The Duke and the Dryad (Elemental Series) (12 page)

“What the hell are they doing here?
” he said under his breath. “They weren’t supposed to arrive for another day or two. And certainly not this late in the day.”

“They arrived early, my lord,” said Sir Braden. “That’s what I was trying to tell you.”

“I can see that, Sir Braden. Now is there anything you want to tell me that I don’t already know?” He looked over to Rae and then back to his uncle, who was traipsing into his castle as if he owned it.

“Rae . . . I . . . I . . .damn, not now!”

“’Tis fine, my lord,” she answered. “’Tis time for me to get home anyway.”

“Nay, don’t go. Please.”

“Lord Wolfe, your rudeness of not greeting me properly is way out of line.” Lord Clive strode forward, flipping the end of his cloak over his shoulder.

Wolf
e turned back to talk to Rae, but she was gone. He looked over to the corridor and saw a flash of pink hair disappearing out the door, heading for the courtyard.

“Earl
Clive, welcome,” he said, clasping hands with a half-embrace and a pat on the back with the man who’d raised him. “We were not expecting you so soon or I would have prepared a chamber for you.”

“Well,
prepare several, as I and my soldiers would be staying for a sennight.”

“A sennight?” he asked, not wanting the man to stay any longer than he had to. Things were always on edge when Lord Clive visited and the man made him feel very uncomfortable.

“We have something to discuss. Now get my men some food and drink and let’s retire to the solar where we can speak in private.”

“Of course, my lord.” Wolf
e gave the orders needed, then escorted Lord Clive to the solar. Once inside, he settled himself on a chair and offered a seat to the earl as well.

“I’d rather stand for now,” said the man, going to look out the open window.

“What is it that takes your concern, Uncle?” Wolfe asked.

“The Dolmars
have gathered their troops on the east ridge and they are going to attack the low lands. Lord Solomon’s lands are threatened and he has requested help. I want you and your men to go there at first light. Bring your best knights and every weapon you can get your hands on. This is going to be a bloody battle.”

“But why aren’t you sending
your armies to their aid? I have no qualms with the Dolmars nor am I an ally of Lord Solomon. Seems to me this is your battle and you should be the one fighting, not me.”

“Are you denying orders?” aske
d Lord Clive.

“Nay, but I have heard naught
from the king about this. Mayhap I should send a missive to him anon.”

“Nay!
There is no time for that. I am giving the commands, now do you want me to go back and tell him you are not living up to your reputation of being
Duke the
Destroyer
? After all, we both know you don’t deserve the title of duke. That should have been mine all along.”

Wolf
e knew the man was right. He didn’t deserve the title, nor had he ever wanted it. Would that he could just hand it over to his uncle and be rid of the man already.

“I’ll ready my men,
” Wolfe reluctantly agreed. We’ll head out at first light. And I expect you’ll be joining us in the attack, Uncle?”

“Of course. Though I brought with me less than
a dozen knights and foot soldiers, and only one archer. But we would be fighting with you as well.”

Wolf
e knew he needed to see Rae at once. He couldn’t leave before she arrived back at the castle the next morning without telling her he was going to battle. He was trying to patch up their fractured relationship and get to know her. This was only going to put a damper on the situation. There was only one thing he could do. And he hoped he could sneak out of the castle tonight without Lord Clive noticing.

* * *

Rae sat inside her oaken home built into the side of the hill. The room was small, but comfortable. She had one window on each side and a bed in the center of the room. A small table with two chairs sat under the window, and that was all. She had no hearth, as the fire would only drain her. She had no candles for light, as she didn’t need them, and would not have fire anywhere near her.

She’d enjoyed dancing
with Wolfe earlier, but she was disturbed by the presence of the warlord who’d interrupted them. Something about the man was evil and she hadn’t been able to wait to leave once he’d walked into the room.

She only wished she could have spent more time with Wolf
e. They were just starting to warm up to each other, and it felt so right. She’d hoped to possibly get to spend time with him alone – mayhap even couple. But that was all stopped abruptly by the presence of the evil man.

Suddenly, she
felt a presence in her forest even before she heard the howl of Zev. She rushed to the door and pulled it open, scanning the grounds with her eyes.

“What is it?” she asked to the trees and plants around her. “Who approaches?”

She felt she was not in danger, and even before the trees whispered the answer, she knew that the trespasser was Wolfe.

Then Zev ran up, leading the way, with Wolf
e riding his horse through the forest right behind him.

“Lord Wolf
e?” she called through the darkness, to let him know the way. She knew he never would have found her hut again hadn’t Zev showed him. She had a way of blending into nature, and her hut blended in as well.

“Rae? Where are you? ’Tis so dark, I can’t see you.”

“Follow my voice,” she called out. “You are almost here.”

He rode up and dismounted, the moon breaking through the clouds and illuminating his face. He had a look of urgency about him and she could tell something was wrong.

“Where is your torch?” she asked, walking to his side.

“I didn’t want to bring fire an
ywhere near you,” he said.

“I appreciate that,” she answered with a smile. “Why are you here? Is something the matter?”

“Rae, I need to talk to you. ’Tis important.”

“All right.” She nodded and then looked over to her hut. He’d asked to be invited in last time but she’d turned him away. “Would you care to come into my home?” she asked,
motioning in that direction with her hand.

“Aye,” he said, his eyes fastened
upon her. She knew he was pleased by her gracious gesture. “I would like that,” he said in a low voice.

