couldn’t recall doing anything of the sort – at least not while in her physical form. Then, calling on her mother in her mind, she slowly lowered her mouth to her father’s wound and willed life essence into him as she placed a kiss upon his chest.
Vance ran up to her then, falling on his knees to join her. “My Lady Portia, is he . . . is he dead?” asked the stablemaster.
Portia wasn’t sure, and looked to her father, once again willing the life force back into his body. Perhaps she’d forgotten how to heal with a kiss after all this time. Or mayhap she truly did lose this power the day she’d lost her mother after all.
“I don’t know,” she said, tears filling her eyes.
Then the most wonderful thing happened. Her father gasped, filling his lungs with air and before her very eyes the wound closed and healed itself.
“He lives,” she said with a smile. Then bent down and gave her father a quick hug. He opened his eyes and tried to smile back at her.
“How did you do that?” asked Vance in awe.
“It does not matter,” she told the man. “Now get on your horse and ride down the mountain and find a healer, quickly.”
“But we have a healer right here in Calila,” the man reminded her.
“Nay, I don’t trust that our healer has the best intentions for my father. Go instead to Manterra. Ask them to send their healer to aid my father at once.”
“Manterra?” asked Vance. “Why there and not another village?”
She remembered Sir Braden had said he was from Manterra, and that he’d also mentioned her fae friend, Rae being married to the duke.
“Just go and ask no questions. Tell the lady of the castle that Po rtia-Maer has sent you for help in healing her father.”
“Of course, my lady,” he said, getting to his feet. Portia could see the doubt on his face at her orders and was not even sure he’d comply.
“Vance,” she called after him as he walked away. “I trust you’ll carry out my orders. Because if you don’t, I would be forced to tell the countess that your loyalty lies with the enemy instead of with her.”
“What do you mean by that my lady? My loyalty lies with Calila.”
“You cannot hide your intentions from me,” she answered.
“I mean no harm to anyone at Calila.” He shook his head as he spoke.
“Perhaps not. But I doubt that the countess would believe that once I tell her that you are in love wi th Lord Solomon’s daughter, Lady Christabel.”
The man’s eyes opened wide at this announcement. He said naught, just turned and ran as fast as he could toward the stables to collect a horse and carry out his deed.
Chapter 7
Braden rode into Banesmoor Castle, madder than hell that the traitorous sylph had given away his identity and nearly got him killed. He’d thought their kiss meant something. It had to him, yet she had no qualms in telling the stablemaster who he was. Who knew how many others she’d told as well. And she only made matters worse by making him admit he was betrothed to Lord Solomon’s daughter right in front of her father.
’Twas still raining and that irritated him even more. He knew Portia was behind the wind, the rain and the cyclone as well. He could have been killed with her little tricks, and only pitied the poor men and animals he saw swirling around high up in the air. There was no way they’d survived the destructive forces of nature.
He handed off his horse to a squire and made his way quickly into the great hall where many of the wounded men from battle already waited. He saw Lord Solomon across the room motioning for him to join them.
“Sir Braden, I am glad to see you were not harmed in the battle,” said the man.
His daughter was helping to wrap the men’s wounds, just finishing up with Sir Samuel.
“Aye,” said Braden. “Did we lose many men today , my lord?”
“Sir Samuel?” he asked , looking to his captain of the guard.
“Nay, not many at all,” stated the man, “which is surprising. The
Vance ran up to her then, falling on his knees to join her. “My Lady Portia, is he . . . is he dead?” asked the stablemaster.
Portia wasn’t sure, and looked to her father, once again willing the life force back into his body. Perhaps she’d forgotten how to heal with a kiss after all this time. Or mayhap she truly did lose this power the day she’d lost her mother after all.
“I don’t know,” she said, tears filling her eyes.
Then the most wonderful thing happened. Her father gasped, filling his lungs with air and before her very eyes the wound closed and healed itself.
“He lives,” she said with a smile. Then bent down and gave her father a quick hug. He opened his eyes and tried to smile back at her.
“How did you do that?” asked Vance in awe.
“It does not matter,” she told the man. “Now get on your horse and ride down the mountain and find a healer, quickly.”
“But we have a healer right here in Calila,” the man reminded her.
“Nay, I don’t trust that our healer has the best intentions for my father. Go instead to Manterra. Ask them to send their healer to aid my father at once.”
“Manterra?” asked Vance. “Why there and not another village?”
She remembered Sir Braden had said he was from Manterra, and that he’d also mentioned her fae friend, Rae being married to the duke.
“Just go and ask no questions. Tell the lady of the castle that Po rtia-Maer has sent you for help in healing her father.”
“Of course, my lady,” he said, getting to his feet. Portia could see the doubt on his face at her orders and was not even sure he’d comply.
“Vance,” she called after him as he walked away. “I trust you’ll carry out my orders. Because if you don’t, I would be forced to tell the countess that your loyalty lies with the enemy instead of with her.”
“What do you mean by that my lady? My loyalty lies with Calila.”
“You cannot hide your intentions from me,” she answered.
“I mean no harm to anyone at Calila.” He shook his head as he spoke.
“Perhaps not. But I doubt that the countess would believe that once I tell her that you are in love wi th Lord Solomon’s daughter, Lady Christabel.”
The man’s eyes opened wide at this announcement. He said naught, just turned and ran as fast as he could toward the stables to collect a horse and carry out his deed.
Chapter 7
Braden rode into Banesmoor Castle, madder than hell that the traitorous sylph had given away his identity and nearly got him killed. He’d thought their kiss meant something. It had to him, yet she had no qualms in telling the stablemaster who he was. Who knew how many others she’d told as well. And she only made matters worse by making him admit he was betrothed to Lord Solomon’s daughter right in front of her father.
’Twas still raining and that irritated him even more. He knew Portia was behind the wind, the rain and the cyclone as well. He could have been killed with her little tricks, and only pitied the poor men and animals he saw swirling around high up in the air. There was no way they’d survived the destructive forces of nature.
He handed off his horse to a squire and made his way quickly into the great hall where many of the wounded men from battle already waited. He saw Lord Solomon across the room motioning for him to join them.
“Sir Braden, I am glad to see you were not harmed in the battle,” said the man.
His daughter was helping to wrap the men’s wounds, just finishing up with Sir Samuel.
“Aye,” said Braden. “Did we lose many men today , my lord?”
“Sir Samuel?” he asked , looking to his captain of the guard.
“Nay, not many at all,” stated the man, “which is surprising. The
Similar Books
