me?”
I knew he was keeping something from me. I could feel it deep within my bones. Why was I so drawn to him? He was a
stranger to me, and yet, after our first meeting I couldn’t get him out of my mind, even when he was wrapped in his shadows.
After I saw his face, I felt myself getting lost in it, losing myself completely to him. Even as Lord Cole, I was drawn to him,
infatuated by him.
I wondered if he put me under some kind of spell or love magic. He was intoxicating in every possible way. While he
filled my dreams with longing, I still couldn't think of anything but him during my waking moments.
I needed to know the truth.Desperately.
“Nicholas, please don’t keep me in the dark.”
“When I told you we met—I had been watching you for weeks before. We were just children then. One day I was able to
sneak into your castle disguised as a stable boy, and no one batted an eyelid. I watched you play with your brother and your
lady’s maid—who I believe is the one locked in my dungeon.”
He sat beside me and kept his eyes forward, as if he didn't want to look at me anymore as the words spouted from his
mouth. My heart continued to race as his voice hit my ears.
“When I finally grew the courage to speak to you, I found you crying in the woods. At first, you were scared of me but when
I showed you I could do magic, you seemed to relax around me. I never asked you why you were upset, you just promised me
you’d see me again.” He paused, biting his lip as his hands tightened into fists, possibly reliving those days. Yet, I couldn’t
picture them. “You did see me again. We continued to meet in the stable house or in the woods and we became friends.”
Abruptly, he had one of his hands on my face as he turned to look at me. The greyness in his eyes showing more as he
brought his lips down onto mine.
Suddenly, my mind flooded with images. Flashes, and voices, so many voices. Just as it did once before when he returned
the memory of my uncle. These were memories, so many memories he had taken from me. Many moments I’d lost.
Not only were there memories, but emotions also flooded my chest as tears streamed down my cheeks. Kissing him back, I
could feel everything around me more intensely. I could feel his heartbeat against my hand as I placed it on his chest. He then
wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer.
Chapter 28
Memory
ORNELLA
Ayoung Nicholas opened the palm of his hand and a beautiful purple wisteria flower bloomed within it. It was
something I’d never seen before. He held my hand in his other and squeezed tightly. I knew him only from the small
