by Grant, Donna
He walked to her and knelt before her where he picked up one of her wool stockings and began to pull it over her foot.
“Gabriel,” she whispered, her voice low and seductive. Gently, she took her foot from his hands and smiled. “You do not need to dress me.”
“I know,” he said as he gained his feet. “I can’t take the doubt from your mind, but I can vow to protect you with my life.”
Her gaze lowered, as if his words pained her somehow. And he imagined that they did. Why should she believe him? Even though he wasn’t the same man who had betrayed her, the fact was that he hadn’t earned her trust yet.
She gave him a small smile and quickly pulled on her woolen hose and slid her feet into her shoes. “I’m ready,” she said before grabbing a pale yellow ribbon that matched her dress to tie back her hair.
Gabriel liked it flowing around her, but he knew how she hated to have her hair in her way. He smiled despite himself as a memory of them swimming and her hair coming free of the braid to get in her eyes. She was magnificent when she was angry and her eyes blazed.
He walked her into the great hall where the meal had already been cleaned and put away. He found the others before the fire, staring into its red orange flames as if seeking answers.
The closer they walked to the small group, the more he felt Jayna shake. “All will be well,” he whispered in her ear.
“Nothing will be well,” she retorted.
Before he could question her, she looked into his eyes and shook her head. “Leave it. Please.”
He nodded reluctantly. There was something in her tone, something that told him if she helped the Shields, she was forfeiting her life. Instinctively he thought of a connection between her and the evil, but he couldn’t help her until he knew for sure. And if he couldn’t outright ask her, he would have to do it in other ways.
“Jayna,” Elle cried out happily as they approached. “Are you feeling better?”
Gabriel watched as Jayna straightened her spin and nodded.
“I’ve found something,” he said as he pulled Jayna into the center of their semi-circle. He glanced at her and noticed that though she still trembled, outwardly, she looked like the princess she was.
“Well,” Cole prompted.
Gabriel took a deep breath to tell them, but before he could get the words out, Jayna spoke.
“It seems as though I’m one of you,” she said and raised her hand where her left wrist faced them.
There was a collective gasp before Elle jumped up and rushed to engulf Jayna in a hug. “I’m ever so glad,” Elle said with a bright smile.
Jayna wished she could share in Elle’s joy, but in fact, she had most certainly sealed her doom. The Great Evil must have wiped her memory of the mark when he hid the mark from her. Though he hadn’t asked her to side with him, she had no doubt once he realized she knew of the symbol he would demand that she align to the side of evil.
Beside her, Gabriel stood as still as a statue. His vow to protect her should have had no effect on her, yet it had. Greatly. She glanced at him to find him watching her.
She took a deep breath and turned to Hugh and the questions she prayed she could answer without lying.
Hugh’s dark gaze moved from her to Gabriel. “When did you find the mark?”
“Just this night,” Gabriel answered. “We came down as soon as I realized what it was.”
Hugh nodded, seemingly satisfied. His gaze returned to Jayna. “I assumed you knew of the symbol on Mina and the others.”
“I did.”
“Then how come you didn’t announce your mark?”
She swallowed. “Because I didn’t know I had it.” She chewed her lip, wondering what the next question was. She was still unsure how Gabriel had known about it, but she was too afraid to ask him.
Hugh rose to his feet and circled her. “I find it odd that you didn’t know of the mark on your wrist.”
She locked gazes with him. “I had forgotten about it.”
“She’s not lying,” Gabriel interrupted before Hugh could speak. “I think the Great Evil had a part in hiding the symbol.”
Val stood and walked to them. He looked down at her wrist, then at Gabriel. “How so?”
Gabriel shrugged his massive shoulders. “The skin looked...different, changed almost. I couldn’t make out what was on her skin, but I knew it was something.”
“He asked me if I had any kind of mark,” Jayna added. “I was about to tell him aye when something told me to say nay.”
