Once Enchanted

by Marie Higgins

  “Why?” He stepped closer. “Don’t you believe that I think you’re lovely?”

  She tilted her head. “I think my title makes you think I’m lovely.”

  He shook his head. “For as long as you’ve known me, do you honestly believe I have seen you as a title? You know I’ve always treated you like a normal person, and I’ve never judged you.”

  Anger slowly left her expression. “Indeed. You are correct.”

  “And have I ever lied to you?”

  She kept her gaze locked on his. “Not that I recall.”

  “I never will, Rissa.” He used the childhood nickname he’d given her as he hesitantly reached up to stroke her cheek. Thankfully, she didn’t pull away. She seemed more relaxed now. He gradually began to feel as if things just might go his way. Perhaps he’d worried earlier about nothing. “Do you know what I miss about our younger days?”

  “What?” Her voice was quiet.

  “I miss talking. We shared a lot of secrets. We shared our troubles and problems, and we helped each other overcome them. Remember?”

  Slowly, she nodded. “I do.”

  “I miss that closeness. I haven’t been that way with anyone since. Have you?”

  “No.” She moved away from him and to the window. “I was close with my cousin this past year, but it really wasn’t the same.” She parted the curtains and looked outside. The sun shone on the glass, making the window gleam. “We did have some good times together, but sometimes I didn’t feel like I could tell her everything.”

  Once again, Ryder was taken aback with her mood swings. Now she appeared almost melancholy. He walked to her and stopped beside the window. Thankfully, the crisp air from outside emanating from the window helped to cool him down. “Rissa, you can tell me everything.”

  “I can?” She looked at him over her shoulder.

  “You know you can tell me.” He’d do anything to get her to open up to him. He couldn’t lose her now. “I can sense something is wrong. Will you talk to me about it?”

  Silence stretched between them, but he kept hope inside his chest. He must make her trust him like she had when they were in school. Her expression wavered. If only he could climb inside her head to know what she was really thinking.

  She released an audible sigh. “Oh, Ryder. I’m so very confused.”

  It broke his heart to see her this way. If he couldn’t help her, he feared she’d never rely on him ever again. Tenderly, he caressed her shoulder. “What about?”

  “Why I’m feeling the way I am.”

  “And which way is that?”

  She turned and faced him. “It’s as if I’m two different people. Yesterday when I was with you, I felt so...jovial. So happy. The kiss we shared made me breathless. And yet—” The light disappeared from her eyes and she frowned. “When I met Prince Ormond, my thoughts changed to him. I don’t know why. Perhaps he is the man I’m supposed to be with after all.” She shrugged. “I wish I knew.”

  It hurt Ryder to hear her words. He took her soft hand and rubbed the pad of his thumb across her knuckles. “I was hoping you would think I was the man you were meant to be with.”

  Her mouth stretched into a smile. “You were?”

  “Yes.” He tugged lightly on her hand, hoping she would move closer to him. Thankfully, it worked and she took two steps forward. “You have been on my mind quite often lately, even before you returned from visiting your cousin. I think I was falling in love with you when we were still in school, but I worried that if I said anything, it would ruin our friendship. But after the kiss we had yesterday,” he closed the space between them, slipping an arm around her waist, “I had hoped you shared the feelings I’ve been harboring for years.”

  Her gaze skimmed over his face, coming to rest on his mouth. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her, and yet, he mustn’t go with his urges this time. It was difficult. The charming part of him wanted to seduce her as a way to change her mind, but the part of him that cared about her as a friend convinced him to talk things out first.

  “Oh, Ryder. Yesterday, I had shared them...until Prince Ormond came.”

  Ryder held back a sigh. “I talked with your father this morning.”

  She arched an eyebrow. “Really? About me?”

  “Yes.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He wondered why you would feel such a bond with Prince Ormond, especially since when you first met him, you didn’t seem to feel a connection at all.”

  She chuckled lightly. “Indeed. It wasn’t until he gave me the flowers that I saw him in a different light.”

