Capture the Crown (Gargoyle Queen #1) -Jennifer Estep Page 0,39

eyes wide, and my own heart leaped up into my throat, even though I knew what was coming next.

Crack.

Crack-crack.

Crack-crack-crack.

The sounds came again, morphing into distinct footsteps, and flashes of movement appeared through the trees, along with bright silver glints. Gems squinted in that direction.

“I see footprints.”

“This looks like a path.”

“They must be right up ahead. Quiet, men. Quiet!”

Several turncoat guards came into view, all of them clutching swords.

Gems’s chest heaved, and she struggled to suck down air. My own chest squeezed tight.

“Run, Gems,” I whispered, even though this was just a memory. “Go warn your friends. Don’t be a coward like you were during the massacre.”

Even though she couldn’t hear me, even though this had all happened long ago, Gems sucked down another breath, then started running back to camp to warn Alvis and Xenia . . .

Another piece of wood snapped in the fireplace, the crack loud enough to break the unwanted spell of my magic and jog me out of the past. In an instant, the forest vanished, and I was back in the cottage, back in the present where I belonged.

I staggered over and plopped down on the settee. Then I raised a shaking hand and wiped the cold sweat off my forehead. It took me a few minutes and several deep breaths to stop trembling, but I managed it. Eventually. My magic kept roiling inside me, though, ready to lash out and drag me back into the past again.

Desperate for something else to focus on, I stared at the closed bedroom door, straining to hear what Leonidas was doing, but no noises sounded. He must be asleep. A relieved breath tumbled out of my lips. Good. The last thing I needed was for him to witness one of my ghosting episodes—or worse, grab my sword and stab me in the back when I was lost in the past.

When I was sure my magic wasn’t going to flare up again, I grabbed a blanket and a pillow from the armoire and made myself a cozy nest on the settee. Even though it had been a long day, and I was exhausted, I didn’t think I would sleep. Too many things were rattling around in my mind. But eventually, the warmth of the fire lulled me to sleep . . .

Sometime later, a soft click intruded on the quiet. For a moment, I thought my magic had gone haywire and tossed me back into the past again. Then a second click sounded, and I realized that this sound was happening in the here and now.

I jerked upright on the settee, my hand dragging my dagger out from under my pillow. The fire had burned down to ash and embers, and the first twinges of the pale purple dawn were slipping in through the white lace curtains.

My gaze snagged on the bedroom door, which was standing wide open. Inside, the bed was empty, and the blankets had been neatly smoothed back into place.

Leonidas Morricone was gone.

Still clutching my dagger, I scrambled to my feet and looked down at the table in front of the settee, but my sword and shield were sitting where I’d left them last night. I didn’t sense the prince in the cottage, but I still quietly crept around, peering into the adjoining rooms. They were all empty.

Where was he?

Finally, I reached the kitchen, and I realized what had made those telltale clicks—someone opening and then closing the front door. I hurried over to one of the windows and shoved the curtains aside.

I wasn’t quite sure what I was expecting to see. Perhaps Captain Wexel and his men, getting ready to storm inside the cottage, but the yard was empty except for a lone figure.

Leonidas.

He was once again wearing his long black cloak over his riding coat and other clothes. He was moving stiffly, but he must be feeling better if he was leaving. Or perhaps he didn’t trust me any more than I trusted him and wanted to escape as soon as possible.

A shiver swept over me. I had been so soundly asleep that I hadn’t heard him get out of bed and creep through the cottage. He could have easily killed me. So why hadn’t he?

Leonidas stopped, as if he could feel my gaze and hear my thoughts. Maybe he could with his own mind magier power. He slowly faced me.

His amethyst eyes locked with mine, and a jolt shot through my chest and zinged out through the rest of my body. In an