A Warrior's Heart (Shields) (17 page)

“I know,” Gabriel replied. “But it’s out there. I’ve seen it out of the corner of my eye twice since we entered these woods.”

Hugh swore viciously. “Into the monastery. Now.”

The four walked carefully into the monastery, their weapons always at the ready. Once inside, Hugh moved to the right as Cole quickly stepped through the doorway and then to the left so his back was against the wall.

Val and Gabriel were the last two in. While Gabriel kept his gaze outside, waiting for an attack, he was back to back with Val who stood at the ready inside the monastery.

Gabriel didn’t put down his bow until he heard Hugh say the room was clear of creatures. He inhaled deeply and pivoted so that he faced his comrades.

“I know what I saw.”

Cole raised a hand. “I never doubted you, Gabriel. Did you see anything about it? Was it human or creature?”

“I didn’t see it clearly,” he said.

Hugh stepped forward then. “Cole, set up watch at the door. I want to make sure we aren’t surprised by any creatures while we’re here.”

With a small nod of his head, Cole moved to his position by the door. “Val.”

“Aye,” the Roman answered.

Hugh pointed above him. “Check the upper levels.”

Gabriel watched Val run up the stairs with nary a sound and waited.

“Lead me to these puddles you and Cole found earlier.”

He turned to Hugh then Gabriel motioned around the vast room. “Look around, Hugh. They’re everywhere. In every level Cole and I checked, we found the same substance.”

Hugh cursed again as he rested his crossbow on his shoulder and looked around the room. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“There is much more of it below,” Cole said over his shoulder. “Whatever it is, it prefers the dank, dark chambers below the earth.”

Gabriel gazed at the substance that dotted crumpled bookshelves, stairs, overturned tables and chairs, and even the earth. “You can tell the ones that are older,” he said as he leaned closer to a pool of the liquid. “It starts to turn a milky white and harden.”

“Whatever it is,” Val said from above them, “it’s nasty. I never cared for the monastery, and I care for it even less now.”

Hugh sighed and glanced up at Val. “Did you find anything?”

“Nothing. Not a trace of a wild animal or a whisper of a ghost,” Val said as he started down the stairs. “It’s odd, don’t you think? Before we found traces of animals. Now there’s nothing.”

“That is odd,” Hugh agreed.

Gabriel shifted feet and shook his head. “I would say whatever did this belongs to the Great Evil, but I don’t smell any evil.”

“Nor do I,” Cole said. “With as many piles of that liquid is around here, if it was evil, we would smell it all the way back to Stone Crest.”

Hugh nodded. “Aye. If it’s not evil, and I know it isn’t an animal from these parts, what could it be?”

“Maybe Aimery will know,” Val offered as he rubbed his hands together. “It’s damn cold. Let’s return to Stone Crest and call for Aimery. He can look over the liquid in Gabriel’s chamber then.”

Gabriel let his gaze wander the monastery again. There was no sign of the creatures, no stench of evil, but he
knew
something was there.

And he would bet his prized bow made of magical Fae wood that it was something other than the Fae army, something other than an animal.

Deep down, he feared that whatever it was might very well be there to harm them.

Chapter Eighteen

Jayna stood on the steps of the castle long after the gate closed behind Gabriel. Anxiety writhed in her stomach and she didn’t know if it was because she was more concerned about the Shields encountering the Harpy again...or the Great Evil.

Thick snowflakes landed on her lashes and hindered her vision, but she didn’t move. The heavy cloak did little to keep her warm, and it wasn’t long until her toes and fingers began to grow numb.

She inhaled deeply, the cold slicing into her lungs and making her shiver. She gazed around the empty bailey. Besides the guards atop the battlements, she could have been the only person on Earth. She had worried for so long about finding food, clothing, and a safe place to sleep. Being at Stone Crest, being welcomed and loved, had made Jayna realize just what she had left behind when she set her course for revenge.

But without the Great Evil’s constant meddling, her thirst for revenge had slackened.

Your thirst hasn’t slacked. Dare you forget what Gabriel did? How he betrayed you?

Jayna blinked away sudden tears as she thought of her family, her beloved family who she had cherished deeply. They were gone, all gone. And all because of Gabriel.

The sound of footfalls crunching on snow jerked her out of her memories. She was appalled to find more tears had escaped her eyes. She lifted her hand to dash away the hated moisture only to find it had frozen to her face.

“It’s not a fit day for man or beast,” Roderick said as he stopped beside her. “It feels as though we are the only people left on Earth everything is so quiet.” He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest as he turned to look at her.

“They will return, Jayna. You needn’t stay out here waiting for Gabriel.”

She swiveled her head to stare at the tall, golden warrior beside her. “I don’t wait for Gabriel. I like the peace out here.”

Roderick’s dark blue eyes narrowed slightly before they turned compassionate. “Peace. It means something different to everyone.”

“Aye.” Jayna wasn’t sure what Roderick spoke of, but he looked as though he needed to speak and she suddenly found that she didn’t want to be alone.
 

“What does it mean to you?”

She thought over his words a moment. “Peace to me is ridding myself of ghosts.”

“Ghosts?” Roderick asked, his head cocked to the side. “You are too young to have ghosts.”

Jayna chuckled. “I’ve learned that one is never too young to have ghosts, my lord.” She looked out over the bailey, thoughts of her family filling her mind. “One can be young, happy, innocent, trusting and...in love.” She returned her gaze to Roderick. “Then, in less time than a heartbeat, it can all be taken away.”

“Is this why you seek revenge?”

She nodded.

He closed his eyes briefly. “Put aside your revenge, Jayna. It will not slay the ghosts that haunt you.”

