by Donna Grant
Just as he reached for it, he closed his hand over another softer, smaller hand. He knew without looking it was Elle. His gaze followed her arm up to her face. Their eyes locked, and for a moment, he almost got the words past his lips, the words that might redeem him in her eyes just a little. But nothing came out.
“May I have the goblet?”
Roderick jerked his hand away and nodded. It wasn’t until she had walked away that he allowed himself to breathe.
* * * *
Mina watched Roderick intently. She leaned close to her husband. “Do you think he knows?”
“Knows what?” Hugh asked.
“That he cares for Elle, and that she also cares for him.”
Surprise registered on her husband’s face. “Do you really think so?”
“’Tis obvious to anyone who watches. They are drawn to each other.”
“That could be the reason he is acting so strangely.”
“And the reason Elle chose to stay in her chamber.”
“Yet, she came down,” Hugh reminded her.
Mina simply smiled. “That’s because she wanted a chance to see him.”
He sighed. “I’ll never understand women.”
“And that’s the way we like it.”
“What shall we do?”
Again Mina smiled. “Nothing. They will come together on their own if ‘tis meant to be.”
“Wife, I hope you are right,” Hugh said sternly, though his eyes smiled. “I have no desire to see any of my men hurt.”
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Chapter Twenty
Elle still trembled from Roderick’s touch. She had sworn to keep her distance from him, to protect herself from future hurt, but staying away from him was like staying away from the sun.
Her wobbly legs managed to return her to the dais where she slowly sank into the chair. Try as she might, her eyes were drawn to Roderick and the scowl upon his gorgeous face.
“What is it?” Val asked.
He had been the best dinner companion. His conversation had never lulled despite the fact she barely paid attention. Her mind was full of Roderick and the feelings he had drawn from her. She couldn’t tuck them away as easily as he, and it bothered her.
He didn’t even seem happy to see her, but her heart had fluttered and nearly taken flight at finding him in the hall.
“Elle?”
She turned to Val and said, “I’m all right. Just tired.”
“If there is ever a time you need me, don’t hesitate to ask.”
She wondered at his words but gave him a small smile and nodded. “I promise.”
He moved his eyes from her face to just over her shoulder, and she knew Roderick was there. She wanted to run to her room and hide, but Hugh had asked her to stay and she was loath to say no.
She turned in her chair until she faced forward and forced her eyes to look anywhere but Roderick. It didn’t help that out of the corner of her eye she could see him just as clearly as if he were standing in front of her.
His arm moved near her face as he handed Val a goblet full of whatever was in the jug he had hurried to get. He didn’t offer her the jug, but in her current state, if the beverage was alcoholic, she might be better served without it.
“Shall we begin?” Hugh asked as he filled his goblet.
“Aye,” Val said after he drank deeply. “I’m anxious to see everything in place.”
“We all are,” Mina said.
Elle shuddered as she recalled the harpy speaking to her.
“Is something wrong, Elle? You’ve gone pale?” Val asked.
Suddenly, four pairs of eyes were on her. She waved away Val’s question and shook her head. “The harpies are extremely intelligent. They set a trap for us on top of that building. We might be able to fool them once but not twice. Whatever plan we come up with needs to be carried out in one night.”
Hugh stroked his chin. “That hadn’t occurred to me, but since I haven’t seen the harpies, ‘tis hard for me to comprehend just what we are facing.”
“Elle’s suggestion has merit,” Val said. “I want them dead soon. I’ve no wish to continue locking horns with them.”
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“We could use the monastery,” Mina offered.
This piqued Elle’s interest. “It’s nearby?”
“Not far, and ‘tis abandoned, so setting a trap there could work to our advantage.”
“They work as a team, so we might also think of separating them,” Hugh said.
“And do what?” Val asked.
“Attack.”
Elle shook her head before Hugh finished. “I would dearly love to, but unless you have weapons that will pierce their metal wings and body, that won’t work.”
“What we need is a special Fae weapon,” Roderick finally spoke.
Without looking at him, Elle said, “I didn’t think we could get those.”
“If they don’t know what ‘tis for, we might be able,” Hugh said.
Val laughed. “Aimery knows everything. There is no keeping it from him.”
“Unless I ask for it,” Elle said. “Since Mina and I are two of five left from our realm, it would seem that it’s in the Fae’s best interest to keep us alive. To do that, we need to protect ourselves.”
