loving you has been the best part of my life.”
One of the leaves touched Lucy’s nose. She knew at any moment the remaining trees would crush them. She closed her eyes and waited.
But it didn’t come.
Carefully, she opened her eyes.
To her surprise saw Dashel, Harriet, and a man she’d never met standing in front of them.
“Give me another moment,” the man she hadn’t met before said.
“Hurry up, man,” Dashel spoke loudly.
The other man spoke some words Lucy didn’t understand and then she was free. She fell to her knees and Will fell beside her.
“Got it,” he said, and smiled.
Will took Lucy in his arms. “Are you hurt?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. Tears fell onto her cheeks and she buried her face in Will’s shoulder. “I love you so much.”
Will helped her stand, keeping hold of her. “Where did the gods go?”
Harriet wrung her hands as she came forward. “Miss Lucy, are you injured?”
“No, Harriet. I’m all in one piece. Did you see the… man and woman fighting a moment ago?” Lucy didn’t want to alarm her maid, but it seemed odd that as soon as Harriet and her betrothed appeared, they vanished.
The stranger came forward. “I believe I can shed some light on the subject.” As he spoke a ball of light similar to the ones Apep and Bastet had used appeared in his palm.
“Are you a god, too?” Lucy asked, pushing herself further into Will’s side.
“Not quite.” He smiled. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sebastian Barrows, Duke of Vladimir.” He bowed deeply.
Lucy got the distinct impression the man had secrets.
The duke continued, “I am in possession of druid magic. With it I have contained the gods within this mystical box.” A glass cube appeared in the Duke of Vladimir’s palm. Peculiar gold markings covered each side. He held it out for everyone to see. “This won’t hold them indefinitely, but we should be safe for a short time.”
“Druid magic?” Will came forward, keeping hold of Lucy’s hand. “I’ve read about that. It’s very old. In all my research no one has been able to discover its origin. How did you gain possession of it?”
Sebastian smiled amiably. “It was a gift from a friend. But that isn’t important. Our dear Miss Harriet has information that is of the utmost importance.” He bowed out of the way. “Tell them, draga.”
It was then that Lucy noticed the leather bound book tucked under Harriet’s arm. “Tell me what?” She had so many more questions. For Dashel, the duke, but most were for Harriet. Her lady’s maid was obviously so much more than she pretended to be.
“Perhaps we should retire to my home. I can have my cook prepare us a late night snack and some tea,” Sebastian said.
“I think that is an excellent idea,” Dashel interjected.
Lucy’s head was swimming. Only moments ago, she’d been about to. She’d believed she was seeing the end. Now Harriet and Dashel were there… she couldn’t think. “You’re bleeding.” Lucy went over to Dashel, her oldest friend, and her betrothed.
“Just a scratch.” He gently pushed her probing hands away. “I’ll tell you about it once we get to the duke’s.
Lucy looked at Will. “What are your thoughts on the subject?”
“I could eat.”
She realized she was famished as well. “Then let’s go.”
TEN
IT’S ALL VERY CIVILIZED
THEY SAT in Sebastian’s oversized drawing room. Stark white walls stood out against thick black curtains and a blazing fire roared in the fireplace. The logs snapped and crackled, giving the room much needed warmth. Paintings hung on the walls, surrounded by matching gold filigree frames. All verged on the slightly disturbing. Each depicted the same man clothed in black and donning a red velvet cape. The women were dressed in light linen dresses, shockingly revealing, yet delicate. Each of the girls had an exotic red flower in her hair.
As Lucy studied them, a thought came to her. The
One of the leaves touched Lucy’s nose. She knew at any moment the remaining trees would crush them. She closed her eyes and waited.
But it didn’t come.
Carefully, she opened her eyes.
To her surprise saw Dashel, Harriet, and a man she’d never met standing in front of them.
“Give me another moment,” the man she hadn’t met before said.
“Hurry up, man,” Dashel spoke loudly.
The other man spoke some words Lucy didn’t understand and then she was free. She fell to her knees and Will fell beside her.
“Got it,” he said, and smiled.
Will took Lucy in his arms. “Are you hurt?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. Tears fell onto her cheeks and she buried her face in Will’s shoulder. “I love you so much.”
Will helped her stand, keeping hold of her. “Where did the gods go?”
Harriet wrung her hands as she came forward. “Miss Lucy, are you injured?”
“No, Harriet. I’m all in one piece. Did you see the… man and woman fighting a moment ago?” Lucy didn’t want to alarm her maid, but it seemed odd that as soon as Harriet and her betrothed appeared, they vanished.
The stranger came forward. “I believe I can shed some light on the subject.” As he spoke a ball of light similar to the ones Apep and Bastet had used appeared in his palm.
“Are you a god, too?” Lucy asked, pushing herself further into Will’s side.
“Not quite.” He smiled. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sebastian Barrows, Duke of Vladimir.” He bowed deeply.
Lucy got the distinct impression the man had secrets.
The duke continued, “I am in possession of druid magic. With it I have contained the gods within this mystical box.” A glass cube appeared in the Duke of Vladimir’s palm. Peculiar gold markings covered each side. He held it out for everyone to see. “This won’t hold them indefinitely, but we should be safe for a short time.”
“Druid magic?” Will came forward, keeping hold of Lucy’s hand. “I’ve read about that. It’s very old. In all my research no one has been able to discover its origin. How did you gain possession of it?”
Sebastian smiled amiably. “It was a gift from a friend. But that isn’t important. Our dear Miss Harriet has information that is of the utmost importance.” He bowed out of the way. “Tell them, draga.”
It was then that Lucy noticed the leather bound book tucked under Harriet’s arm. “Tell me what?” She had so many more questions. For Dashel, the duke, but most were for Harriet. Her lady’s maid was obviously so much more than she pretended to be.
“Perhaps we should retire to my home. I can have my cook prepare us a late night snack and some tea,” Sebastian said.
“I think that is an excellent idea,” Dashel interjected.
Lucy’s head was swimming. Only moments ago, she’d been about to. She’d believed she was seeing the end. Now Harriet and Dashel were there… she couldn’t think. “You’re bleeding.” Lucy went over to Dashel, her oldest friend, and her betrothed.
“Just a scratch.” He gently pushed her probing hands away. “I’ll tell you about it once we get to the duke’s.
Lucy looked at Will. “What are your thoughts on the subject?”
“I could eat.”
She realized she was famished as well. “Then let’s go.”
TEN
IT’S ALL VERY CIVILIZED
THEY SAT in Sebastian’s oversized drawing room. Stark white walls stood out against thick black curtains and a blazing fire roared in the fireplace. The logs snapped and crackled, giving the room much needed warmth. Paintings hung on the walls, surrounded by matching gold filigree frames. All verged on the slightly disturbing. Each depicted the same man clothed in black and donning a red velvet cape. The women were dressed in light linen dresses, shockingly revealing, yet delicate. Each of the girls had an exotic red flower in her hair.
As Lucy studied them, a thought came to her. The
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