Page 46 of An Enchanted Knight

Finally he stood and shakily walked toward the keep.

The front door was unlocked. Tristan found it surprising that he was able to enter and acclimate himself to the first floor of the house without anyone stumbling upon him. How long he had waited for this moment, the day he’d walk in this house freely, without being confined to the room he flashed into.

Footsteps came to a halt, and he turned to see Edith McRainey. After an initial shocked look, she rushed to him, hugging him. “You’re free. Thank God and the Virgin Mary!” Edith exclaimed. “Oh goodness, I can barely believe it.” The older woman began to cry, reaching up and cupping his face. “You’ve been through so much. I know you’ll need some time to adjust.” She looked around him. “Where’s Gwen?”

“Meliot took Gwyneth. I have to go back.”

“What?” Edith cried, “Oh no. What am I going to tell her sister?”

“Don’t worry Edith, I overheard.” A young woman walked into the room, her eyes trained on Tristan. It had to be Gwyneth’s sister. Their resemblance was uncanny, in spite of their very different coloring. Where Gwyneth was dark, this sister was fair. In contrast to Gwen’s midnight hair, her hair was vibrant in different shades of red and auburn that framed her pretty face. Her eyes were light, not dark brown like Gwen’s, but they both had the same almond shape.

“I’m Sabrina.” She held her hand out. Tristan took it. “Is this the last part of the enchantment? The sacrifice. Since the other parts are done.”

“Done?” Tristan asked confused.

“Yes, you know, the correct spell and the part where the enchantress falls in love with you,” Sabrina told him holding his gaze. “You are aware that now you’ll have to marry her, right?”

He knew his eyes widened, but he hoped she didn’t take it the wrong way. “She’s in love with me?”

Sabrina cocked an eyebrow. “Duh.”

“Of course I’ll do my duty by her,” he stuttered.

“Your duty? You’ll only marry her if you love her. Not out of duty. Men! No matter what time you’re from, you guys are all the same. Dense.”

“Should not we be worrying about saving her first?”

“On it.” She held up her hand. “I’m going to look for a spell in the book, but I’m almost certain it’s not necessary.” She gave him a triumphant look. “The enchantment is broken. She can’t possibly stay there now.”

Tristan wasn’t too sure, but he didn’t argue. He needed time to think. Perhaps he’d summon Gavin and get him to flash him back to the alter-world.

“What the hell is going on?” The young McRainey entered the room, stopping, his mouth falling open when he set eyes on Tristan. “Oh.”

“Nephew,” Tristan greeted him, not moving, afraid he might hit the man for touching Gwyneth. “Unlike the ladies, you do not seem pleased at my return.”

Derrick’s eyes narrowed slightly. He went to pour himself a drink and drank it down, then poured another.

“It’s just that I didn’t think the legend was true,” he told them without turning. “How the hell could this happen?”

When he turned, his expression was completely composed. “Welcome back, Laird. I’m pleased that you are free and can finally return to your home.”

Tristan nodded, watching the young man pour another drink, then pour one in a separate glass and bring it to him. “How long since you’ve been able to—partake?” The question was not about the drink… Tristan understood that.

“Just a few days ago, actually,” Tristan replied, locking gazes with Derrick’s. “I enjoyed it very much.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Derrick replied, also not backing off. “If so, you would not be so eager to leave this alter-world.”

“I didn’t say it happened there,” Tristan replied, lifting an eyebrow and glancing toward the ceiling. “Did I?”

Derrick stared at him, not breaking eye contact as he took another swallow from his glass.

Sabrina huffed. “If this testosterone standoff is done, we need to concentrate on saving my sister.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

In the tension-filled room, Tristan stared blankly at the fireplace. He was home. He never expected it to come to pass. For hundreds of years, it was always an inaccessible dream. Now, he was finally free and couldn’t be happy that the dream finally came true. Not this way. Instead of being relieved, other emotions battled within him—loneliness, confusion, and fear. He hated admitting the last one. He feared the consequences of Gwyneth’s actions. He couldn’t even begin to fathom what Meliot would do to her. If so, he’d go crazy with rage.

Meliot had to be killed.