Page 4 of Haunted Hearts

“Just that man at the stable saw me, that’s all.”

“Stable? Who? What was this man’s name?” Blaze stopped pacing and held his breath, waiting for her answer.

“I don’t remember his name. He was about my age and slightly overweight. His hair was balding right here,” she said, tapping the back of her head. “He wasn’t here when I lived at Skull Manor, so I am guessing your father hired him since I left. The man is pesky and likes to talk a lot. I mean, after all, I only asked him to care for my horse, but he wanted to know everything about me.”

“God’s toes, nay. Not Orvyn.” If anyone had to have seen her, why did it have to be him? Lightning flashed outside the open window and thunder rumbled the walls, imitating his dark mood.

“Orvyn . . . Orvyn.” She looked up in the air and tapped a long finger against her lips. “Yes, I think that was his name. You see, I wasn’t really listening to him as he went on and on about some knight or lady, or whatever it was he chattered about.” She reached out and flipped over a card, still clutching the rest of the deck in one hand.

“Hellfire and damnation, if Orvyn knows you’re here, it’s no different than shouting it from the battlements. Your arrival is no longer a secret.” Blaze started pacing again.

“It shouldn’t need to be a secret. I live here,” said his mother. “Blaze, are you saying your stablemaster has a wagging tongue?”

“That’s putting it mildly.” Blaze forced a laugh. “I didn’t even want him here at all, but we had to take him in since he was sent here by the earl. You see, I am trying my best to make amends with Earl Birmingham.”

“Oh, so you still want to be a knight.”

“Of course, I do. Why wouldn’t I? It’s what every nobleman wants.”

“You don’t need to wait for the earl’s approval. Go offer your services somewhere else. You can always earn a living hiring out your sword. After all, you are good with a blade.”

Blaze had considered that, but it wasn’t an honorable job at all. It would stop him from ever becoming a knight. He also didn’t want to leave Skull Manor. Down deep, he really didn’t want to be far away from Lillith. A part of him kept hope alive that they could still be together someday.

“My reputation proceeds me now,” he told his mother. “If I can’t convince Earl Birmingham that I’m not a warlock, no one else will believe me.”

“Oh, well, who even cares about being a knight?” she asked. “You’re a warlock, Blaze. If you spent more time embracing your craft instead of playing with swords, things might go better for you.”

“There is no way in hell embracing being a warlock is better than being a knight. Neither is it something I’d ever consider doing. I don’t practice your pagan ways. I’m a Catholic now, like father.”

“Hmph,” she snorted. “If you knew the first thing about our ways, you would have embraced them instead. I never could convert your father, no matter how hard I tried. However, I must say, I respect that once he discovered my secret, he never breathed a word of it to anyone.”

“Is that why I’m an only child, Mother? Father didn’t find out you were a witch until after I was born, did he? I’ll bet he never would have married you if you’d been honest with him from the start.”

“What difference does it make?” she asked. “We had some good times together, but now it’s over. Even if he’s gone, at least I have you, Blaze.”

Like that was supposed to make him feel better?

“You can’t stay here, Mother. I won’t let you,” he said curtly, not wanting to hold in his frustration any longer.

“What?” She turned to him, looking shocked. “Son, this is my home.”

“Not anymore, it’s not. And please, don’t force me to kick you out, because you know I will if I have to. However, you are still my mother and I’d rather you just left on your own.”

“Oh, stop all your fussing, Blaze.” His mother flipped over another card. “You realize that all your worrying about things that don’t really matter is going to make you age quickly.”

Blaze couldn’t believe his mother’s attitude at all. No wonder his father threw her out on her ear. “I worked hard these past years, trying to erase from people’s minds the things they thought about me when you were careless enough to be discovered. You being here is only going to make matters worse.”

“I did nothing wrong. It’s not my fault that boy died. I only sent a missive to Lord Bonnel to warn him to keep his son off cliffs when I saw in the cards that Robert was in grave danger.”

“The tower card?” he asked curiously, knowing that one well. It was a tower being struck by lightning and two people falling from it, head first.

“Yes, that’s the one. Followed by the death card. See? It was evident it was going to happen. I had to warn his parents.”

“No, you didn’t. And you didn’t need to tell them you saw all this by reading fortune-telling cards. What the hell is the matter with you?”

“I thought if they knew the source, they’d believe me. And thank me later.”

“And we see how well that plan worked!”