Page 24 of An Unlikely Knight

“Relax and trust,” Padriag said, his eyes meeting hers. “You have to believe it for it to work.”

It had to work. If she was chosen for this, it was up to her, and she had to try hard. Taking a deep breath, Erin closed her eyes.

The warding spell was easy to sense, it was as if the air was filled with static electricity, gently sizzling but not feeling threatening.

In a soft voice, Erin called to the spirits as she’d been taught by John. “Come spirits of light, hear me, help me. I await you, come spirits in your power.”

She waited unsure if it had worked or not. Padriag squeezed her hands, and she began the spell she’d written.

“By love unbroken, by bond unshaken,

I summon the heart that fate has taken.

Break these chains, undo the night,

Return, my knight, to truth and light.”

When she began repeating the spell, the room spun, and she found it hard to stay seated. Losing Padriag’s hold, Erin was tossed from the sofa and landed on the floor. Unable to see as everything became dark, she heard a thud, followed by Padriag’s curse.

“Shit. I banged my head.”

There was nothing different about the room, other than one of the sofa pillows on the floor, Padriag lying next to the fireplace and Erin on the rug.

“What happened?” Gwen exclaimed, running into the room, John and Tammie behind her.

“I think Erin may be on the right track with her spell,” Padriag said, jumping to his feet and hurrying to help Erin up. “Something didn’t want her to finish.”

“That’s amazing,” Tammie said, hands clutched in front of her chest.

The women and John sat around the table once again, going over the spell and trying to figure out what, if anything, needed to be added or changed.

Padriag, who’d spent most of the time pacing, came up to Erin and placed his hand on her shoulder. “I have to go back now. Can I speak to you privately?”

“Of course.” Erin stood and together they went outside.

He glanced around and took a deep breath. “Strange how the air smells differently here. The scent is so familiar, it feels good to inhale it.

Reaching for her hand, he brought it up to his lips, kissed the back of it, and then held it with both of his.

“Erin, thank you. I don’t dare hope for freedom. I sense that I may not be freed. Yet, I greatly appreciate everything that you and the others are doing.”

Struck silent, Erin wasn’t sure what to think. They’d just made progress, why was Padriag so convinced that he’d not be able to break his curse.

When she looked up at him, his gaze fell as he seemed to struggle for words.. “When the time comes, I believe you will know it. Please stop trying. Go back to living your life. I can’t ask you to continue this indefinitely. It’s not fair to you.” He looked toward the house. “And it is not fair to them. I do ask one thing of you, do your best to convince the others that I have accepted my fate.”

“I-I don’t understand,” Erin stammered. “Why are you so convinced it won’t work. Everything they have been doing, it’s working. What happened today, that is definitely progress. You even said ...”

“What everyone needed to hear. The way we were thrown off, means the spell did not work and will not work. It is the wrong one. If there is a spell to break the curse, I doubt you or anyone can find it.”

“I can’t give up. Not now,” Erin replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

Padriag shook his head. “I best go.”

To her utter surprise and delight, he took her in his arms and kissed her. Erin returned the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck, melting against him.

Mine.

The word slammed into her mind. More than a thought, or a wish, it was a sense that he was to be hers. Padriag would not be left behind. She felt it in her bones.

“Padriag.” Her words sounded husky as she spoke into his ear. “I am not giving up.”

His mouth took hers once again, and he pulled her close. Then he broke away, his eyes locked with hers until he dematerialized and was gone.