by Donna Grant
The skin on his back pulled, and Gabriel released his arms. The wound was still healing, but healing quickly. Maybe it had just been something on the Harpy’s talons.
He needed a bath, desperately, not only to wash away the sweat that had soaked his body, but to sink into the heated water and help with his sore muscles.
Gabriel padded barefoot to the trunk at the end of his bed for a clean tunic and pants, and then he left his chamber for the bath.
Torches flared in the hallway and the castle was almost ghostly quiet. He passed the balcony overlooking the great hall to see row upon row of bodies sleeping. As he continued on his way, he couldn’t help thinking of the dreams that had plagued him.
The woman in the dreams was fascinating, and he would have given almost anything to see her entire face. Snatches of his first dream flashed in his mind. The woman had a wonderful, infection laugh, one that put a smile on his face even then.
But was she real, a person from his past, or just a figment of a dream?
The answer he might never know. With a yawning sigh, he walked into the bathing chamber, stripped and sank into the heated water with a groan.
In the distance he could hear soldiers moving around outside on the battlement, searching the skies for the gargoyle they all expected. And he couldn’t wait to fit his bow in his palm again and let an arrow find its mark.
The need to battle the creatures was great, so great that it left little room for anything else. He had never felt such hatred for the creatures before. Though he suspected it had something to do with his exchange with the Great Evil. Part of him wanted to forget it ever happened, yet, another part, the part that yearned for knowledge of his past, wanted to seek the evil out.
With a curse, Gabriel reached for the soap and began to scrub himself clean. It wasn’t until he had dried off and put on his fresh clothes that he thought about Danielle.
He silently chided himself for forgetting about her, especially after she had sat in his chamber, worry clouding her pretty hazel eyes.
On his return to his chamber, he detoured to the left and walked silently to her chamber. He knocked softly, not wanting to wake her if she slept. When she didn’t answer, he reached to try the handle, just wanting to check on her to make sure her ankle was healing.
The handle moved, opening her door noiselessly. He looked to the bed but found A WARRIOR’S HEART
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it empty. His gaze quickly scanned the small chamber and found her sitting before the now dead fire.
Gabriel shut her door to help keep what little heat there was in her chamber, then moved to the hearth to work the still glowing embers to life. It took him a bit, but once the fire was roaring again he turned to Danielle.
She had unbraided her hair, letting it fall all golden and loose around her like a golden mantle. Her nose was read and her eyes ringed with dark circles. She was still in her gown and fast asleep.
He shook his head and touched her hand to feel her icy skin beneath his. Gabriel stalked to the bed, yanked down the linens, then walked back for her. He gently moved her into his arms and carried her to the bed without waking her.
Once she was in her bed, he reached down to remove her shoes and noticed that her ankle no longer had any swelling. He smiled, knowing Aimery must have seen to it, and tucked her feet beneath the thick blankets.
As he pulled the blankets up to her chin he saw the streaks down her face where tears had been. Why the thought of her crying twisted his insides, he didn’t know.
She stirred and buried herself deep within the covers. Her lips parted on a soft sigh, and for a moment he couldn’t tear his gaze from her. There was something different about Danielle, something familiar as well, and he desperately wanted to know who she was. If she could be a link to his past, even one that was nothing more than a replica of someone he knew, he needed her.
The wind began to howl as gusts blew past the castle. The storm would be fierce, keeping away the creatures for one more night at least.
With one last look at her, Gabriel straightened and closed the bed curtains around her. He checked her fire again, then left her chamber. His feet were like bricks of ice, but it was better than not being able to move in bed.
As he walked the stairs to his chamber, he felt someone near. He slowed his steps, checking the shadows as he walked.
“Do you fear me now, brother?” Roderick said as he stepped from one of the shadows.
Gabriel sighed. “You know I don’t.” One look at Roderick’s face and he knew something was seriously wrong. “What is it? What keeps your roaming the corridors instead of in bed with Elle?”
“Fear for her life,” he said softly and turned away from Gabriel. “Have you ever had something within your grasp that you never thought possible? A love so pure and right that you knew ‘twas your mate?”
Gabriel swallowed past the lump of pain in his chest. “Nay.”
“I pray you don’t, Gabriel,” he said as he faced him once more. “The very thought that I might lose Elle has robbed me of my sleep. I need her. Without her…I am nothing.”
Gabriel gripped Roderick’s shoulder. “We won’t let Elle or any of the Chosen die.”
He gave a half grin and lowered his head. “Thank you for trying, but you cannot promise that, my brother. No one can. Is it shocking to you that I long to take my wife A WARRIOR’S HEART
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far from here, to a realm untouched by evil? To forget about my oath or Earth and live my life as I wish?”