Gabriel nodded. “I knew then something had been done to her. So I kept prying until she remembered. When she remembered, it was revealed.”
Hugh sighed and sunk into his chair. Jayna watched as the others simply stared at her as they tried to digest the story.
“As odd as it sounds, it is the truth.”
“We know,” Mina said, her blue-green eyes soft with understanding. “All of us have seen too many odd things to find anything amiss in your story. Besides, Gabriel never lies.”
Jayna’s head jerked to Gabriel to find him watching her again. His molten silver eyes were hooded as though he were afraid she might look too deep into his soul. A lock of his dark hair fell over his forehead and before she could catch herself, she reached up and pushed it back.
Almost immediately Gabriel’s hand rose up to cover hers. His eyes darkened, and for a moment she thought he might kiss her, but then he dropped his hand and stepped away from her.
Jayna swallowed and turned to find Hugh regarding her intently. He doesn’t trust me.
And should he?
“Well, Jayna. It looks as though Fate brought you to Stone Crest after all,” Hugh said ominously.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Gabriel didn’t try to seek the sleep his body desperately needed. Dreams of Jayna and his betrayal would only haunt him. After all this time he finally understood why his dreams were plagued with nightmares, for only the most evil of men could do what he had done to Jayna and not carry it around with him forever. Instead, he sat in front of the hearth with an untouched goblet of ale in his hand.
He wanted nothing more than to drown his sorrows in the ale, but bigger things than his past counted on him. So, the drunken state he so desired would have to wait for another night.
If it ever came.
He had never held any delusions that he would come out of this fight alive. He expected death, and in fact, had wished for it on several occasions. But now, now that Jayna was with him again, he prayed for life.
He squeezed his eyes closed as he continued to war with himself.
“The ale will do no good if you do not drink it.”
Gabriel was so surprised by the voice that he jumped up, spilling the ale in his attempt to unsheathe his sword. “Aimery?”
The Fae commander bowed his flaxen head every so slightly and turned his amazing, swirling blue eyes to Gabriel. “What is amiss?”
Gabriel sighed and shook his head. “Nothing. And everything.”
Aimery moved to the chair opposite Gabriel and slowly sat, his fine clothes never seeming to wrinkle or look other than perfect. “Tell me,” he urged gently.
For many years Aimery had listened as Gabriel shared his fears and his hopes. If Gabriel could trust anyone, he knew he could trust Aimery.
“Jayna is one of the Chosen.”
Aimery’s pale eyebrows rose. “So, we have five Chosen now. That is good.”
“Aye.”
“Tell me, Gabriel,” Aimery said as he sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. “How did you figure out Jayna was one of the Chosen?”
For a long moment he stared at the Fae. “Aimery, I remember my past. I remember everything, including how I came to be at the Fae’s doorway.”
Aimery’s smile vanished as his arms dropped. “Since I still cannot see into your mind, I gather the memories aren’t good.”
Gabriel couldn’t voice the words, so shook his head in answer.
“It wa
s your memories that helped you see Jayna’s mark?”
“Aye. I think the Great Evil hid it somehow, for even Jayna had forgotten it. Makes me wonder what else the Great Evil has managed to fool us with.”
“Have you told the others that your memory has returned?”
“Nay,” Gabriel answered. “They will ask questions, and...I’m not ready for them to know the truth, to know that Jayna is here to seek revenge on me. For betraying her.”
“Hugh will not take the news well.”
“I know he won’t.” Gabriel didn’t like that Aimery was saying the words he had feared to even think. He rose and moved to the hearth. The feel of the fire helped warm his skin, but nothing could warm his soul.
“I think you should keep it from them for now. Don’t tell the others until you have no other choice.”
Gabriel looked over his shoulder to Aimery. “And Jayna? Should I tell her?”
“Nay.”
And in a blink Aimery was gone.
Gabriel ran a hand through his hair and wished the storm would hurry and pass so they could get on with the battle. He didn’t like deceiving the only family he knew, the people who had given him their trust.
