorted. “You’re as pale as death. Come inside so we can feed you,” she said and took one of Morvan’s arms.
The brunette took the other, nodding as she did. “Food, aye. That’s what she needs.”
Morvan let them lead her into the castle, but she wasn’t seeing any of the people or the gray stones. All she could see was hazel eyes, long dark hair, and a breathtaking body.
“Eat,” said the redhead as she shoved a trencher of food at Morvan.
When had they sat? Morvan glanced around nervously.
“It’s not poisoned,” said the brunette who reached over, pulled off a piece of meat and ate it. “I’m Leana.”
“And I’m Meg. You told the guardsmen that you came to Ravensclyde from the MacKays.”
Morvan nodded as she bit into the bread. Her stomach growled loudly as she chewed and swallowed. “I came to warn you that Donald MacKay is planning to attack.”
“Again?” Leana asked worried, her gaze on Meg.
Meg’s lips thinned. “He’s already tried that once, and we defeated him.”
Morvan hadn’t known that.
“I saw Morvan’s arrival, but not another attack,” Leana said.
Morvan’s gaze jerked to Leana. “You saw me?”
“I have…dreams,” Leana explained. “I had a vision of you coming here to Ravensclyde two days ago.”
Two days ago? That’s when she was on Sinclair land and went to the cliffs. Stefan. Why did it feel as if all of this revolved around Stefan?
“Do you know why I’m here?” she asked Leana.
The brunette shook her head. “I see only glimpses. Did you just come to tell us of Donald?”
“Aye.” They didn’t need to know about Stefan. He was her secret, a stranger she’d conjured from the darkness and tamed – for a time anyway.
“Why?” asked a deep voice behind her.
Morvan turned around and saw two men standing with their arms crossed over their chests. They were imposing men, but after seeing Stefan fight, nothing could impress her anymore.
“Why?” the man with the pale green eyes and brown hair asked again.
Leana walked to the second man who had sandy blond hair and topaz eyes. “I told you about my vision. This is her.”
The first man’s gaze didn’t waver from Morvan. She set aside the bread and said. “There was a stranger that came onto MacKay land. A small group of warriors came upon him and tried to kill him. He was…ferocious in his fighting and killed all but a few who ran back to Donald. I found the stranger after the fight and bound his wounds.”
The man lifted a dark brow. “Then?”
“I left the stranger to go about his way. It isn’t in my nature to leave an animal in pain unattended.”
“He wasna an animal,” stated the blond.
Morvan shrugged. “If you’d seen him fight, you would think otherwise.”
The two men exchanged a glance. Then the dark-haired one asked, “I’m guessing Donald discovered you helped this stranger?”
“He did.” Morvan swallowed, remembering how Stefan had so effortlessly saved her life. “Donald is…unforgiving. He threatened to burn me alive.”
Meg touched her hand. “What happened to bring you to us?”
“The stranger,” Morvan said. “He saved me.”
The dark-headed man dropped his arms. “Where is this stranger? I’d like to talk to him.”
“He’s gone.” Morvan felt the weight of the words, and they hurt far more than she’d expected – far worse than leaving the forest.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Stefan got as far as the stream before he came
to a halt, unable to go any further. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t take another step.
He couldn’t stop thinking of Morvan, of how her nutmeg eyes held no anger or censor – just acceptance. She hadn’t looked back when she’d walked to the castle. He knew because he had watched her every step of the way.
Without moving from the tree line, Stefan stared at the quick moving stream. It was the place where Morvan had changed his life. One touch had altered his entire course.
He looked to the sky to see night descending. Stefan turned on his heel and started back toward the castle.
~ ~ ~
Morvan rubbed her eyes and sat up from the comfort of the bed. She glanced out the narrow window of her room to see that the sun was high in the sky. It wasn’t like her to sleep past dawn.
She rose and dressed, then brushed out her hair. She had embarrassed herself the night before, by falling asleep as Meg and Leana were talking to her.