  Curiosity niggled on his conscience. Her father had mentioned this as well. “Flowers? What kind?”

  She motioned her hand to the ones on the table. “They are called the Rapunzel flower. Are they not pretty?” Clarissa asked, turning and stepping closer to admire them.

  Silently, he groaned. If only he could have kept her in his arms, maybe...just maybe he would have been able to convince her to love him, not the clumsy prince. “Indeed. They are very pretty.”

  She stopped beside the table, leaned over to the flowers, and inhaled. Closing her eyes, a peaceful expression settled on her face, and she smiled.

  “I didn’t think the Rapunzel flower grew in our kingdom anymore.”

  Her body snapped upright, and she spun toward him with a scowl. He sucked in a quick breath. What did I say this time?

  “It doesn’t.” A nerve in her neck jumped as her glare darkened. “That’s what I found so endearing about Prince Ormond. He obviously loves me enough to seek out the most exquisite flower that’s nearly impossible to be found.”

  “Rissa, I understand.” He held up his hands in surrender. “Calm down. There’s no reason to get upset.”

  She huffed. “Don’t tell me to calm down, and don’t call me Rissa.” She pointed toward the door. “I think you should leave now, Mr. Grey.”

  Something was definitely not right, but he wasn’t about to argue now. Not with her in this fit. He gave her a nod, turned, and left the room...trying not to step on the pieces of his shattered heart.

  NINE

  Ryder sat atop of his horse as it trotted toward the middle of town. He was off duty and didn’t have to return to work for two days. In a way, he looked forward to the time away from Clarissa, and yet...more than anything, he wanted to fix things with her. He couldn’t handle this ache inside of his chest as if he would wither away if he couldn’t be with her.

  He hadn’t been able to concentrate since their strange conversation this afternoon. He couldn’t figure out what had caused her to do a complete turnaround. She’d seemed settled in his embrace. The look of desire was evident in her turquoise eyes. This was the same look he’d seen on her face before they had kissed. Yet, the moment she smelled those flowers...

  His thoughts stopped as he recalled what her father had said about the flowers. She had acted uninterested in Prince Ormond until he’d given her the flowers.

  Ryder slowed his horse. Of course! The flowers! They had to have been tainted with something...like some kind of spell? What else could it be? Prince Ormond wasn’t the kind of man Clarissa would have found remotely attractive in their schooling days. Ryder didn’t think she had changed that much in just a few years.

  When he heard his name, Ryder snapped out of his pondering and glanced around the area. The sun was beginning to set, but the sky was still light enough to see. He recognized the person calling his name, and he waved back. “Good evening, Mrs. Privett. How are you?”

  The middle-aged woman smiled, which produced more wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. “I’m doing splendidly. I suppose you are on your way to see your mother this evening?” She pointed in the direction where his mother lived.

  Ryder really wasn’t, but he supposed he should drop in on his mother. It had been a week since they last talked, and he needed to update her on what was going on in his life. “Yes, I shall visit her momentarily.”

  The wom
an grinned, displaying a mouthful of crooked teeth. “She will be very pleased to see you.”

  “As will I.” He nodded. “Have a pleasant evening, Mrs. Privett.”

  “You, too, Mr. Grey.”

  As he switched his focus back to the road, out of the corner of his eyes he noticed a small-framed woman exit a shop. He couldn’t quite see her face, but the white-blonde hair wrapped in a coil on top of her head, along with her petite frame, seemed oddly familiar. He’d never met this woman, yet...how did he know her?

  Immediately, the conversation he’d shared with Mr. Cook came to Ryder’s mind. Was this the old woman the dying man had talked about? So far, she fit the description, but then, he’d be more certain once the elderly women looked this way. He silently willed the woman to look at him, but she didn’t.

  She reached into the satchel hooked around her arm and pulled out a red scarf, draping it over her head. This must be the old woman Mr. Cook had spoken about, since she wore the same clothes. There was only one way to find out. He needed to follow her.

