Enchanted

by Judith Leger

Hearing Marcy’s enthusiastic order, Caitlyn glanced at the clock on the bedside table. Seven-thirty blazed across the digital face in bright red. She blew out a gust of breath, not happy at being awakened, when all she wanted to do was sleep.

  “Why are you calling so early?” She adjusted the receiver against her ear and slid into the depths of the bed.

  “I thought I’d swing by and pick you up. Let’s go shopping. Shay will be down for a few days with his injury. So while he’s unavailable, let’s take in a few sights,” Marcy said.

  She was on a job assignment, and Marcy wanted to go shopping. No excuse would be good enough for Kramer. Already he was furious with her for not calling him several times a day. Now, her best friend wanted to go shopping.

  Of course, Marcy did have a point. For the next couple of days, Shay wouldn’t be able to do much of anything. Caitlyn might never get another opportunity to see the local area. Roaming around gave her a reason to research the castle’s background. Maybe even find some information about secret passages. The need to discover how someone entered her room and cleaned the bathroom still bothered her.

  And, there were the locals. What did they think about their famous neighbor? Kramer had to understand. Technically, this all revolved around her assignment.

  “Okay,” she muttered. For once, Marcy had given her time to consider and answer. They discussed what they would do, and Caitlyn hung up.

  Yes, she needed to spend some time away from Shay. Over the past few days, she’d let him affect her emotions, waking and dreaming. Her feelings were torn, and she didn’t know what to do about it.

  Fleeting images from her dream came to mind. She gasped at what he had done to her. Her cheeks heated at the thought of seeing him after that dream. Struggling out of bed, she hurried to dress for the day.

  Once she finished dressing in casual khakis and a natural yarn pullover sweater, she headed to the foyer. Halfway there, she stopped and glanced in the direction of Shay’s room. Odds were he still slept. If he did, he would never know she had checked on him this morning.

  She had to reassure herself he was fine before she left. After the dream last night, she had to see him even just for a moment. Determined, she hurried to his room. Standing in front of the door, she laid her ear against the wood. Silence came from the other side. She slowly twisted the handle and shoved the door open enough to slip through.

  Her gaze glued to the bed, she inched forward. The second she found him in the dimness, a smile formed on her lips.

  Sprawled on his stomach, the sheet twisted about his waist, he slept. With his mouth slightly open, his breath stirred a lock of hair spread on the mattress. The skin over his right shoulder appeared a darker purple-black than last night. The mark ran from the top to an inch below his shoulder blade. She winced at the ugly discoloration.

  Caitlyn squatted by the bed near his head. One hand hung off the side, and she was tempted to move it but didn’t, afraid to wake him up.

  He was so handsome. She wished she didn’t care so much, but she did. She admitted it. Every facet of Shay Evers pleased her, and she wasn’t sure she liked the way this pleasure felt.

  What she had felt in her dream was different. The words she had wanted to say to him had refused to come out. Now she realized why. The man in her dream was just that. A dream. Loving him wasn’t real, but loving this flesh and blood man sleeping in front of her was true. She studied him. Out of the two, her fantasy lover lacked the vitality of the real life man.

  She raised a hand to touch the dark hair on the back of his head. Her hand froze in midair. A sharp pain shot through her temples. She tried to take a deep breath, but the air stuck in her chest.

  There, amid the dark strands, were hundreds of slender braids laced with gold and silver. She blinked several times, hoping the braids would disappear, that what she saw was just her imagination, but they remained.

  Confused and afraid, she retreated to the door. Once in the hallway and after the door clicked shut, she couldn’t walk away. She rested her forehead against the wood, breathing deeply, trying to calm the thunderous pounding in her chest.

  Last night had been a dream. Or was it? She squeezed her eyes shut. Of course, it was a dream. Shay probably had the braids in his hair last night, and she just didn’t notice. Yes, that explained it. During her dream, she must have remembered the braids in his hair.

  Calmer, she stepped away from the door, turning to go downstairs. When she lifted her gaze, she found Rhys standing in front of her. She gasped, holding a hand up.

  “Easy.” He grabbed her hand and held it.

