Page 25 of Halloween Knight (A Knights Through Time Romance #17)

Almost two long, harrowing weeks had passed since Lucy’s kidnapping and subsequent escape.

She and Callan rode out from the inn that morning, well-rested, refreshed, and excited that they were only a few days ride from Blackford. Then, finally, she’d be home. Once she laid eyes on her boys, then and only then would Lucy stop worrying about Agnes.

As the miles went by, her excitement grew, while Callan’s faded, leaving him deep in thought. He’d come so far, not knowing what he’d find, all alone in the world.

“You’re really brave.”

Callan startled. Green eyes met hers. “Am I?”

Lucy nodded. “You walked from the highlands of Scotland all alone, all the way to England to find your birth father. And then, when you found out he passed, but had a son, you set out to find William.” She tucked a stray bit of hair behind her ear.

“I would not have the courage to do what you did. I’ve been terrified this entire journey, and that’s with you traveling with me. ”

He made that noise in the back of his throat again. It encompassed so many meanings that Lucy decided to make an early new year’s resolution to practice until she, too, could make the noise, envisioning how useful it would come in around the castle.

Callan turned that intense gaze of his on her, green eyes serious and appraising. “Ye are a wee thing, and yet ye bashed a battle-hardened mercenary over the head with a rock.” He rolled his eyes. “Bravery ye have plenty of.”

She arched a brow. “But? I hear a but coming.”

With a grin, he added, “But I’m no thinkin’ ye have much sense to go off on yer own.”

“Men.” She’d like Callan to see her time where women did things alone all the time, maybe not ill-thought out adventures like she’d been having, but all the same, Lucy knew she had plenty of common sense. It was just sometimes her impulsiveness got the better of her.

They rode a few more miles as she shifted, trying to get comfortable.

“Let’s stop and rest the horses. I swear my toes are tingling. They want to run all the way home.” A small laugh escaped.

“Something amuses ye?”

Lucy brushed a leaf out of her braid. “I was thinking of a nursery rhyme my mother used to sing to us when I was small.” She hummed a bit as Callan shook his head.

“You will have to sing it for me.” The flash of a smile was so quick if she hadn’t been looking at him, Lucy would have missed it.

The open field was wide enough for them to ride side by side as she turned to look at him. “I should warn you, dogs howl when I sing.”

Callan looked intrigued. “Surely, you jest. ”

He’d find out soon enough. Lucy kept one hand on the reins, grateful her horse was happy to keep moving along without much input from her. The other hand she held up so he could see.

“Imagine my fingers are toes and as my mother would sing each line, she’d wiggle a toe.”

She cleared her throat and sang the nursery rhyme about little piggy’s going to market, ending with the wee, wee, wee line as a mournful howl broke across the trees, making her horse snort and Lucy burst out laughing.

“Told ya so.” Wanting to ease his anxiety, she howled back to the wolf. They went back and forth for several minutes until Lucy couldn’t stop laughing.

His shoulders relaxed as Callan let a low laugh escape.

“You have odd customs at Blackford.”

Happy there was a breeze, the sky was blue, and they were getting closer to home and her children, Lucy just blurted out without thinking, “I’m not from Blackford. I’m from North Carolina. My mom said the nursery rhyme was first recorded sometime in the late 1700s.”

Horrified, she clapped a hand over her mouth as Callan whipped his head to the side to really look at her, as if certain pieces were clicking into place.

“Oh, look, there’s a stream.” Lucy urged her horse forward and dismounted next to the water so the animal could drink and graze. She rummaged in her bag for the apples she’d purchased from a passing farmer to share with the horses.

“Where is North Carolina and what do you mean the 1700s?”

Lucy jumped as Callan stood about a foot from her. “How do you do that? You’re as quiet as a cat.”

“’Tis a gift.” Callan narrowed his eyes at her. “You do not behave as a noblewoman, nor do you speak as one. Are people so different in this North Carolina?”

Why hadn’t she kept her mouth shut? Sometimes things just slipped out, and always at the worst times. “You have no idea,” she muttered.

Before he could ask her any more nosy questions, Lucy pointed, her hand shaking.

There were horses bearing down on them, but when a woman leaned out from behind one of the knights, frantically waving her arms, a weight lifted off Lucy’s shoulders, no matter the woman was too far away for Lucy to make out the words.

Callan tried to push her behind him.

