To Capture Her Heart (15 page)

“But it seems as if I only just fell asleep,” she said through a yawn, drawing his attention back to her mouth. It gave him an odd sort of satisfaction to know that mayhap she hadn't slept any more restfully than he.

Turning he said, “Wake up Brigit and hurry along. Ichabod and I leave in ten minutes, with or without you.”

Nearly ten minutes later, both women were dressed and ready to go. They waited quietly while Gavin packed up their belongings, munching on some almonds he had given them to break their fast.

Walking up to Gwendolyn, he pulled his pouch of walarute blood from his waist. Her hair had been plaited, leaving only a few wisps of hair loose around her face. He reached up and brushed the strands back, tucking them behind her ears. Tilting the pouch, he let several drops of blood fall onto his thumb before reaching up and smearing it in a line across her forehead.

Gwendolyn flinched, wrinkling her nose. “Is that really necessary?” she asked.

“Aye, 'tis very necessary. 'Tis the only way to keep the walarutes away while traveling. Trust me when I say that where one walarute is, there's another close by.”

Turning to Brigit, he held out the leather pouch. “Take a few drops of this and smear it on your forehead in like manner.”

“Oh, but I wouldn't want to do it wrong. Surely you can do it for me?” she asked, hope lacing her voice, her lashes batting in a ridiculous attempt at looking coquettish.  

Gavin hesitated, having no desire to touch the lady. Finally he urged, “Just do the best you can, 'tis not really an art.”

Both of them hesitated—Brigit hoping he'd give in and do it for her, and Gavin impatiently waiting for her to do it herself.

Finally he growled, “If you'd rather ride unprotected, that is your decision, but Gwendolyn and I will be safe.” He quickly brushed a streak of blood along his own forehead before turning to mount Ichabod.

“Fine, I will do it,” Brigit said, sticking her hand out in disappointment, purposefully brushing his hand in the process. At least he hadn't had to caress her forehead.

Though the day was early, the further they traveled into the forest, the darker it became. A chill of foreboding ran up Gavin's spine several times as he felt as if someone was watching him, though from his position from the back, he was positive that it couldn't be so. He tried to shake the feeling off as they rode, but it was to no avail. He wondered if Brigit and Gwendolyn could sense that something was off as well, for neither of them spoke for hours.

By the time they reached the festival, Gavin should have felt relieved, but he didn't. All around him were several groups of people dressed in odd clothing. Smoke billowed up from a number of large fires, as people danced around them and chanted as if in a strange manner of worship. Next to a smaller fire, he saw an old lady with gray scraggly hair hunched over a metal cauldron, throwing in several different colored liquids that would hiss and steam and crackle through the air. With each new addition to her pot, the lady would throw her head back, her eyes rolling grotesquely backwards as she laughed shrilly.

Gavin quickly looked away, feeling a dark evil creep slowly around him. He turned to Gwendolyn who was taking in everything before her with a look of wonderment on her face. “I'm not sure that this festival is what you expected it to be.”

“Whatever do you mean?” she asked without looking at him.

He lowered his head to her ear. “There's a dark side of magic, you know. Not all of it is good.”

She turned to him then, giving him a pitying look. “I think you are just feeling unsettled being around so many gifted people. It can be a lot to take in.” He wanted to warn her that it was more than that, but the imp had steered her horse towards a caravan of wagons and he had no choice but to follow.

Approaching the wagons, Gavin noticed that all of the occupants were men, and all of them had baskets laden with strange colored pebbles. They motioned for Gwendolyn to stop, which she did, sliding gracefully from her horse.

“What do you have here?” she cooed as she reached one hand in a basket filled with pearlescent purple stones, letting them glide through her slender fingers and fall back into the basket.

“They are mystic stones,” the oldest of the men answered. “One handful taken on the eve of a full moon will render you young for all eternity.”

“All eternity?” Gwendolyn asked, doubt creeping into her voice.

“Aye,” another man spoke. “And if you partake of these ones as well,” he said as he shoved a handful of tiny green pebbles under her nose, “you will live forever.”

Gavin laughed out loud. “You mean to say if someone is foolish enough to swallow two handfuls of rocks, they will be gifted with immortality and eternal youth?”