  Although he should visit his mother, he’d put her off another day and see where this old woman led him. After all, he had a strong feeling this was the same older woman his father had mentioned helping before he’d taken ill.

  He followed her on horseback, trying not to appear as if he followed her. The edge of town was getting closer, and he realized he would have to dismount and go the rest of the way on foot.

  The sun continued to set, bringing more shadows into his path. Villagers were closing up shops, and working men and women were returning to their homes. Most of them looked at him as he passed, but they didn’t question. Thankfully, they didn’t even appear interested in the stranger passing through their town.

  Calling out a command to his horse, he stopped the animal and dismounted. The old woman up ahead turned his way, so he quickly lifted the horse’s leg to examine the hoof. Hopefully, she wouldn’t question his actions. However, in just the brief second he saw her face, he noted she was wearing round glasses, just as Mr. Cook had described.

  Confidence grew inside Ryder. Perhaps he just might stumble across some answers today after all.

  Just inside the east forest, he found a tree and tied up his horse. The old woman would certainly notice if a horse was following her since keeping these animals quiet was almost impossible. As the evening shade settled over the forest, he was relieved to see a clear sky—and a full moon.

  He kept his distance. When his father was alive, he’d spoken of the eerie feeling he received while coming to this section of the woods. His father was convinced there was something evil that lurked nearby. Ryder could sense it as well. Something didn’t feel right, but unless he could immediately put his finger on it, he wasn’t about to worry needlessly about the problem.

  The old woman followed a path and seemed to know the way because she’d sidestepped some fallen logs and ducked under some low-hanging branches. Suddenly, she stopped.

  He sucked in a quick breath and flattened himself against a tree, hiding from her view. He hoped she didn’t know he was following. Having her guess his purpose wouldn’t help him achieve his goal.

  After a few, very long, very awkward minutes, he finally detected leaves crunching and twigs snapping as her footsteps grew farther away. When he felt it was safe to come out of hiding, he peeked around the tree and glanced toward the path. The woman was nowhere in sight.

  Slowly, he moved from tree to tree as he followed the path. He listened closely to see if he could hear any sounds. Panic tightened in his throat, and he wanted to scream with frustration. He couldn’t have made it this far just to lose the old woman!

  Through the thick trees, he noticed a light up ahead. He didn’t dare breathe a sigh of relief yet. Not until he spotted the woman.

  He crept slowly toward the light, which thankfully didn’t move. As he neared, he could see it was a small hut placed back in the forest down a gentle slope. The old woman was out in front, picking some of the many weeds growing by the rundown shack. The door to the structure stood open, and although he couldn’t see what was inside, at least he knew this was where the light generated from.

  After finding a nice, large tree to hide behind, he kept watch over the woman. She wandered around her garden of weeds, plucking off seeds or leaves and placing them in a cloth pouch. As she moved from one plant to the other, she muttered some disjointed words he couldn’t understand.

  Curiosity tugged on his conscience. Was she some kind of witch? If she had anything to do with the king’s guards becoming ill—and dying—then she was indeed evil, which of course explained why his father had felt this way while in the forest. His instincts told him to wait and watch her carefully. He sat down on the bed of leaves by the tree and made himself comfortable. He prayed the weather wouldn’t turn chilly, or he would have to return home. He wasn’t wearing warm enough clothes to be out here all night.

  He found a small stick and drew lines in the dirt to help pass the time. Off in the distance, the pounding of hooves and clattering of a coach echoed through the still air and shook the ground slightly. He peered into the darkness, hoping to see who came their way. A small lantern shone, growing brighter by the second. When he finally saw the vehicle, a lone driver rode on top. From what Ryder could tell, the coach wasn’t very fancy.

