She found she couldnat resist the temptation to play with his dark hair, stroking her fingers through the silky strands.

aThat feels a good,a he murmured, his eyes drifting closed.

aDoes it?a Adriana asked, smiling down at him and yielding to the temptation to caress his face, his strong square jaw, and soft lips.

Just when she had decided that he had drifted into slumber, he looped an arm around her shoulders and dragged her down for a kiss, then tumbled her to the blanket and rolled over her. She chuckled at his playfulness, but the sighs and moans and the heat of desire soon replaced her amus.e.m.e.nt as he slowly stripped her clothing from her, piece by piece, kissing each patch of skin he unveiled.

Adriana could not seem to help herself. She could not hold her love for him back any longer. Instead, she stroked him lovingly as he caressed her, meeting each kiss and returning it. And when at last they lay sated in each others arms, she knew why.

She could not bring herself to go without saying goodbye.

Two days pa.s.sed before Adriana found the opportunity that she had been waiting for, watching for in an agony of indecision. She did not want to go. She wanted to dismiss everything that Drago Kadar had told her about the legend of Morpheus.

There was no saying, after all, that she would be the one to bring about his death, even if what Drago had told her about the legend was true.

In her heart, though, she feared that there might be some truth to it, and she could not blithely ignore the possibility. She could not willfully tempt fate to do its worst only for her own happiness.

For what happiness would she have if she discovered, too late, that the legend was true? She would want to die. At least, if she left, she would have the comfort of knowing that Morpheus lived. Mayhap, sometime, he would even come to her in her dreams.

She could not endure thinking about a future without him at all though, and that possibility, slender though it was, gave her no comfort.

She was terrified as she crept from the castle and called her winged mare to her, fearful that Morpheus would stop her--sick with dread that he would not and she would have no excuse to stay a while longer.

When he did not appear in the pasture, she swallowed against the hard knot of unshed tears that made it almost impossible to breathe and hoisted herself onto the mareas back. For several moments after she had mounted, she simply stared desolately at the castle that had been her home for so many weeks.

Resolutely, she turned the mare and urged her into a gallop across the fields. Her stomach went weightless as the mare leapt at last into the air and soared to the tops of the trees.

She did not look back again. She knew it was useless to do so in any event, for her tears blinded her.

Chapter Eleven.

Adriana had no idea how she managed to find her way to her sister, Ceriseas home. She had certainly been of no mind to know or care where she went. She supposed, though, that it was as shead thought before. They had been searching for her and when she appeared on the winged mare they had guided her.

She fell into her sisteras arms and wept. Cerise was furious. Cuddling her younger sister, she guided her to a bed chamber and tucked her into bed. Nothing she could say seemed to comfort Adriana, however. When ever she would say what a horrible beast the man was to put her poor little sister through so much, Adriana would only shake her head and wail louder. Each time she offered to send her husband to slay Morpheus, Adriana would bolt upright and forbid it, and then begin to wail all over again.

Confused, Cerise stayed until Adriana had finally exhausted herself and fallen asleep, then left to discuss the matter with her husband, Daegon.

aHow is she?a Cerise shook her head. aShe will only weep. She can not talk for weeping. That horrible man! I offered to have him tortured by stripping the skin from his hide in little pieces, but she will have none of that either. She made me promise that I would not do any such thing, but I can not bear to see her so unhappy.a Daegon studied her thoughtfully. aPerhaps it is because she loves him?a aPish! You would not think so if you had seen the way she carries on!a aIt is precisely because of the way she is acarrying ona that the thought occurs to me,a Daegon said dryly. aDrago did say that she had no interest in going with him until he had told her of the legend. Until that moment, she seemed very determined that Morpheus would come for her and take her to his castle and she did not seem to dislike the idea, my dear.a Cerise flopped onto a bench, sighing. aI hate to say it, but I fear you are right. How absolutely dreadful for poor Adriana! What can we do?a Daegon shrugged. aThere is nothing you or I can do, my love. Time heals all wounds.a For a week Cerise soothed and petted Adriana the best she could, trying to tempt her with every sort of special treat that came to mind. Nothing helped. It seemed that almost everything she thought to offer reminded Adriana in some way of Morpheus and she would burst into tears again. She refused to be coaxed from her chamber, or even from her bed.

Cerise ran out of patience by the middle of the second week. Instead of trying to coax Adriana from her room, she sent Daegon to carry her downstairs and settle her on one of the padded chairs in the main hall. aI have a letter from father,a she announced brightly when Adriana merely sat like a stone, staring into s.p.a.ce.

