Free The Duke and the Dryad (Elemental Series) by Elizabeth Rose Page B

motto of conquer and destroy.
    “Sir Theodore, I hope you are ready to be knocked on your ass,” he called out across the tiltyard, eyeing his worthy opponent. He glanced over to the viewing stands just past the lists, to see that both Rae and Juturna had followed him and were settling themselves on the wooden benches. Rae smiled and raised her hand and waved slightly. He smiled back and raised his hand to return the wave. But when Sir Braden cleared his throat, he stopped abruptly and instead slapped down the metal visor of his helm that protected his eyes.
    “Hand me my lance, squire,” he called, eyeing Sir Theodore across the field waiting at the wooden divider rail, or tilt, to start the joust. The squire sounded the horn to signal the start, and Wolfe dug his heels into his horse, charging forward, determined to unseat Sir Theodore in the first round.
     
    Rae held out her arm and called a hawk to her with her mind. She laughed inwardly knowing ’twas by her doing that the mighty Lord Wolfe had lost the sword challenge and was now about to lose the joust as well. A hawk appeared from the sky and settled atop her outstretched arm. She told the bird with her mind to fly in circles over Wolfe’s head, already chuckling at her playful trick. She couldn’t help it, she was fae. And the fae were known for mischief, as ’twas in her blood. The bird took off in flight and did as instructed.
    She laughed aloud as the bird distracted Wolf e, enabling his opponent to easily unseat him in the first pass. He angrily got to his feet, picking up the broken lance and hurling it into the air. She told the hawk to leave before it was hurt, and the bird took off across the sky.
    “Don’t think he doesn’t know what you are doing to him,” Juturna told her. “And your mischief may seem harmless to you, but he could have been hurt severely, did you ever think of that?”
    She noticed him glaring at her and then stomp ing off the field, throwing his helm into the arms of his waiting squire.
    “ He doesn’t seem hurt to me. Besides, I don’t care if he knows. He spoke to me in a very derogatory manner earlier, and I think he needs to learn his place.”
    “His place is as the Duke and ruler of Manterra. Mayhap you are the one out of place, Rae-Nyst.”
    She suddenly felt as if perhaps she had used her powers in the wrong way. “I only wanted to teach him a lesson,” she said.
    “Are you sure about that?” asked the old woman. “Because it seems to me you were trying to impress him with your talents as much as he was trying to impress you with his own.”
    “Nay, that’s not true.” She looked down to her hands, not able to look at the old seer who knew her better than anyone.
    “I didn’t need my gazing crystal to see that, and I am sure Lord Wolf e will be able to see right through your little charades as well.”
    “He is not aware of anything,” she answered. “He is so out of touch with nature and the vibrations of life all around him, that he can’t see past his own insecurities.”
    “Well, mayhap you can help him instead of humiliating him in front of his men. After all, he is a hardened warrior. He is more aware of death than life. And I see something in him that longs to shed his beliefs and change from the man he now is, so mayhap you should give him a chance. Get to know him before you judge him so harshly.”
    “Aye,” she said with a slight nod of her head. “Mayhap you are right.”

Chapter 6
     
     
    Since Rae was not allowed to leave the castle, except at night, she’d sent Juturna out to the forest with several willing serfs to dig up herbs and wildflowers for the garden she intended to make.
    She was allowed two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening to beautify the grim grounds. Since she’d spent her morning in the village, and most the rest of the day watching Wolfe make a fool of himself while trying to impress her, she only had two hours left before she’d leave the