Mina smiled. “And if the Shields can have Fae weapons, why cannot we?”
“Exactly,” Elle said and returned her smile.
“It might work,” Hugh said.
Roderick’s eyes met Elle’s for the brief second before he turned to Hugh. “It will work.”
“So we separate them,” Val said. “How?”
Elle watched as Roderick tapped his finger against the bottom of his goblet as he contemplated Val’s question.
“If we go in separate ways, they have no choice but to split up,” Roderick said.
“This, of course, after we behead the first with the rope.”
Val rubbed his hands together, his pale green eyes nearly glowing with anticipation. “And if they know Elle is one from the lost realm, then they will know Mina is also.”
“Nay,” Hugh thundered and stood. “I will not have my wife mixed into this.”
Mina stood and clasped his hand in hers. “Too late, husband. I already am.
There is nothing in this realm or another that will keep me from aiding Elle. We are in this together, and you had best realize that.”
He ran a hand down his weary face. “Mina, if I lost you….”
Elle lowered her eyes. He didn’t finish his sentence, but there wasn’t a need.
Everyone knew what he meant.
“I know,” Mina said and rose up on her tiptoes to kiss him. “I feel the same way, which is why you will be there to protect me, and Roderick will be with Elle.”
Elle wasn’t sure Roderick wanted to be with her, but with Mina’s words, he couldn’t say anything without questions being raised.
“Hugh, take some of your best knights with you,” Val said. “Only a handful. I will stay with Elle and Roderick.”
“Aye,” Hugh agreed. “You must. She is your assignment, and only you and Roderick can truly protect her.”
Elle wasn’t sure what Hugh meant but was glad she had an excuse to keep A KIND OF MAGIC
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Roderick near her a little longer. She wasn’t fool enough to believe she could ever seduce him or turn his eye to her again, but having him near calmed her—as strange as that seemed.
“So,” Mina said as she resumed her seat and yanked Hugh down into his. “I suggest we let Elle, Roderick, and Val have the monastery.”
“And where will you be?” Roderick asked.
Mina and Hugh exchanged a glance before Hugh answered, “The old Druid ruins.”
“I don’t like it,” Val said. “I recall that place. The stench of evil was very strong there.”
&n
bsp; Elle watched Roderick’s head barely jerk in a nod before he turned his face from her. She studied his profile for a moment, aware that he knew what she did. He was a strong man, both physically and mentally. Whatever he wanted, she was sure he got, and if there was something he didn’t want, nothing could make him change his mind.
“Val,” Hugh said, breaking into her thoughts. “What better place to kill a creature than from the very place one sprang?”
After a loud sigh, Val shrugged. “You have a point. Just make sure you are protected.”
Hugh’s eyes burned into Val’s. “I will protect my wife with my life.”
“Let’s hope that isn’t necessary,” Roderick said.
“Since the places are determined,” Val said. “How will we then kill them?”
“With the weapons Mina and I will obtain from the Fae,” Elle said. “It’s the only way unless you come up with a better plan.”
“I cannot help but think the harpies will outmaneuver us,” Val said. “Your weapons will not be any different from ours.”
Silently, Elle agreed with him. She had seen first hand what they were capable of, and they knew more about humans than humans did about them. Not a fair advantage.
“They want me dead,” she said softly. “Which means they will go out of their way to succeed. We have a good plan in place that has a high percentage of success.”
Hugh stood again and waited for Mina to join him. He then turned to look at Elle, Roderick, and Val. “The harpies could attack at any time. We need to be ready. I am going now to choose my men.”
“I wish there were time to take you three to the monastery,” Mina said, her lips flattened in regret.
“If you can leave one of your men to tell us if something happens tonight, all should be set,” Roderick said.
Elle rose to her feet. “Not quite all. We need our weapons.”
Hugh cursed, and Roderick and Val exchanged a quick glance.
Without a word to the men, Mina walked to Elle and took her hand to lead her from the hall.
“Where are we going?” she asked Mina.
“Away from the men,” she whispered.
Elle kept silent as she followed Mina to one of the towers. They entered, moonlight spilling into the empty room. She walked to one of the windows and looked A KIND OF MAGIC
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down.
“Wow. We’re higher up than I expected.”
Mina chuckled. “It will hurt if you fall, so don’t.”
Elle found herself giggling. “How you can joke at a time like this is beyond me.”