Three pairs of eyes narrowed angrily at him.

The eldest spoke, “Aye, 'tis true. We have many satisfied customers.”

“I bet you do.” His voice dripped with sarcasm.

Grabbing Gwendolyn's arm, he tugged her away from the men. “You cannot be so obtuse as to believe that utter nonsense. No one is going to live forever by swallowing a bag of rocks, no one.”

Gwendolyn laughed. “Of course not. If it were that simple, the whole Kingdom would sell everything they owned to possess a bag of the valuable stones. They are probably just trying to take advantage of the gullible people who are so enchanted by magic.”

“But aren't you one of them?”

“Gullible?” she asked.

“Nay. Enchanted by magic.”

“Mayhap, but I'm not foolish. I'm very apt at recognizing a pathetic counterfeit when I see one.”

Gavin exhaled. He truly hoped she was right, for the last thing he wanted was to see her taken in by some foolish scheme. “Let's go find a place to camp for the night and deposit our things. Then we can come back and see what the festival has to offer.”

Gwendolyn nodded her agreement, but as they turned to leave they noticed that Brigit was missing. Both of them began looking frantically around, wondering where the lady could have gotten off to in such a short amount of time.

Gwendolyn spotted her first. “Look, she's over there,” she said as she pointed towards the lady Gavin had watched concocting some sort of potion earlier. Both of them gasped in shock as they watched Brigit tilt her head back and swallow a cup full of the liquid the women had ladled from her pot.

Wasting no time, Gwendolyn and Gavin raced to her side. “What are you doing?” Gavin shouted, hoping she hadn't just swallowed something poisonous.

Brigit handed the ladle back. “I just partook of a love potion,” she said, completely pleased with herself.

“What?!” they both screamed in unison,

Brigit laughed as she reached into her satchel and withdrew several coins, handing them to the lady. “Of course. Now I just wait for the object of my affection to fall deeply, madly in love with me.”

Gavin's stomach rolled as she settled her eyes on him, scanning his body boldly, hungrily. Oh how he prayed that whatever strange mixture she had just drank was anything but a love potion.

Groaning he turned swiftly away. “Let's get out of here; my head has suddenly started to ache.”

Gwendolyn pranced beside him. “I'm sure we can find a potion that will fix your aching head.”

“Nay,” he snapped quickly. “I will not be partaking of any of these blasted concoctions, and neither will you.” Gwendolyn just laughed, seemingly enjoying his increasing discomfort.  

They found an available spot to set up camp on the outskirts of the festival. Gavin quickly set up their tents then tied the horses to a nearby tree. His foot and head were throbbing in unison and he desperately wished he could rest for a spell.

He slid to the ground and propped himself up on one elbow. “I think my foot needs a rest.”

“Very well, but I cannot wait to get back to the festival. Brigit will accompany me so you can take all the time you need.”

Gavin wasn't sure he liked the idea of Brigit playing her chaperone, but he couldn't bring himself to tell her no. “Very well,” he exhaled. “But stay close by where I can see you.”

Gwendolyn nodded then grabbed Brigit's arm and excitedly pulled her towards the crowds. Gavin folded both arms behind his head and watched the pair. This assignment just might be the death of him.

Chapter 19

A Tempting Offer

Gwendolyn flitted about, excited by all the magic abounding around her. They had stopped to talk to some people selling a potion that promised, whoever partook of it, the gift of recall—the ability to remember anything they had ever read, heard or experienced in their lives. The putrid odor wafting off the concoction had pretty much solidified the fact that Gwendolyn would never attempt to get the slimy sludge past her lips. The gift hadn't excited her enough anyway.

Next they spoke with a lady selling necklaces made of snail's shells. The wearer was promised protection from any bodily injury that may befall them. Though it would come in handy to have such protection, Gwendolyn was skeptical that the simple shell necklace would really have the power to do what was claimed. Plus, the astronomical price surely deterred her if nothing else did.