  “You scared me. Don’t you know it’s dangerous to sneak up on people? You could get hurt. That is if the person you scared doesn’t have a heart attack.” She pulled her hand free and stepped back, frowning at the man.

  A low chuckle rumbled from his chest. “I am sorry. I thought for certain you heard me walk up. Had I known you hadn’t, I would have cleared my throat or made some other sound.”

  The light dancing in his blue eyes infected her, and she responded with a nervous laugh. “I’m sorry. I was so lost in my thoughts,” she said then stopped. She stared at Rhys for a second before continuing, “I know this may sound strange, but does Shay have braids in his hair?”

  The gardener returned her look, his face expressionless. When he spoke, his voice was low and calm. “I really haven’t noticed. Why?”

  “He has some in his hair now. I didn’t notice them last night. I’m just curious why he would have them,” she said, as she tried to keep her tone and words nonchalant.

  “Are you sure you saw braids? Could it have just been the way the light shone on his hair?” He tilted his head.

  She lowered her eyes. Was he right? All she had to do was return to Shay and find out, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to. The braids might still be there, but they might be gone. Since assigned this interview, she found she doubted her sanity. “I don’t know. Maybe so. Listen, I’m going to the village this morning. Could you look at his hair for me? When I come back, I’ll check with you.”

  “Of course. One thing, though. What is so important about the braids?”

  Because the man in her dream had braids, and now, so did Shay. “Just curious, that’s all.” She replied, stepping around the tall blond. “I’ve got to go. See ya.”

  A few minutes later, she was waiting in front of the entrance as Marcy drove up. She climbed into the compact car and shut the door. She glanced up at the house as the car turned to leave. Rhys stood, staring down at her from an upstairs window. Shay’s room.

  * * * *

  “Wake up, fool.”

  Rhys’s deep voice penetrated the thick fog in Shay’s head. He cracked open one eye and glared at his sovereign. Rhys stepped away from the bed and sat in a nearby chair.

  He studied Shay for several minutes. When he did not say anything else, Shay closed his eye. Just as he started to doze, Rhys barked another order for him to wake up.

  “I’m tired. I want to sleep for a bit,” Shay snapped. Throbbing pain radiated from his shoulder, and he dreaded having to move.

  “Aye, much too tired to remove your glamour. She saw your braids this morning.” The sharp tone in Rhys’s voice increased the throbbing pain.

  “What do you mean?” He squinted at Rhys.

  “She came to check on you, and noticed the braids in your hair. I’m assuming they were there last night in her dream.”

  Shay shut his eyes and groaned. He was such an idiot. He should have known she would come. “Why is she awake so early?”

  “She’s going shopping in the village with her American friend. I’m sure that woman woke her up.” Rhys stood and paced back and forth. “Caitlyn expects me to look at your hair and tell her if you have braids.”

  Shay glanced at him. “Tell her, yes, there are.”

  “Are you more of a fool than I thought?”

  “No. If you tell her that there are none, she’ll wonder at her sanity. If you tell
her yes, she’ll think she just didn’t see them last night.”

  His king shook his head and strode to the window. He stared down at the driveway. Shay tensed, waiting for Rhys’s reaction.

  “Tell me what happened last night? How did she react?”

  She came all over my hand. Shocked at the thought, he shut the memories off. He didn’t want to take the chance Rhys would sense the impressions coming from him. “She did amazingly well. Much better than I expected.”

  “Tell me everything. Did Myrielle see her?” He moved back to the chair. The tender expression on his face stirred guilt in Shay.

  “Yes. The whole of our clan greeted her. She crossed the lake in a boat, and we went to the meadows. She liked the flowers.” He sat here, speaking to Caitlyn’s father, the one who blamed him for the loss of his daughter, with a straight face. Especially after what he had done with her? He’d become a bastard after all these years?

  A warm smile flitted over Rhys’s face. “Did she?”

  Shay nodded. He regretted it in the next instant. Sharp pains shot up his neck from his shoulder. Taking a shallow breath, he told Rhys most of what had happen. He deliberately left out the meadow part.

