Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 106398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 532(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 532(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
“What if she did not want you to find her?” she asked with a surly tongue, annoyed that he was once again pointing out Owen’s faults and that he was once again right.
He laughed. “Princess, the woman I fall in love with will be so thoroughly loved that she would not want to be away from me for long.”
She bristled at the name or was it that she felt a twinge of jealousy that some woman would know such a powerful and dedicated love.
“Would she not find you tiresome after a while?”
He eyed her strangely for a moment before asking, “Have you found Owen tiresome so soon after falling in love with him?”
“No,” she snapped, “of course not.”
Did she?
The question took her by surprise. There had been times she had not wanted to visit with Owen when he had arrived at the abbey. Did that mean she did not love as him much as she thought she did?
“Your brother cannot stay away from Dawn. They spend much time together, and Cree is the one that chases after Dawn when they have been separated for just a short time. He claims it is because she has no voice, an affliction she has suffered since birth, and it leaves her more vulnerable than others. But Dawn is brave and has faced dangerous situations with courage and resolve. So everyone knows it is because Cree’s love for her is so strong that he cannot be apart from her for long.”
Voice or not, if her brother had fallen in love with Dawn, then she had to be special. “And Dawn? Does she feel the same for my brother?”
Torr grinned. “It is unbelievable how much the two love each other. And it is also wonderful to see that such a powerful love can exist and appear to grow stronger day by day.”
Could she honestly say that she felt that way about Owen? Perhaps Torr whisking her away had been a good thing. Perhaps she needed time to make more sense of whatever it was she felt for Owen. Perhaps she had wanted nothing more than to be free of the confines of the abbey and Owen could provide that. Whatever the reason, she needed to think on it. Given all that had happened, she wasn’t sure how she felt about Owen. And that realization disturbed her.
If she had possibly misjudged Owen’s character, then how could she trust herself to trust her opinion of Torr’s character? She got annoyed at her brother for keeping her secluded for so long. Suddenly, she was eager to see Cree again, for she had a lot to say to him.
“Will you continue to resist me?”
Wintra’s eyes widened and she stared at him speechless.
“Resist me escorting you home,” he clarified with a grin.
She felt ready to scream with frustration. She had learned many things while at the abbey, but few if any had truly helped her prepare for a life outside the convent. In the few short hours she had spent with this man, he had opened her eyes to many things. Not to mention he had sparked wickedness in her that she had thought she had under control.
“Do I really have a choice?” she asked, though more to herself than him.
“Did you ask that of Owen? Did he not take your honor into consideration? Did he not give you the choice of returning home to your brother and properly request a marriage arrangement between the two of you? And didn’t his rescue seem a bit too convenient?”
“All valid questions, though what of you?” Wintra demanded. “How do I know if you are truly one of my brother’s warriors sent to bring me home?”
“As I told you, I am an honorable man. All you need to do is ask.”
So Wintra asked, “Are you one of my brother’s warriors sent to bring me home?”
Torr leaned close to her, his mouth barely an inch from hers. “No.”
For a moment fear gripped her, and then she realized that Torr had mentioned that the woman Cree loved was his sister. “You are not one of my brother’s warriors,” she said with confidence, “so why did he send you to fetch me?”
“Your wit is sharp—at times.”
She chose to ignore his jibe, instead reminding him of her query. “Why were you sent?”
“Your brother had pressing matters that needed his attention, so I volunteered.”
She had actually been surprised when Cree had not been with the troop of warriors that had arrived at the abbey to take her home. Cree had always promised her that he would come for her himself. The thought had never entered her head that anyone would be as foolish as to dare pose as Cree’s warriors. But she could see her brother sending one warrior to bring her home. A warrior he trusted without a doubt—a worthy man.