Legendary Warrior (Warrior 1)

“Let us shed light on what is hidden,” he said. “Can you hold this torch?”

Reena took it from him and stood aside while he broke through the cobwebs and moved the two dust-covered trunks out into the tower room. She gave one last look around the small space and was about to leave when something on the far wall caught her eye. She walked the few steps further into the room and held up the torch, casting light on the wall.

She reached out and touched a metal ring secured firmly in the wood. She wondered over its purpose and made a mental note to include it in her drawing of the room.

A last glance yielded no more discoveries, and she left the room to see what Magnus had found in the trunks.

Reena stood, her eyes rounding at the sight of the sparkling gems Magnus held in his hand and the plethora of gems contained in a smaller box in the trunk. Rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and sapphires glittered magnificently.

Magnus dropped the gems back into the small wooden box and took the torch from her, replacing it in the metal wall sconce.

“Secret treasure,” Reena said on a whisper, as if no one should hear her. She dropped to her knees and reached out slowly to touch a dark red ruby pendant on a strand of pearls, then stopped and looked to Magnus.

“Touch what you will,” he said, a smile defining his handsome features.

Why, then, did she think she saw sadness in his dark eyes?

“The ruby pendant would look lovely with your dark hair.”

His suggestion startled her. “Nay, this jewelry is not fit for me; it is meant for a fine lady.” She did, however, pick up the necklace, cup it in her hand, and admire its beauty.

Magnus kneeled beside her and reached for a sapphire and diamond necklace. “This one would look nice with your blue dress.”

She shook her head and took the sapphire necklace from him. “Though it is beautiful to look upon. Who do you think it belonged to, and why was it hidden away?”

“Someone evidently did not want it to be discovered.” He lifted the small wooden box out of the trunk to reveal glass inkwells and several quills.

Reena instantly returned the sapphire necklace to the small box and reached for the quills. “Look,” she said with the excitement he would have expected from a woman when she looked upon sparkling gems. “A swan quill and a crow quill, and they look as though they have not had much use.”

“Keep them,” Magnus said and removed the ledgers.

“Parchment paper,” Reena cried out and reached for the roll that had been flattened to the back of the trunk by the ledgers. She carefully uncrinkled and rolled the paper open. “It remains in fine condition.”

“They are yours.”

“Truly?” she asked, hugging them tightly in her hand.

“I have no use for them, and you will make good use of them.”

Reena was so excited over her gifts that she gave no thought to her actions: She only wanted to thank Magnus for his generosity, so she flung herself at him and kissed him on the cheek.

“Thank you, thank you,” she repeated, followed by two more kisses.

When she realized what she had done, she slowly moved away to plop down on her bottom, legs folded beneath her. She purposely directed her glance to the gifts in her hand.

Magnus was stunned silent by her spontaneous reaction, but once he realized her unease, he attempted to make light of it.

“Since quills and paper so excite you, I will make certain you are supplied with an abundance of both.”

She laughed with relief. “I am sorry, I did not think.”

“I like when you do not think.”

She raised her head to look at him and found it difficult to speak, unsure of her response and captured by the tender look in his dark eyes. What was it about his eyes that made her senses tingle? Why did a tiny shiver run through her and settle in the pit of her stomach? And why did she feel the urge to kiss him again?

Magnus leaned nearer. “Continue to look at me with such longing and I will satisfy your desire.”

Desire?

Did she look at him with desire? Is that what she felt, or ached? It was an ache, and an unfamiliar one, and she did not quite understand it herself. And did she want to?

“You know little of men and women.”

“I watch and see, but understand?” She shook her head. “I cannot say I understand at all.”

“Yet you capture the essence in your drawings.”

“I see much when I draw.”

He leaned even closer. “Then draw me and understand.”

Her smile was quick to return. “I would love to draw you.”

“Then you will see me for who I truly am.”

“Is that a challenge?”

He stared at her for a moment. “A warning.”