Michael straightened and stood quietly before him for a long moment. Finally, he nodded and turned away.
Gabe watched him enter the Great Hall, satisfied and a little bit happy about his brother’s trepidation.
The next morning, Michael walked across the walkways of the castle wall, inspecting the guards and their positions. The castle was fully secured, its men trained excellently. The sound of a galloping horse caught his attention and he looked out one of the crenels over the drawbridge. Gabriel was riding toward the road that led into town.
Michael grinned. Maybe he was leaving. He shouldn’t think like that. Gabe was the only family he had left. He should get to know his brother better. But that night twelve years ago stood between them like an unforgiving wall. He watched Gabe follow the curving road. He saw what he had not before.
Gabe was not alone. Eve sat before him.
Tingles of unease and anger danced across Michael’s neck. Where were they going? His teeth slowly clenched as a realization crested inside of him. He did not like having Gabriel here. He didn’t trust his motives for returning. He didn’t trust him. He had to find out what he was up to.
Chapter Three
The sun was warm on Eve’s shoulders, despite the cool air. Birds chirped and soared in the sky with purpose. Sitting before Gabriel on his brown palfrey, Eve watched the way Gabe’s hands clutched the reins of the horse as he walked the animal back and forth across the clearing before the pond. She could easily hold the reins the same way with her left hand, but not her right.
“Do you feel the rhythm of the horse?” Gabriel asked.
Eve had noticed that. Side to side, side to side. “Like a heartbeat.”
Gabe smiled. “A heartbeat that changes with different steps.”
Eve stared down at Gabe’s hands, the way the reins wrapped between his fingers, the way he tugged on them to get the horse to turn. He was a natural, so at ease maneuvering the horse.
“Do you want to try it?” Gabriel asked softly.
“No,” she answered quickly.
“As much as I like having you this close to me, the purpose of this trip was to help you learn to ride a horse.” He pulled the reins back and the horse came to a stop. “I will stay on the horse, but I want you to steer her.”
Eve nodded hesitantly. “Do I sit like you?”
“Yes. Can you swing one leg over the other side?”
Eve leaned back into Gabriel’s strong chest and lifted her leg over the horse’s neck. Her skirt came up to her knee and she quickly adjusted it.
“You would put your feet in the stirrups, but they will need to be adjusted so we’ll save that for next time.”
She nodded.
“Hold the reins like I do.” He opened his hand so she could see.
She opened her left hand and threaded the reins around her first three fingers, just like he had.
“Good,” Gabriel said. “Now the other hand.”
Eve hesitated, her heart dropped with disappointment. “It won’t work,” she whispered.
“Eve,” he sighed against her ear. “It will work if you want it to.” He reached for her hand.
“No,” she said and pulled it away from him with such violence that she almost toppled from the horse.
He righted her with a strong grip around her waist. “Alright. Alright. It’s okay. Let’s do it a different way.” He held up his right hand. “Show me which of your fingers are missing.”
For a long time, she stared at his raised hand. Perfect. Strong. What she wouldn’t give to have all her fingers. She lifted her fingers and placed them over his thumb for a long moment. It was admitting her fault, showing him what was wrong with her. She carefully eased it back behind his palm. Her fingers held the rounded portion of palm for a moment. His hand was so much bigger than hers. A scar stretched from between his forefinger and second finger to his wrist. She traced it with her middle finger. “Does it hurt?”
A low rumbling laughter issued from Gabriel.
Eve swiveled her head to look at him.