Trust. He’d had Jayna’s trust and he had betrayed her. If he kept silent to the Shields, he would betray them as well. Every instinct in his body urged him to go to the Shields, to tell them everything.
But Aimery had advised him against it, and he always listened to Aimery. Never once had Aimery steered him wrong in any way. So, he would heed Aimery’s words, and he would pray that once the Shields did learn the truth that they didn’t kill him on the spot.
With a sigh of resignation, Gabriel turned to reach for his goblet when something caught his eye near the window. The goblet forgotten, he strode to the window and felt his heart plummet to his feet.
There, on the stones of the window was more of the clear substance. He simply stared at it as it ran down the stones to puddle on the floor.
“What is doing this?” he asked himself.
Another inspection of his chamber found nothing, just as he expected. With his mind in a whirlwind, Gabriel slowly backed out of his chamber. There was something in his chamber he had no doubt. Whether it was good or evil he didn’t know yet.
He didn’t know how long he stood in the hallway staring into his open chamber before Hugh came upon him.
“Are you afraid of your chamber,” Hugh teased.
“Aye.”
Gabriel glanced over at his leader to see Hugh wearing a wide smile.
There must have been something in Gabriel’s gaze though because Hugh’s smile faded quickly. “What is it?”
Gabriel pointed to the window. “It was here again.”
Hugh glanced at him before he slowly walked into the chamber to the window. Gabriel heard him curse as he got to his feet and walked back into the hallway.
“I wish I knew what it was.”
“Me as well,” Gabriel agreed. “Why only my chamber though? I haven’t seen traces of that liquid other than the monastery.”
Hugh leaned back against the stone wall and crossed his arms over his chest. “I wish I had an answer for you, my friend. There is so much going on that I don’t know which way is right, which is good. One wrong decision and all could be lost.”
“We’ve always managed to come out ahead of the evil. I have no doubt we will again.”
Hugh snorted. “If only I had your same faith. I fear that the time has come where the Great Evil will show us just how much power he has.”
Gabriel didn’t like how Hugh had seemed to lose hope, as if he was just waiting for the time the evil would win. “We have the Chosen. Aimery promised us they were the key to the evil’s destruction.”
“Ah, Aimery. I would feel better if I could talk to him.”
“He was here,” Gabriel said as his confusion grew as to why Aimery would visit him and not Hugh as well grew.
Hugh’s frown increased. “Aimery was here? With you?”
Gabriel nodded. “Not but a few moments ago. I assumed he had seen you first.”
“Nay.”
That one word, spoken softly and deeply, disturbed Gabriel. “Hugh, he had to have had a reason for not seeking you out.”
“You sound like Val,” he said as he shook his head in disgust. “Aimery has always come when we’ve called for him. Always. Why did he not come now?”
Gabriel shrugged since he lacked any words of comfort. “He does know about Jayna though. I told him.”
“There is that at least.” Hugh ran a hand down his face with a sigh. “I won’t admit it to Mina, but I fear we will not win this battle. The Shields are strong, but how strong against the Great Evil I don’t know.”
Gabriel gripped Hugh’s shoulder. “You’ve never led us astray yet. I have faith that we will win this. Don’t lose hope, Hugh, for if you do, we’ll all know it.”
“Aye,” Hugh said softly, his gaze thoughtful as he looked into Gabriel’s chamber. He blinked then turned to Gabriel. “I had better return to Mina. She’ll come looking for me soon.”
Gabriel nodded and watched as Hugh walked to his chamber. As long as he’d known Hugh, as many times as they’d fought side by side, he’d never seen Hugh lose hope. Not even when it seemed that all hope was gone. Hugh had never given up. It’s what made him a great leader.
The fact that Hugh had doubts began to concern Gabriel. He knew Roderick already worried for their failure. If Hugh cracked as well...it didn’t bode well for the Shields.
