Page 167 of Destiny of a King

Tharne had insisted Adira was safe. Faith had agreed. Neither would tell him more, if they even knew more. And Dravic had finally stopped asking.

He didn’t want someone to tell him where Adira was. He wanted to find her himself. He wanted to see her. Touch her. Take her in his arms and assure himself that she was truly there.

After that—he would decide precisely how angry he intended to be with her.

Very, he suspected.

A rustling sound came from behind him.

Dravic turned.

Tibby was on his feet, his nose lifted into the air, sniffing. Once. Twice. Then his whole body seemed to change. He darted off the path and disappeared between the trees.

Dravic’s heart slammed against his chest. “Tibby!”

The creature didn’t stop.

Dravic grabbed his stallion’s reins and swung into the saddle.

For the first time in five days, Tibby wasn’t wandering… he was running.

Dravic urged his stallion after him. “Tibby!”

The little creature vanished through the trees, forcing Dravic to duck beneath a low branch as he followed. The trail narrowed, then disappeared altogether, but Tibby continued without hesitation.

For the first time since their search began, Dravic did not have to urge him on.

His heart beat harder. Adira, she had to be close.

The trees began to thin ahead, sunlight spilling through the branches. Dravic slowed his stallion as he emerged from the woods into a clearing.

“Tibby?”

He spotted the creature several feet away and several grumbling oaths fell from his lips.

Tibby lay sprawled on his belly among a bed of tiny yellow flowers, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.

“Flowers? Flowers brought you here?”

Tibby’s tail thumped against the ground.

Dravic was about to tell him precisely what he thought of his latest find when he noticed the cottage.

It sat a short distance away, small and simple, surrounded by trees and patches of spring flowers. Smoke puffed steadily from the chimney. A garden had been started beside it, neat rows of new growth pushing through the soil.

It was someone’s home.

Then he saw the woman. She stood with her back to him beneath a large tree, hanging freshly washed garments over one of its lower branches to dry in the spring sunshine. Long blond hair fell nearly to her waist.

Disappointment struck him hard… not Adira.

Dravic looked down at Tibby. “You brought me to the wrong woman.”

Tibby’s tail thumped again.

“Do not look so pleased with yourself.”

Days upon end following the creature through Driochmor only to arrive at the home of a woman he had never seen before.