“Not shocking, Roderick. I think if I had discovered my mate, that I would feel the same way. But you won’t leave for Elle will not let you. She also has a duty.”
“I know,” Roderick said and all the apprehension and agony could be heard in his voice. Suddenly he lifted his head and looked Gabriel in the eye. “Your healed?”
Gabriel shrugged and let his hand drop from Roderick’s shoulder. “Aimery helped to speed it along.”
“How do you feel?”
“There’s still some pain, but it should be gone shortly. Do not worry, Roderick.
I’m ready and eager to fight.”
Roderick sliced a hand through the air to stop his words. “That isn’t what I mean. I know you would fight even if your blood drained from you as it did earlier today. My faith does not waiver from any of the Shields.”
“Then what does your faith waiver on?”
“Us standing together,” he said softly before walking away.
For a long moment Gabriel simply stared after his friend. Of all of them, he never suspected this of Roderick. Roderick had shouldered so very much with the weight of his realm hanging in the balance.
Worry for Roderick and the other Shields filled Gabriel’s mind. He was so caught up in his conversation with Roderick that he didn’t look in his chamber as he always did when he entered.
It wasn’t until he checked his fire and turned to his bed that he saw it—the puddle of clear, thick liquid near his chest at the foot of his bed.
Gabriel’s gaze glanced to his sword that stood by the bed near his bow and arrows. It was too far way for him to reach. He let his gaze wander over the chamber in a lazy slow motion, as though he didn’t suspect someone, or something, of being in his chamber.
When he didn’t immediately see anything, he searched the chamber and came up empty. Without further ado, he pivoted and left his chamber.
He stopped before Hugh’s chamber and knocked. Loudly. Within moments Hugh stood before him bare-chested.
“Gabriel?” he asked as he rubbed his eyes. “What is it?”
“You need to come,” Gabriel said as he turned and retraced his steps. There was a commotion in Hugh’s chamber, which meant Mina was determined to come with them.
Gabriel stood at his door and waited for Hugh and Mina. Hugh took one look inside, then looked down at his wife and said, “Wake the others, my love.”
It wasn’t long before Roderick
, Val and Cole stood with them. “What was so important to wake us?” Val asked. “Not that I’m not relieved to see Gabriel up and about, his regular cheerful self,” he said with a grin.
Gabriel threw his friend a look. “Cole,” he said and turned to the other Shield.
“Do you recall the substance we found at the monastery?”
“Aye,” Cole said as he stepped into Gabriel’s chamber. He walked to the puddle near the chest and went on his haunches before it. After he dipped a finger into the A WARRIOR’S HEART
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liquid, he rubbed it between two fingers. “It’s the same, Gabriel.”
“What. Is. It?” Hugh asked, his entire being radiating anger.
Gabriel sighed. “With everything that has happened, Cole and I both forgot to tell of the substance we found. Neither of us thought much of it since we didn’t find any sign of a creature.”
“In various places throughout the monastery we found this liquid,” Cole said as he moved to stand beside Gabriel. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Hugh moved his gaze to Gabriel. “Is anything missing in your chamber?”
“Nay,” he said. “All is accounted for.”
Hugh raked a hand through his hair and walked into Gabriel’s chamber to stand over the puddle. “What could it be, and why the hell is it in your chamber?”
Gabriel walked with the others to stand around the pool of liquid. “I wish I knew.”
Val knelt down and leaned close to the liquid. He inhaled deeply and coughed.
“There is a slight smell to it that you don’t notice unless you get near it.”
“Whatever it is, it got into the castle unseen,” Roderick pointed out. “I’ve walked these halls all night and not seen a soul other than Gabriel.”
“I want to inspect the monastery tomorrow,” Hugh said as he walked to the door.
He stopped and turned to look at his men. “I don’t care if it is storming or not. We will ride out.”
Gabriel let out a sigh as Hugh disappeared down the hall. There was tension among all of them, but not for reasons of the unknown liquid. It was because each of them had something precious to lose, their mates.
He looked over his comrades. Roderick was still as stone and withdrawn. Val, whose smile had come much easier since finding Nicole, had also retreated into his shell once more. Only Cole seemed the same, though unease clouded his eyes.
Silently, they filed out of his chamber and returned to their own, leaving Gabriel staring at the liquid and wondering how it had gotten in his chamber and what it meant.
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Chapter Seventeen
Aimery stared out over his beloved land from his balcony. The sun shown its brilliance as it rose above the tall mountains in the east.
“It is going to be a beautiful day,” Theron said as he moved to stand beside him.
Aimery bowed his head to his king. “Aye.”
