Page 63 of Chivalry in the Meadow
“Tess,” Mia interrupted.
“Right. Tessa,” he nodded. “Did you know her?”
“No,” she said. “Her name just came to me.”
He gave her a quizzical look but continued. “She’s only twenty-one. A college student here to work this summer. She was supposed to work the bakery booth this morning. Never showed up.”
“Drunk and wandered off?” Lilly asked, hopefulness in her voice.
“Doubtful.” Finn said. “She didn’t drink. And her bag was still in her tent. Phone too,” he added. “Her car is here, but no Tessa.”
Mia’s fingers tightened on her mug. A strange chill ran down her spine. She just knew.
Something bad had happened to Tessa.
But what, she had no idea.
A few of the knights now stood nearby in hushed conversation. Sir Cedric was among them, speaking low to Sir Gareth and Sir Thorne. Sir Cedric looked up mid-sentence and caught Mia watching. He gave her a slight, knowing smile.
It didn’t reach his eyes.
And again, she saw a shimmer. A short one and then it was gone.
“She’s of age, so the police can’t put a missing person out on her yet,” Finn said. “She was last seen at the masquerade, so it hasn’t been that long.”
Lilly finished her breakfast roll. “I forgot something in the tent,” she said. “I’m headed back to get it.”
“Not alone,” he said. “I’ll go with you.”
“I’ll wait here,” Mia said.
“You’ll be all right here,” Finn said. “Just don’t go wandering off.”
“If you want to go shopping, call me,” Lilly said. “So, I know where you are.”
Mia nodded and watched them go as she finished off her apple Danish. Wiping her hands on the napkin, she thought about the great horned owl. Pulling out a small notebook and pencil, she began sketching the owl from memory.
Sir Alaric approached quietly and looked down at her drawing.“You saw him again, didn’t you?” he asked.
Mia didn’t ask how he knew. “In my dream. He spoke this time.”
Sir Alaric sat beside her. “That’s no ordinary owl. It’s a guardian spirit. Very old.”
“Old magic,” she echoed. “Like my nana used to talk about.”
He held out his hand, closed around something. “I brought you this,” he said. “Hold out your hand.”
She held her hand out.
He opened his hand, to show her a smooth, flat stone carved with a symbol.
The eye of an owl.
“Keep this on you,” he said as he placed it in her hand.
The stone carried his warmth, and she felt it against her palm. A comforting warmth.
“It will ward off glamours,” he said. “Maybe more.”
