by Donna Grant
She didn't know what would happen now. Val and Gabriel claimed to kill creatures such as the Gryphon, which she found difficult to believe. Ordinary men killing extraordinary creatures? Not very likely.
But then she remembered their weapons. Val's halberd looked normal at first, but if they were affiliated with the Fae as they claimed, then the Fae must aid them somehow.
"Everything all right?"
She jerked around to find Val behind her. His pale green eyes held a hint of worry. “I'm just trying to go through everything you and Gabriel have told me. I don't know whether to believe it or not."
He smiled and held out his hand. Nicole took it, and he led her back to the fire and pulled her down beside him.
"I can't imagine what you must think of us, Nicole, but all I ask is to trust us for now until you come to understand that what we've told you is the truth. We'll keep you safe from the Gryphon. Of that I can assure you."
She stared into his eyes and found herself wanting to believe him. It could be because it was nice to have a friend with her, but then again, she worried that it might be because she found herself attracted to him.
Something she could not allow to continue.
Chapter Six
Gabriel walked into the village to see people standing and watching their homes burn and shifting through the rubble that was once their homes.
He sighed. They all looked devastated, but he knew that if the Gryphon came tonight, there would be few left standing the next morning.
As he walked, he saw a dog sitting beside a man lying on his side, obviously dead. The dog looked lost and alone. Much like Gabriel felt every day. He walked to the dog and patted its head.
"He's gone,” he murmured to the dog, who licked his hand. “If you stay here, you're liable to starve to death.” Though Gabriel knew he shouldn't, he couldn't leave the dog. “Come, boy,” he said as he stood and started to walk away.
He looked back and found the dog staring after him. “Come on,” he tried again and whistled.
This time the dog stood up, then turned and looked at his dead master.
Gabriel sighed and waited. After a few moments longer, the poor dog looked from his master to Gabriel. Gabriel whistled again. This time the dog slowly walked toward him. He rubbed the dog's big gray head.
"I'll keep you safe,” he promised and turned to continue through the village.
He didn't bother to look down to see if the dog followed because the poor beast kept his head right under Gabriel's hand the entire time.
Despite the years he had spent with the Shields and how he thought of them as family, there was something about the lost look in the dark brown eyes of the dog that pulled at Gabriel's soul. For so long he had felt dead that he wondered if he would ever again feel anything.
As he walked through the village, few looked him in the eye, and the ones that did hastily turned away. He was about to think he would return to the cave empty handed when he saw an old man sitting on the ground next to his burned cottage.
Gabriel stopped beside him and gave him a nod of greeting. “Is there anything I can do?” he asked.
The old man shook his balding head and raised his wrinkled face to Gabriel. “I lost me wife,” he said. “She was sick, and I couldna get her out in time."
Gabriel took a deep breath, unsure of what to say. “A terrible loss,” he murmured.
"Such is life, aye,” the man said and wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. “At least she isna hurtin’ any longer. I sure will miss my Maud."
Gabriel couldn't help but wonder what it was like to love someone so much that you were lost without them. He had studied the way Cole had looked at Shannon but had gleaned nothing. What was it that pulled two people together?
Aimery, the Fae commander, would say it was their destiny, mates reunited again. But Gabriel didn't believe it. There had to be something more, something deeper.
He lifted his coin purse and dug inside before bending down and placing the coins in the old man's weathered hand. “I will be around. If you need anything, let me know."
The old man's lips pulled back into a smile showing a few missing teeth. “Dinna worry, lad. I'll see my Maud soon enough.” He narrowed his faded blue eyes on Gabriel. “Ye arena from here?"
Gabriel shook his head. “I was passing through and saw the devastation. What happened?"
"Evil,” the old man said. “The purest form of evil."
Gabriel went down on his haunches beside the man. No sooner had he done that than the dog sat and leaned his massive weight against Gabriel. He reached over and absently scratched the dog behind his ears.
"Tell me what kind of evil,” Gabriel asked.
The old man squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. “I wasna quick enough ta see it, but I warned them that the more they delved into the evil, the greater our punishment would be. No one listened."
"Who?” Gabriel asked, his heart beginning to pound.
The old man lifted his hand and pointed behind him. “The village."
"Everyone?” Gabriel was beginning to wonder if the old man had gone daft.
He turned and looked at Gabriel. “Of course I mean everyone. And now, wee Nicole is gone. All because of their hatred and greed."
"Nicole?” Gabriel asked, hoping the old man would tell him more.
The old man stuffed the coins Gabriel had given him into a small bag he had attached to the waist of his pants. “Aye, Nicole. Poor lass has lived alone ever since the old witch that took her in died. Nicole was a good lass, always pleasant, even when they threw rocks at her or spit at her. She didna deserve the fate they gave her."
"And what fate was that?"
"Her death,” the old man said, once again staring at what was left of his cottage. “Me and me wife wanted ta take her in and raise her ourselves, but the rest wouldna let us. I did try ta make sure she had enough food since na one would sell her much."
Gabriel couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could an entire village want to kill one lone girl? And for what?
"What was the reason the villagers gave for wanting her dead?"