“If you knew who had killed your family, would you go after them? Would you have your revenge?”

His arms dropped to his side and he took a step toward her, his eyes widening. “Is that what happened to you?”

Jayna hastily shook her head. “Would you?”

For a long moment Roderick stared at her. “Aye,” he finally answered. “I would.”

“You asked me what my peace was, my lord. What is yours?”

 
Roderick closed his eyes and lifted his face to the cloud laden sky. “I would take my wife and return to Thales. The Great Evil would be vanquished once and for all, and the threat hovering over my realm and this one would end.”

“You must love Elle very much.”

His face lowered and his eyes opened to look at her. “I cannot begin to describe my love for her. But you must understand how I feel. You said you were in love.”

“Real love wouldn’t have betrayed me, my lord. What I thought was love was only a shimmer of the true emotion you hold within you.”

“What a pair we are,” Roderick said with a smile.

It was infectious, and Jayna found herself returning the smile.

“Come,” he said and offered his arm. “Let us return inside where Elle will see that you are indeed all right. She worries deeply for you.”

Jayna’s toe caught on a step and the world tilted toward her. Her heart pounded roughly against her chest.
Elle worries deeply for you
. Roderick’s words repeated over and over in her mind.

Hands, big and strong, gripped her shoulders and righted her. She raised her gaze to find Roderick staring down at her with his dark blue eyes.

“Jayna?”

“There is ice on the steps,” she said weakly, praying he believed the lie.
 

After a moment, he nodded his head and took her arm to steady her as they climbed the remainder of the steps to the door.

As soon as she stepped inside, the warmth of the castle enveloped her. No sooner had she handed her cloak to Roderick than Elle and Shannon raced up to her, leading her to the blazing fire.

Jayna found the lump in her throat growing and tears stinging the backs of her eyes again. She blinked away the tears and smiled as Elle and Shannon talked.

Jayna didn’t even try to keep up with their conversation. She was too busy wondering how they would feel about her once she killed Gabriel.

Chapter Nineteen

Jayna knew the moment Gabriel and the others entered the bailey. It was as if her body was attuned to Gabriel’s in a way that defied description.

Before they entered the great hall, Jayna rose and moved to the shadows. She watched as Hugh, Cole, Val, and Gabriel filed into the castle, all of them looking grim. Whatever they had set out looking for, they must have found it.

She released her breath when she realized Gabriel didn’t have any injuries.

Get a hold of yourself, Jayna. He’s immortal, remember?

He might be, but it wouldn’t be the same if she killed a man who was already weak from another wound. She wanted him hail and hearty when she plunged the dagger in his heart.

She fingered the dagger up her sleeve and knew it was time to take a step closer to finishing her mission. She turned on her heel and hurried to her chamber. She needed to make herself as alluring to Gabriel as she could.

There had been a time all she had to do was smile at him and he was by her side. But this Gabriel was different. This Gabriel would need more coaxing.

* * * *

Gabriel dusted the snow from his feet and held out his hands before the hearth.

The storm had only worsened by the time they returned to Stone Crest, and had they not known the land as well as they did, they could have become lost.

Lost. He knew that word well. He had been lost for so long he didn’t know any other way. The image of the woman in his dream flashed in his mind.

He desperately needed to know if she was someone from his past. How he longed to see her entire face, to know that the smile she showed him was for him.

With a curse he surged to his feet. It was only because the other Shields had found their mates that the loneliness was more visible. He might envy the others finding their women, but he would never wish it otherwise. If he was destined to walk alone, then he would.

“Gabriel.”

He turned to find Roderick behind him. By the way Roderick’s lips were flattened and his forehead frowned, something was wrong. “What is it?”

“Have you learned anything else from Jayna?”

He shook his head. “Nothing more than what Mina and Hugh were told. Jayna is very careful not to say more than she has before. She keeps her secrets close.”

“Aye,” Roderick said softly as he rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger. He dropped his hand then. “She spoke of wanting peace from her ghosts today.”

“Ghosts?” Gabriel repeated.

“Ghosts. She has admitted to several of us now that she does seek revenge. With the threat of the Great Evil, we need to know where she stands.”

Gabriel sighed. He knew what it was Roderick wanted. It was the same thing Hugh had asked of him. Seduction. The worst part about it was that he was looking forward to seducing Jayna. There was something intriguing about her, something that made Gabriel want to be near her at all times. And the more he was around her, the more the feeling grew.

“She’ll talk once you’ve bedded her,” Roderick said.

Gabriel ran a hand down his face as he sighed. “You make it sound so easy, my friend. Cole was the charmer of women, not me. I cannot woo her with just a smile. Besides, she does have feelings. I haven’t used a female before, and I’d prefer to not start now.”

Roderick took a step closer to him. “Gabriel, I’m begging you. I like Jayna, but if she is in any way connected with the Great Evil, she must not remain here. I cannot jeopardize Elle’s life.”

“All right,” he reluctantly agreed. Gabriel could see just how much it meant to Roderick, and because the Shields were his brethren, his family, he would do whatever they asked.

Roderick let out a loud sigh. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet, brother. I haven’t bedded her,” he said as he walked away.
 

“You will.”

Gabriel hesitated at Roderick’s words before he wearily walked up the stairs to his chamber. There was so much confusion at Stone Crest. The Chosen had no idea how to bring down the Great Evil as they were supposed to. The Shields had no idea how they were going to battle the Harpy and the Gargoyle. No one knew why Jayna was at the castle, or if she meant one of them harm. And now the problem with the clear substance in his chamber as well as the monastery.