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his past for him to have any kind of
future, much less one with a family.
    Nay, Grayson was destined for only one
thing, and that was to find out what happened to his mother. It
might be the last thing he ever heard, but it would be enough.
    His mother’s frightened gaze, her scream as
she stretched her arm to him as the men dragged her away had
haunted him since that fateful day. He didn’t know if she were
alive or dead. He had no idea who the men were or why they wanted
her, but God help anyone if they harmed a hair on her head.
    They took for granted the boy who
disappeared into the throng of people would forget and leave well
enough alone. But they were wrong. Vengeance could drive a man to
do things previously impossible, and that’s exactly what Grayson
would do.
    Not even Drogan knew his secrets. It had
been imperative that Grayson remain hidden until the time he could
seek out his answers. It was times like these he wished he had a
sibling or father to turn to, but he had no one. It had been only
he and his mother, of that he knew for sure. Everything else was a
blur in his memories.
    “ If I could look into your
past, I would,” Adrianna said as she sat beside him.
    Grayson shrugged. “I’m not
sure that’d be wise. Some memories are better left
forgotten.”
    “ But you aren’t forgetting
yours. You’re reliving them.”
    It amazed him how intuitive she was. Was it
her magic? “Reliving those memories helps me remember my
mother.”
    She ran her finger over the bark of the
tree. “What did she look like?”
    “ I remember she was very
beautiful,” he said. “I know all children think that of their
mothers, but to me she was.”
    “ I’m sure she was. Tell me
more,” Adrianna urged.
    “ I recall sitting before
the hearth while she embroidered and putting my finger through her
curls. I would stretch the curl out then release it and watch it
spring back into place.”
    Adrianna grinned. “Sounds wonderful.”
    “ It was. Her hair was as
black as midnight, and she had the most amazing dark eyes. She
loved to hum as she embroidered.”
    He hadn’t thought of his mother and their
quiet moments in front of the hearth in years, mostly because it
was too painful to recall such happy times and not know where his
mother was.
    Adrianna turned her face toward the group of
gypsies around the fire. “I would like to have met her.”
    Grayson looked at her profile. “She would
have liked you.”
    She smiled as her eyes shifted to him. “How
do you know?”
    “ Because I like
you.”
    For several heartbeats they simply stared at
each other before Grayson broke eye contract, praying his blood
cooled enough for him to think clearly. “Tell me of your
mother.”
    “ There isn’t much to tell,
I’m afraid,” Adrianna said. “She tried to keep her bitterness from
my father leaving hidden, but I saw. She would cry at night
sometimes.”
    “ That must have been
difficult for you.”
    She shrugged one shoulder. “It was for a
while. Until I realized exactly what she was crying over. She was
lonely. She had loved my father dearly. I think it might have been
better had he died instead of leaving. At least then she wouldn’t
have still held out hope he would return someday.”
    Grayson frowned. “Do you know where your
father is now?”
    Pale blue, cold and hard, eyes met his.
“He’s dead.”

Chapter Seven
     
     
    Adrianna shifted. She
always became uneasy when she spoke of her father. “He died a year
before my mother. When she received the news of his death, I think
she gave up. Every last shred of hope withered and died. It was
lucky for us I inherited the magic of our people, so she had
something to turn her mind to while teaching me.”
    “ You mean not every female
has your abilities?” Grayson’s eyes widened, his surprise clearly
visible.
    “ Nay.
Before the curse, and even some time afterward, the bana ‐ bhuidseach would marry
another bana ‐ bhuidseach , but when the men began to