  When the coach stopped in front of the shack, Ryder slowly rose to his feet. Being careful to stay hidden behind the tree, he carefully peeked around it toward the coach. The old woman hobbled toward the vehicle. The driver jumped down and opened the door, but of course, from where he stood, Ryder couldn’t see inside. He also couldn’t hear what the person inside the coach was saying.

  The old woman shook her head and frowned. “What do ye mean it’s not working? Of course it’s working. All my spells work!”

  Ryder grinned and nodded. She is a witch!

  Mumbling came from inside the coach once again. The witch scowled. “Nonsense! All she has to do is smell the flowers. Are ya making certain she smells the flowers?”

  Flowers? What were the odds these were the same flowers Clariss had received from Prince Ormond?

  The witch was silent while the person inside the vehicle mumbled again.

  The old woman huffed and folded her arms. “Yer too impatient! Give her time. She’ll come to love ye without being confused.”

  There came another brief pause before the witch scowled. “No, I don’t need to give ye more flowers. The Rapunzel is very rare, and I only give them to people as I see fit. Besides, the flower will stay alive while the spell is upon it. Ye, my prince, have no need to worry. My spell will work. The princess will fall in love with ye, and the two of ye will marry very soon.”

  The witch grew the flower? Ryder’s heart dropped as panic rushed through him. They were definitely discussing Clarissa and Prince Ormond. Ryder couldn’t allow this particular spell to work. Just thinking about what might happen if everything went Prince Ormond’s way...

  No! Ryder must stop this any way he could. He needed to inform Clarissa, immediately. Or her father. Or anyone who would keep her from falling under the witch’s curse. If the spell was on the flowers, then, before they could affect her anymore, he needed to destroy them.

  Tonight!

  RYDER RODE HIS HORSE as fast as he could toward the palace. There wasn’t a moment to lose. He needed to tell Clarissa.

  He still wasn’t certain the witch was the one causing the king’s guards to die, but knowing she was a witch and knowing about the curse she’d placed on the flower made him want to dig deeper to find the evidence that proved she was responsible for more. He wouldn’t rest until she was stopped.

  When he reached the palace, he jumped off his horse and started up the stairs. If Clarissa wouldn’t listen to him, he’d get the king and queen to hear him. They would believe him.

  Just before reaching the palace doors, he heard his name whispered in the night breeze. He stopped and turned, scanning the shadows, trying
to find who had called him.

  A woman’s cloaked form emerged from the large tree landscaping the side of the stairs. When she walked into the moonlight and lowered her hood, long, curly, blonde tresses fell free, covering her shoulders all the way down her back, reaching her knees. Clarissa smiled at him with such tenderness, he couldn’t help but respond with enthusiasm.

  His heart knocked a crazy rhythm against his ribs as he bounded down the steps toward her. Had she changed her mind about him? Either that or the spell had worn off. He could only hope. She held out her hands, which he grasped once he reached her.

  “Oh, Ryder. I’m so relieved you came back,” she said breathlessly.

  “But of course I came back. Did you think I would leave forever?”

  She chuckled and shook her head. “I didn’t know what to believe. I made you upset, and it wasn’t my intent. Please forgive me?”

  As he gazed into her shadowed eyes, he could only guess that she hadn’t smelled the flowers since he’d left. Perhaps that was why Prince Ormond had insisted the spell wasn’t working.

  He stroked her cheek. “Of course I forgive you. Always, my love.”

  Her head moved from side to side as if she were searching for someone. “Ryder, I want to be with you in private.” She met his gaze again. “Will you come someplace with me?”

  His heart soared as happiness quickly spread through him. “I’ll go anywhere with you.”

  Smiling, she brushed her delicate fingers against his cheek. “Thank you. I want to be in your arms again, but I don’t want an audience.”

  He laughed. “Neither do I.” He lifted one of her hands and kissed her knuckles. “I have something to tell you. I discovered something tonight that you’ll find very interesting.”

  She nodded. “Then let’s hurry and leave, so you can tell me.”

  “I’ll saddle your horse.”

  “No need to,” she whispered. “I’ve already done that.”