They paused to watch a pair of ladies casting spells on inanimate objects turning them into a variety of things. Gwendolyn's favorite was the wooden spoon that became a fluffy peach kitten. She was entranced as the kitten walked towards her and began brushing up against her skirts. She bent over and petted the soft fur, as the kitten purred against her hand. Mayhap if she didn't find any other gift that held more value, she'd come back and inquire as to how to perform the spells.

A group of people were gathering when Gwendolyn and Brigit approached their next stop. A man, dressed in a simple brown tunic and looking very nondescript, was telling the growing crowd that he had the ability to read minds. Curious, the crowd awaited his promised demonstration.

After several more people had gathered, the man stepped forth and said, “Now, in order for me to demonstrate my skill, I will need a volunteer from the crowd.” Several hands shot into the air while the man glanced from one person to the next, studying the people as if trying to find the best person for the task.

For a brief moment, his eyes settled on Gwendolyn. She bristled under his scrutiny, not sure she wanted her thoughts read and shared with the crowd of strangers. She breathed a sigh of relief when his eyes turned from her and settled on a beautiful girl standing next to Brigit.

“You,” he said, motioning for the woman to come forward. Gwendolyn watched as the woman's long, pale hair swayed back and forth as she walked to the front of the crowd, more confident than Gwendolyn herself would be.

“First, I will have you sit here,” he instructed, indicating the wooden stool in front of him.

The girl did as she was told.

“Next, I would like you to tell me your name.”

“My name is Loreena,” she spoke, her soft voice wispy and alluring.

“Loreena, I want you to close your eyes and relax while I tap into your mind.”

The crowd hushed, leaning closer to watch the man as he allowed his hands to hover a few inches above her head. They moved slowly at first, then began moving wildly, frantically as he began chanting words that Gwendolyn had never heard before.

Finally, his hands stilled, returning to his sides. “Loreena is thinking of unrequited love, of a man who owns her heart but does not care for her in return. Is that correct?”

All eyes went to Loreena, anxious to see what she would say. Slowly, her head began nodding. “That's precisely what I was thinking about,” she replied in awe while the crowd burst out into applause.

“Do it again,” someone shouted.

“Read my mind next,” another person pleaded.

Loreena stood up and disappeared into the crowd, but nobody seemed to notice. They were all intent on the man before them.

“Hush,” he said loudly. “I will read one more mind then I must give myself a rest.”

As everyone around them seemed to clamor for the man's attention, Brigit pulled on Gwendolyn's sleeve, whispering loudly in her ear, “I should be intensely embarrassed for the man to read my mind, for all I can think about is Gavin, and not all of my thoughts are proper.”

Gwendolyn wasn't even sure how to respond to that, but turns out she didn't have to for the mind reader was suddenly standing before her, clearing his throat.

“You shall be next,” he stated simply.

Gwendolyn took a step away from him. “Nay, I really must be going.”

“But it will only take a moment. Please,” he urged.

She looked nervously at Brigit. “Do it child, 'tis all a part of the adventure.”

Gwendolyn felt trapped as the crowd cheered and the mind reader pulled her forward, shoving her gently onto the stool. She willed her mind to relax as she tried to focus, unsure of what she should be thinking about.

“What is your name?”

“Gwendolyn.”

“Now close your eyes, Gwendolyn, and try to relax.”

Gwendolyn felt the air stir gently above her head as the man's hands moved slowly, methodically above her. She wasn't sure she liked the thought of somebody being able to intrude on the private chambers of her mind. It made her feel violated in a way.

Finally he stopped moving and she heard him say, “Gwendolyn is thinking about her own magical gift, wondering which ability she herself possesses. Am I right?”

Gwendolyn paused. How could he know that? It was true that she hadn't necessarily been thinking about it precisely at that moment, but it was never far from her mind. Her head began to bob, for surely the man was a mind reader after all.

His face broke out into a wide grin as the crowd roared louder than before, people begging for him to demonstrate his ability once more. In the midst of all the madness, the man leaned forward and whispered in her ear, “I can help you obtain the gift you are seeking. Meet me at the big tree about twenty minutes north of here at midnight, and I will tell you how.”

Before she could even blink, he had risen, leaving her to wonder if she had only imagined his offer.

Gwendolyn rose, as if in a trance, and found her way back to Brigit.