The Duke and the Dryad (Elemental Series) (16 page)

“How is he?” he asked, hurrying over to the bed. “Would he live?”

“He would,” answered Juturna, getting up off the chair at his entrance. “Thanks to Rae’s expert healing with her herbs and plants of the forest, Sir Braden should start stirring soon, and be fully conscious by the morrow. She did a wonderful job.”

“How did you do it?” he asked, looking directly at her. “Did you use . . . magick?”

“Would it anger you if I did, my lord?” she asked, drying her hands in a soft white cloth.

“I am grateful for you saving his life,” he said. “Thank you.”

She didn’t acknowledge his praise. Not after the way he’d reprimanded her with his words earlier.

“Just for
your information, I did not use magick. I used herbs and plants of the forest to save his life. Nettle, to stop the blood flow and red clover, to insure his blood would not clot. I used comfrey to heal his wounds and broken skin, and St. John’s Wort to not only repair his muscles but also keep him from anxiety or melancholy. And I’ve used the sacred mistletoe to combat against any chance of him having been poisoned by the head of the arrow. I’ve also prepared an herbal tea he is to drink three times a day as soon as he regains consciousness. You really should try some chamomile or St. John’s Wort tea yourself to help you sleep at night, Lord Wolfe. For I do believe you are in dire need of calming your emotions.”

“I am not concerned with myself right now, but with Sir Braden only.
And I assure you, my emotions are just fine. Now tell me, how long would it take him to heal?”

He is
going to be weak for at the least a sennight, and should stay in bed just as long. He needs rest in order to heal.”

“Of course, he can use my bed, as I won’t be needing it.”

She wasn’t sure if that was his subtle reminder that he was angry with her and didn’t plan on touching her again, or if he’d meant that he’d be spending the nights with her at her hut. Either way, it no longer mattered. He’d made it quite clear he never wanted to see her again, and she planned on granting him that request.

“I would be lea
ving now, my lord. Juturna is going to see to Sir Braden’s needs, and I’ve instructed her to contact me if any more healing herbs are required.”

“Nay,” he said, urgency in his voice as he took a step to block her from the door. “I don’t think ’tis wise for you to leave.”

“And why not?” she asked him, folding her arms over her chest. “After all, wasn’t it you who said you never wanted to see me again after tonight?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?”

“All I mean is that ’tis not safe for you to go traipsing through the forest at night.”

She raised her brows in question, then looked over to Juturna. The old woman didn’t seem to understand what was going on either.

“I don’t think I have to remind you that I am one with the forest. Neither do I fear
the dark, so if there is something else that is troubling you to make you spout nonsense, than I’d suggest you tell me. If not, stand aside because I intend to go home.”

Wolfe didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t tell her that his uncle was the one who had captured her mother and fought with her father. The man was responsible for both her mother’s death and he father’s loss of sanity, and mayhap even his life. Knowing that would probably hurt or anger her so much that he wasn’t sure what she’d be capable of doing. Still, he couldn’t demand she stay if he didn’t have a good reason. Actually, leaving the castle might be a good thing. She’d be safer in the forest far away from Lord Clive. In her own surroundings she could blend right in and he’d never be able to find her.

“Fine,” he said. “But I would escort you back to the forest
myself.”

“I assure you, ’tis not necessary.”

He reached out and touched her gently on her shoulder and she welcomed the feel of his hand on her body once again. “I insist, Rae. Please.”

He was acting odd ever since he’d come back from the great hall. But she could see the concern in his eyes. And she couldn’t ignore the fact he’d said ‘please.’ She was sure that was a word that the almighty powerful
Duke the Destroyer
had never before used in his life. For that reason alone, she’d agree to his escort.

“All right,” she said with a slight nod, “then let’s get going.”

“Juturna, please watch after Sir Braden while I’m gone,” Wolfe instructed, walking over and removing the bar-hold from the door.

“Of course, my lord. And did you want me to lock the door when
you leave so Sir Braden does not escape?”

“Not funny, old woman. And know that locking a door works both ways. ’Tis not always to keep someone from leaving, but from entering as well.”

Rae didn’t know what he meant by that, but it did seem as if he was trying to keep someone out. She would have to ask him about it later. That is, if they were still speaking to each other. She was so confused, that she no longer knew what to think.

He opened the door and when she meant to leave, he held out an arm to stop her.

“Wait,” he said, looking both ways down the corridor, then motioning with his hand. “Be quick and quiet about it,” he instructed. “We wouldn’t want to wake anyone after that exhausting battle.”

“Of course,” she said, not buying a single word of his lies. And when he rushed her to the stables, covering her with his cloak, she really knew something was wrong.

Once in the stables, she flipped his cloak from over her head, throwing it to the ground.

“All right, tell me why all the secrecy. You are acting as if you’re embarrassed for anyone to see me.”

“Nay, that’s not true.” He picked up the cloak in one hand, then led his horse with the other. “Come on, follow me.”

To her surprise, he didn’t go toward the drawbridge, but
toward the back of the castle instead.

“Where are you taking me?
” she asked, as his hand on the small of her back hurried her along.

“I just thought we’d do something different, and leave by another means
, that’s all.”

He had no torch and the moon was hidden behind a cloud. She knew he was searching for the postern gate hidden in vines along the back wall
, and she also knew he was not even close to finding it. It was never going to happen without her help.

“’Tis over here,” she told him, leading him right to it. She opened the gate with the hidden key from the vines, and led him into the passageway.

