A Kind of Magic

by Donna Grant

  She turned to Roderick. “Isn’t he going to wait for us?”

  “He will scout the area to make sure no one is lying in wait.”

  “Oh. All right.” She was so ignorant of the goings on of a castle, but she realized A KIND OF MAGIC

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  most twenty-first century women would be as well.

  They waited a moment longer until Hugh joined them with five other knights.

  Elle had the suspicion that they were going to be doing more than just looking at the monastery and the ruins, but she could be patient when needed.

  She not so eagerly nudged her gentle mare to follow Mina out of the bailey. A glance over her shoulder showed Roderick behind her as well as half of the knights Hugh had picked. The other half were with Hugh in the lead.

  Since this was her first time out of the castle walls, her arrival not counting, she soaked up the beauty. Despite the icy fingers of winter grasping at her, the snow atop the trees and on the ground was a marvelous site. On the road, the snow had turned from white to brown with all the travelers, but Elle didn’t mind. It was a part of life, a life that everyone accepted and made the best of.

  In truth, there wasn’t much about Houston that Elle missed. A toilet, hot shower, and her Diet Dr Peppers were the most missed. She wondered how long it would take her body to realize it was without caffeine and hit her with a headache.

  She blew out a breath and watched it cloud in front of her. This kind of cold she rarely experienced in Texas. With the high humidity and nearly constant ninety degree heat, it was no wonder she was a walking icicle.

  “Is the cold bothering to you?”

  She turned to find Roderick had moved up beside her. “What clued you in? My teeth chattering or the fact that I can no longer feel my toes and fingers?”

  He chuckled and unlatched his cloak. With only his knees as a guide, he moved the stallion to her mare and threw his cloak around her.

  Instant heat surrounded her. She sighed and gave him a grin over the fur at the collar of the cloak. “Thank you.”

  “Think nothing of it.”

  “Won’t you become cold?”

  “I am accustomed to this weather. You are not.”

  She couldn’t argue with him there. How she wished for a hand warmer and thick, wool socks for her feet. And a hot cappuccino.

  “I gather Aimery left you something you greatly approve of?”

  Elle chuckled. “Oh, yes, and I think you will like it as well.”

  His eyes darkened, and he leaned closer. “Is it your lacy underthings?”

  She nodded and heard him growl low in his throat. “Wait until you see all of them. I don’t know how he knew, but I could kiss him for it.”

  “Don’t say that too loud, he might just ask for that.”

  “Trust me, Roderick. A kiss would be a small thing to ask after bringing me something like my bra and panties.”

  He smiled. “He did me a service as well. Think you he might wish for a kiss from me as well?”

  “I doubt it,” she said through her laughter. She sobered as they entered the forest.

  “What is it?”

  She glanced at him to see his face lined with concern and shrugged. “I don’t really know. I’ve always loved trees. Where I grew up it was nothing but trees, A KIND OF MAGIC

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  sometimes so dense you couldn’t see but a few feet in front of you.”

  “And now?” he prompted.

  “This forest doesn’t seem to be,” she searched for the right word and finally settled for, “normal. I can’t name it, but there is something off.”

  “Aye, I feel it, too,” Mina said over her shoulder.

  Roderick tightened his fingers on the reins. He had felt it before they entered the forest, but the deeper they ventured the more it penetrated him.

  “What is it I’m feeling?” Elle asked him. “Is it the harpies?”

  He shook his head. “Nay. Evil lingers here.” Which was odd since it had been several months since the gargoyle had been killed.

  Elle slowed her mount. “There is something here then?”

  “Nay. Just a lingering presence of evil,” he told her.

  “What fun,” she said under her breath, yet Roderick still heard her.

  By the smile on Mina’s face, she too heard Elle.

  Finally, they reached the Druid ruins. He saw Elle press her lips tightly together as he dismounted.

  “I don’t like it here,” she said.

  Mina quickly dismounted and looked at Elle. “Really? This has always been a favorite place of mine, except for the fact my brother and sister brought one of the creatures from here.”

  “Wow. Really.”

  Roderick hid his chuckle at Elle’s dry tone. “We won’t stay long. Hugh wants to get the men set up in their positions so everyone will know where they are supposed to be when the time comes.”

  She turned her clear blue eyes to him. “Don’t leave me.”

  Her words hit him like a battering ram. He lifted his arms as she easily went to him. With a gentle tug he brought her against his chest and slowly lowered her to the ground. “I will only leave if you ask me to.”