“It’s them!” Relief washed over her like the waves in summer down by the cove.

“Finally. I knew they’d find me.”

Her men, Margery, and … yes, William’s men were all together and alive. Damn Agnes to hell for putting everyone through such upheaval.

The group thundered into the clearing, and just when Lucy thought her heart would fly out of her chest as she frantically scanned each face, William jerked his horse to a stop, shock crossing his grime-streaked face.

Lucy turned to her retinue, needing a moment to gather herself.

“Thomas, are you and the men well?”

“Aye, lady. We have been most worried about you.” Thomas stood, arms crossed as the men dismounted, greeting her.

Before Lucy could answer, he was there, his horse snuffling her hair. William was and would always be her rock, constant and unchanging.

“Are you hurt? Saints, what happened?” William thundered, the welcome sound of his voice going straight to her toes as she collapsed in a heap.

He vaulted from the horse, leaned down, and hauled her to him, lifting her up, crushing her in his embrace. “Bloody hell, woman, we’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

“Now that you’re here, I’m fine. We’ve been searching for you, too.

” Lucy couldn’t contain her emotions any longer.

With a cry of pure joy, she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. William’s arms enveloped her, holding her close.

She could feel his heartbeat, steady and strong, matching the rhythm of her own.

“Lucy,” he whispered, his breath warm on her neck, voice choked with emotion. “I’ve missed you, you vexing woman.”

She looked up at him, eyes shimmering with tears of happiness. “And I’ve missed you. More than you know.”

Without another word, he crushed his mouth to hers in front of everyone. The kiss filled with all the longing, love, and passion that had built up during their separation.

As their lips met, time seemed to stand still.

The world around them faded away, and all that mattered was the warmth of their bodies pressed together, the taste of each other’s lips, and the feeling of being reunited at last. The kiss was a promise, a vow that no matter the challenges they faced, they would always find their way back to each other.

When they finally pulled away, to the jeers and cheers of the men, William cast a withering glance at his knights.

“Every one of you will face me in the lists when we return to Blackford.”

He ran a finger down her cheek. “I love you. I would have found a way, paid any price, searched for you through a thousand lifetimes,” William said, his voice rough and low, just for her ears .

“I would have spilled every drop of my blood to travel through time until I found you. I love you to the moon and back,” Lucy replied, heart overflowing.

There was no outward sign, but Lucy felt the slight tremble in his hands as he pulled her to him once again.

Tears of joy and relief spilled down her cheeks. The familiar scent of him filling her senses. After so long apart, so much fear and uncertainty, she finally felt safe.

Margery was openly weeping, and a few of the men brushed at their faces as if they had a speck of dust in their eyes, making her smile.

Her lady’s maid flung herself at Lucy. “We thought you were dead, my lady!”

Her lady’s maid turned a scowl on Callan.

“Is this one of the bandits who kidnapped you?”

William’s gaze snapped to the silent man leaning casually against the tree. His eyes narrowed, flickering between Callan and Lucy. She felt William tense, saw his hand drift toward the sword at his hip, as did the men.

The sound of steel filled the air as the men drew their swords. When she turned, Callan was in a fighting crouch, a dagger in each hand.

“Callan helped me escape. I would not be here if not for him.” Lucy looked to William, who with one nod of the head had the men re-sheathing their blades.

With the arch of a brow, Callan put his daggers away and leaned back against the tree, watching everyone.

The cutting glance her husband gave Callan was enough to make most men take a step back, but he stood his ground, waiting.

Lucy turned to face William. His stubbled jaw was clenched, fury simmering beneath the surface now that the initial shock of seeing her had passed. She laid a gentle hand on his arm.

“I know you’re furious with me, but there is much I must tell you.”

William looked around at the men before he said, “Wymund, see to the horses. We will rest here and hear my lady wife’s tale.” He turned to Callan. “You will join us.”

While the men were seeing to the horses and Margery was sitting on the ground, silently weeping, William took Lucy aside.

“Why did you go to St. John’s Well? You have eyes like that damnable raven that hangs around the castle. What need have you of the well?”

Lucy quickly relayed the events leading up to her kidnapping and subsequent escape with Callan’s aid. William’s thunderous scowl deepened.

The guilt for putting so many at risk threatened to overwhelm her as Lucy told William about the note.

“You thought one of your sisters...” He lowered his voice. “Traveled from the future as you did?”

She nodded, unable to answer him without bawling her head off.