Page 24

A ubrey let out a weary sigh as she parked the car in front of Ashcraig Hall, the car’s old engine rattling like it shared her frustration. Despite its temperamental quirks, she enjoyed driving the 1992 MG her father had gifted her when she’d gone off to university.

After hours of haggling with the city council for permission to build her yoga studio in the nearby village, her nerves were fraught. But tonight was her reward—wine, snacks, and mindless television. Pure, blissful nothingness.

She wrestled grocery bags from the boot of the car and trudged into the house, her footsteps muted by the thick rugs.

Once everything was put away, Aubrey changed into pajama pants and a hoodie. In thick socks she padded into the sitting room with a tray of meat, cheese, and fruit.

A huge orange tabby cat she’d named Oscar was already there, sprawled across a throw pillow like he owned the place. An up-until-recently stray, Oscar’s mismatched eyes—one gold, the other a cloudy gray—lifted in her direction before he turned his jagged-eared head away with royal indifference.

“Nice to see you too, Oscar,” Aubrey murmured, shaking her head with a fond smile. She’d found him in the village, a scrawny, filthy creature following her with a determined loyalty she couldn’t shake.

A few vet visits, baths, and a steady diet later, Oscar still looked like a feral mess, albeit a much fatter one. But he’d made himself at home.

“Oh darn, I forgot my glass of wine,” Aubrey groaned, tossing her hands up in frustration. She spun on her heel and made her way back to the kitchen.

A scream tore from her throat as she stumbled backward.

Gunther stood in the middle of her kitchen, his broad frame seeming to shrink the space. His face was grim, carved from stone, and his icy blue eyes locked onto her with unsettling intensity. A sword gleamed in his hand, its edge wickedly sharp.

“Wh-what do you want?” Aubrey’s voice was a broken whisper, her gaze darting between his towering form and the deadly weapon. “Are you here to kill me?”

For a heartbeat, Gunther’s expression softened, the coldness in his eyes replaced by something unreadable. “No. I am not here to kill you.”

Aubrey’s throat tightened. “Kidnap me, then?” Why on earth was she giving him ideas?

Gunther’s massive shoulders rose and fell in a slow, measured breath, his blond hair brushing his shoulders like a golden curtain. “No. I have come to speak to you.”

“Me?” she squeaked, her fingers trembling as she edged toward the keys hanging by the back door.

He nodded, his gaze pinning hers. “Aye ... er, yes.”

“Uh ... okay. Why don’t you pour us some wine then?” She forced herself to sound calm, to act like her entire evening hadn’t just taken a terrifying turn. If he was pouring wine, his hands wouldn’t be on that sword.

Except, of course, he slid the weapon into a scabbard across his back with the ease of someone who’d done it a thousand times. Her stomach twisted as he poured wine into a glass and another into a simple cup for himself.

“As I am responsible for Meliot’s death, his cursed magic now fills me.” His voice was flat, resigned, like he’d been sentenced to something he already accepted. “The dark realm is mine now.”

Aubrey’s mouth dropped open. “What? Why would you want that?”

“It seems I have little choice in the matter.” His gaze dropped, and for a moment, the towering, intimidating man looked ... afraid.

“There’s always a choice,” she replied softly. “Can’t you just stay here?”

His eyes lifted, something raw and aching swimming in their depths. “I cannot leave the other realm for long. I am cursed. Like your friends were. But I am the last knight.”

“Cursed?” Aubrey’s breath hitched. “The others broke their curses. Since you helped them, I’m sure they’d help you break yours.”

A dry, humorless laugh escaped him. “The only way to break my curse is for someone else to take Meliot’s place. I will never leave that forsaken realm.”

The sadness in his voice twisted something inside her. “What can I do to help?” The words slipped out before she could stop them, and Aubrey groaned inwardly. Why was she trying to help him? He’d broken into her house, for crying out loud.

“I am beyond redemption and do not deserve to be saved. But I came to speak to you because I saw you in Meliot’s book. I believe he may be your sire.”

“Ha!” Aubrey barked out a laugh. “I think you’ve got your wires crossed. My mother is from Ghana, and trust me, she’s conservative as they come. If there was some magical affair going on, she would have had something to say about it.”

“There are ways,” Gunther said, his tone grave. “Magic does not always play by the rules of man.”

A shiver crawled down her spine along with memories of her mother often telling her stories of strange dreams while pregnant with her. Aubrey shook her head. Nope, not possible.

“Look, thanks for the wild story. And congrats on the ... uh, job promotion. But you should go back and get on with doing evil deeds or whatever you plan to do.”

Gunther met her gaze. “Where is the dagger?”

“I don’t have any idea, and I don’t care.”

The man let out a long breath. “It has been safeguarded by your family for a very long time. Ensure it is protected. ”

“I will pass the word,” Aubrey said waving a hand toward the back door. “Please leave.”

Gunther’s eyes narrowed as if she’d challenged him. And then, with a nod, he said, “I will see you again. It is inevitable.”

And just like that, he vanished. One moment there, the next, gone. Leaving behind a faint, earthy scent of crushed leaves and damp forest air.

Aubrey’s legs felt like wet noodles as she stared down at the glass of wine she’d been gripping like a lifeline. Did that just happen?

Her gaze fell to the cup he’d poured himself, still sitting on the counter, untouched.

What did he mean by seeing her again being “inevitable?”

“First thing in the morning, I’m calling Erin.” Aubrey clutched the wine bottle to her chest like it was a shield.

She glanced toward the living room where Oscar remained soundly asleep, entirely indifferent to the chaos she’d just endured.

“Some guard cat you are,” she muttered and took a long swallow, then refilled her glass.

Tonight, she would forget about Gunther and his ominous warnings. Tomorrow ... find out what secrets her grandmother had kept, how her family was involved and, why was Gunther back.