  “That won’t happen. I need you.”

  And he needed her, more than she realized. Maybe later he would tell her, once the harpies were taken care of and he had a few moments before another assignment was given to him.

  “Roderick. Elle. Over here,” Hugh called.

  Roderick gave her a little shove to get her going as he quickly grabbed her bow and arrows. He caught up with Elle before she reached the others. ‘Twas then he noticed the smaller version of Hugh’s massive crossbow.

  “How did I know Aimery would give you that?” he asked Mina.

  She shrugged and glanced at her husband. “Aimery knows me well.”

  “Not to mention she has talked me into firing my crossbow on a few occasions,”

  Hugh added.

  Roderick turned and handed the small bow and quiver of arrows to Elle. “’Tis time.”

  “For what?” she asked hesitantly.

  “To start your training.”

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  She visibly swallowed. “In front of all these people?”

  “The knights will not stay here,” Hugh said as he walked towards her. “’Twill be just the five of us.”

  Roderick waited for her to agree. She gave him a small nod, and Hugh and Mina walked some distance away to start her training. “’Twill be Val and I that teach you how to use the bow.”

  “Too bad Gabriel isn’t here,” Val said as he approached. “He is a master at the bow.”

  At Elle’s worried look, Roderick was quick to assure her. “We are also good, Gabriel is just better. Just as we can all use the weapons, we each excel in something.”

  “Makes sense,” she said and fingered the bow.

  Val handed her his bow. “First, I want you to try and use mine.”

  Roderick crossed his arms over his chest and watched as Elle took the bow from Val.

  “I’ve seen people do this on TV, and I even held one at a Renaissance Faire, but I’ve never used one.”

  “Here,” Roderick said and walked to her side, molding his body to her back. He placed her hands on the bow and used his hands and body to show her proper placement.

  He found it hard not to lean down and place a kiss on the hallow of her throat or cup her shapely breasts. His rod, having a mind of its own, had grown hard at the thought of contact with her, and now that he was snuggled against her back he was finding it hard not to rub his aching rod against her.

  “I feel you,” she whispered.

  Ah, ye gods, Roderick silently moaned. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to focus.

  “Do you need me to instruct her?” Val offered.

  “Nay,” Roderick all but yelled.

  At Va
l’s chuckle, Roderick knew Val knew just what he was going through. But Roderick would have his revenge later.

  “Now, steady your left arm and pull back on the string with your right,” he instructed Elle.

  She tried three or four times. “I can’t budge it.”

  Roderick took the bow from her and handed it to Val. “Let’s try yours,” he said and retrieved it. He realigned himself at her back and turned her until she again had the right bearing.

  “Do you remember where your hands go?” he asked.

  “Of course,” she said through her chattering teeth.

  He really was going to have to do something about keeping her warm, he realized.

  Maybe he could find some thicker socks for her or gloves to keep her hands covered but nimble enough to still use the bow.

  When she had placed her hands correctly, Roderick raised her arms until she was in position. “Now, pull back on the string.”

  This time she was able to not only move it but pull it back as far as she needed to.

  She let out a little squeal of surprise and happiness.

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  Roderick released her as she turned towards him.

  “How?”

  she

  asked.

  “My bow,” Val explained, “was made on this realm. I have had it since my days in Rome. ‘Twas made for a man’s strength.”

  “So mine is made for a woman?” Elle asked.

  Roderick shook his head. “Not necessarily. The Fae make each weapon for a particular person. Not everyone can use all their weapons. Aimery took into account your size, what strength you have, and also just why you would need this weapon.”

  “For example, you could easily use my halberd,” Val said as he tossed her the weapon. “And you might even be competent enough to wound or kill someone, but because it is my specialty and because that weapon was made for me in particular, it responds better for me.”

  “There is magic in them?” she asked, her eyes wide.

  Val smiled widely. “Of course.”

  Roderick turned her back around and handed her an arrow. “In other words, Elle, this weapon knows what you can and cannot do. It senses if you are hurt and cannot ready it as you normally do.”

  “So the more I use it, the better it will know me.”

  He smiled down at her. “Exactly.”

  “Then show me,” she urged him.

  Roderick and Val spent the next half hour showing her how to correctly notch an arrow standing, sitting, lying on the ground and even rolling. Elle was a fast learner, impressing Roderick tremendously.

  “I could do this better in pants,” she grumbled as she yanked her skirt out of the way. “This is such a beautiful gown, too.”

