Echoes of Magic (25 page)

Leoma led them down the stairwell to the
dungeons, but she stopped midway down and turned down a corridor
that was so well hidden, Grayson would have never found it.

The passage was narrow and so dark he
couldn’t see Adrianna or his mother, but he could hear them. They
moved slowly, their steps shortened in the darkness. Grayson kept
his hand on his sword and paused every few steps to listen to see
if anyone followed.

They veered to the left, then the right
before turning back to the left. Suddenly, Leoma stopped. Grayson
halted and listened. Metal clinked against metal before a door
popped on its hinges as it swung open.

“
We are in a cave beneath
the castle,” Leoma said. “The cave will take you several leagues
away.”

Grayson slid past Adrianna and Leoma to peer
into the cave. “How many know of this passage?”

“
Only us three,” Leoma
answered. “It was passed down from father to son, but before
William left, he showed me.”

“
Why didn’t you use it?”
Grayson had to know what kept his mother here all these years. “Why
didn’t you leave and find me?”

Her sigh was loud in the silence. “I knew
that one day you would return. You were going to need me, whether
you wanted my help or not.”

“
Let us return to the
castle,” he said as he closed and bolted the door. “Drina. Can you
find this place again?”

“
Aye,” she
answered.

Leoma once more took the lead as they
traveled back to the castle. “Just remember, it’s the tenth stair,
and the lock is under the stair. Use the toe of your foot to unlock
it. The passage is completely hidden.”

“
Does the door close
instantly?” Adrianna asked.

“
Nearly so.”

Grayson felt the fear around his gut loosen.
Adrianna would have a way out. No one knew of the passage, which
would give her time to escape, and he would make sure none of
Nigel’s knights ventured from the gates of Hawksbridge to impede
her.

He waited until they were once more in the
great hall before he turned to her. “When you leave, ride for
Wolfglynn. You’ll be safer and you can ride faster across
country.”

“
Stop,” she said and tried
to turn away.

Grayson grabbed her shoulders and kept her
facing him. “This needs to be said. You need to be prepared.”

Her eyes held such sorrow such fear that he
pulled her against him, his mouth feasting on her as if she were a
last meal to a dying man. His body was engulfed in torrent of
desire. He craved her touch, longed for her kisses. His body
demanded he take her, to feel her hot, slick sex surround him as he
sunk into her.

Her arms wrapped around his
neck, clinging to him as she molded her body to his. Grayson turned
them into a darkened corner and ground his hips against hers. His
hand found her breast and she moaned into his mouth.

Grayson had to have her. He
yanked at her skirts, exposing her skin as she struggled to get his
tunic and chainmail out of the way to free him.

And then the horn sounded.

They had visitors.

Chapter
Twenty
‐
Nine

Adrianna wanted to scream
at the unfairness. Instead, she looked into Grayson’s silver gaze
and knew their time had come to an end. Her hands refused to
release him, even when he dropped her skirts and stepped
back.

“
Grayson.”

His finger moved to her lips. “We knew this
time would come.”

She moved aside his hand and trapped it
within her own. “Aye, but I didn’t expect it to be so soon.”

“
There’s nothing we can
do.”

“
We can run.”

“
And leave these people to
face Nigel alone? I’d never be able to live with
myself.”

“
Be careful. Watch that
he’ll trip you. Also, he and his knights are in full
armor.”

“
I expected as much. I’ll
be able to move quicker without mine.”

“
Yet you’ll be injured
easier as well.”

He took a step toward her and cupped her
face in his hands. “Thank you. For everything.”

She wasn’t ready to say farewell. Not now.
Not ever.

His lips covered hers, his breath mingling
with hers as his tongue swept inside her mouth for one last kiss.
Adrianna sighed when he deepened the kiss.

And then he was gone.

She used the stones at her back to keep her
upright. Through her tears, she watched Grayson walk from the
castle. And from her life.

“
Nay,” she whispered to
herself and pushed off the wall. “Promise or not, I won’t let him
die.”

She knew Leoma was in the tower where she
could keep a watch over Nigel and his men. Adrianna hurried to the
west tower, her heart pounding in her ears. Her legs ached and a
stitch started in her side, but she didn’t slow her steps until she
reached the top of the tower. Adrianna threw open the door to find
Leoma.

Grayson’s mother held out her hand. Adrianna
took it, and together they moved to the window.

“
Saints preserve us for a
devil has come,” Leoma murmured.

Chills raced down Adrianna’s spine. She
stared down at Nigel and his seven men, just as she had in her
vision. In the back of her mind she held out hope, had thought aid
in the form of Drogan would have arrived.

“
There wasn’t enough time
for Drogan to reach us,” she heard herself say.

“
And Grayson won’t wait. I
had thought he might consider it since he loves you so.”

Adrianna jerked her head to Leoma. “He
doesn’t love me.”

“
Ah, child,” she said with
a kind smile. “He most certainly does. I’ve never seen a man look
at a woman with such hunger in his eyes. He searches for you
wherever you go. He stands near you, always touching you, always
listening to your opinion. The love was there for all to
see.”

Adrianna turned away. She should have told
him, she should have let him know everything.

“
Go to him,” Leoma said.
“Mayhap that will halt what is about to happen.”

She looked at Leoma over her shoulder. “I
never told him I loved him. I thought...I don’t know what I
thought.”

“
Go, Adrianna. Go to him
now.”

“
And the curse?”

“
None of that will matter
if he dies.”

Adrianna knew she was right. She hurried
from the tower. How could she have been so stupid? How had she not
seen his love? She called herself ten kinds of fool as she ran from
the castle to the bailey. Grayson stood on the battlements, his
hand on his sword.

