I opened the door and slipped inside, taking the stool next to the makeshift bed. The stranger was still asleep. His coloring looked better and his breathing was even. All signs he was recovering with mother’s treatment. I didn’t know how long I would have before they discovered me, so I sat and listened.
Nothing. I got nothing from him. No aura, no images, no stray thoughts.
I frowned and tentatively reached for his hand, holding it within my own.
I grimaced and waited for the onslaught of feelings to come, but again I was met with silence. Maybe it was because he was asleep? Yes, that had to be it. But even during dreams, I could sometimes catch glimpses. I was about to release his hand when I looked up into his green eyes and faltered.
The stranger was awake. He studied me, and then glanced at my hand clasped around his. I quickly dropped it.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I shouldn’t have touched you without your permission.”
He said nothing, but stared at me strangely. “Who are you?”
“I’m Aura, and you’re in our barn.”
“Our?”
“My family’s,” I said, carefully not revealing more. “Who are you?” I returned the question.
“I’m no one of importance,” he said defensively.
I could feel the lie.
“Well, no one. Why were you found wandering in the woods? What happened to you?”
“I’m on an important quest,” he sighed and closed his eyes, dismissing me. “And I must be on my way at once. I have no time to spare for your idle chatter.”
I was aghast. I’d never before been dismissed by anyone, and with such apathy. I patted my white blonde hair and knew that it was still perfectly plaited despite my tumble through the window. Many men had complimented me on my fair skin and pale eyes that looked lilac or gray depending on my mood. I wasn’t tall and graceful, like Rosalie, or beautiful like Eden. I looked like a thin will-o’-the-wisp compared to them, but I wasn’t horrid.
But this hurt.
“Hard to do when you don’t have a horse and you’re injured. How did you get injured?”
“I was attacked a week ago. As for my horse, I don’t know. I was feverish and must have fallen off my mount, and he ran away. I implore you to please lend me another horse and help me on my way.”
“You’re awfully rude for someone close to death. If it weren’t for me, you would have perished.”
Those enchanting eyes opened and looked me over from head to toe, reaching his own conclusion on who I was. “Then I’m grateful for your assistance. But unless you can tell me how to reach the home of Lady Eville, I have no time for young, lovesick girls.”
He was a jerk. A horrid, vain jerk. No wonder my mother hated the kingdom of Rya. Especially if this is the breed of men they produced.
“I am no young, lovesick girl,” I spouted, pulling the kerchief out and shoving the bread and apple into his chest. “I thought you might be hungry since I wasn’t sure when you last ate. But maybe you would prefer if we dropped you out in the wilderness and let you forage for yourself, you pompous wad.”
He didn’t even seem the least disturbed by my show of anger. One golden eyebrow rose and then it dropped. He sat up and the blanket slid down his midsection, revealing strong tan muscles. I looked away, staring at a rusty nail in the wall.
I swallowed.
“See,” he chuffed. “The pious maiden who hopes to woo the injured soldier.”
“You’re a soldier?” I asked. “Then what business do you have here?”
His pinched lips didn’t affirm or deny. “My business is my own, and that of Lady Eville.” He stood up and gathered his leather armor that had been piled in a corner. “If you would be so kind as to lend me a horse and help me on my way, I will be forever grateful.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” I snapped. “I’m not kind.” I grabbed his satchel and stormed toward the door. He wobbled after me, his hand going to his bandaged side as he gasped in pain. I slid the barn door open, relieved to see that Honor and Lorn weren’t around.
“Miss, miss,” he called after me as I quickened my pace. “My things.”
I walked across the bridge, my feet echoing along the wooden boards. Beneath me, the rumble of Traygar the troll’s breathing soothed me, knowing that he was guarding us still. I turned when I reached the other side of the bridge and watched as the stranger followed me, pulling on his overshirt, his boots tucked over his arm, his sword hastily slung across his back.
With a satisfying grin, I tossed his satchel into the mud on the other side of the bridge, past our second ward.
“There you go. You’re on your way.” I dusted off my hands and flung my braid across my shoulder. “Go that way.” I pointed toward the town of Nihill.
He slowed next to me and gave me a curious look. “You’re an odd girl.”
Odd? I hated being called odd. I was always the odd one.
It took every ounce of my being to not curse him right there. No, wait a minute. Maybe I would. I came up next to the man, gave him a pat on the shoulder and whispered.
“Confundus.”
He blinked and looked at me in surprise, as if he were seeing me for the first time.
“Lady Eville lives far beyond the town. Go that way.” I pointed before turning and walking across the bridge, my braid swinging with each of my happy steps, glad that I had gotten rid of the problem with a spell. If lucky, he’d go into town and forget the very reason he came here.
When I got to the other side of the bridge, I turned and waggled my fingers at him. He looked down at his belongings and began a slow tread into town.
By the time I reached the barn, Lorn and Honor were running out of it in alarm.
“Where’d he go?” Lorn asked. “What happened?”
“I sent him on his way,” I said innocently. “He was looking for someone.”
“Who?” Lorn said.
I rolled my eyes. “Who do you think? But it seems like no one wanted him here, and you were terrified of us interacting with him. So I took care of it. A spell and a packed lunch, and he’s off. He’ll wander until he forgets what he was looking for and head home.”
Lorn looked across the bridge toward town. “I have a feeling he won’t easily forget, despite how powerful your magic is.”
“He will,” I said confidently. “Now, who’s hungry?”
Chapter Four
I thought Mother and Lorn would be angry with me because I made the strange man disappear without telling them, but they seemed wary, yet relieved. Three days went by and the stranger didn’t return to our doorstep. Mother spent her time in our sitting room, scrying the kingdom of Rya through the large black mirror that hung on the wall, but instead of a moving picture, it showed only fog.
Even hitting the side of the mirror didn’t clear the image. Rhea had gone to her workshop and come back with two long rods she attached to the mirror and claimed they boosted the magic within it.
“They look ugly,” Maeve whined. She waved her fingers over her forehead. “Like bug antennae.”
“Well, it may look dumb, but it will work.”