Adele's heart raced at the thought that Gareth had arrived, and she said swiftly, “Enter.”
The heavy door opened and Morgana flew into the room, her face an expression of utter joy and excitement, shouting Adele's name.
“Morgana!” Adele returned, rushing to her friend and embracing her in a fervent hug. “Oh, how I've missed you! I've thought about you so often.”
“I never dreamed in a hundred years you would return!”
“I only had to become empress to do it,” Adele replied jokingly.
“Our lord will be happy to see you. He broods so when he is here alone.”
“As I do when he is away from me,” she assured the woman, readjusting the blond hair that she had displaced on her friend's head. “You've let your hair grow longer.”
Morgana blushed. “So did you.”
Adele's hand touched her long curls and remembered the shearing Gareth had once given her long ago. To dispel her returning worries, she grabbed Morgana's hands and drew her to the chairs by the fireplace. “Tell me everything I've missed! How have you been?”
“I've been well, miss. Life here isn't near as exciting as yours, I'm sure. Baudoin drove off three vagabond vampires, bless his soul. Thomas tore his best net, and we lost Ol' Mary only a month ago.” Morgana's eyes glistened at the last.
Adele couldn't help but feel the same. Mary was the second human she'd met in Edinburgh after Morgana. Adele's hands were chafed for days after helping Mary at the washtubs. “She went peacefully?”
“Aye, she did. She lived a good long life thanks to the prince.”
“I'll miss her. She showed me such kindness.” Adele squeezed Morgana's hand. “All of you did.”
“Of course we did. You were lost. We wanted to make you feel at home here. The prince included, though you didn't know it at first. Now tell me, miss, what brings you back? Baudoin told me there is some danger.”
Quickly, she told Morgana about Nzingu. The handmaiden had not seen anyone matching the Zulu's description. If Nzingu was here, she was covering her tracks well. That made Adele even more anxious.
“I'll make sure to spread the word,” Morgana assured her.
Someone must have seen Nzingu if she dared enter the city, and the more people looking for her, the better the chance of discovery. In addition, Adele explained about the potential for Undead here. She asked Morgana to alert the city to be aware of recent arrivals, particularly those who seemed distant or odd. And if any of them should suddenly disappear, Adele needed to know. All she could do was be mindful and pray time was on her side.
For now, however, Adele sat quietly with her friend, content to pass a few moments woman to woman without fear of the outside world.
The dark shape silhouetted against the grey sky made Adele's heart jump. Any human with any sense would be terrified at the sight of a vampire hunting. Instead, Adele immediately started briskly from the jumbled courtyard toward the familiar shadow. Her Harmattan moved into place around her without question. She paused. “Captain, remain here.”
“He's a vampire.”
“I can handle him.”
“I'll be one minute behind.”
“Five.”
With that, she moved with measured and resolute steps toward the western quadrant of the castle where Edinburgh was still moored. As soon as she was out of sight of her men, she broke into a sprint, waving her arm. Gazing upward for a glimpse of him, she stumbled.
Suddenly a shadow passed over her and landed directly in her path.
“Gareth!” She ran the last few steps into his crushing arms. He smelled of wind and rain and grass. His clothes were damp from a passing storm. She should have been cautious of someone seeing them, but in this moment she didn't care. She only knew she needed to feel his touch.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded with unexpected ire.
“Saving you!”
Anger made his frame more rigid. He gripped her arms and held her out from him. “This foolishness must stop. I'm perfectly capable of fighting my own battles. I've only come here briefly to begin moving people into the countryside. What am I to do with you here?”
“I can help you with that.”
“Adele, you can't be so impulsive. We've talked about that before.”
“I'm not being impulsive. You don't understand. Mamoru put an assassin in play before we arrested him. She is on her way here to kill you. I came to warn you, and to help you. She is a powerful geomancer.”
Gareth sighed and surrendered his anger. He brushed his lips over her flushed cheek. “You worry too much.”
“Someone has to.” Adele embraced him again. Everything would be okay now. Together, they could deal with any obstacle.