  “Don’t worry,” Val told her. “The gown will be as good as new tomorrow.”

  She stared at him a moment as if seeing if he was jesting or not. When she turned to him, Roderick nodded. “’Tis the way of the Fae.”

  “I see,” she said. “Can I shoot the arrow now?”

  “Aye, I think it’s time.” Roderick unclasped his hands from behind his back and again placed himself at Elle’s back. And just like every time before, his body raged to life.

  “I think we’ll have to do something about that.”

  He groaned at her words, happy Val couldn’t hear them. “Hush or I’ll take you now.”

  “Promises, promises,” she taunted.

  “Ready yourself,” Roderick said. Once she had complied, he moved his right hand from her arm to his side. “Keep your left arm steady, pull back on the string until your right hand is even with your ear, and think about where you want the arrow to go.”

  “Anywhere I want it to go?” she asked.

  “Anywhere. Line up the location with the end of the arrow and release.”

  She took a deep breath and did as he asked. They watched as the arrow embedded itself in one of the enormous fallen pillars.

  Roderick looked at her. “Is that where you aimed?”

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  She slowly nodded. “Sort of. Beginners luck?” she asked.

  “Not exactly,” Val said with a laugh.

  “Try again,” Roderick said.

  This time he stood back and let her do it herself. Each time she came closer and closer to her goal, until finally she hit her mark.

  Roderick caught her as she flew into his arms and kissed his cheek, but his smile vanished when she kissed Val’s cheek as well.

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  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “I did it,” Elle said as she danced around the ruins.

  “Keep at it,” Val advised as he walked to the horses, a huge grin on his face as he winked at Roderick.

  Roderick glanced at Hugh and Mina and found her progress had gone just as well.

  He was anxious to see the monastery and plan their attack now that Elle had learned her bow well enough. She still needed practice, but she had skill, and the bow reacted to her nicely, which helped.

  “Thank you,” Elle said as she stood beside him, her breath coming in great gasps and billowing between them.

  Roderick put his hands on his hips and regarded her. “How will you thank me?”

  “Oh, I’ll think of something,” she teased.

  “Ready?” Hugh asked from the horses.

  “Ready,” Roderick answered. With his hand on Elle’s back he guided her to the horses and helped her mount.

  “To the monastery,” Hugh said and kicked his horse into a run.

  “About time,” Elle said and followed Hugh and Mina.

  Elle snuggled deeper into Roderick’s cloak. If the harpies didn’t kill her, the cold would. Thankfully she didn’t have to guide her mare. The horse followed the others on her own, leaving Elle to gaze around the forest.

  It really was a beautiful sight and was probably even more glorious in summer where she could actually see things instead of shivering.

  The elation she had of learning to use her bow had quickly worn off, but the trepidation of soon encountering the harpies was growing by leaps and bounds. At least she felt a little safer having a weapon and being able to use it.

  They arrived at the monastery much sooner than she anticipated. By the looks of it, it had been abandoned for a very long period, and though Elle had little doubt that ghosts inhabited the crumbling stones, anything was preferable to freezing to death.

  She didn’t wait for Roderick to help her dismount, though she should have since she misjudged the distance and nearly fell. His large hands clasped her arms and held on until she regained her feet.

  “Thank you,” she mumbled.

  He sighed and shook his head. “I’m really going to have to do something to keep you warm.”

  She could only nod in response. Her feet stumbled over rocks hidden beneath the layers of snow, and each time Roderick was there to help her. Finally, he kept his arm around her in an effort to keep her steady.

  “Elle?”

  She heard the worry in his deep voice and wished she could soothe him and tell A KIND OF MAGIC

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  him she was all right, but the fact was, she was far from all right.

  “Cold,” she said between her chattering teeth.

  In an instant, she was lifted into his arms as he shouldered his way past the others and into the dark monastery. Though it was still cold inside, it held more warmth than the snow.

  “Get a fire lit,” Roderick thundered as he sat and wrapped his arms around her to lend her his heat.

  She rested her head against his shoulder and tried to lick her lips. Big mistake.

  They were dry and cracked open immediately.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw men gathering wood to start a fire. As soon as the flames gathered enough strength, Roderick move
d them closer. The heat penetrated Elle instantly. She sighed and let the warmth envelope her. When she had warmed enough, she raised her head to find everyone sitting around the fire.

  “I’m sorry,” she said and tried to scoot off Roderick’s lap.

  He held onto her tightly, refusing to let her move. “Stay and get warm,” he whispered.