Uneasiness washed over him at the possibility of seeing his mother again. He had half a mind to turn around and instead head for his estate in Somerset…
A feather drifted down from the heavens and settled on Alec’s saddle. A red feather, the tips tinged with black. Caught in the wind, it drifted away as quickly as it had appeared.
Damn it all.
Instinctively, Alec looked up to find a familiar falcon with fiery eyes circling above. As soon as he spotted her, the bird swooped down toward him with great speed and determined purpose.
“Mother!” he cried in surprise as he threw his arms up to cover his face from the oncoming attack.
The barest hint of oleander hung in the air before the deadly bird knocked him from his mount and the world went black.
* * *
At daybreak,Alec awoke near a copse to find his horse missing and a deer grazing nearby, eyeing him warily. His back ached, his bones hurt and his head pulsed like the dickens as he shook leaves and twigs from his hair. Up ahead, against the sunlight, he spotted his belongings scattered about the edges of the road.
“What the devil?” he muttered to himself.
Of course, the last time he’d been attacked on a road at night by a supernatural creature, he’d woken up to find Poppy caring for him. He much preferred that morning in Devon to this one in Cornwall with awful memories of his mother floating about in his mind.
Mother had never cared for him, he’d always known that. In his youth, she’d seemed to take pleasure in her cruel punishments and wicked words, always saving the worst of it for Alec. But he could not understand why, after all these years, she would go out of her way to attack him on this particular journey. He didn’t think she’d meant to kill him. After all, she could have easily done so with just a few swipes of her deadly falcon talons.
Had she grown madder in the years since he’d seen her? He would be more than happy to never cross her path again in his lifetime. Therefore, sense would dictate that a wise man would head back to London or even Somerset instead of continuing on to Bocka Morrow. It was a bit lowering for Alec to realize that he must not be terribly wise as he hobbled along the road, more determined than ever to reach Nightshade Manor, urged forward by some force he didn’t quite understand.
Alec’s leg pulsed like the devil, and he was relieved when he spotted his cane in a nearby brush. The cane wouldn’t take his pain away, but it would make walking a bit easier. He gathered his belongings that dotted the Cornish landscape and slowly made his way down the road.
Luckily, a local farmer with a horse cart was headed to Truro when he came upon Alec and offered him a ride into town. At the coaching inn, Alec enjoyed a bit of breakfast before securing a new horse to take him the rest of the way to Bocka Morrow.
Things were finally looking up. Fortunately, the rest of his journey was uneventful, and as Alec approached the southern Cornish village, he couldn’t help but be in awe of the backdrop of Bocka Morrow. The sun cast various shades of pinks and oranges across the coastal sky, and the whole place looked almost like a painting. His thoughts, once again, turned to Poppy Elstone. It felt like a lifetime since he’d seen her at Halwell Chase, and he hoped with his entire being that she would be at the ball that evening. If she wasn’t…
Well, he hadn’t let himself wonder about what to do if she wasn’t amongst the guests. But now those unpleasant thoughts began to creep in through the corners of his mind. If she wasn’t there… he could ride for Devon, Halwell be damned. But he couldn’t do that. The viscount wouldn’t let him cross the threshold. So, if Poppy wasn’t at the ball, would she be in London next Season? He had never attended a society event, but he’d brave as many as he needed to see her again. Damn it all. If Poppy wasn’t at Nightshade Manor this evening, how many more months would he have to wait to be near her again? And by the time their paths next crossed, would she even remember him? It wasn’t possible for him to forget her.
After navigating the picturesque village of Bocka Morrow, Alec secured a room at The Mermaid’s Kiss, a local inn. He ordered a bath to wash the dust of travel from his skin and hoped his evening attire was still presentable after being scattered across Cornwall the night before.
CHAPTER11
Nightshade Manor – Cornwall
All Hallow’s Eve
Poppy smoothedher hands over the fine vermilion taffeta of her gown as her nerves threatened to send her into a state of panic. She closed her eyes, hoping calm would wash over her. There was nothing to be nervous about.
Truly, the sojourn into Cornwall had been even better than she could have ever hoped. Upon their arrival, she and Laurel had been embraced by the other girls as one of them, as part of something bigger than themselves. The camaraderie and sense of belonging she’d found was a heady feeling Poppy hadn’t even known she’d been missing. Suddenly, her life felt so much fuller and richer with a world of different possibilities.
At first, she’d been surprised that Papa had rubbed along well with the other chaperones and parents at the gathering. He’d been rather anxious along the road to Nightshade Manor. It helped that not all of the attendees were magical. However, all those in attendance were accepting of their family and friends who had special abilities, and Papa had come to appreciate those differences with a newfound acceptance.
Poppy and Laurel had both been in awe of their new friends. Gwendolyn Smythe could control the sea if she was of a mind. Lady Juliana Kendrick could converse with animals of all shapes and sizes. And any plant or flower in the vicinity would perk up in Alice Grey’s presence, almost seeking her attention like she was the sun itself.
Everything had gone so well, that there was nothing to be nervous about.
Except there waseverythingto be nervous about.
Alec Galbraith would be there tonight. At least Poppy hoped Laurel’s vision was accurate on that account. Of course, she hadn’t seen Alec since he’d fled Halwell Chase all those weeks ago. She hadn’t even seen him in her dreams, not since that fateful night at the crossroads when her dreams had been proven true.
She missed seeing him. Heavens! She knew his face so well, the scar across his right cheek, the depths of his ashy eyes, the strong line of his jaw. Poppy’s heart ached at not having seen him in forever. It was almost like she was missing a part of herself.
A knock sounded at her door, and Poppy thought she might cast up her accounts.
It must be time!