* * * *
He had waited too long for the end. He had planned down to the very detail, and not even the meddlesome Shields and the Fae had been able to stop him. Oh, they had managed to trip him up every now and again, but they had never stopped him.
And they wouldn’t be able to now either.
With his latest idea, the Shields and Fae would be hit so fast and so hard they wouldn’t be able to do anything other than stand there as their realms crumbled around them.
But there was one thing he hadn’t counted on. Jayna. Her revenge made her invaluable to him. It had made her unique, and it had kept her going when others would have sat down and died.
She had no idea how long he had kept her running in circles after Gabriel. In truth, he could have led her to him long ago, but the longer she searched for Gabriel, the more her need for revenge grew. And he fed off the rage in her.
Because of that rage and need for retribution, he had assumed she would walk into Stone Crest and try to kill Gabriel immediately. Yet, she hadn’t.
When he’d had Gabriel in the woods, he should have spoken to Jayna as well, but he had been so giddy in finding Gabriel all to himself he had completely forgotten that there was someone else with them.
Though entering Stone Crest would be risky, he might have to in order to give Jayna the final push she needed. Her death and the turning of Gabriel were critical to his plan.
He laughed as he recalled the look of horror on Gabriel’s face when they had spoken. It had been invaluable, and he couldn’t help but wonder if Gabriel had remembered all yet.
“Ah, Gabriel. You were my finest weapon. It’s time you came home.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jayna sat with the other Chosen after their morning meal. She had wanted to speak with Gabriel, but she hadn’t had the nerve to seek him out during the night. Then, first thing that morn, he and the other Shields mounted up and headed to the forest.
A shiver raced through her spine as she recalled the Great Evil and his words to Gabriel.
“Jayna?”
She jerked her gaze up to find Nicole looking at her expectantly. “Aye?”
“Is everything all right? You seem to be elsewhere this morn.”
She forced a smile. “Forgive me. I’m just a little dumbfounded to discover I am one of you. What is it that you need me to do?”
Mina scooted forward in her chair. “First, I need you to tell me all that you know of the Chos
en.”
Jayna blinked, then swallowed. “In truth, Mina, I don’t recall anything. It wasn’t until the mark appeared on my wrist that I remembered having it. Even now I struggle with trying to understand how I could have forgotten such a mark was on my body.”
Aye, the Great Evil took care of that, you stupid fool.
“For as long as I can remember I’ve always had it,” she continued. “It was always a part of me.”
“Hmmm,” Shannon said as she tapped her chin with a finger. “That explains why the evil hid it from her and us. Having a fifth Chosen will only make us stronger.”
Elle rolled her eyes. “Only if we figure out what we’re supposed to be doing. I’m not a fool. I know just how upset Roderick is over us not knowing what to do. He’s...anxious about the battle.”
“They all are,” Mina said softly. “The best we can do is try and shift through our memories to see if we can recall anything.”
Shannon rose to her feet and moved to the window. “Easier said than done, especially since we were infants when we were sent to this realm.”
Jayna hid her shocked expression at Shannon’s words. Her heart began to pound fiercely in her chest as she toyed with the idea of telling them where she was from.
“Our parents wouldn’t have sent us here unless we had some knowledge of how to destroy the evil,” Nicole argued.
Elle nodded slowly. “I agree with Nicole, but I have to admit, I’m beginning to worry about whether or not we can actually annihilate the evil.”
Jayna had listened in rapt silence. “What if we aren’t supposed to know what to do?” she said cautiously.
Four sets of eyes turned to her then. Mina furrowed her brow. “I don’t understand what you mean.”
“What if our parents knew that there might be a chance that the evil found us? If he was able to discern what we did to destroy him, he would then be able to protect himself?”
“My God,” Shannon said breathlessly. “I think she may have it.”
Jayna grew uncomfortable as they all smiled at her. She shrugged. “It was just a thought.”