She lifted her skirts and took the stairs to
the battlements. She stopped before she reached the top and called
out to him.

His head turned to her. He scowled and
strode to the stairs. “What is it? You shouldn’t be up here.”

“
I know. I had to tell
you.”

“
What? Tell me
what?”

She gazed into his silver eyes full of worry
and impatience. “Regardless of the outcome, there is something you
should know.”

“
And that might
be?”

She took his hand and placed it over her
heart. “I love you.”

His eyes widened before he took a step down
to her. He reached for her, pulling her into his arms. He was about
to kiss her when someone shouted for him.

“
Milord. They
come!”

Adrianna’s heart fell to
her feet when Grayson released her. He turned away and started up
the steps. She hadn’t wanted a declaration from him, but she had
expected him to at least ignore Nigel for a bit.

“
Grayson.”

He stopped, his hands fisted at his side.
“Drina. You cannot stop this.”

Nay, she might not be able to stop the
battle, but she could stop his death. And her promise be damned,
she wouldn’t hide, cowering in a corner while he and the rest of
Hawksbridge faced such unspeakable evil. Adrianna gathered her
skirts and turned to descend the stairs. She didn’t look back as
she walked to the castle.

Grayson watched Adrianna until she was once
more inside the castle. Her words of love still echoed inside his
mind. He had never thought to hear a woman say those precious three
words to him and, now, finally, the one woman who had his heart
returned his love.

“
Milord?”

He wanted to ignore the man beside him, but
Grayson couldn’t. He turned and looked at the approaching riders.
There were eight of them. Their shields were blank and no colors
were visible.

“
It’s about time you
showed,” Grayson murmured. He turned to the men in the gatehouse.
“Ready yourselves. Don’t let any of them in unless I give you the
word.”

Grayson turned to the bailey and began to
shout his orders to the men and women below. Most everyone would be
hidden with only the strongest visible to Nigel once he entered the
gates. Yet everyone was armed. Even if Grayson died, Nigel would
soon follow when a volley of everyone in Hawksbridge aimed at
him.

Hawksbridge would be safe
once more. Grayson raged that it would demand his blood in exchange
for the freedom of his people, but he saw no way around it. He had
left a letter for Drogan, begging his friend to look after
Adrianna. Leoma had special instructions to give to Drogan when he
arrived. Adrianna, he hoped, would stay at Hawksbridge until Drogan
came.

Grayson glanced at the
tower where his mother waited. The words he had longed to say to
her hadn’t come and, try as he might, he feared they never would.
So, he’d done the only other thing he had been able. He wrote her,
letting her know of his love and forgiveness. He hoped it was
enough.

All was ready now. The only thing left to do
was wait.

He gave a nod to the tower in case his
mother watched and turned to the riders. They would be there within
the hour.

And death soon after.

* * * * *

In the grove of trees outside Hawksbridge
sat a lone rider. He watched the small group race toward
Hawksbridge, their stench of evil enveloping the land. How he hated
them.

He knew their intent. The destruction of
Hawksbridge was imminent. Or was it? He had followed the new lord
and his woman to Hawksbridge. There was something about the new
lord that caught his attention. Maybe it was the way the lord road
so confidently to the castle. It could have been how easily he and
the commoners took Nigel’s knights.

Despite the courage and skill the new lord
exhibited, he didn’t stand a chance against such an evil as Nigel,
but the fact the new lord readily faced it brought a smile to his
face.

For many years he had waited for this day.
Waited and hoped and prayed. There had been a time he thought all
had been lost. He had given up all hope, but hope once more filled
his heart.

Would it be enough win against Nigel, only
time would tell.

Yet, he found himself curious. It had been a
long time since he had really cared about anything. He nudged his
horse into a walk as he turned and found the path, a hidden path
only few knew of.

* * * * *

Grayson drummed his fingers on the stones.
Nigel and his men slowed their horses to a walk and leisurely
approached Hawksbridge.

“
Why are they takin’ so
long?” one of the men asked.

Grayson chuckled. “He knows people are
frightened of him. If he prolongs his arrival, it will only grow
their fear.”

“
Milord, I hate to admit
it, but it’s working.”

Grayson looked at the young man and clapped
him on the shoulder. “He cannot hurt you now. Remember that.”

“
And if ye let him inside
the castle walls as ye plan?”

“
If he kills me, remember.
Everyone attacks him at once,” Grayson said and scratched his
chin.

“
You make it sound simple,
milord.”

“
It is. You either kill him
or you die.”

The young man snorted. “I’m not ready to
die.”

“
I didn’t think you were.”
Grayson smiled at him before he turned to Nigel.

Grayson found his mind wandering to
Adrianna. He’d meant to ask her where she planned to hide in case
he needed to find her. Maybe it was better if he didn’t know where
she was. The neighing of a horse broke into his musings. Grayson
looked down to find Nigel and his men had finally arrived.

“
You’re in my castle,”
Nigel’s deep voice resonated around them. It was an unnatural
voice, as though it came through a long tunnel.

“
Actually, this is my
castle. I’ve reclaimed it.”

“
King Henry might have
something to say about that.”

“
Why don’t we wait for him
to arrive? Since you told him you were holding Hawksbridge for my
father to return, I wonder how the king would react to know that
you’ve taken it as your own.”

Nigel laughed, the sound eerie and evil.
“Henry will side with me. He always sides with me. I hope you
didn’t bet the outcome on Henry, Grayson.”

“
So you know who I
am?”

Nigel nodded. His helm was lowered, hiding
all of his face. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“
I was at Wolfglynn, but
you were too occupied with Drogan to care about anything else. You
nearly died there.”