“He’s out there waiting for you,” Willow promised.
“Do you think so?”
Willow grinned encouragingly. “I know so.”
Bea threw her arms around Willow’s shoulders, hugging her.
Amazed, Christian stared. How did Willow do it? And yet, even he was affected by her exchange with Bea. Willow was incredible. And she had chosen him. His entire being filled with joy.
He was the luckiest man alive.
They rode hard, not stopping much the entire journey. They finally approached le Val and Sybil’s farm in the middle of the night.
Willow was exhausted but anxious. She sat before Christian on the horse and clutched his arm as he slowed the steed to a walk. She scanned the harvested farm fields. It was late, and she knew no one would be awake. Her insides quivered. What if her family wasn’t here?
Christian rubbed her arm to ease her tension and soothe her.
Her shoulder was better, almost completely healed, but she still couldn’t lift it without a twinge of discomfort. It would be better to rest it for a few more days.
Christian halted the horse and dismounted.
Willow stared at the single-story wooden cottage. Her family would probably be sleeping behind the building in the barn where Sybil housed the animals. She swung her leg from the horse and jumped to the ground. The wind whispered past her, causing her skin to prickle.
She turned to Christian as she chewed her lower lip nervously. He nodded in encouragement. Even the soft breaths of the horse seemed to be reassuring her.
She cut across the field, her boots trudging through the dirt.
The soft clop of the horse’s steps was like a loud drum in Willow’s ears. The thick scent of mud and dirt permeated the surrounding landscape.
Christian followed, guiding the horse.
She paused before the door of the barn. Her heart hammered in her chest. What if they weren’t in there? The nickering of a horse sounded from inside. Willow wanted to throw open the door but was afraid. What if the barn was empty? She reached for the handle with a trembling hand and eased it open.
Dark stillness greeted her.
“Willow,” Christian warned.
She glanced back over her shoulder to see a shadowed man had a sword to Christian’s throat.
She dipped her hand to the pommel of her sword.
“Willow?” a feminine voice called from inside the barn.
Familiarity tingled through Willow as she stared into the blackness toward the voice, but she couldn’t see inside the barn. Her breathing increased with hope.
Suddenly, a whirlwind burst from the barn and knocked into her. She would have been shoved to the ground, except a tight embrace held her up. An embrace she recognized instantly. The whirlwind’s armor was recognizable, as was the thick scent of trees in her hair.
“Sage,” Willow gasped. Tears entered her eyes, and she squeezed her sister tightly. It was Sage! That was all her mind could focus on. After all this time…she had found her sister!
She opened her eyes, blinking as her vision blurred.
Behind them, the man lowered his sword from Christian.
Another shadow walked out of the barn, and a sob tore from Willow’s throat as she recognized the gait, the height, and the sword strapped to her waist. “Raven,” she cried. As Raven hurried forward and hugged them both, the tears Willow had been keeping in escaped, trailing over her cheeks.
Her family. Her sisters.
She had found them.
