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Chapter Fifteen

A ubrey chose not to remain in the library at the castle as everyone discussed and tried to make sense of Erin’s dreams. They’d decided to stay the night. In truth, she considered leaving and returning to her own home. After all, there was nothing she could contribute, other than being there for Erin.

It was a beautiful day, so moments later, with a cup of tea in hand, Aubrey went outside to a set of tables and chairs and sat down. There had been so much on her mind lately, this situation with Erin being one of them.

As much as she loved her huge home, with it came a myriad of tasks. Maintenance and repairs were full-time jobs in themselves. Thankfully, her father made provisions that paid for a gardener and a maid service. However, the list of repairs, veterinary appointments for the horses and other estate management issues was becoming overwhelming.

She loved Ashcraig Hall, but at the same time Aubrey wanted to make her own mark, to grow the yoga business she and Erin owned. Lately she’d considered purchasing a smaller home and asking her father if perhaps they should sell the estate.

She had one brother, Stuart, a musician who lived in Glasgow. Stuart’s band was gaining popularity and was in high demand in the city. Her brother had no interest in moving to the country, and had made it clear he had no desire to live in the house.

The gust of wind whirled around her, and she lifted her face to the sun, closing her eyes. Her heart ached at the thought of moving from the family estate, yet perhaps going flat hunting with Erin had made her wish to live closer to the city, within walking distance of shops and restaurants.

The moment she opened her eyes, a startled scream ripped from Aubrey’s throat. The ceramic cup slipped from her fingers, shattering against the cold paving stones at the feet of a massive blond man.

He was a mountain of muscle, his presence so imposing that it sent a jolt of fear through her veins. His piercing blue eyes locked onto hers, brows shooting up in surprise, as if he was just as shocked to see her as she was to see him.

“Who are you?” His voice was rough, laced with a heavy accent that made the hairs on her arms rise.

“Who the hell are you?” Aubrey shot to her feet so fast that blood rushed to her head, making her sway.

The stranger reached out, his calloused fingers catching her arm to steady her. She recoiled instantly, jerking away as if his touch had burned her. “I can stand on my own,” she snapped.

His gaze flickered toward the house, his expression unreadable. From the way he dressed—dark leather, a belt weighed down with weapons, a tunic stitched with unfamiliar symbols—Aubrey knew immediately. He had to be from the other realm.

She took a cautious step back, her heart hammering. “You’re not from this world, are you?”

“No.”

Aubrey’s mind spun as she calculated the distance to the door. If she ran, would she make it before he caught her?

Before she could act, the blond warrior lifted a hand, as if sensing her intent. “I am not here to take you,” he said, his voice steady, as if soothing a skittish animal. He motioned to the doorway. “I bring a message.”

“Give it to them yourself,” Aubrey shot back before she could stop herself. Defiance was her knee-jerk reaction, the very reason she struggled to take orders from anyone and had to work for herself. “They’re inside.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw, and he exhaled as though summoning patience. It was then she noticed a jagged scar down the left side of his face.

At her perusal, he gave her a droll, almost amused look. “I am called Gunther. I serve Meliot.”

At the mention of that name, Aubrey’s blood turned to ice. Meliot. The wizard. The man whose very name carried whispers of death.

Her breath hitched. He was here to kill her.

Spinning on her heel, she lunged for the door, but steel-like arms wrapped around her, yanking her back against his solid chest. A rough hand clamped over her mouth.

“Will you listen to me?” His voice rumbled with irritation.

Aubrey let out a muffled snarl and drove her heel into his shin. He grunted in pain, his grip not loosening, if anything it felt tighter.

“Tell them,” he ground out, “their friend is gravely wounded. Meliot will find him again soon. I did what I could to guard my house, but it will not hold for long.”

Aubrey stilled. A warning. Was he telling the truth? Or was this a carefully laid trap?

She went limp in his grasp. He loosened his hold just slightly—enough for her to twist free. She whirled, making another break for the house, but his strong hand closed around her wrist, spinning her back to face him. His blue eyes locked onto hers, filled with something strange. Not cruelty. Not malice. Something else. When his bright blue gaze traveled over her, Aubrey stopped breathing. There was something like desire in his eyes and damn if it didn’t affect her in all the wrong places.

“Who are you?” he asked, this time not with suspicion, but genuine curiosity.

“The woman who’s going to kick you again if you don’t stop grabbing me,” she shot back, jerking her arm free.

Something flickered in his gaze before he dipped his head. “I helped the knight escape. But I can do no more, not without risking my own life.”

Aubrey narrowed her eyes. “Right. So you serve the wizard, but now you suddenly have a conscience? What, you woke up this morning and decided to be a hero?”

His throat bobbed, and he lowered his head slightly, as if ashamed. “Something like that.”

For the first time, hesitation softened the hard angles of his face. When he looked up again, regret shadowed his features. “I could do a thousand good deeds, and it would never be enough. I will never be redeemed. Nor do I deserve to be.”

Aubrey parted her lips to fire back another sharp remark, but no words came.

If he had truly done what he claimed … if he had saved Padraig …

She swallowed hard. “If you’re telling the truth—thank you.”

Gunther gave a small nod, then, without another word, vanished into thin air.

