A Beautiful Knight (The Cursed Kingdom #2)

Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

T he room above the bookshop had a low ceiling. Gavin ducked into the bathroom to take a shower. The rush of hot water washed over him, and he closed his eyes enjoying the unusual sensation.

After speaking to Sabrina and the man, Tristan, John insisted he go upstairs and rest. Not sure what else to do, he tried to sleep, but after an hour of lying in bed and not falling asleep, he got up and tinkered with the fixtures until he figured out how to get the water to spill out.

Although not sure about anything, something urgent seemed to pull at him. A strange feeling like that of falling sideways came and went.

Once out of the shower, he dried and once again pulled on the clothes John had loaned him, then went to the window and peered out at the road below. The night was bright, lit by flameless torches standing every few feet. A lone figure stood below one, not moving, huddled against the night coolness.

Gavin looked closer, but could not make out the person’s features, other than a grey beard. It seemed as if the person stared up at his window. A rush of wind blew the man’s hood off, and his stark grey hair blew in the wind. A sneer formed on the man’s lips. Pale hands pulled the hood back up. The man was familiar . Gavin stepped away from the window, uneasiness creeping up his spine.

The woman, Sabrina, had assured him that she and the man called Tristan would arrive soon. For some reason, he knew that, with her arrival, he’d be more at ease. The woman was very important to him, of that he was sure.

The conversation with Tristan confused him. The man insisted he leap and will himself to another location. His familiar tone told Gavin they knew each other well, and the cadence of Tristan’s speech was very much like his own. The idea of leaping or willing himself to another location did not make sense.

Hopefully once the others arrived, answers would come. When he peered out the window again, the old man was gone.

Gwen had insisted on driving claiming Sabrina was much too nervous and should be spending her time researching.

As they arrived at the outskirts of Edinburgh, still without any answers as to what could have possibly happened to Gavin, Sabrina became more and more restless, tapping her fingers on the armrest and every few minutes glancing at her watch.

Very soon another day would pass, and Gavin would age another year. Grateful that no one spoke to her, she allowed her thoughts free rein. How would they convince Gavin to leap back to the alter-world? If he couldn’t remember anything, it would be difficult.

About to ask Tristan his thoughts, she changed her mind, seeing the large warrior’s death grip on his arm rest. She decided to divert his attention. “Tristan, has this happened before? Have any of you lost their memory?”

“No, never. It must be Meliot’s doing. To keep him from breaking his curse.”

“If he can’t remember anything, he may not be able to do it,” Sabrina said.

Tristan’s worried eyes met hers. “I have considered that. Perhaps we can try to summon one of the others to appear and take him back.”

“Perhaps Liam. He is the one who came to inform us Gavin was missing. It could be that he can appear in different locations.”

She bit her bottom lip thinking. “If Meliot meant to hide Gavin from us to keep from breaking the spell, why did he keep him so close?”

The knight shook his head. “I do not know. I suspect Meliot has little control in this realm.”

“That makes sense I suppose,” Sabrina replied glancing at her watch again. How much longer before we get there?

“Shouldn’t be too much longer,” Gwen replied looking at the GPS. “Perhaps a half hour.”

Exactly twenty-five minutes later, Gwen pulled over in front of the non-descript book shop. “I will park. Go inside.”

Sabrina and Tristan got out and hurried towards the bookshop’s front door. An old-fashioned shingle sign hung over the door. “Stewart Books & Magic.”

The lights were on, giving them a clear view of a man who opened the front door. Sabrina suspected it was John Stewart.

He had kind brown eyes and a look of relief as he moved back, allowing them in.

“Hello, I am John. I assume you are Sabrina and Tristan, was it?”

Both she and Tristan nodded as he continued with barely a pause.

“I’m so glad you’re here. He went upstairs right after I spoke with you, but I heard him up and about. I am sure he’s too confused to rest.”

He led them through the booklined room and on to a stairwell next to what looked to be a sitting room.

“I’ll go see him first, then I’ll call for you,” she told Tristan, who nodded understanding. On the way there, they’d discussed not wishing to overwhelm Gavin. They would take their time with him in hopes his memories would return.

The stairs creaked under her feet as she climbed the narrow stairway. Spotting the first doorway, she peeked inside.

At the sight of Gavin sitting on the bed, tears sprang to her eyes. He looked up and stood at seeing her. The short beard made him appear older, but, leaning closer to inspect him, she didn’t see any other signs of aging. Not yet.

He seemed confused for a moment, before his eyes widened and he smiled at her. Something fluttered in her stomach, but she pushed it away. This was not the time for silly things.

“Ye came. Are ye taking me home?” he asked, studying her.

Sabrina nodded, “I’m going to try.”

He caught her by surprise, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against him, his mouth seeking hers. The man acted very familiar for someone who didn’t remember her.

Sabrina kissed him back, taking advantage of the fact that his lack of memory must have erased his past experiences along with the inhibitions.

Albeit reluctantly, she pushed back from him. “Gavin, there are others downstairs, waiting to see you.”

“Are ye my wife?” The heat in the amber eyes sent shivers through her. If only some of his memories would stay away forever.

“Not quite,” she replied, not sure what to say about their relationship at this point. “We are friends.”

A pensive expression formed. “We will marry.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I must love ye. How could I not? My heart remembered ye.”

Sabrina couldn’t help but smile and caressed his cheek. “I’ll remind you of those words when you regain your memory.”

