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Terran chuckled at such foolishness, not detecting her sarcasm.

Bria pulled on the brown robe, making sure to keep her back to him so the Midnight Shadow’s cloak was well hidden in her sleeve. She tied the sack with her costume to her waist. When she looked at Terran, he’d pulled on his leggings and was slipping his tunic over his head. Their magical moment was gone. Long gone. “You’re going to have me banned from the castle again, aren’t you?”

“Listen to me,” Terran begged, taking her hands in his. “I must make things right before I can ask you to join me. I cannot endanger your life.”

“Let me help you. Let me be by your side.”

“And have you poisoned again? Never.” He lifted his fingertips to her cheek. “I will do right by my people. I will rid the land of the Midnight Shadow. Then you can return.”

Just as joy had begun to brim in her heart, the bubble burst at his words. Rid the land of the Midnight Shadow? But that meant her. She wanted more than anything to stay with him, wanted to be his wife in every way. But now the Midnight Shadow stood between them. She threw her arms around him, holding him close. “I love you, Terran, with all my heart. I would do anything to make it right between us. And if you think knowing who the Midnight Shadow is will do that, then so be it. There will be no more secrets.” She said it to herself as much as to him. With a deep breath, she pulled away and looked up into his eyes. “The Midnight Shadow is –”

Suddenly, the door flew open and Kenric rushed in, followed by four guards.

“M’lord,” Kenric panted. “The entire castle has been searched. He...” Kenric’s voice faded. “Lady Bria?”

“Search the castle again,” Terran ordered. “I will not make the mistake of opening the gates and have him slip through my fingers.”

Kenric nodded. “As you wish, m’lord.”

As the guards left the room, Terran called, “John!”

One of the men, the youngest by the looks of his boyish face, turned and came back. “Yes, m’lord?”

Terran held up a finger for him to wait. He turned to Bria. “You were saying?”

Bria swiveled her gaze to the guard and then to Terran. She wanted desperately to tell him, but she didn’t know if the guard was one of Kenric’s men and she hesitated, finally shaking her head.

Terran’s lips thinned, and he addressed the guard. “I want you to escort Lady Bria back to her castle.”

“No,” Bria gasped.

“Take Pavia with you,” he told the guard. “No harm is to befall her, do you understand me?”

“Yes, m’lord.” John nodded.

“Terran, please don’t do this,” Bria begged. “You need my help.”

Terran took her hands into his own. “John is one of my most trusted men. He’ll see you safely to Castle Delaney.”

“I don’t want to leave you!” Bria objected.

“For just a little while longer. Do this one thing for me, Bria.”

Bria started to shake her head, but Terran brought her knuckles to his lips.

“Please,” he whispered.

Bria wanted to say no, to demand she remain by his side. But he was looking at her with those large eyes, imploring her to do his bidding. Finally, she nodded and turned away to John.

She stepped out into the hallway to find Kenric standing there. “Do not worry, m’lady,” he said mockingly. “We’ll find the Midnight Shadow. He will not harm Lord Knowles.”

Bria’s eyes narrowed. “The Midnight Shadow would never consider it.” She quickly stepped past him. Satisfaction surged inside her. The ‘man’ he was searching for was being escorted safely out of the castle.

By midday, Kenric and his men had searched the castle again. There was no sign of the Midnight Shadow.

“He’s escaped,” Kenric told Terran. “We’ve searched the entire castle three times over.”

Terran thoughtfully chewed his venison. He sat in the Great Hall, eating his midday meal. A dog sniffed at the rushes near his feet, searching for a piece of dropped food. A servant stopped to refill his mug with ale. But not Kenric, the dogs, nor the servants occupied Terran’s mind. Bria did.