Page 38 of Haunted Hearts

Ten

Blaze rode backtoward Skull Manor with his arms and cloak wrapped around Lillith since she sat in front of him on the horse. The rain had let up and it was only drizzling now. The reins of the slow horse were tied to his, and it trailed behind them.

He supposed he hadn’t really thought Arthur would do anything to help him. Still, he had to try.

“I’m sorry things didn’t work out the way we would have liked them to,” said Lillith.

“Me too,” he said, his mouth right up to her ear since their bodies were pressed together.

“Don’t give up hope, Blaze. There must be a way to make it happen.”

“I’m surprised to hear you say that after you seemed to hate me when I first saw you again at the cemetery.”

“I thought I did, but after being with you again, I realized I could never hate you, Blaze.”

“Well, there isn’t anything I can do to change things,” said Blaze. “I signed the contract and it is binding.”

“You were tricked.”

“Yes. But I was so excited to think I was marrying you that I didn’t even read it. It’s all my fault.”

“Even if you had read it, I was still already betrothed to the baron. Oh, Blaze, this is horrible. What are we going to do?”

“I suppose we bide our time and put off my wedding as long as possible. Mayhap I can talk to the baron when he returns.”

“Do you think that will make a difference?”

“Nay. Not really. And I’m sad to say that if I can’t convince him to let me marry you, then I will be going ahead and marrying your sister – something I don’t really want to do.”

“I see.” Lillith didn’t like that idea at all of Blaze saying he’d still go through with the wedding to Serena.

“Lilly, you know I need this alliance. I have been through hard times and if I want to be accepted back by the earl and knighted, I have to do this.”

“I understand.”

“It is the only way I can fix my family’s reputation.”

“Blaze, there are the standing stones,” she said spotting them through the trees. “Can we stop here? I want to see them again.”

Blaze didn’t want to do it, but he also didn’t want to deny Lilly’s request. He never could say no to her. “Well, all right, but just for a minute. This rain might get worse and we need to keep riding.”

He wasn’t at all sure he should be taking Lillith right to the stone circle, but since she’d already seen it, he supposed it didn’t matter. He only hoped the pageboy would keep his mouth shut about what he saw.

He dismounted, and helped Lillith from the horse. It felt odd being here. Blaze had not participated in the Samhain ceremony since his mother left five years ago. After his mother had been accused of cursing Lillith’s brother, Blaze ignored the ring of stones entirely. Now, his mother had returned into his life, and she would expect him to participate in the Samhain traditions with the rest of the coven once again.

“I want to see it, closer.” Lillith walked right past him, heading for the center of the circle.

“Lilly, nay. Wait,” he told her. “You can’t just parade right into the center of the circle.”

“Why not?” she asked with a shrug. “It’s so intriguing that I want to walk inside it.”

“This is kind of a sacred spot. But I suppose if you respect it, it will be fine.”

“Sacred for witches,” she said.

“I really don’t like that word.”

“What else would you call your people?”