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“Who are you? What is your name?” Sidonia demanded. He couldn’t be that Ansara, could he? Surely not.
“I am Judah Ansara.”
Sidonia gasped.
He smiled wickedly. “I once wondered if Mercy might have suspected I was an Ansara, and if that was the reason she fled from me so quickly that long ago morning.”
“Stop reading my mind!” Heaven help her, she had to do something to prevent this Ansara demon from listening to her thoughts. He mustn’t find out—shut up, you old fool, she told herself. Then she closed her eyes and recited an ancient spell, one that should protect her from this wicked Ansara’s mental probing.
“Don’t trouble yourself, Sidonia,” Judah told her. “I will leave your thoughts private. But when I leave, I’m afraid I must erase from your mind all memory of my visit here tonight.”
“Don’t you touch my mind again, you evil beast.”
Judah laughed.
“You find me amusing, do you? Don’t think because I am well past eighty that my skills are not as sharp as they ever were.”
“I would never insult you by underestimating your powers.”
“Why are you with Mercy?” Sidonia demanded. “What are you doing here on Raintree land? How did you—”
“Why I’m here doesn’t matter. I found Mercy in an unconscious state and brought her home. You should be grateful to me.”
“Grateful to Ansara scum like you? Never!”
“Does Mercy feel about me the way you do? Does she hate me?”
“Of course she hates you. She is Raintree. You are Ansara.”
He glanced at the bed where Mercy rested. Tempted to probe the old woman’s mind for answers, Judah snorted, disgusted with himself for allowing his curiosity about Mercy’s feelings to concern him.
“You can’t stay here,” Sidonia said. “You must leave. Immediately.”
“I have no plans to remain here,” Judah told her. “I leave your mistress in your capable hands.”
“Yes, yes. Leave now, and go quickly.”
When Judah turned to leave, his mind centered on a spell that would erase Sidonia’s memories of his visit, he spotted a small shadow behind and to the side of the old woman. He paused and waited, suspecting the Raintree nanny might have conjured up some deadly little spirit to escort him out of the house. But suddenly the shadow moved from behind Sidonia and came into the room, the light from the hallway backlighting the figure, making it appear a golden white, like the glow of moonlight. The shadow was a child, a girl child, he realized.
Judah stared at the little one and saw that her eyes were a true Raintree green, and her pale blond hair flowed in long, shimmering curls to her waist. If his eyesight had not told him that Mercy was the child’s mother, his inner vision would have.
So Mercy had married and had children. At least one child. This remarkably lovely little girl
was so like her mother, and yet…
What was it about the child that puzzled him? She was a Raintree child, no doubt of that. But she was different.
Sidonia grabbed the girl and tried to shove the little beauty behind her, but the child wiggled free of the old nanny’s hold and walked fearlessly toward Judah.
“No, child, don’t!” Sidonia cried. “Stay away from him. He is evil.”
The child stopped several feet away from Judah, then looked up and stared right at him, her gaze connecting boldly with his.
“I’m not afraid of him,” the child said. “He won’t hurt me.”
Judah smiled, impressed with her bravery.
Seasoned warriors had trembled at the very sight of Judah Ansara.