“What troubles you, my friend?”
Aimery turned and faced his liege who was dressed all in white save the blue cloak that hung around his shoulders. “The Great Evil spoke to Gabriel.”
Theron’s face drained of color at the news. “What did he say to Gabriel?”
“Only Gabriel knows, and he isn’t talking about.”
Theron sighed and clasped his hands behind his back as he turned and walked the length of Aimery’s office. “If Gabriel discovered his past, he wouldn’t have been able to hide it from you.”
“I
know.”
Theron stopped walking and cocked his head to the side. “You aren’t worried about him discovering his past.”
“Nay,” Aimery said. “He is a strong man with a strong soul. He can withstand anything.”
“Then what is it?”
Aimery sighed and closed his eyes as he sank onto one of his large, soft chairs.
He opened his eyes and looked to his king. “Did we do the right thing in keeping the truth from him, Theron? How many times has he asked me if I knew anything, and how many times have I lied?”
“You haven’t lied,” Theron said sharply. He took a deep breath and started again. “Aimery, we didn’t have a choice. It was by sheer chance that we happened upon Gabriel when we did. To this day we still don’t know if the things he said while the fever raged are true.”
“I think they are,” Aimery replied softly.
“But we don’t know for sure. There is a difference. You knew instantly he was a man for the Shields. You weren’t wrong then, and you’re not wrong now for keeping speculation from him.”
Aimery nodded. “There’s something else.”
Theron shifted and crossed his arms over his chest. “I gather this also has something to do with Gabriel? Has he allowed you into his mind? Have you seen the truth for yourself?”
“Nay. I do not think Gabriel is blocking me from his mind. I think something else is.”
“Maybe,” Theron said and looked into the distance. “There are many beings out there that could be keeping Gabriel’s mind closed.”
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“There’s a woman,” Aimery finally said. “A woman that Gabriel seems drawn to. There is much darkness in her soul and revenge in her heart, though there is no evil running through her.”
“Is she from Gabriel’s past?”
“I do not know. I tried to question her, but discovered nothing.”
“Then read her mind,” Theron said, losing patience.
Aimery smiled, for his king was known for his emotions. “I have tried. Her mind is also blocked.”
Theron’s blonde brow rose. “Coincidence?”
“Doubtful. I hesitate to interfere too much though.”
“I know you care about the Shields, Aimery, it’s what makes you such a fine commander. However, the growing evil might not give Gabriel the time he needs. And now you say this woman is full of revenge? Could she be after Gabriel?”
Aimery inhaled deeply and softly blew out the breath. “She is at Stone Crest for someone. Who? I do not as yet know.”
“And there isn’t time for you to keep watch over them either.”
Aimery soared to his feet. “I must be with them. The fate of our realm is also at stake.”
Theron’s face hardened and his voice lowered dangerously. “I don’t need reminding, Aimery. I need you to take some of your army to the west. Someone has slain a white dragon.”
Aimery felt as if he’d been punched in the gut. “No Fae would dare to slay a white dragon.”
“I know,” Theron said and turned away, but not before Aimery saw the weariness in his king’s face. “Only evil would dare to kill such a pure dragon. How evil stepped over our boundaries without us knowing it, I know not.” He turned back to Aimery. “I need you to find out who did this.”
Aimery nodded and waited until Theron left his office before he sat and dropped his head into his hands. Never did he think he would have to abandon the Shields.
They needed him and his army.
But the Fae also needed him, for to slay a white dragon carried serious consequences to the magic of their realm. It might not be felt now, but it would soon.
Somehow, Aimery knew this was all connected to the Great Evil. He knew the evil had garnered great powers, but was his magic so great that he could walk undetected into the Realm of the Fae and slay one of the most precious of their dragons?
The answer was nay. For if the Great Evil could venture into the Fae realm, there would be no reason for him not to destroy it.
He sent someone else, or something else, instead.
* * * *
Gabriel shifted in his saddle as the heavy snow fell around them. His quiver of arrows and bow were slung over his shoulder. He had made a mistake the day before by leaving them on his mount. He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
Barely visible through the falling snow were Roderick and the five women on the steps of the castle. Another of the Shields should have stayed, but Hugh wanted more A WARRIOR’S HEART
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protection for them.
The people of Stone Crest had been warned and were ready for any kind of attack.
The holes dug beneath their homes were stocked with food and water as well as an escape route if necessary. They were prepared.
He glanced once more to the steps. Roderick stood behind Elle, arms crossed over his chest and a fierce expression on his face. The women were safe with Roderick, for Roderick would sell his soul if it meant his Elle would be safe.
“The faster we leave, the faster we return,” Val said.