Read Online A Warrior's Heart (Shields) by Donna Grant - Free Book Online
Authors: Donna Grant
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be swift.”
If he frightened her, she was good at hiding it. Gabriel watched her carefully for any signs that she had come to Stone Crest other than the reason she had given.
“Since I’m having a rather difficult time coming to grips with the fact of all you’ve said regarding this...Great Evil...I can assure you, I’m not here to prevent the Shields from their mission.”
For some reason, he believed her. Maybe it was the conviction shining in her hazel eyes, or maybe it was because he wanted her to be innocent. Whatever the reason, he simply nodded and held out his arm for as they walked from the chamber.
“Why the armory though?” she asked as he closed the door behind them.
“I wanted you to see the extensive weapons Hugh has gathered at Stone Crest. There’s a weapon for nearly every person.”
She said no more as he moved down the hall to the stairs. He let her walk ahead of him, his gaze straying to the gentle sway of her hips as she glided up the steep stairs.
“To the right,” he said as she neared a landing. He motioned down the hall once he stepped beside her. The hall was lit with the occasional torch while the shadows grew as the sun sank lower into the sky.
“The castle is easy to navigate once you learn the layout. Down this hall you will find Hugh and Mina’s chamber, should you need her. The rest of the Shields are placed throughout the upper floors.”
“Where is your chamber?”
He turned his head to look at her, but her face was hidden in shadow. “On the floor above us.”
“Mine is in the east tower.”
He swallowed and tried to remember that she wasn’t telling him this because she wanted him to visit her tonight. But then, why did she tell him?
He glanced at her again as they slowly walked down the hall. A torch cast her face in amber light and he saw her watching him. Her mouth was slightly parted and her eyes...inviting.
Gabriel took a deep breath and forced his gaze forward. He was seeing things that weren’t there. It might have been awhile since he’d relieved the ache of his cock, but it had never caused him to act like this before.
To want like this before.
And he didn’t even know her.
“You said you were wounded?” Her voice was soft, almost a whisper.
He knew she spoke of when the Fae found him. “Aye.”
“Did someone attack you?”
“I wish I knew,” he said after a moment. “I’ve been told my mind has blocked the past because something painful must have happened.”
“Such as?”
He shrugged and clasped his hands behind his back. “Could be anything. Losing my family, seeing someone I loved killed, or a betrayal.”
“I could see how those events would traumatize someone,” she said with a small nod. “I’ve never encountered anyone who lost their memory before. Forgive me if I pry too much.”
He waved away her words. “I’ve lived with it a long time now. I’ve been lucky enough to have men as close to me as brothers who have gone out of their way to try and help me remember. Even the Fae tried many things. Yet, no memories return. I think maybe it’s better this way.”
“You could have a wife or children,” she said. “They could be waiting for you.”
Gabriel shook his head. “I don’t think so.” He stopped and leaned back against the cool stones. “I’d like to think that if I did have a wife or a family that I would feel some sort of...connection...to them.”
“Possibly. Do you know where you’re from?”
This was one answer he knew. One answer out of many. “I do know that I’m not from this realm.”
“How do you know that?” she asked, her head cocked slightly to the side.
Gabriel shrugged, not yet ready to tell her of his immortality. “Just something I figured out.”
Suddenly Jayna smiled. “I think you’re not speaking the entire truth.”
“We all have our secrets, you included,” he said as he pushed off from the wall.
“Ah, secrets. It is a part of who we are, I think.
If he frightened her, she was good at hiding it. Gabriel watched her carefully for any signs that she had come to Stone Crest other than the reason she had given.
“Since I’m having a rather difficult time coming to grips with the fact of all you’ve said regarding this...Great Evil...I can assure you, I’m not here to prevent the Shields from their mission.”
For some reason, he believed her. Maybe it was the conviction shining in her hazel eyes, or maybe it was because he wanted her to be innocent. Whatever the reason, he simply nodded and held out his arm for as they walked from the chamber.
“Why the armory though?” she asked as he closed the door behind them.
“I wanted you to see the extensive weapons Hugh has gathered at Stone Crest. There’s a weapon for nearly every person.”
She said no more as he moved down the hall to the stairs. He let her walk ahead of him, his gaze straying to the gentle sway of her hips as she glided up the steep stairs.
“To the right,” he said as she neared a landing. He motioned down the hall once he stepped beside her. The hall was lit with the occasional torch while the shadows grew as the sun sank lower into the sky.
“The castle is easy to navigate once you learn the layout. Down this hall you will find Hugh and Mina’s chamber, should you need her. The rest of the Shields are placed throughout the upper floors.”
“Where is your chamber?”
He turned his head to look at her, but her face was hidden in shadow. “On the floor above us.”
“Mine is in the east tower.”
He swallowed and tried to remember that she wasn’t telling him this because she wanted him to visit her tonight. But then, why did she tell him?
He glanced at her again as they slowly walked down the hall. A torch cast her face in amber light and he saw her watching him. Her mouth was slightly parted and her eyes...inviting.
Gabriel took a deep breath and forced his gaze forward. He was seeing things that weren’t there. It might have been awhile since he’d relieved the ache of his cock, but it had never caused him to act like this before.
To want like this before.
And he didn’t even know her.
“You said you were wounded?” Her voice was soft, almost a whisper.
He knew she spoke of when the Fae found him. “Aye.”
“Did someone attack you?”
“I wish I knew,” he said after a moment. “I’ve been told my mind has blocked the past because something painful must have happened.”
“Such as?”
He shrugged and clasped his hands behind his back. “Could be anything. Losing my family, seeing someone I loved killed, or a betrayal.”
“I could see how those events would traumatize someone,” she said with a small nod. “I’ve never encountered anyone who lost their memory before. Forgive me if I pry too much.”
He waved away her words. “I’ve lived with it a long time now. I’ve been lucky enough to have men as close to me as brothers who have gone out of their way to try and help me remember. Even the Fae tried many things. Yet, no memories return. I think maybe it’s better this way.”
“You could have a wife or children,” she said. “They could be waiting for you.”
Gabriel shook his head. “I don’t think so.” He stopped and leaned back against the cool stones. “I’d like to think that if I did have a wife or a family that I would feel some sort of...connection...to them.”
“Possibly. Do you know where you’re from?”
This was one answer he knew. One answer out of many. “I do know that I’m not from this realm.”
“How do you know that?” she asked, her head cocked slightly to the side.
Gabriel shrugged, not yet ready to tell her of his immortality. “Just something I figured out.”
Suddenly Jayna smiled. “I think you’re not speaking the entire truth.”
“We all have our secrets, you included,” he said as he pushed off from the wall.
“Ah, secrets. It is a part of who we are, I think.
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