Aubrey gasped, staggering back. Her pulse thundered in her ears.

“That did not just happen.” She stared at the shattered cup at her feet, her hands trembling. “Oh my god. It did.”

She turned and sprinted for the house, shoving the door open with a bang. Barreling through the halls, she burst into the library, where a cluster of familiar faces turned toward her in alarm.

“Padraig is in terrible danger!”

Every eye locked on her. Not only were Gwen and her sisters present, but also John and the four men who had been trapped with Padraig.

“What happened?” Liam demanded, already on his feet.

Aubrey hesitated for just a fraction of a second. Would they believe her? She almost snorted at the absurdity of her doubt. These were people who had crossed from one world to another—yet she was still questioning her own sanity?

“A man,” she blurted. “Gunther. He showed up outside. He said Padraig was in danger.”

Tammie gasped audibly and looked to a wide-eyed Erin. “Gunther? That was his name, wasn’t it? The man who took me and Erin. He kidnapped us and brought us to Meliot’s castle.”

Erin nodded, her gaze darting to Aubrey. “Did he hurt you?”

“No I’m fine.”

John’s gaze darkened. “And now he shows up with a message? That doesn’t make sense.”

“It could be a trap,” Liam muttered, his expression grim.

“Tell us everything,” Tristan said, his voice calm but urgent. “Exactly what happened.”

Aubrey exhaled shakily, recounting every detail—Gunther’s warning, his expression of torment, his cryptic words. By the time she finished, her legs felt weak, and she sank into a chair, exhaustion pressing down on her.

But one thought still gnawed at her.

Had Gunther really betrayed his master?

Or was this just another piece of Meliot’s game?

* * *

Knowing that Aubrey had been in danger made Erin’s stomach hurt. The last thing she wanted was for her cousin to be hurt because of the strange situation she’d fallen into. Unfortunately, as much as she wanted to ask her cousin to stay away from the situation until it was all sorted, Aubrey had now become part of it.

After repeating every word Gunther had spoken and ensuring that she didn’t leave out even the smallest of details, Aubrey sat back, exhausted. “He disappeared, and then I ran in here.”

“Wait,” Gwen said, holding up a hand and getting everyone’s attention. “Erin, in the dreams you see yourself inside a building. There is a battle outside. When you look out, you see these men, fighting.”

“Yes,” Erin nodded, picturing the events of her dream. “They fight against creatures that look like centaurs. There are dragons in the air and huge beasts battling too.”

Gwen looked into her eyes. “Erin, think. Are the dragons fighting the centaurs and other beasts, or the men?”

“I-I am not sure.” She wanted to cry. Despite the dream having repeated, she’d not considered that some of the mystical beasts could be allies. “They fly in circles, their fiery blasts aimed downward. Closing her eyes, she brought the images of what she saw outside the window to mind. Instantly the fantastical scene came to life. The strange color of the sky and trees that looked like they came out of a Dr. Suess book were more than real. The men fought below her window, swords slicing, shields held up.

Liam and Padriag shot arrows, striking the advancing centaurs, some falling, some continuing forward despite arrows protruding from their bodies. There are hundreds of men in black armor fighting with the centaurs, and the five men were more than outnumbered. She concentrated for a long time, committing as much as she could to memory.

Her eyes flew open. “The dragons are attacking the dark side.”

“I must go,” Liam said then looked at the other men. “As soon as you feel the compulsion, make sure you are armed before returning.

The handsome Englishman went to John and took his hand, together they walked out from the room to say a private goodbye.

“Maybe, I should go with him,” Erin said. “I could help care for Padriag.”

“No!” Aubrey exclaimed, fear making her throat constrict. “You cannot possibly be serious. What if you get stuck there?”

Erin felt as if on the brink of tears. “I want to help,” she said softly.

Gwen covered her hand. “If anything you will be a hindrance at battle, with the men having to worry about keeping you safe while fighting. Stay here with us, at the castle. We will wait together.”

“I’ll have to go to my flat and get clothes.” Erin looked to Aubrey. “Can you cover for me at the studio?”

“Of course. I’ll tell your Mum that you’re doing a yoga retreat at a castle. Last minute thing.” Aubrey smiled widely at having come up with a lie so easily.

They left the castle shortly after Liam dematerialized, both letting out a long breath once ensconced in Erin’s car.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Erin asked her cousin.

Aubrey nodded. “Everything about this,” she motioned to the castle. “Is surreal, but strangely, I have something like a déjà vu feeling about this, as if I have seen it all before.”

“I hope you are not meant to be another part of this. At least the guy, Gunther, didn’t take you, like he did me. I can’t help thinking about what you said. That he seemed honest.”

They sat in the car in silence for a long moment, Erin unsure of whether she should remain at the castle or stay away. After all, either way, there was little she could do to help. On impulse she opened the door.

“Did you forget something?” Aubrey asked.

Erin shook her head. “I feel that you and I should stay together. I think it’s best if we return to your house, I can commute easily both to the studio and to the castle and be at either one in less than an hour.”

The relief on Aubrey’s face confirmed her suspicions. Her cousin was afraid, both for Erin and for herself. Seeing one of Meliot’s henchmen face-to-face was not something one got over easily.