Page 48 of An Unlikely Knight

Chapter Fifteen

Aubrey chose not to remain in the library at the castle as everyone discussed and tried to make sense of Erin’s dreams. They’d decided to stay the night. In truth, she considered leaving and returning to her own home. After all, there was nothing she could contribute, other than being there for Erin.

It was a beautiful day, so moments later, with a cup of tea in hand, Aubrey went outside to a set of tables and chairs and sat down. There had been so much on her mind lately, this situation with Erin being one of them.

As much as she loved her huge home, with it came a myriad of tasks. Maintenance and repairs were full-time jobs in themselves. Thankfully, her father made provisions that paid for a gardener and a maid service. However, the list of repairs, veterinary appointments for the horses and other estate management issues was becoming overwhelming.

She loved Ashcraig Hall, but at the same time Aubrey wanted to make her own mark, to grow the yoga business she and Erin owned. Lately she’d considered purchasing a smaller home and asking her father if perhaps they should sell the estate.

She had one brother, Stuart, a musician who lived in Glasgow. Stuart’s band was gaining popularity and was in high demand in the city. Her brother had no interest in moving to the country, and had made it clear he had no desire to live in the house.

The gust of wind whirled around her, and she lifted her face to the sun, closing her eyes. Her heart ached at the thought of moving from the family estate, yet perhaps going flat hunting with Erin had made her wish to live closer to the city, within walking distance of shops and restaurants.

The moment she opened her eyes, a startled scream ripped from Aubrey’s throat. The ceramic cup slipped from her fingers, shattering against the cold paving stones at the feet of a massive blond man.

He was a mountain of muscle, his presence so imposing that it sent a jolt of fear through her veins. His piercing blue eyes locked onto hers, brows shooting up in surprise, as if he was just as shocked to see her as she was to see him.

“Who are you?” His voice was rough, laced with a heavy accent that made the hairs on her arms rise.

“Who the hell are you?” Aubrey shot to her feet so fast that blood rushed to her head, making her sway.

The stranger reached out, his calloused fingers catching her arm to steady her. She recoiled instantly, jerking away as if his touch had burned her. “I can stand on my own,” she snapped.

His gaze flickered toward the house, his expression unreadable. From the way he dressed—dark leather, a belt weighed down with weapons, a tunic stitched with unfamiliar symbols—Aubrey knew immediately. He had to be from the other realm.

She took a cautious step back, her heart hammering. “You’re not from this world, are you?”

“No.”

Aubrey’s mind spun as she calculated the distance to the door. If she ran, would she make it before he caught her?

Before she could act, the blond warrior lifted a hand, as if sensing her intent. “I am not here to take you,” he said, his voice steady, as if soothing a skittish animal. He motioned to the doorway. “I bring a message.”

“Give it to them yourself,” Aubrey shot back before she could stop herself. Defiance was her knee-jerk reaction, the very reason she struggled to take orders from anyone and had to work for herself. “They’re inside.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw, and he exhaled as though summoning patience. It was then she noticed a jagged scar down the left side of his face.

At her perusal, he gave her a droll, almost amused look. “I am called Gunther. I serve Meliot.”

At the mention of that name, Aubrey’s blood turned to ice. Meliot. The wizard. The man whose very name carried whispers of death.

Her breath hitched. He was here to kill her.

Spinning on her heel, she lunged for the door, but steel-like arms wrapped around her, yanking her back against his solid chest. A rough hand clamped over her mouth.

“Will you listen to me?” His voice rumbled with irritation.

Aubrey let out a muffled snarl and drove her heel into his shin. He grunted in pain, his grip not loosening, if anything it felt tighter.

“Tell them,” he ground out, “their friend is gravely wounded. Meliot will find him again soon. I did what I could to guard my house, but it will not hold for long.”

Aubrey stilled. A warning. Was he telling the truth? Or was this a carefully laid trap?

She went limp in his grasp. He loosened his hold just slightly—enough for her to twist free. She whirled, making another break for the house, but his strong hand closed around her wrist, spinning her back to face him. His blue eyes locked onto hers, filled with something strange. Not cruelty. Not malice. Something else. When his bright blue gaze traveled over her, Aubrey stopped breathing. There was something like desire in his eyes and damn if it didn’t affect her in all the wrong places.

“Who are you?” he asked, this time not with suspicion, but genuine curiosity.

“The woman who’s going to kick you again if you don’t stop grabbing me,” she shot back, jerking her arm free.