"Her penance,” he answered. “When she was brought here...."
"What?” Gabriel interrupted. “Brought here?"
The old man looked at him and nodded. “Aye, brought here. The man that brought her left her on the shore of the loch, not far from Nicole's cottage. Every one of us knew the man was evil."
"What did the man say?"
The old man shook his head and closed his eyes. “It doesna matter. I shouldna be talkin’ aboot it anyways."
Gabriel knew he would get no more out of the man this day. Maybe in a day or so he would come back and ask a few more questions. For now, he had more information than he had hoped for.
He stood and began the walk back to the cave, the dog still beside him with his head beneath Gabriel's hand. He hoped Val and Nicole didn't mind the animal joining them.
* * * *
He waited and watched. He could hear the wails from the village as they buried their dead and shifted through the rubble of their homes. He cringed inwardly because he had ravaged the village, all in the name of evil.
How many centuries had he killed innocents? He had lost count after the second century. Now, he was being ordered to kill her, Nicole.
Of all the things he had done, this one was the one thing he had prayed never to have to do. Yet, he had no choice.
She had to die.
He felt the great evil's presence. He was being watched. Anger simmered just beneath the surface. After all the years of dedicated service, the great evil had begun to question his loyalty. He nearly laughed aloud, as if he had the option to turn his loyalty. That had ended the day he had turned to the evil.
A day he vividly remembered, half a millennia later.
* * * *
At the sound of approaching footsteps, Val jumped to his feet and grabbed his halberd before racing to the entrance of the cave. He expec
ted to see Gabriel, but what he didn't expect to see was a large gray dog running up the mountain next to Gabriel.
Val braced one hand against the wall of the cave while the other held his halberd as he waited for Gabriel. When his fellow Shield reached the cave entrance, Val raised a questioning brow at the dog.
Gabriel glanced down at the dog that now stared up adoringly at him and shrugged. “Don't ask,” he said as he continued into the cave.
It was on the tip of Val's tongue to ask since he had never seen Gabriel become close to anything, let alone an animal. There were many things the Shields didn't know about Gabriel, but to be fair, Gabriel didn't know a lot about himself.
Val followed Gabriel and the dog deeper into the cave until they reached the fire where Nicole sat. She let out a little yelp and clapped her hands together and the dog rushed to her side.
"Oh, Laird, I wondered what had become of you,” she said as she scratched the dog behind his ears. She raised her gaze to Gabriel. “Where is Fergus?"
"Fergus?” Gabriel asked.
"Aye,” she said as the dog lay down beside her. “He's Laird's master."
"He's dead."
Val cringed at Gabriel's harsh tone, but when he glanced at Nicole all she did was shake her head.
"I knew it had to be something as bad as that for Laird to leave him,” she said and patted the dog's massive head. “This wolfhound has to be the most loyal dog I have ever known."
Suddenly, Laird rose and padded over to Gabriel who absently rubbed the dog's head. Val wondered if Gabriel knew just how telling his actions were.
"Did you learn anything?” Val asked him.
Gabriel sighed and sank to the ground. “I did and none of it good."
"Tell me,” Val said as he sat.
Gabriel licked his lips and stared into the fire. “As I walked through the village, I came upon an old man who sat beside his burned cottage. He was the only one who would talk to me. I didn't expect to discover much of anything, but it seems I got lucky since he knew quite a lot about Nicole."
"Interesting,” Val said and glanced at Nicole who watched Gabriel with fascination.
"Hmm. Very,” Gabriel said. “I learned that it was indeed the entire village that summoned the Gryphon."
Val jerked and shook his head as if he hadn't heard Gabriel right. “That isn't possible."
Gabriel's gaze rose to his. “It hasn't happened before, but I think we're looking at something completely different here, Val."
Val scratched his head. “Go on."
"Nicole was brought to this village by a man who left her on the shores of the loch. The old man said a witch took her in despite him and his wife offering to raise Nicole."
"Margda,” Nicole whispered as her gaze slowly moved to Val. “She's the witch who raised me."
"And the couple who wanted you?” he asked.
A small smile pulled at her lips. “Donald and Maud. They were a kind older couple who never had children of their own. Donald would come by at least once a week and check on me despite Margda threatening to turn him into a frog."
Val turned back to Gabriel. “Anything else?"
"Oh, aye,” he said and ran a hand down his tired face. “Though I couldn't get much out of Donald, I did discover that they all thought it was Nicole's penance to die. Supposedly, they all thought it had something to do with the evil that brought her here."
Val thought over Gabriel's words and couldn't help wondering if the evil Donald spoke of was the same evil that they were trying to destroy.
"I still don't understand why the evil brought Nicole here, to this small village in the middle of the Highlands,” Val said.
Gabriel nodded. “I've been thinking much the same thing. If he knew what she was, why not kill her then?"
"Good question,” Val said. He slid a glance at Nicole and found her staring at the ground near her feet, seemingly lost in thought.
Val and Gabriel exchanged a look. They needed to speak with Aimery. Immediately.
Chapter Seven
Nicole watched her two saviors and Laird walk from the cave. She had tried to pretend that Gabriel's words hadn't bothered her, but the truth was, they had. Even after knowing how the village felt about her, it was difficult to hear it from another person.
