Gregor straightened to his full height. Would she forgive him?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Warm morning sunlight kissed Emily’s face, but she couldn’t shake a bone-deep chill.
Tevin broke away from the grasp of the warrior who’d held him back during the fight, and leapt into Emily’s open arms. She hugged him close and dropped her head to his soft curls. The boy was so young. He shouldn’t have witnessed what just happened.Sheshouldn’t have had to witness the bloody execution of two men. Both condemned to death by Gregor’s weapons.
Had this been another attempt to prove himself to his father, to his chief, to his clan?
Emily could barely look at him. What he had done was barbaric. His world was violent and cruel. And his anger before the fight had been directed at her, when all she’d wanted was for him to remain safe. She couldn’t continue with their farce of a marriage. She couldn’t stay in this brutal land.
Astonished gasps from those surrounding her made Emily glance up.
A human-sized, green glow shimmered at the edge of the trees across the clearing from the cave. Emily stared, mesmerized. As the luminescence faded, a tall willowywoman with fiery auburn hair appeared from within. Her gauzy green gown was sashed with green and purple tartan fabric clasped at the shoulder with a gold brooch intricately crafted with thistle designs and amethyst gemstones. A brooch Emily had seen on multiple occasions at theWhispering Pines Inn.
Ohmygod! Caitrina.
How did she get here?
Archie strode forward, Duncan and Gregor flanking him. They bowed before Caitrina as if she were royalty rather than a part owner of a garden center in Anderson Creek.
“’Tis grand to greet you again, my lady.” Archie kissed the tips of her fingers. “To what do we owe your visit?”
“Munn tells me the pixie clan is causing havoc again.”
“Aye. They brought Stephen’sbairnand Emily through the garden gate. Of what else they conjure, I dinnae ken.”
A small whirlwind of decaying forest debris spun into the clearing on a gust of wind. In a billow of aged leaves, the brownie appeared, landing on his rump in the dirt. He stood and brushed dust from his clothing.
“What ken you of these matters, Munn?” Archie asked.
“Marcail of the pixie clan uses pixie dust to keep Gregor enthralled.”
“That cannot be true,” Gregor said. “’Twas you who cast a spell on my wine the night of my wedding.”
With a shrug, Munn ignored the accusation. “And, the pixie, Fenella, has done the same to Emily.”
Emily gasped. Shocked by the revelation. She glared at Archie. “Is that how you acquired my agreement for the marriage?”
Munn gripped Tevin’s hand. “Come with me lad, the adults need time alone.”
“I was unaware of any of these trickeries,” Archie claimed.
“I don’t want to be married anymore, especially not to Gregor.”
Gregor’s pained gaze burned her. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but Archie shook his head, and herhusband shut his mouth with a snap of his teeth.
“Before rash decisions are made, let me break the spells.” Caitrina waved her arms over her head in graceful movements while swaying her hips and chanting syllables with lots of thechsound. When strung together, the words sounded like what Emily would expect of an ancient language.
The air around Gregor wavered and blurred. He exhaled a puff of mist with a release of his breath. Their gazes met and held. She couldn’t read his thoughts. Perhaps he felt disappointment. A moment later, she experienced the same phenomenon.
And, a kick of—regret.
Then her memory exploded…
“Oh, God!Kim.” Guilt swamped Emily. She crossed her arms over her chest and wrapped trembling hands over her sides in a tight self-hug.How did I forget you, my love?Tears burned the back of her eyes. She blinked them away. She refused to cry in front of all these people. To have her despair witnessed by Gregor.
Archie hustled the other warriors away, leaving Emily alone with Caitrina and Gregor.
