“Wondering?”
“About Magick.”
“What kind of magic?”
She laughed softly. “Not sorcery. Magick, the wolf.”
He grunted softly. “What were ye wondering?”
“If he would come to me if I called.”
“What need have ye of the wolf?”
“I…” She chewed on her lower lip a moment. “I was wondering…that is, I should very much like to see yer face.”
His eyes widened in surprise. Of all the things she might have said, that was the furthest from his mind. He wondered if he should tell her that he was the wolf. He knew she was a little afraid of the master of Darkfest Castle. Would she be less afraid of him if she knew he was the wolf? Or more?
The wolf. What was there about being the wolf that restored her sight? In wolf form, his own form or any other, he was still Darkfest. He frowned. Was it the fur?
A quick bit of magic made quick work of cleaning up after dinner. He fixed a bed for Channa Leigh and one for himself, assured her that the fire would burn all through the night, keeping wild animals at bay.
He sat by the fire long after she was asleep, his gaze returning time and again to her face. A sigh escaped her lips, and then she smiled. It took all his self-control to keep from stealing into her dreams to see what it was that made her smile.
~ * ~
It was nearing mid-day when Darkfest realized they were being followed. Reining his horse to a halt, he turned in the saddle. Summoning his wizard’s vision, he scanned their back trail, his gaze narrowing when he saw Ronin the Hunter in the distance.
Darkfest cursed under his breath.
“What is it?” Channa Leigh asked. “Is something amiss?”
“Yer betrothed is following us.”
“Ronin? But how…?”
Darkfest shook his head, then, realizing she could not see, he said, “I dinna know, the fool.”
“Ye will not harm him?” she asked, her voice tinged with alarm.
“Nay, I will not harm him,” he muttered, “but I may change him into a toadstool.”
“What?”
“I said I will not harm him.” At least not permanently.
Darkfest watched the boy ride toward them, then rein his horse to an abrupt halt when he saw Darkfest waiting for him. The boy looked around, as though seeking a place of concealment, even though he had no hope of hiding now that he had been seen. He might be a mighty hunter, Darkfest mused, but he was not a warrior.
“Ride on,” Darkfest commanded. “There is no place for ye to hide.”
Squaring his shoulders, Ronin urged his horse onward.
“Why are ye following us?” Darkfest demanded.
“Why are ye taking Channa Leigh away?”
“Tis my own business and none of yers. Be gone with ye before I turn ye into a croaking toad.”
The boy’s eyes widened, and then he sat up tall and straight in the saddle. “I fear ye not, wizard.”