She shrugged. “Life is short, and laughter is better than grimacing.”
Elle faced her new friend. “Now what?”
“Call Aimery. He will be more in tuned to you and will hear you better than me.”
Elle swallowed. “Do I just say his name?”
Mina nodded and patiently waited.
“Aimery,” Elle said and looked around the room. Yet, nothing happened.
“Again,” Mina said. “This time close your eyes and think about him.”
Elle did as instructed, recalling the first time she had seen the Fae. “Aimery,” she barely whispered.
“You
called?”
She opened her eyes to find Aimery standing between her and Mina. A smile pulled at her mouth. “It worked.”
“Of course it worked,” Aimery said and folded his arms over his chest, his silvery blond hair shining in the moonlight. “What is it you need? None of the Shields are hurt.”
Elle didn’t ask how he knew that, instead, she talked before she changed her mind. “The harpies are out to kill me.”
“I know.” Aimery shook his head and lowered his eerie blue eyes. “I am still trying to determine how they knew what you were and where to find you.”
“Especially when the Fae cannot,” Mina pointed out.
“Very true,” Aimery conceded.
Elle licked her dry lips and clasped her hands together. “We wondered if the Fae would allow us to borrow weapons to keep safe?”
For several minutes, he stared at her without speaking. Elle feared he would say no, and just as she was about to go into a long speech as to why they needed the weapons, he asked one simple thing.
“Why?”
She glanced at Mina and knew Mina wasn’t going to help. This was her idea, and she needed to see it through. “The Shields have weapons gifted to them by the Fae, weapons that people would think came from this world, but upon closer inspection, the craftsmanship is too superb. Not to mention they pack a hell of a punch.”
Aimery grinned. “There are no weapons like ours.”
“Please, Aimery,” Elle beseeched him. “Without weapons from the Fae, Mina and I are as good as dead.”
“I will consider your request,” he said just before disappearing.
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Chapter Twenty-One
Roderick rose to his feet and walked to the stairs.
“Where are you going?” Hugh asked.
He stopped just short of stepping on the first stair and turned to his leader. “To prepare in case the harpies strike tonight.”
“A moment please,” Hugh beckoned.
Roderick couldn’t refuse, though he dearly wished to. He strode back to the table and emptied his goblet.
“We need to discuss what will happen if Mina and Elle do not convince Aimery to give them weapons.”
Roderick shrugged. “There isn’t much of an option. We use the weapons we have and keep the women alive.”
“He’s right,” Val added. “Our options are few. If we can kill one of the harpies, I will be happy.”
“If we kill one, we will incite the others,” Roderick said. “They are sisters, Val.
Blood.”
Hugh cleared his throat and rubbed his chin. “We have to make sure that we keep them separated. They will still be able to do damage, but not nearly as much as if together.”
Roderick turned to Val. “Did you bring your weapons?”
Val nodded. “I tried to reach yours but was unable.”
“You do not have your flail?” Hugh asked.
Roderick shook his head. “I dropped it when a harpy threw me over the side of the building. In order to hang on, I had to let go.”
“And your sword?”
“It, too, was lost.”
Hugh swore, but Roderick wasn’t worried. Several times in the past a weapon had been lost for many reasons, and the Fae always replaced them—immediately.
Roderick had to worry as to why his hadn’t been replaced yet. A talk with Aimery might be in order.
“I will have my weapons returned,” Roderick said and started for the stairs, only to find a woman blocking his way.
“Ev’nin’, milord,” she said and smiled.
“Good evening,” he answered and tried to step around the buxom blonde haired servant, but she blocked him again. “Can I help you with something?”
She smiled, and he had to admit she was a comely looking woman. Some men might find her very attractive, but he didn’t find anything alluring about her.
“Actually, you can. I’ve admired you all ev’nin’. You have a body women crave to touch,” she purred as she stepped toward him and placed her hands on his chest.
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With her breasts pressing against him, all Roderick could think about was how different his reaction was when Elle pressed against him. With Elle he wanted more, with this woman, he just wanted her away from him.
“I’m flattered but not interested.”
Her smile never waned. “I can get you interested,” she said just before she reached up and kissed him.
* * * *
Elle and Mina returned to the hall to tell the men what had transpired with Aimery when Elle saw Roderick locked in an embrace with one of
the serving women.
“Oh, dear,” Mina whispered behind her before walking away.