  “Good. This is good.” Rhys pushed to his feet and wandered back to the window. Feet apart, he stared out. “Perhaps she could come home sooner than we discussed. One week isn’t enough time for her to solve the riddle.”

  “No. I intend to ask her to help me solve it before we leave. Her curiosity is strong. Hopefully, she will figure out the answer.” Shay closed his eyes and rested his head against the headboard.

  “Hopefully? No, she must solve it. Her very existence depends on the answer.” Rhys paced back and forth, his heels clicking on the wooden plank floor.

  Shay heard the irritation in his king’s voice, and sensed the unbridled frustration. Hoping to calm him, he commented, “She’s intelligent. The riddle won’t be that difficult for her. Have a little faith. She is your daughter, after all.”

  Rhys strode to the foot of the bed and stopped. “It’s not the difficulty of the riddle. Gwyneth had a purpose in making it simple. There is a trap in it. I feel it. I have no doubt she made sure the riddle had many secret meanings. The answer we believe it to be might not necessarily be the true one.”

  “Yes, but Caitlyn will know the right one. She must know it.” Shay tried to speak with wholehearted conviction, but his words rang hollow between the two men. She would not succeed without his help. He fully intended to give it to her, regardless of the cost.

  Chapter 25

  Caitlyn sighed. As she watched the rain drizzle down the side of the car’s window, she tried not to think about Shay. The trip to the village had done little to distract her. Marcy, disappointment evident in her voice, had suggested they leave and Caitlyn hadn’t argued. Questions about Shay whirled in her, never leaving her alone.

  Cold rain washed over the landscape, coating everything in a layer of water. It cleaned nature of any impurities. Why wasn’t it possible for her to do the same with her thoughts? No matter what, she hadn’t imagined the braids in Shay’s hair. Once they arrived in the village, she’d questioned the local people about the illusionist. Their answers hadn’t helped her discover anything new. Most were vague, and she soon realized they didn’t know Shay very well. They dwelled in the same geographic location, but didn’t live in the same world.

  The local governmental office held some documents on the castle but none shed any light on whether the place had secret passages. She had grown more anxious with each passing moment. She wanted to find something new, something to explain all the strange events. Marcy must have sensed her unease. A mere hour or two into the day, she’d declared enough shopping and that she was ready to leave.

  A hint of a smile played on Caitlyn’s lips. Her friend knew her so well. Even now she felt Marcy’s curiosity, but Caitlyn was determined to remain silent about what bothered her. Besides, there wasn’t any real explanation, so telling her wouldn’t help.

  Marcy slowed down to take the turn onto Shay’s property. “We’re almost there. Caitlyn, what is wrong with you?”

  Her smile widened, and she released a little laugh. Marcy never used her full name unless bothered. “You don’t give up, do you?”

  She turned and faced her friend. Marcy shot her a quick look and continued. “You’re not acting normal. At least, not normal for you. You think I didn’t see what you did in the village, but I did. You talked to some plants. I don’t know about you, Catey, but in Los Angeles that’s grounds for an extended rest in a loony bin.”

  Caitlyn laughed. Her friend frowned and gripped the steering wheel tighter. She opened her mouth to continue, but Caitlyn cut her off. “I’m sorry. Coming here, being away from the hustle of the big city has caused me to be more aware of what nature has to offer. The plants were pretty, and I couldn’t help telling them that.”

  “That’s not normal. Don’t do it again. What do you think your boss would say if he knew about this? He’d pull you off this assignment quicker than you could blink.” Marcy bobbed her head. “Do you want that to happen?”

  Caitlyn leaned her head against the headrest and stared at her friend. “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”

  “No, you’re not, and I am worried. It’s Shay, isn’t it? He’s doing this to you. Catey, maybe you should go home. I feel like I don’t even know you anymore. You actually seem happy here.”

  Raising a brow, Caitlyn tilted her head. “You make that sound like a bad thing.”

  “I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just, this is not permanent. You shouldn’t let yourself get carried away. Shay doesn’t want you. He doesn’t want anyone. Dafydd told me.” Another quick up and down with her head, and Marcy shot her a glance.

