Echoes of Magic by Donna Grant

especially if we just want to rest there
for a bit.”
    He sat up and scratched his chin. “That’s a
fairly good idea. It could work.”
    “ Of course it’ll
work.”
    “ Usually, I stay off the
main roads, but it might be to our advantage to make sure we’re
seen. And often.”
    She smiled. “Perfect.”
    “ There’s a road about an
hour’s ride from here. We’ll take that into Dirkshire.”
    “ What’s
Dirkshire?”
    “ It’s a village I’ve
visited once before. There’s an inn we can stay at and gather more
food. It’ll also allow us to be seen. While there I intend to find
out what I can about Hawksbridge.”
    She finished her cheese and dusted her
hands. “We might want to purchase some new clothes as well.”
    “ Why?” he asked, his brow
furrowed.
    “ If we go into Hawksbridge
looking like this, no one will pay us a bit of attention. We need
to dress the part.”
    “ Leave it to a woman to
think of clothes. Aye, you’re right. We’ll get new
garments.”
    A hawk flew above them, its cries echoing in
the stillness of the area. Adrianna watched the bird of prey until
it flew out of sight. When she lowered her gaze, Grayson was
watching her.
    “ You convinced me you could
help, and I foolishly agreed. The more I think on it, the more I
realize I should have left you with Milosh.”
    Adrianna slowly climbed to her feet and
walked to where her herbs were stored in the bag. She gathered what
she needed and returned to the tree. It didn’t surprise her to find
Grayson gathering wood for a fire.
    She waited until he returned and began to
stack the wood before she answered. “I told you before, the evil
needs to be stopped. There is a good chance you can impede him
before he can do more damage.”
    “ Why couldn’t you just tell
me how to defeat him?”
    “ It isn’t that easy. I wish
it were, but it isn’t.”
    The small blaze began to
burn brighter as it devoured the wood. Grayson ran a hand down his
face and sat back. “I won’t lie and say I want to die, but bringing
you into what could be the pit of evil is the wrong
decision.”
    She crushed the herbs into the small bowl
and poured water over them before she put the bowl over the fire.
“The man you seek isn’t at Hawksbridge. Not yet anyway.”
    “ What?”
    She dared a glance to see Grayson’s jaw
clenched. “He’s coming. Whether for you or Hawksbridge, I know
not.”
    “ How do you know
this?”
    “ I smell him.” She stood
and turned to the southeast. “He’s coming from this
direction.”
    Grayson was by her side in an instant. “Are
you sure?”
    “ Definitely.” She turned
her head to see the agony in his profile.
    He closed his eyes and shook his head. “I
don’t know if this can work. I’m prepared to die,” he said and
opened his eyes to her. “But you have your life ahead of you.”
    “ What life? I’m alone,
Grayson, and I’ll forever be alone. I use my magic to help people,
so let me use it to help you. If I die, then so be it. Death isn’t
something we can escape. It comes for us all.”
    Grayson knew that all too
well. He studied Adrianna, ever amazed at the bravery within her.
“We’ll try. But if it appears there’s no chance for me to win, I
want your word you’ll leave and not look back.”
    “ Grayson,” she
began.
    “ Nay. There’s no compromise
with this. Please, Adrianna. I need your word.”
    Reluctantly, she nodded her head.
    “ Thank you.”
    He continued to look toward the southeast,
wondering just where this man who hunted him was. He had been
wounded at Drogan’s, but he could have healed quickly enough if his
soul had been sold to the devil as Serena had suggested.
    Adrianna moved behind him to the fire. He
glanced at her to see her pour the contents of the bowl into a cup
and begin to drink it. He was grateful she was with him, for she
gave him an advantage he wouldn’t otherwise have. Yet, as a knight,
a warrior sworn to protect those weaker than he, he knew