He nodded. “I hope to remember everything. Who is downstairs?”

Gavin didn’t like Sabrina’s evasiveness. She’d averted her eyes when he’d asked if she came to take him home. Did she not live with him?

How did he know to trust the strangers before him? True, he remembered Sabrina with fondness and the man, Tristan, was instantly familiar. Tristan’s partner, Gwyneth, as well. Gwyneth was clearly Sabrina’s sister and evoked trust.

After Tristan explained about an enchantment, about them living in another world, he began explaining the mechanics of leaping. “Gavin, you must will yourself back. It’s imperative that you do not remain another day in this realm. You will begin aging at a fast rate, so swift you could die in a matter of weeks.”

Gavin looked to Sabrina, whose hand he’d yet to release. “Will you go with me?”

Again her eyes evaded, “I can’t.”

“Then I refuse to go.” His mind made up, he released Sabrina’s hand and crossed his arms. “I wish to go home now.”

A muscle in Tristan’s jaw flexed. “Gavin, the alter-world is your home, for now at least. The sooner you leave, the sooner you can regain your memory and join Sabrina for good.”

Sabrina spoke to Tristan. “We need to summon Liam or Padriag.”

“Liam?” John spoke up, the entire time he’d remained in the background, absorbing all the interaction between Gavin and the group. “Gavin remembered the name.”

“I remember the name Liam, but not any other detail about him.”

When Sabrina locked gazes with him, worry lines creased her brow. “Gavin, maybe if you go back to the alter-world, you’ll remember everything. The sooner you are able to remember, the faster you and I can be together.”

She turned to her sister. “Let’s try together. To summon Liam.”

Not sure what to do, Gavin sank into a chair. Perhaps she didn’t love him, didn’t want him to remain with her. The alter-world sounded like a fantasy. How could he not remember any of what Tristan described?

Sabrina fought the urge to cry. The temptation to just take him back to Tristan’s keep gnawed at her. Would him remaining another pair of days do more harm than good? For a split second she considered that if he didn’t remember his aversion to being touched, they could make love before he left. It wouldn’t be right, not in the vulnerable state he was in at that moment.

He sat down, his expression so forlorn, confused. Yet another horrible punishment from the hate-filled wizard. But she didn’t have the right to make this decision for him, not right now. Unable to bear it, she sat next to him and leaned into his chest.

“The reason Meliot is throwing these hurdles at us has to be because he knows we are getting closer to breaking you knights out of the enchantment,” Sabrina told him. “We need to keep going. To keep fighting.”

Gavin studied the people in the room, not seeming to understand the gravity of what had happened. It was understandable.

No sooner had Sabrina concentrated on summoning Liam than he did appear, looking around with wild eyes. Then relief seemed to wash over him when he noticed Gavin. “You found him.”

John looked about ready to pass out. “Another one?”

Everyone ignored him except for Liam who frowned at the pale man before turning his attention back to Sabrina.

“I will take him back, but what should we do after that?”

“Send Padriag for me,” Sabrina replied. “If it’s possible for me to come to the alter-world I must go. I am the only one he remembers.”

“Very well.” The English Knight’s ice-blue eyes met hers. Aflicker of something akin to distrust flashed in his gaze before he looked away. It was as if he found her lacking, for some reason. Perhaps because she was Gavin’s enchantress, and the two men didn’t get along.

“Hallo Gavin,” Liam said. “I will take you back to our home now.”

Not seeming to recognize Liam, Gavin looked to John as if for confirmation that he could trust him.

If possible, John paled further, his Adam’s apple bobbed. “I am John Stewart, I found him. Outside my shop here.”

“Thank you,” Liam replied.

“I’m so sorry!” Sabrina exclaimed. “In all this confusion I didn’t thank you John. I’m so sorry you’ve been dragged into all this, hopefully you don’t think we’re a bunch of lunatics.”

John smiled. “No need. I always suspected travel between planes was a possibility. Now I know for certain. This has been quite enlightening.”

“Are ye a wizard?” Liam asked him.

“Yes, well Wiccan is what I prefer to be called.” John replied. “Wiccan...er, I do try my hand at spells at times.”

Gwen touched John’s arm. “That’s perfect. Maybe you can help us to break an enchantment that keeps them trapped in an alter-world. We may need your assistance.”

John grinned, showcasing deep dimples. “Yes, of course. I would love to.”

Liam grimaced. “I have to go.” He looked to Gavin, who looked to her, his eyes worry-filled.

How could she let him go like this? “Can I speak to him, just for a moment please?” Sabrina took Gavin’s hand and pulled him out of the room.

In the small sitting room, she met his worried gaze. “Gavin, I promise you I will help you. You will be free and come here permanently. Trust me. You and I will be together. But for now, it is imperative that you go with him.”

He didn’t reply, instead pressed his lips together, she could tell he debated her words.

“Look here.” She took a piece of paper out of her back pocket, an image of them on it. “This was taken when we spent the day at Castle Campbell, your home in Scotland. Keep it with you. Know that I will come. I want you to stay with me too, but you can’t remain in this realm. It is dangerous. You will age and die. You must go with Liam.”

Finally he reached for the item, tucking it into the front pocket of sweatpants. “Very well.”

“We must go.” Liam stood in the room, his eyes on Gavin. “Come.”

Liam wrapped his arms around Gavin who tensed, his widened eyes locking with hers.

“Close your eyes,” Liam told him, his words clipped.

Then they were gone.