She paused and glanced over her shoulder, grey eyes narrowed, a thin auburn eyebrow arched.
“Where did you come from?” Orion asked.
“Good day.” The woman then hurried down the steps and away from him.
Orion rushed up the steps nearest him, but by the time he reached the other side of the folly and the worn path he assumed she had taken, the lady had already disappeared. He would have still pursued her if the path hadn’t then branched off in two separate directions. With no idea which way to go, Orion slowly returned to the folly with the weight of disappointment accompanying him. He paused in the center of the folly and glanced around him. A portion of the temple was surrounded by the clearest water he had ever seen and the rest by a field of untamed grass and wildflowers, and all was encircled by trees. Their leaves rustled in the breeze. It was quiet and serene. Peaceful!
“She is mad at me now.”
“Why is that?” Orion asked.
“I was not supposed to tell anyone. That is why she stays on this side of the boxwoods, and we are to stay on the other.”
“She should not have asked a child to keep secrets,” he returned.
Nephele slumped her shoulders and turned back toward the direction they’d come. Orion hesitated. He wanted to find the woman. “Do you know her name?”
“Yes,” Nephele whispered.
“What is it?”
“If she will not tell you, then neither will I.”
He could insist but suspected the child felt badly enough for revealing the secret of the lady in the first place.
Orion turned and looked back at the folly one more time. He needed a name and had so many questions. He also knew that he would return.
Nina Jourdain’s heart pounded, and she did her best to control her breathing so that the gentleman was not alerted to her presence.
As soon as she was within the wood, and away from him, she stepped within a copse of trees and blended in with what was around her. She watched as he paused where the path branched in separate directions and appeared to be trying to decide which way he should go.
She may have sounded brave when confronted and then ordering him away, but she’d been startled, perhaps a bit frightened, and intrigued. But most of all she was panicked.
Such a beautiful man with thick dark hair, light brown eyes, high cheek bones and strong jaw. His lips had been pressed together in a firm line as he contemplated what he should do. He then rubbed the back of his neck, looked around one more time and with a sigh retreated to the temple.
She risked coming out from cover and followed him, keeping herself hidden behind the trees and watched until he and Nephele disappeared through the boxwoods.
Returning to the temple, Nina sank down on the cold steps.
When she’d spied on him at the wedding celebration, he’d been far more relaxed and smiling. His laughter was rich and deep and had been carried to her on the wind. It was the type of laughter that made her smile because it filled his being so much that he threw his head back, a smile so wide that the skin crinkled about his eyes.
Nina had thought him handsome then, but upon closer inspection, he was beautiful.
Oh, she knew that she shouldn’t have spied on the wedding guests, but nobody ever came to Nightshade Manor. The families would visit, but they didn’t remain long unless a daughter was coming into her powers. But so many more guests had arrived the past few days, and then to learn of the wedding…she just had to see for herself.
It was wonderful. The ladies were dressed in such lovely gowns and the gentlemen clothed most elegantly.
For a slight moment, her heart ached that she could not be a part of such festivities, or with people, but what had been done could not be undone and with a heavy heart Nina had turned away from the wedding celebration and retreated to the temple. That is when Nephele came to her and told her all the news of Nightshade Manor and Nina pretended she hadn’t viewed it herself.
Nina wasn’t to have ever spoken with Nephele, but the little girl had discovered her one afternoon. It had been delightful to speak with someone from the outside, even if she was ten. After that, Nephele visited often, and Nina always escorted her back so that she never got lost.
She’d also asked the little girl not to tell anyone that they had ever met. Those of the Drakos blood were to remain on the other side of the boxwoods, and she was supposed to remain on this side.
Now, another had discovered her, and Nina feared what might happen next. Would he return with others, or could she hope that he’d forget?
Two
Orion kept glancing over his shoulder as he followed Nephele back to the boxwoods, certain that they were being followed and watched, but he didn’t see anyone.
