Echoes of Magic (18 page)

Adrianna was going to be a different
story.

At least he had pulled out
of her last night. It had been close, but he’d done it. If he had
his way, she would return to the inn before nightfall without
him.

His plan had been to wait out Nigel at
Hawksbridge while Adrianna was safe at in the inn. But knowing he
might never see her again if he carried out his plan made his chest
ache as if a dagger had been thrust in his heart.

He had never been one to run away from
anything, and Nigel and answers to his mother awaited him. It was
time to face the day, regardless of what he really wanted.

“
It’s time, isn’t it?”
Adrianna’s pale blue gaze met his.

“
Aye.”

She nodded and rose from the bed. He missed
her warmth instantly. He watched as she combed her hair. It didn’t
surprise him that she stared out the window. “Is he closer?”

“
Aye.” She lowered the comb
and faced him. “I’d like to look into the future before we
leave.”

Grayson rose with a sigh and walked to her.
“Just as you said, we cannot run from our fate, the future cannot
be changed, Drina.”

“
It can. Why do you think I
was given the gift if not to help people?”

The morning sun drenched
her in red
‐
orange
light, giving her the appearance that magic surrounded her. It was
obvious it was important to her that she peer into his future and,
though he knew it would change nothing, he nodded.

“
I’ll gather us some food
to break our fast.”

She smiled, relief shining
in her eyes. “Thank you.”

Grayson hurried to dress and left their
chamber. He didn’t know what was wrong with him. Ever since he had
woken, he had wanted to forget his quest for answers, forget
Nigel.

That’s because you sense there is a future
for you and Adrianna.

He snorted. She was cursed, and he was
destined to die at Hawksbridge. What kind of future could they
have?

None.

Adrianna waited until Grayson closed the
door behind him before she lowered herself to the floor. She knew
she wouldn’t have much time, and she was determined to see as much
as she could before he returned.

She closed her eyes and focused all the
magic on Grayson. The world faded into nothing as her magic began
to rush around her and everything went black. Flashes of Grayson
blazed in her mind. She concentrated on Hawksbridge and saw Grayson
standing in the bailey, his sword drawn and hanging at his side as
blood dripped from the tip.

His long, black hair whipped in the wind
while his silver eyes flashed savagely and his face was thunderous
in his anger.

As quickly as that insight came, it
vanished, leaving Adrianna to search for more. Almost instantly
another image appeared. This one was of Grayson standing on the
battlements as he watched someone ride away. When he turned, the
grief on his face was enough to knock the wind from her lungs.

Her eyes flew open as Grayson walked into
their chamber. He glanced at her before moving to the table and
laying out the food he had purchased. Adrianna rose to her feet and
padded to the table. Her stomach rumbled in hunger as she reached
for the food. They ate briefly in silence before he raised his gaze
to her.

“
You saw
something.”

It wasn’t a question. She nodded. “Not much,
but something. I don’t think I can see much of your future now
because I’m involved.”

“
I don’t
understand.”

“
I’ve never wanted to see
my own future, so I think that fear hinders me from seeing yours
clearly.”

He chewed and swallowed. “What did you
see?”

“
You in the bailey of
Hawksbridge with blood on your sword.”

He lifted a brow. “Was I fighting
Nigel?”

“
I didn’t see anyone else,
just you, but, by the sheer anger of your gaze, I’d say you were
looking at someone you detested.”

“
What else?”

She shrugged. “I only saw one more image,
and that was of you standing on the battlements waving farewell to
someone.”

That got his attention. He sat forward.
“What battlements?”

“
I’m assuming Hawksbridge,
but I suppose it could have been Wolfglynn. I didn’t get to see
enough,” she hurried to say when he sat back.

“
You know what we’ll be
facing there, Drina,” he said softly. “Why do you want to make
things worse by seeing the future?”

“
So I can help
you.”

One corner of his mouth pulled up into a
smile. “You are helping.”

She felt more like a
hindrance than anything else. “Give us another day. You can scout
more of the area and the castle.”

“
While you dig into the
future?”

She nodded.

“
Nay, Drina. I must go.
I’ve waited too long to find answers.”

Adrianna wanted to argue
with him, to bed him for just one more day, but she knew it would
be futile. Grayson had a destiny, and he was rushing toward
it.

Chapter
Twenty
‐
One

Adrianna smoothed down her
green skirts. Her new gown felt heavenly. The material was more
costly than she’d ever worn, and she understood how a woman could
become spoiled to such clothes.

The gown wasn’t as dark as
the green velvet she wanted, but it was a beautiful dark moss
green. The trim on the hem, neck and the elongated sleeves was a
lighter shade with a matching moss green floral print. Even her
girdle was decorated to match, a luxury she’d never had.

She whirled around as the
door opened and Grayson stepped in the chamber. “How is my hair?”
She ran her hands down the two plaits bound with matching leather
that fell down her front.

When Grayson didn’t respond, she met his
gaze. “That awful?”

“
Nay, Drina. You
look...stunning, as if you were born to those clothes.”

She licked her lips and lowered her gaze.
She was embarrassed with herself for being so pleased with his
comment. Yet, pleased she was.

“
Thank you,” she murmured
and forced herself to meet his gaze.

She then got her first look at him in his
new finery. The black tunic with silver thread molded to his body
perfectly. The new black breeches and boots only added to his
handsomeness and, though she loved when his hair was loose, he had
it pulled back in a queue.

With her brow raised, she walked slowly
around Grayson, letting her eyes take in the beautiful warrior
before her.