She had often prayed that Donald and Maud would be able to take her in, but Margda had gone to great lengths to ensure that didn't happen. Each time Nicole questioned Margda about it, the witch would only say that Donald and Maud would interfere and prevent Fate from dealing her hand.
Nicole hadn't understood then, but she did now. Margda had known if Donald and Maud had taken Nicole in, they would have left, leaving the villagers to reap their own greed and sins without Nicole there to be the sacrifice.
She wiped at the sudden tears that had sprung to her eyes. She had managed to live out her life with as much happiness as she could muster. Granted, there had been times she had wanted to run away and start over, but she hadn't dared. Margda's threats still rang in her ears, which is why she had stayed in the village even when Margda had died.
With a loud sigh she rose to her feet and thought about her future. Val was right, the Gryphon would return for her and continue to return until she was dead.
But I don't want to die!
"You don't have to."
Nicole whirled around to see a man behind her. He was unlike anyone she had ever seen. So handsome that it was nearly impossible to look at him, yet it was impossible to look away. His long flaxen hair hung straight down his back while many tiny braids held his hair away from his face.
But it was his eyes that swirled different shades of blue that held her attention.
She swallowed and blinked, unsure she was really looking at a man or if it was her imagination. “Who are you?"
"Aimery, the commander of the Fae army. Val and Gabriel have called for me, but I sensed your distress and thought I would see you first."
"Fae?” she repeated. “Are you real? Val and Gabriel told me about the Fae, I just didn't imagine I would ever get to meet one."
He smiled and nodded. “Indeed I am real. The Fae have a strong link to this realm, a link that many humans don't know about or refuse to believe."
"Maybe it's for the best,” she said.
His smile grew. “That it is, Nicole. How are Val and Gabriel treating you?"
"Like true gentlemen."
"Good.” He turned to walk out of the cave, then stopped and turned back to her. “Nicole, don't worry about the Gryphon coming for you. Val and Gabriel will protect you with their lives."
His words calmed her as nothing else could, and as she watched him walk from the cave, she found herself anxious to leave and start a new life.
* * * *
Val stared out over the still waters of the loch. He had to admit that the Highlands were quite lovely, even in the middle of winter with snow thick on the ground. He found himself wondering what it would look like in the summer.
"Do you miss it?” Gabriel asked.
"What?"
"Rome."
Val sighed. “Sometimes, aye, I do. Others, not at all. Rome was unique and powerful and majestic, but destined to fall. Had I not joined the Shields, I don't know what would have become of me."
"You were a very powerful general, Val. You held a place of honor."
Val nearly snorted. “If there was one thing you could count on in Rome, it was for someone to try and kill you, either politically or literally. I was quite glad to be out of the viper's nest."
He turned when he saw Gabriel face him. Gabriel's gaze held a hint of envy and remorse.
"Do you regret leaving your family?"
Val closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He could still remember seeing his father for the last time. The man he had looked up to for years wouldn't even look him in the face.
Slowly, Val opened his eyes. “It was for the best."
"That's not what I asked,” Gabriel said.
"Aye
,” he said and turned back to the loch. “I miss my family."
For long moments neither man said anything as each was lost in their thoughts. Val didn't like thinking of his family and the hatred his father had for him or how he let his sisters down in the worst possible way.
With each breath that left his body he felt the vise around his heart start to constrict as it had before he joined the Shields, and Aimery had given him something to focus on. Now, it seemed that the farther he tried to push his past away, the closer it came.
"Easy,” Aimery said as he laid a hand on Val's shoulder.
Instantly his anxiety left. Val looked over at Aimery who now stood between him and Gabriel. Aimery had done exactly the same thing when he had first found Val, drunk in an alley and beaten to a pulp.
He silently nodded his thanks to Aimery and turned his attention to Nicole and their present problem.
"Aimery,” Gabriel said. “I was beginning to think you didn't hear our call."
"I heard you,” Aimery said and clasped his hands behind his back. “I wanted to see Nicole first. She was anxious about tonight and the Gryphon's arrival, so I went to calm her."
Val looked to the cave and saw Nicole at the entrance. Her black hair, loose and hanging around her shoulders, blew in the gentle breeze as she watched them.
"Whose dog is this?” Aimery asked.
Gabriel laid a hand on the tall beast. “Mine."
For long moments Aimery simply regarded Gabriel. “I have no news,” Aimery finally said. “I've been to Stone Crest and Hugh, Roderick and Cole are fortifying the castle as we speak."
Gabriel fingered the hilt of his sword. “I don't like this Aimery. We're taking a huge chance."
"We don't have any other way. I have my soldiers surrounding Stone Crest."
Val nodded. “Even if we were able to reach Stone Crest, based on what you told me today, I think it's imperative that we kill the Gryphon here."
"What did you learn?” Aimery asked sharply.
Val paced the shoreline as Gabriel told Aimery of his findings and Nicole's reaction.
When Gabriel was finished, Val turned to Aimery. “There is something different here. No one has heard of the blue stone."
