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overtaken him.Though there was pain, it wasn’t nearly as searing as it had been earlier, when he’d felt himself close to death.
    He could hear the hiss and snap of the fire nearby, and the sound of Kylia’s voice chanting the ancient words. He found them oddly soothing. In fact, just knowing she was here with him had him feeling easy in his mind.
    How magnificent she’d been when she’d stood up to their attackers. Though it must have been a shock to her tender sensibilities to find herself at the mercy of barbarians, she’d betrayed not a trace of fear.
    What an unforgettable introduction she’d been given to his world. He regretted that he couldn’t have been more help to her. It shamed him to know that, though he’d been the one trained as a warrior, a protector of women and children, it had fallen instead to this sweet, sheltered woman to protect him.
    He felt the touch of her hand on his flesh and was warmed by it. As her fingertips moved in a circular motion over his shoulder, he could feel the pain beginning to subside.
    He thought about opening his eyes, but itseemed too great an effort. And so he lay, allowing her touch to soothe and heal. From across the clearing came the stomp and whinny of his steed. Somewhere nearby a night bird called out in a high, shrill whistle.
    He drifted off, lulled by the sounds of the night. Sometime later he awoke and realized the chanting had ceased. He felt something soft and warm and opened his eyes to find Kylia curled up beside him, sound asleep.
    She made such a pretty picture in the firelight. Dark hair spilling around that sweet, heart-shaped face. Her hands resting lightly on his arm, as though determined, even in sleep, to continue her healing touch and permit nothing to break the connection between them.
    Then he saw the thin line of blood along her throat, where the barbarian’s blade had cut her tender flesh. He felt a blaze of fury that anyone could willingly harm such a gentle creature. With a muttered oath he touched a finger to the spot and realized that, though the blood had dried, her flesh had already healed itself.
    He was nearly overcome with relief.
    Moving carefully so as not to wake her, helifted a corner of the traveling cloak and tucked it around her. In her sleep she sighed and snuggled closer.
    He absorbed the most amazing heat and lay for long moments, watching her sleep.
    How was it that he had been given the good fortune to come across this woman? Angel or witch, it mattered not to him. What did matter was that she was willing to sacrifice everything she’d ever known for a man she’d only met. Would he have done as much? He had no answer to that. He knew only that whenever he looked at this woman, he felt drawn to her in a way he’d never been drawn to any other.
    She’d told him that she had been seeing his face since she was but a lass. Did that mean they were fated to be together?
    Too many questions, he thought. And all of them puzzling to the point of being vexing.
    Unable to keep his eyes open any longer, he gave in to the exhaustion that drained him. And joined her in sleep.

Chapter Five
     
    K ylia awoke to find herself cradled in Grant’s arms, her head pillowed on his shoulder, her hands resting against his heart. She could feel the strong, steady beat of it keeping time to her own.
    Never in her life had she felt so intimately connected to another. As if their heartbeats were one. As if even their breathing moved, slow and steady, in perfect rhythm.
    She looked up to find him watching her. Her cheeks bloomed with color.
    “Good morrow, my lady.” Her found her embarrassment oddly appealing. It was obvious that she was neither coy nor flirtatious, but simply out of her element and scrambling to find her way.
    “Good morrow.” She tried to pull away and found herself firmly bound by his arms. “How do you feel?”
    “Much better than I’d expected to feel after battling the barbarians. Whatever spell you cast over me, my