  Caitlyn sat up straight. “What did he tell you?”

  Dread soaked through her skin. Dafydd knew Shay. She assumed he’d been with him for a while so he had to know a lot about Shay. She shouldn’t allow Marcy’s comment to affect her but she wanted her life to be like the dream.

  “Oh, Catey, I didn’t want to say anything, but I can see it in your eyes. You’re falling for the guy, and he’s not worth it.” Marcy slapped the steering wheel with an open palm. “Dafydd told me Shay had a girlfriend a few years ago. She hurt him, and since then he’s never had another one. It’s like he’s still stuck on her.”

  Marcy’s words swirled through her mind. An image of Shay sitting at the kitchen table appeared. That brooding quiet man was a stranger to her. He had to be the one Marcy spoke about. The one so hurt by a woman, he refused to attach himself to someone else.

  Caitlyn opened her mouth to speak, but a loud crashing noise on her side of the road stopped her. A boulder slid down the embankment and rolled toward them. Time slowed down as the large rock came closer.

  Oh, shit, it was going to hit them! In the second she formed the thought, she looked straight ahead as calmness came over her.

  Within seconds, the boulder impacted the front of the car and the back end swung around. Shattered glass rained down from the side window.

  Marcy’s scream echoed in the interior.

  The rear fender struck the boulder as the vehicle veered, out of control. A gust of wind brought the rain through the broken glass. Unfettered by seat belts, her body swung toward Marcy. With the second impact, Caitlyn was tossed the opposite way. The door opened and unable to stop, she flew out. The ground blurred in front of her eyes, the dark, muddy browns mingling with the lighter shades of small stones, but she never landed. Waiting to hit the ground, she tensed for the impact. Anticipating intense pain.

  Water logged fir limbs swept down, caught and cradled her, laying her on the soaked earth. Gasping, close to hysteria, Caitlyn raised her gaze to the fir tree. It had saved her.

  “No, this didn’t happen,” she whispered. Hands trembling, she tried to stand. The muscles in her legs refused to stay strong enough to let her rise.

  Marcy.

  Ad
renaline rushed through her veins. Weakened muscles gained instant power. She lunged toward the car.

  Stopped on the side of the road, only a few feet separated it from a steep drop off the side of a ridge. When she reached Marcy’s side, her friend sat frozen behind the wheel.

  Jerking the door handle, Caitlyn tried to force it open. It wouldn’t budge. Fear gave her strength. She braced a foot on the side of the vehicle and pulled. The door came free with a metallic screech.

  “Marcy. Are you okay?” She leaned in and gazed at her friend’s white face. Tear tracks covered the blonde’s pale features. Fear and shock radiated from her. “Oh, Marcy, it’s all right. We’re safe.”

  “C-c-catey,” Marcy whispered. “Catey, you’re not...” Sobs erupted and her head lolled against the wheel.

  Even as she wanted to comfort her, Caitlyn wanted to get them away. She glanced up the steep incline they were on. Just around the bend, the castle waited.

  “Come on, Marcy. Let’s get you out of here. Can you stand?” She wrapped an arm around her friend’s shoulders and helped her struggle from the vehicle. Once Marcy was out, she checked her. Except for a few scratches from flying glass and bruises dotting her skin, her friend seemed okay.

  “Do you think you can make it to the castle? If you can’t, I’ll go and bring help.” Caitlyn brushed blond strands away from Marcy’s face.

  “No. Don’t leave me.” Her jaw jerked with the aftereffects of the accident. Was the other woman going into shock? Oh Lord, what if she had internal injuries?

  “Let’s go.” She helped Marcy stand. Together, with her holding Marcy upright, they started up the road.

  Each step grew more difficult. Caitlyn’s muscles burned from the climb. Water drenched her sweater and plastered her hair to her skull. She shoved a lock of hair behind her ear. When she lowered her hand, crimson streaks marked her palm where she’d swiped at her forehead.

  A tearful giggle escaped her. She was bleeding. Most likely, the blood had come from where the glass from the broken window had cut her. She hadn’t even noticed.