“Then come inside, please.”

She led him into her house, and while she was short, he was very tall and had to bend over to enter. Once inside, his head scraped the ceiling.

“Please s
it down,” she offered, knowing his tall frame would be more comfortable on the chair. Once he sat, she joined him. “Now tell me, what troubles you?”

“I wanted to tell you I am leaving come first light.”

“What?” she asked, not sure she understood what he was trying to say.

“I am taking my men to battle.”

“Why?”

“’Tis my duty and my orders. I cannot disobey them.”

“I see.” She nodded slightly. “So you wanted to come to say goodbye. Will I ever see you again?”

“You sound as if I am going to be killed.”

“Well, is there not a chance of that happening?”

“Aye,” he answered solemnly. “That there is.”

“Wolfe, I . . . I don’t want you to die,” she told him. “I haven’t even had the chance to get to know you.”

“I want to get to know you
, too,” he said. “But these things take time. I am sorry that this battle comes at such an inappropriate moment. ’Twas not what I intended.”

“What did you intend to happen between us?” she asked.

He scooted his chair closer to her and reached a hand out to her shoulder.

“I’d hoped to get to know you, Rae-Nyst. To find out about
your past, and know about your kind – about your parents.”

“There’s not much to tell,” she said.
“My mother had all faery blood in her veins and married a human man. I was born of mixed blood. I was young when my father went away to war, as he was a knight. While he was gone, an evil lord captured my mother from the forest and kept her prisoner, locked away in a castle until she died. When my father returned, he fought the man, leaving the lord with a nasty scar on his face. But my father was wounded badly in the fight.”

“Did he die?” asked Wolf
e.

“I don’t know. I was young and frightened. I stayed in the forest while he wandered the lands h
oping to find my mother. He is said to have gone mad, not able to accept the fact she was really gone. I’ve heard tales saying he wandered about aimlessly spouting nonsense. Some say ’twasn’t nonsense, but rather words of wisdom, such as a soothsayer would give. I can’t tell you for sure because I never saw him again after that day.”

“I am so saddened by this story, Rae. So who raised you?”

“No one. I was part elemental and I didn’t need anyone but the forest and the animals. I had what I needed, but I didn’t have what my human part craved – companionship from another human.”

“My story is similar to yours,” he said. “Except, I need to tell you that my mother
. . . my mother would sneak off to be with the druids.”

“Really?” she asked, surprised by this fact.

“My father hated the pagans and one night killed a whole group of druids. What he didn’t know was that my mother was hidden beneath one of the white robes.”

“So he killed her as well?” she asked in shock.

“He unknowingly did. And when he’d discovered what he’d done, he took his own life in sorrow.”

“I reme
mber hearing of the slaying of many druids years ago right in this very forest.”

“Aye, right in the stone ring where my bull was slaughtered.”

“I am so sorry,” she said, getting to her feet and gathering him in her arms. “So you were raised by someone else?”

“Aye, by the lord who came to the castle tonight.”

She felt a shudder wrack her body just thinking of the evil man.

“I don’t want to talk of our harrowed past any more,” she said looking at his lips. “And I need to tell you that I want you, Wolf
e. I want you to take me to my bed and make love to me like you almost did that first night we met. I need to know how it feels to be human.”

She didn’t need to ask again. He
stood, and removed first his weapons and belt, then his surcoat and undertunic, laying them on the chair. She could see a glow encompass him from the moonlight spilling in the side window. His hair shone in a blue-black, and his chest looked sturdy and strong. He then removed his boots and hose, standing before her naked and straight as an arrow.

“Come to me, my little sprite,” he said, causing a tingle to flit across her skin by his endearment.

She walked up to him slowly and gently laid her hands against his chest. He took her hands in his hold and leaned forward, bending over to kiss her. Then his hands released her and he reached to her bodice to unlace it. His thumb brushed over the top of her breast in the process and she inhaled sharply as his vibrations ran through her.

“Are you sure this is want you want, Rae? I don’t want you to do anything you’ll regret in the morning.”

“Is it what you want as well?” she asked.

“I think my body speaks for itself.”

He took her hand then and guided it slowly down his chest, past his tight stomach and below his waist, wrapping her fingers around his arousal. He held her hand there for a moment, and she heard his sharp intake of his breath. When she looked up, his eyes were closed and he was biting his bottom lip.

“Your strength runs through
my fingers,” she told him. “’Tis very strong.” She rubbed her hand up and down his length, reveling in the feel of silk over steel. This was something she’d never experienced before.

“It
won’t stay that way very long if you keep doing that,” he whispered. Then, his fingers nimbly and expertly undid her gown, and he dropped it down her shoulders, sliding it from her body. Next he removed her chemise over her head, and her braies followed. ’Twas dark in the room, and the moon was hidden behind a cloud now, and she was thankful he couldn’t see her naked body. He scooped her up into his arms, and in two long strides he made it to the bed.

He laid her gently atop the coverlet, pushing her backward to a laying position and straddling his one leg over her.

He reached down and kissed her again, running his fingers through her hair in the process. And when his hands slid down her shoulders and cupped her breasts, she cried out and arched beneath him. She thought she’d felt ecstasy until his mouth replaced his hands and his tongue shot out to taste her.

“So this is what it’s like to couple,” she said, trying to still her heart and steady her breathing.

“Nay. This is only considered foreplay,” he told her. “I need to make sure you are ready before I enter you.”