Echoes of Magic by Donna Grant Read Free Book Online Page B

away from
Drogan and Serena. For a while anyway.
    He wiped the water from his face as he
smoothed back his hair and reached for the knife to begin
shaving.
     
    * * * * *
     
    Adrianna wrung out her hair and began to
comb it when she realized she had forgotten the soap. She whirled
around to retrace her steps and nearly ran into Yoska.
    “ What’s your hurry, Drina?”
he asked with a brow raised.
    She tried to move past him, but he blocked
her. “I forgot the soap.”
    “ I think your warrior can
return it once he’s finished.”
    Her lips parted as her mind pictured Grayson
swimming the same water she had just left. Maybe she should have
taken longer.
    Don’t be a fool!
    She couldn’t let herself be tempted by him,
no matter what her body said.
    “ I didn’t realize Grayson
had gone to bathe,” she said and leaned against the cart. She
continued to comb out her tangles, hoping Yoska would leave well
enough alone. She should have known better.
    “ Are you sure you didn’t
know?”
    She met the tall Romanian’s gaze. “I saw no
one when I left the river.”
    Yoska grunted and folded his arms over his
chest. “Did he see you?”
    A thrill shot through her at the thought of
Grayson watching her. The mere idea of it sent her blood pumping
wildly through her, and a deep, soulful throb went through her
sex.
    “ I wouldn’t know,” she
finally answered.
    Yoska gave another grunt before he turned
and walked away, but Adrianna didn’t pay him any heed. Her mind was
on Grayson and the river.
    A small smile played about her lips. She
couldn’t help but wonder if Grayson liked what he had seen. Her
very next thought was why hadn’t he joined her in the water?
Adrianna closed her eyes and said a prayer of thanks that he
hadn’t. She was hurting Milosh enough already.
    But once you leave? Will you be able to
resist the temptation Grayson offers? Do you even want to?
    God knew she didn’t want to resist him, but
she must. Her desire was nothing compared to keeping him alive to
face the evil. If only there wasn’t the curse, then she could give
in to her desire. She still needed to know more of the future, to
look further and see what Grayson needed to do in order to win.
    If he wins.
    She inwardly winced and
finished combing her hair. Grayson losing against the evil wasn’t
something she wanted to think about, or know for that matter. But
would not seeing the future hurt Grayson? If she looked, she might
be able to prepare him. She wasn’t sure how Grayson would feel
about it, but he didn’t have to know. Adrianna wasn’t naïve enough
to believe her people would continue. She was one of the last of
the bana ‐ bhuidseach , and she intended to make use of the gifts she’d been
given.
    Her gaze shifted to Grayson
as he returned from the river, his hair wet and his tunic in his
hands. His skin, darkened to a golden hue, glistened with water
droplets. She licked her lips as her gaze slid down his wide
shoulders, chiseled stomach to his narrow waist.
    Desire. Need. Hunger.
    The words echoed in her mind, weakening her
will to stay away from him. It would be so easy to give in, to
listen to her body. But she had experienced firsthand what it was
like to lose everything.
    Adrianna inhaled deeply and turned her mind
to the evil. There was so much wrong Grayson could set right. She
had no choice but to use the gifts given her. She’d just have to
make sure the evil didn’t find her first.

Chapter Eight
     
     
    The tune his mother hummed was soft,
soothing as they returned from the fields. She laughed as he ran in
front chasing the pheasants.
    “ Grayson, be careful,” she
warned when he got too far ahead.
    But he wanted to surprise her. He hurriedly
picked a handful of the wild flowers and rushed back to her. As
soon as she saw him and his outstretched hand, she fell to her
knees and opened her arms for him.
    She held him tightly a moment before pulling
back and giving him a kiss. “Are those for me, or did some