“This is bigger than I remember,” he said, following her with his horse. “You did use the postern gate to steal my bull, didn’t you? Sir Braden was correct.”

“If you’d been more aware of your surroundings and where you live, you wouldn’t even have to ask me that.”

Once through the passageway, she found yet another key hidden in the vines and opened yet a second iron gate. After they were through, she raised her hand and put the key somewhere in the foliage.

“How did you know where to find the keys?” he asked. “I honestly couldn’t even remember where I hid them.”

“The vines told me. All I did was ask.”

“Of course.”

He helped her mount, the warmth of his hands on her waist already making her body vibrate. Then he pulled himself up behind her, something sticking her in the back. She wasn’t sure if ’twas his sword or perhaps something else.

“You might get cold,” he said, throwing his cape around her. “Use this.”

“’Tis the middle of summer, and I assure you I am not cold. Now you’re trying to hide me from someone, and I want to know why.”

“You’re imagining things,” he told her. “Now let’s try to keep our voices down.”

“Where’s your torch tonight?” she asked him suspiciously.

“Don’t need it,” he said.

She knew that he could find his way to her home in the dark, but without a torch or her wolf to follow, ’twould be difficult. There was barely a moon tonight, and it stayed hidden behind the clouds, making it twice as dark as usual. Just as she thought, he lost his way, and she had to redirect him.

“
’Tis not this way,” she told him, taking the reins and guiding the horse. “I thought you said you knew the way.”

The cry of a wolf was heard just then, and she knew Zev anxiously awaited their arrival.

“’Tis up ahead to the left,” he said, acting like he knew, when ’twas really Zev’s howl that told him which way to go.

They rode in silence for a
while, then he cleared his throat. “So, what made you decide to send in your woodland warriors to the battle in the first place?”

They passed by the standing stones
, and she looked over anxiously. Thankfully, no druids were there tonight. But she did see their large crystal still sitting on the sacrificial stone.

He stopped the horse just outside the henge. “There’s something new in there, I can’t quite make out what it is in the dark.”

“’Tis a gazing crystal,” she answered, realizing she’d just given herself away.

“So you were here again when I was gone weren’t you? And I’m willing to bet the druids ignored my warning and were here as well.”

“Don’t be angry,” she told him. “The reason you’re still alive is because of them.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” He gently kicked his horse and continued forward through the forest.

“I saw a vision of you dying in that crystal, Wolfe. You were supposed to get hit by that arrow. It was intended for you – to kill you.”

“That’s nonsense,” he spat.

“Is it? Do you not realize how close the arrow came to you? I don’t know exactly what happened but I would guess the shooter of that arrow was jarred by a falling branch. A branch that saved your life.”

“And almost killed Sir Braden.”

“How many times do I have to tell you that I didn’t mean for that to happen? ’Twas an accident, I assure you.”

They approached her hut and he stopped the horse. She was impressed that he’d seen it hidden in the foliage in the dark.

“You can see the hut now?” she asked. “I am surprised.”

“Nay,” he admitted. “But I remember that huge ancient oak out front.”

He dismounted and helped her do the same, her body sliding down the front of his, his hands lingering upon her waist.

She turned and looked up to him, seeing that wanting in his eyes.

“Thank you for the escort,” she told him, wetting her lips with her tongue.

H
e was staring at her mouth again, and as the partial moon broke through the clouds and lit up his face, she found herself lost in his eyes.

“Rae, I am sorry about before. I was just . . . very angry. I didn’t want to lose Sir Braden.”

“I understand.”

“I didn’t mean what I said about never wanting to see you again.”

She wet her lips with her tongue again and just nodded.

He bent over to kiss her, and though she knew she should push him away, she didn’t. Instead, she raised he
r chin to meet him. Her lips tingled from his kiss, and she knew she was going to have trouble walking away now.

“Can I come in?” he asked. She wondered if he meant the hut or her.

“Nay,” she said, noticing the disappointment in his eyes. “But I have a better idea.”

With Rae’s hand in his, Wolfe followed her through the darkness, knowing she was leading him to the creek by the sound of the water splashing over the stones. He couldn’t ignore the fact he was dirtied and stained from battle, and probably smelled ripe as well. He’d welcome a bath, and he’d welcome it together.

She didn’t stop at the creek, but walked up a hill instead. Confused, he followed.

“Where are you taking me?” he asked.

“’Tis a cave with a warm spring within,” she told him.

He didn’t even know this was here, and didn’t see the small entrance until she pulled aside the branches of the bush that were covering it. She entered, and he followed. ’Twas dark inside, but he could already feel the heat from the spring, as well as smell the water.

“Careful,” she said, holding tight to his hand. “Wait right here,” she instructed and left him.

“What are you doing, Rae?” he called out, his voice echoing off the cave walls.

Then he heard the sound of stones being hit together, and before he knew it, the cave glowed a whitish-blue, lighting it up from inside.

“What is that?” he asked, seeing glowing stones around the entire pool of water.

“They are crystals. I call to their vibrations and hit them together and they will glow for hours.”

“Better than fire, I suspect.”

“Aye,” she answered with a smile.

“Well, I don’t think you’d object to me washing away the remnants of war, would you?”

“That’s why I brought you here.”

He stripped off his clothing as well as his weapons, and his boots followed. He looked over to her and she was devouring him with her eyes, causing him to become excited. He slipped into and under the water before he embarrassed himself any more.