“
Well?” he
prompted.

Adrianna waited until she was once more
standing before him. “I’ve never seen a man more handsome. The
black gives you a sinister air, though, which could give you an
advantage.”

“
Sinister, aye?” he asked
with a twinkle in his silver eyes.

“
You always carry an air of
power about you, but I have to admit, these new clothes do give you
quite the advantage.”

“
Really?”

He reached for her, and Adrianna ducked his
grasp and laughed as she tried to run from him. His arms were long,
and he easily caught her, pushing her against the wall as he molded
his body to hers.

“
The way that gown fits
your body makes me want to rip it off you,” he murmured in her
ear.

Adrianna sighed with pleasure. “I’d like
nothing more than to take it off.”

He kissed her neck, sending shivers of
delight racing along her skin. “I wish we had time for me to take
you again.”

“
We’ll have
tonight.”

He gave her a quick kiss on the lips and
took her hand. “Of course.”

There was something in his tone that told
her he had no intentions of spending another night with her. She
gathered her bag and let him lead her from the inn as she tried to
see past the hurt that threatened to swallow her.

It wasn’t until he had helped her mount her
mare and she saw the way his gaze sizzled when he caught a glimpse
of her leg that she decided not to give up so easily on him. There
might not be a future for them, but they could have a few days or
weeks. That wasn’t asking a lot.

“
Are you ready?” she asked
as they rode from the village.

“
Aye. Nay.” He chuckled and
shook his head. “I’ve been waiting for this for so long, it almost
seems unreal.”

“
I wish I could have seen
into your past to give you some help.”

“
You’ve given me more than
I could ask for already.”

Adrianna swallowed and shifted her gaze away
from his heated one. “What do you think happened to your
mother?”

“
I’ve thought about this so
many times that it’s hard to say. There are many things that could
have happened to her.”

“
But how many of them
involved leaving her child behind?”

He clenched his jaw. “Not many. I think she
was taken, but I’m not sure why.”

Adrianna worried her lower lip with her
teeth as she thought over his words. “Do you remember if she was
common or nobility?”

Grayson barked with laughter. “I have no
idea. I have to assume we were common.”

“
You are anything but
common, Grayson of Wolfglynn.”

He winked at her, his smile infectious.

About an hour into the ride, Adrianna
noticed a change in Grayson. He became more alert, his hand on his
sword.

“
What is it?”

“
We’re being followed,” he
answered.

She had the desire to look behind her but
stopped herself just in time. “Where?”

“
To the side. It’s just one
man.”

“
One of Nigel’s
knights?”

Grayson shook his head slightly. “I don’t
think so. Do you smell any evil?”

“
From the castle and Nigel
himself, but other than that nay.”

“
Do they have distinct
scents?”

She nodded. “Hawksbridge has a stale smell
of evil, almost like the smell a wet dog leaves behind.”

“
And Nigel?”

“
He’s pure evil. He smells
of rotting flesh and decaying bones.”

Grayson glanced at her. “Are you going to be
all right?”

“
The spell and herbs will
stay with me for several days.”

“
Good.” He moved his mount
closer to her. “If we’re attacked, move away from me. If you can,
ride back to the village.”

She grabbed his hand. “I’d rather stay. I’m
safer with you.”

“
That’s debatable, Drina,”
he said with a smile. “I think you’re in more danger being near
me.”

“
No one can protect me like
you can, but I’ll do as you ask. I will keep out of the
way.”

“
If there are more of them,
some will attack me while others will try for you. They will
capture you in an attempt to halt my blade.”

“
Don’t worry,” she assured
him. “I won’t let them get me.”

“
I hope not.”

For the next few hours, they rode in
silence. Try as she might to see into the future, she couldn’t, not
without falling off the horse in the process.

It was nearing noon when they crested a
small hill and the towers of Hawksbridge came into view. Grayson
pulled his mount to a halt, and Adrianna followed suit.

“
It’s heavily guarded,” he
warned her. “We might not get entrance.”

“
They’ll give us entrance.
To them, we’re nobility, and nobility isn’t turned
away.”

He sighed loudly. “I hope you’re right.”

“
I am.”

They started forward. The giant gray stone
of the castle loomed ever closer. Just as Grayson had said, guards
patrolled the battlement, keeping a wary eye on the horizon. She
knew the instant they were spotted.

“
They know we’re coming,”
Grayson mumbled.

“
It’ll be all right.” At
least she hoped it would.

On the long road to Hawksbridge two knights
on horseback raced from the castle toward them.

“
Adrianna?”

“
They smell of the castle,
not of the knights we fought.”

He nodded.

“
And the man who followed
us?” she prompted.

Grayson met her gaze. “Still there.”

They weren’t able to speak more as the
knights reached them. They looked first at Grayson before turning
to her.

“
Do you have business at
Hawksbridge, my lord?” the knight nearest her asked.

Grayson inclined his head but a fraction,
his gaze never wavering from the men. Adrianna waited for Grayson
to say something, but the way he and the knights stared at each
other, she knew they would more than likely withdraw their swords
than speak.

“
We’ve been traveling,” she
said. “Might we take a rest at Hawksbridge for a spell to refresh
ourselves and our horses?”

The knights exchanged a glance before the
one who had spoken earlier said, “Follow me, my lady.”

Grayson took her hand as
they trailed the knights at a slower pace. She found it difficult
to think straight while his thumb rubbed slow circles on the back
of her hand.

“
Tread carefully, Drina,”
he cautioned. “We’re walking into a viper’s nest.”