If only I had her back safe with me…
He was headed back out to search after a brief rest, distracted and feverish with worry, when Dirc suddenly appeared in front of him. Whether he had been there all along, or actuallyappeared, one could never know.
“Out of my way.”
Dirc did not budge. “Be nice, Drust Mac Coinnach.”
Drust was reaching out to shove him aside when suspicion began to dawn.
“Why? Do ye ken something? About my wife?”
“I may…”
Drust grabbed him by the arm, hard. “What do ye ken? Where is she? Tell me, old man.”
Dirc glared at Drust’s hand, still wrapped around his bicep. “Och, ye devil, that’ll leave a bruise!”
Drust slowly loosened his grip, waiting, holding his breath.
“What I was going to tell ye, man, before ye attacked me, was how yemightfind yer wife.”
“Tell me”, Drust all but growled.
“Well”, Dirc began, but then glanced pointedly at his arm. Drust begrudgingly released him. “Well, ye and Willa are mated, in the Olde Way, aye? So there is a bond between ye, a bond that grows stronger with every day, and with every time ye, well… ye ken… Anyway, through this bond, ye may be able to find her, if she’s no’ too far. Much like ye and yer brothers can hear each other’s thoughts at times.”
Hope welled inside of Drust for the first time in days. He grabbed Dirc’s arm again.
“How?”
“Simple. Ye open yer mind to hers, feel what she’s feeling, and then follow where it leads ye. The connection between ye is like a thread, and it will feel stronger the closer ye are.”
Drust stared at the old sorcerer for just a moment before brushing past him and heading for the stables.Dirc brushed his hands together with satisfaction.
“Another task nearly complete.” He shook his head and sighed. “I just hope the lass forgives me.”
Bren came up behind him, watching as Drust rode out of the castle gates as if fires of Hell were nipping at his heels. He folded his arms across his chest, and frowned slightly, as if contemplating the odds that any of this could go well.
Drust pulled his horse to a stop just within the forest to the west of the castle. With a little prayer to all that was good in the world, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, picturing Willa’s lovely face in his mind. At first, there was nothing, but then… a small sense ofsomething.He concentrated harder.There!… he could feel her, just as Dirc had said, almost like a thread between them. He reached out further, and the feeling grew stronger.Fear? She was afraid! He could sense it like a knife stabbing him in the gut.
Have to find her. Can’t live without her…
He let the feeling pull at him until he knew which way to go. Dirc was right, he had had the power to find her all along.
God, please dinna let me be too late!
He rode hard, well, as hard as he could through the varying patches of meadow and forest. Where could she be? Was she lost? Hurt? Och, when he found her she was never leaving his side again, even if he had to tie her there!
She’severything to me…
It was the afternoon of the third day, and Willa’s panic had begun to subside in favor of hoping today would be the day Drust came for her.Dirc said three days…
She paced around the circle yet again. These three days alone had given her plenty of time to think, and she had made peace with the prospect of raising the child of a man who did not wish to be a father, just in case. She loved Drust, flaws and all. Loved him fiercely. A part of her hoped all of her dreams could still come true, but she wasn’t going to let a little doubt get in the way of her happiness. Because she had so much more happiness now than she had ever had before. She would hold on to that as tightly as she could.
Lost in her thoughts, it took a moment before Willa realized she was hearing the sound of hoof beats approaching. Her heart jumped into her throat. Drust? Was he coming for her? Or was it only Dirc, come to release her from her prison because his plan had failed? Or was it someone else altogether? She ducked behind a stone and peeked around the edge, watching. As the rider came into view, she melted against the smooth rock in relief.Drust.
“Willa!Where are you?Willa!”
She stood on shaky legs. “I’m here!”
