Page 31

“A talisman alert, someone approaches,” he said.

Fright rippled through her. Those who came for healing knew well to call out if they set a talisman chiming, letting her know they approached.

“I want you to go into the woods and wait. If for some reason this doesn’t end well, you leave and seek safety, understood?”

Shade nodded, the lump in her throat and roiling stomach not allowing her to speak.

He kissed her quickly. “Worry not. I never lose.”

She nodded again, not saying what came to mind. There is always a first time.

Quint didn’t watch where Shade went. He hoped whoever was there would believe her to be in the cottage. He went to the bench that sat braced against the cottage wall and sat, taking a cloth to his sword, appearing as if he was cleaning it, and waited.

Shade ducked down behind a pine tree where she had a view of the area in front of her cottage through the branches and waited just as Quint did.

A man thick in body but not having much height stepped out of the woods and Quint stood, his sword in hand and approached the man, showing him not an ounce of fear.

The man stopped where he stood and called out, “I am Cyril, brother of Rand and Brant, two fools. I came here to tell you that I have no cause to fight you, not now, not ever. Unlike my brothers, I don’t wish to die.” He backed away as Quint continued to approach him.

“Stay your ground,” Quint urged, keeping his voice low. “I wish only to talk with you.”

Shade wished that Quint hadn’t lowered his voice. She wanted to hear what he was saying to the man.

“You will keep your voice low when you speak with me,” Quint said.

“Aye,” Cyril said with a nod, sweat breaking out along his brow.

“You intended to kill me.”

“That was before I found out who you are,” Cyril said, a nervous tremor in his voice. “I want no trouble with you. I didn’t realize what Rand had gotten himself into and how instead of waiting for me, Brant’s impatience cost him his life. I came here to tell you face to face that I harbor no ill will toward you and I intend to return home and forget this dreadful turn of events.”

“How is it that I should trust your word that you will walk away and never bother me, or the healer, not ever?”

“I have no fight with the healer or you,” Cyril said, wiping the sweat that dripped down his face with the sleeve of his shirt. “I wish only to return home, a distance from here, and pray that I make it since Lord Torrance is scooping up any man who he sees fit to fight for him. My brothers made their choice and now I make mine. I take my leave, never to see you again.”

“If our paths ever cross again?—”

Cyril shook his head. “I don’t know you and I don’t care to know you.”

“You are wiser than your brothers.”

“Which is why I am alive and they’re not.”

Quint watched as Cyril disappeared into the woods and it wasn’t until he heard the tinkle of a talisman in the distance that he turned around and saw Shade standing by the cottage. He walked over to her, seeing the confused look on her lovely face and, keeping his sword in hand, he snagged her around her waist with his other arm.

She pressed against him, his strength always a source of comfort to her. “He walked away. What happened?”

“He is a wiser man than his brothers and chose not to die,” Quint said and felt a shiver rush through Shade. It could have been the chilly wind that whipped around them, but he sensed it was more of a relief that Shade felt. “Let’s go inside and warm ourselves with a hot brew.”

Shade got busy fixing a brew and keeping a tight hold on her tongue. She wanted to ask him if he would take his leave now, but she worried over his response. She didn’t want to hear that he was leaving her.

Silence hung heavily over them while Quint sat at the table and Shade kept herself busy, fearful of looking at him and seeing in his eyes that he had something to tell her. When she went to return to the hearth from where she was moving things randomly around on the narrow table under the window just tokeep herself occupied, his arm hooked her waist and forced her onto his lap.

“I know what disturbs you and I will not depart just yet.”

Shade sighed at the reprieve and rested her brow against his. “But you will leave.”

He brushed his lips over hers. “I have no choice. I must see this mission done.”