Strands of Love by N. J. Walters Page A

responsible for her sons’ actions.
    Edwina sighed and shook her head and Sam knew she’d
disappointed the other woman. “If you’re looking for Jace and Darian, you’ll
find them in the training ring this time of day.” She pointed beyond the
stables. “Look around if you like. None will stop you.”
    Sam nodded and started down the stairs, suddenly gripped
with the need to see both brothers. She was halfway down when Edwina called out
to her.
    “Samantha.”
    Sam paused and turned.
    Edwina squared her shoulders and met Sam’s gaze. “Be careful
with my sons. You hold their hearts and their futures in your hands.” With
that, Edwina turned and went back inside.
    Her words shook Sam to her core. Edwina was mistaken. No way
was she in any way responsible for either man’s heart. They’d had sex. That’s
all it was. Three consenting adults engaging in some sexual fantasies, nothing
more.
    She ignored the way her breakfast curdled in her belly and
the pang of regret in her heart as she hurried toward the stables. The familiar
whinny of horses teased her ears as she passed. She had a quick peek and
promised herself she’d check out the equine inhabitants a little later. Sam
missed having horses on the farm.
    There were several men working just outside the building and
they nodded at her as she hurried by. She nodded back, but didn’t stop. She
did, however, feel their gazes on her. Her spine tingled and it was an
uncomfortable sensation.
    She turned the corner of the stables and slammed to a halt
like she’d hit an invisible wall. Both Jace and Darian were naked from the
waist up, except for those wrist- and armbands they wore. Both were wielding
extremely large, and what appeared to be extremely sharp swords.
    Darian’s weapon cut through the air, heading toward Jace’s
heart. All the blood drained from her face and she felt lightheaded as Jace
countered at the last second. The two blades struck and one slid along the
other, leaving a shower of sparks.
    “Almost got you, old man,” Darian taunted.
    “Old man, my ass. I’m only letting you think you have a
chance to beat me. Wouldn’t want you to become too discouraged,” Jace fired
back.
    Sam leaned against the corner of the stable and watched as
the two fought. These were no recreational warriors. The blades were an
extension of their arms, cutting and hacking through the air, always being
struck aside at the very last second before either of them could lose a major
body part. She was afraid to speak, afraid to distract them. And she was utterly
mesmerized by the display of swordsmanship.
    Sam took a deep breath and forced her gaze away from the
Hunter brothers. There were a few other people around, mostly men, although she
did see the occasional woman. In the distance she could see more people working
in the fields and tending animals.
    What she didn’t see were power lines or telephone towers.
Come to think of it, there weren’t any electric lights or even outlets in the
castle. It was all like something from several hundred years ago.
    She swallowed hard and looked back toward Darian and Jace.
Sweat shone on their broad chests and shoulders as they continued their deadly
dance. She thought about the weapons they had—knives and swords. She thought
about the tapestry she’d seen yesterday morning floating in midair in spite of
the dead heat.
    Oh God. It was true.
    All of it was true.
    She really was in another place, another planet or
dimension. She wasn’t quite sure which. Another world was probably the best
place to put it. Javara. They’d all told her as much but she hadn’t really
believed it. But this place, these people. It was too much of an elaborate
setup to be anything but real.
    There was no way they could have taken her somewhere else so
quickly, not somewhere like this without leaving the country. And, really, why
would the Hunter brothers turn up in the middle of nowhere Texas and kidnap a
penniless farmer? It didn’t make any