“Sir Thorne of Black Hollow!” the herald loudly announced, startling both women. Sir Elias had quickly returned to his saddle and ridden on.
The first five knights rode on, as the sixth and last knight brought up the end, making no sound, giving no greetings, not even a smile to acknowledge the watchers in the crowd. His coal black horse moved like smoke, as his pennant, black with a deep red thorn, flapped in the wind. His armor was jagged, almost thorn-like, and his helm had a slotted visor which completelyobscured his face. His long dark hair could be seen beneath his helm.
If the others shone like stars, Sir Thorne cast a dark shadow behind them.
The crowd’s excited cheers quieted as he passed.
Then he turned his head, slow and deliberate, and Mia felt the hair on her arms rise, knowing his gaze would land on her.
And as it did, his dark gaze chilled her to the bone.
Mia froze, even her breath caught for a moment, before she took in a shallow whisp of air, needing it in her lungs. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling the sun had given way, the warm rays gone, the air cooler now, and the moon already up in the sky. Goosebumps raised on her arms, and she rubbed them, trying to warm herself from the sudden chill.
An inner dislike for Sir Thorne rose within her, which she couldn’t have explained beyond saying it was just a feeling she had. A knowing.
Mia had never had one knowing after another before. More than one now had her on edge, feeling nervous.
This man was dangerous.
Mia felt it in her bones.
She wouldn’t be cheering for the sixth knight, for she disliked him on sight. But she said nothing to Lilly about the feeling.
Mia kept these knowing’s to herself, when they came upon her, for she had no logical explanation for them. She’d stopped telling people about them when she was young. People didn’t understand the inexplicable.
“They are all big and strong,” Mia said. “Almost larger than life>”
“Yes, but if you could take one home, for a new happy ever after for you, which one would you choose?” Mia asked.
“I want a modern-day personification of knightliness,” Mia said. “A man who’s not afraid to laugh triumphantly in the faceof death, who lives for adventure and excitement. Not a guy who scares the crap out of anyone who gets a good close look at him. Sexy as these guys are, some of them are quite intimidating. I’m not quite ready to take one of them home.”
As the final hoofbeats faded, and the knights dismounted, applause thundered from the crowd. But Mia barely heard it, and her arms stayed wrapped around herself, failing to clap.
Another feeling, that of being watched from behind, made her turn her head.
She saw no one at first, but then she saw two golden eyes fixed directly on her.
A great horned owl sat motionless on top of a large tent pole, the intense yellow eyes watching her made her more aware of the goosebumps on her arms.
The air had cooled. It was still more spring like in the evenings once the sun began to fade, and a slight breeze blew through the meadow, making her shiver.
Beneath the owl’s gaze, her skin warmed and her goosebumps faded.
It blinked once, and then continued looking at her.
The owl’s eyes felt more like the eyes of the neighbor’s sheepdog where she’d grown up. The dog was always present, watching out for the neighborhood children who gathered to play ball in the neighbors back yard. Like he guarded them. This felt like that kind of watching.
The owl steadily gazed at her and then blinked once more. He looked very much like the owl from her dream.
Coincidence?
Comforting, that’s what this owl was. She let that comfort soak into her. That warmth.
“What are you looking at?” Lilly asked. “You’re missing the handsome knights.”
Mia turned back to face Lilly. “I saw an owl. A great horned owl.”
“You and your birds.” Lilly shook her head. “Look, I know how you love animals, especially owls, but you’re going to miss the knights. You can see owls anywhere, any time. Handsome knights are hard to come by. And we have all six of them here right now.”