Was it a dream, or had Meg introduced her husband as Ronan? It had to have been her thoughts of Stefan and her exhaustion mixing with her arrival at Ravensclyde. The more she thought about it, the more she couldn’t clearly remember the name of Meg’s or Leana’s husband.
It was beyond rude to fall asleep on her hosts. But after the two women kindly brought her upstairs, Morvan had found a bath. It was all she could do to stay awake as she washed the day off her, but she managed it before climbing into bed.
She’d missed dinner, of that she was certain. And it was clearly a new day. How long had she slept?
Morvan tied off a strip of leather at the end of her braid and walked to the door of her chamber. She opened it and stepped into the corridor. It was the sounds of the hall that drew her in the direction of the stairs.
Those at Ravensclyde wanted Stefan’s name, but she wouldn’t give it. He had been detained long enough. He needed to find his friends. Morvan longed for the forest, to feel the bark of the trees against her palm and hear the wind moving through the leaves.
But the Sinclairs needed to know how dangerous Donald was.
Once she descended and stepped into the great hall, Morvan didn’t know what to do. Neither Meg nor Leana was in sight. Morvan followed a delicious aroma to the kitchen and snagged some bread before she walked to the bailey. She stood against the castle wall and simply watched everyone.
It was odd for her to be in the company of so many and not have them look at her with scorn. Perhaps Stefan had been right and this was a new start for her. No one at Ravensclyde knew about her, and they didn’t need to.
Morvan lifted her face to the sky and breathed in the air. She missed the forest, but she didn’t expect to live her life in the castle. Until she was able to answer the questions Meg’s and Leana’s husband had of her, she would remain.
After that…she wasn’t sure what she would do. Perhaps she would see if there was a vacant cottage in the forest. If not, maybe she would build herself something.
As she turned to go back inside the castle and look for Meg, there was a shout from near the gatehouse. Morvan looked and saw a horse rearing, its hooves pawing the air in a bid to get free.
The horse pulled free from the two men holding him and started running. Morvan looked behind her and saw a group of children frozen in fear as they watched the oncoming steed.
Morvan stepped in front of the white horse and began to hum even as she heard a shout from the castle steps. She ignored whoever was telling her to move away and hummed louder. The horse slid to a halt and reared again.
She shifted to keep from having a hoof hit her when the horse landed. Morvan put her hand on the steed’s shoulder, rubbing his white hair. He jerked his head up and down twice, shaking his long dark gray mane before he blew out a breath and remained still.
His big black eyes closed when she ran her hand along his back. She saw the scars on the horse’s mouth, legs, and back. He was abused. No wonder he was so wild.
“It’s all right,” she whispered as she rested her head on his neck. “I won’t let anyone hurt you now.”
“You either have a death wish or a gift,” said a deep voice behind her. “Which is it, lass?”
Morvan glanced over her shoulder to see Meg’s husband. So much for the people of Ravensclyde not knowing about her ability. “I’m sorry for falling asleep on you last night. I apologize, but I can’t remember if we were introduced. I’m Morvan.”
“I’m Ronan, and the halfwit with his mouth open in surprise behind me is Morcant.”
Morcant grunted. “I’m no’ a halfwit. She amazed me is all. Hell, Ronan, she shocked the entire bailey.”
Morvan continued to rub the horse, the action calming her as much as the frightened animal. Morcant and Ronan. What were the odds of finding two men with the same names as the ones Stefan searched for? Was Daman around somewhere, as well?
She met Ronan’s pale green gaze as he came to stand beside her and held out his hand for the horse to sniff. Ronan waited for the horse to accept him before he gently rubbed the steed’s forehead. “You doona have to fear us here, Morvan. As Leana told you last night, she has visions. Whatever gift you have is welcome.”
“Where is Daman?”
There was a flash of astonishment in Ronan’s gaze before his face lost all emotion. “You’ve seen Daman?”
“Nay, but the fact you know the name means you also know the fourth one.” She wasn’t going to say Stefan’s name on the off chance that it was all a coincidence.
Ronan looked at Morcant over his shoulder. A moment later, Morcant stood with them.
“Stefan,” Morcant said. “The fourth’s name is Stefan.”
Morvan’s knees buckled. She only managed to stay on her feet thanks to her hold on the horse’s mane.
Ronan’s brow furrowed as he leaned closer. “It was Stefan who helped you, was it no’, Morvan?”
“Aye,” she whispered. “He’s the stranger I spoke of yesterday.”
Morcant rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. “We need to go after him, Ronan.”
Ronan nodded, but didn’t take his gaze from Morvan. “Where did he go? Is he returning here?”
“He was on his way back to the place where it all began,” she said.
Morcant let out a string of curses. “We can still catch him.”
“Be careful,” Morvan cautioned. “He can be a bit untamed.”
Ronan’s lips compressed. “We know firsthand.”
She watched the two men stride off, hoping they were able to find Stefan quickly. Morvan walked the horse to the stables herself and fed him after putting him in his stall.
By the time she returned to the castle, she was exhausted. She was quickly surrounded by Meg and Leana who guided her to the solar.
“Is it true?” Leana asked her. “Is Stefan out there?”
Morvan nodded. “It is. The past few days have felt like someone aligned the stars to bring us together.”
“How do you mean?” Meg asked.
Morvan told them the story of how she’d been brought to the cliffs by some unknown force, and how she and Stefan came to meet. She left out their night together, ending the tale with Stefan leaving her at the castle.
“He was here,” Leana said with a shake of her head. “He was right here. If only he had come in with you.”
Morvan picked at a sweetmeat. She had consumed four during her story. “He was so anxious to find his friends. All he wanted to do was get back to the place where it all began to see what he could find.”
Meg leaned back in her chair, regarding her. “How much did Stefan tell you?”
“All that he knew. Was he right? Were they cursed?”
Leana sighed loudly. “They certainly were.”
It took all Morvan could do to keep her eyes open as the two shared their stories of how Ronan and Morcant came to be at Ravensclyde.
“Is it fate that all three were brought to this clan?” Morvan asked.
Meg smiled. “It’s magic.”
Magic. Morvan wasn’t sure if that was the correct word, but then again, she didn’t know what to call whatever had compelled her to the cliffs to touch the etching of the wolf.
“Are you feeling well, Morvan?” Leana asked worriedly.
Morvan rubbed her hand along her forehead. “For some reason I can’t shake the exhaustion.”
“It’s everything you’ve been through.” Meg rose and helped Morvan to stand. “We’ll let you rest in your chamber.”
Leana smiled. “And we’ll be sure to let you know as soon as Stefan arrives.”
~ ~ ~
Stefan spent the entire day trying to make it across the stream. The farthest he got was half way before he got a bad feeling. As soon as his feet were back on Sinclair land, the feeling dimmed, but didn’t go away.
He bedded for the night at the cliffs, but sleep eluded him. All he could see when he closed his eyes was Morvan as they’d made love beneath the stars in that exact spot.
Stefan was on his way back to the castle before the sun peaked over the mountains. He waited for a glance of Morvan, because he knew she couldn’t stay within the castle walls for long. She was a child of the forest, after all.
As the sun continued its ascent, there was no sign of her. Stefan decided to try a different route to leave. Surely this time he would make it back to the glen where he and his friends were cursed.
If he couldn’t have Morvan, he could at least avenge his friends.
CHAPTER EIGHT
For four days, Stefan tried to leave. He tried going different directions each time, but every dawn he found himself back at the castle hoping for a glimpse of Morvan.
He’d stayed at the castle longer than he should have, especially since there seemed to be someone following him. Stefan briefly contemplated waiting for whoever it was, but he didn’t want to fight. He just wanted to see Morvan.
As the dawn of the fifth day came, Stefan walked from the trees across the open plain to stop a cart that had just come from the castle.