The comment pierced her self-absorption. aFather?a she echoed, as if she had never heard the word before.

aYes,a Cerise said firmly. aHe writes that he misses us both, but he is glad that you and I are having such a nice visit, for he had grown worried about you.a Adriana looked conscience stricken. aOh--oh my! I forgot that I had meant to send Father a letter once I got here.a Cerise waved that away. aI had instructed Drago to leave a note for him so that he wouldnat worry when you disappeared. I saw no reason to tell him you never made it until we were a.s.sured you were safe.a Adrianaas chin wobbled.

aDonat you dare start to weep again!a Cerise snapped.

Adriana sniffed. aI am certain I have cried myself out.a aI wish I was as certain of it!a Adriana sent her sister a resentful glare. aI can not help that I am so miserable!a aYou can. You have not tried,a Cerise said bracingly.

aI love him so much! Itas horrible to have no choice at all!a aYou made your choice,a Cerise said quietly, but more kindly. aYou loved him enough to give him up so that no harm would come to him. Now you must go on with your life.a Adriana stared at her sister, feeling anger slowly surge to the surface. aThat is easy enough for you to say! You have Daegon, who loves you as much as you love him.a aBut I almost lost him. I do understand how you feel, whether you believe it or not.a Adriana lapsed into subdued silence. She knew Cerise was right. She had thought at first that she would die of a broken heart. She had hoped for it, wicked as that might be, but it had not happened. She had no choice but to pick herself up and go on, even if she didnat particularly want to.

It was still a daily struggle. Each morning when she woke, she expected to smell flowers and she would lie in bed with her eyes closed for a long time, hoping the perfume would tickle at her nose. Misery would descend when she at last opened her eyes and climbed from her bed to face another day, but each day it became just a little easier.

Resisting the urge to follow her, Morpheusa fingers curled against the stone window embrasure as he watched Adriana call to her mare, Misty. He had decided even before he gave her the mare that he must know if she stayed because she wanted to or only because he held her captive. He must free her to make the choice.

As she climbed upon the mareas back and rode away, he remained where he was, reminding himself that she had made love to him the day he had given her the mare. He had finally broken through the barrier that she had erected between them. She had given herself to him with the same joy that she had in the beginning, the spontaneity that had been missing since he had captured her and brought her to his castle against her will.

She needed her freedom. She would come back.

As the hours ticked by in an agony of waiting, Morpheus told himself over and over again that she would come back. When she did not, anger began to grow inside of him. He tamped it with an effort, thinking. When it occurred to him that she might have been injured and that was why she had not come back, he berated himself for a fool.

Imagining her broken and bleeding, he tore from his castle, mounted his night-mare and searched far and wide for her. There was no sign of either Adriana or her mare, however, and finally, weary, angry, but still worried sick, he went to the castle of Daegon. There he saw the little winged mare contentedly grazing in the pasture with Daegonas horses.

Relief suffered a quick death. Fury washed through him. He would take the castle apart stone by stone if he had to to find her and when he had found her she would rue the day she had broken his trust! He would take her back to his castle in chains! He would confine her to her chamber and use her lovely body until she was old and gray and no man would look at her and then he would cast her out!

Seething, he glared down at the peacefully sleeping castle, as if he could penetrate the walls even from so far away and watch her slumbering in her bed. aTo h.e.l.l with her!a he growled finally, digging his heels into his mareas sides and sending her racing through the night sky homeward.

It was his own castle that he took apart in his rage and pain, first destroying all the gifts that he had so carefully selected for his beauty, Adriana, and when he had ground them to dust like the unwanted, discarded nothings they were, he destroyed the chamber he had filled with beautiful things to comfort her.

His pain and anger knew no bounds. Instead of flagging, it seemed to feed upon itself, growing harder and stronger the more he destroyed. When at last he had expended every ounce of his anger, he felt hollow, empty. As weary as an ancient, bent old man, he climbed the stairs of his castle until he had reached the battlements and crossed to the wall that looked out over h.e.l.lsing wood, toward the castle of Daegon many leagues away.

She was gone, he realized finally, and she would never return. Why, he wondered with renewed anguish, could she not have left him in peace? He had been content before. He had not known loneliness or need in so very long that he had grown accustomed to his solitude. Now, because Adriana had brought light and hope and joy into his empty existence, loneliness and need ate at him like birds of carrion.

To keep from worrying her sister, Adriana struggled to control her sorrow and keep her misery to herself. It took so much effort to try to behave as if nothing had ever happened to destroy her world that even a faint smile was exhausting, and she spent far more time by herself than with anyone, sometimes strolling along the walkways of the castle garden, sometimes curled up in a chair in the library, reading a book.

When Cerise chided her about it, Adriana merely shrugged. aWhen Father locked me into the tower, I grew accustomed to having no company but my own. Iam sorry, but truly, I prefer to be alone.a One dreary day when she went to the library in search of a book, she discovered a copy of the book of legends. Tears filled her eyes at once. Blinking to dispel them, she pushed the book back on the shelf, but even as she began to turn away she thought about what Drago had told her about the legend of Morpheus.

She stared at the book, wondering if she could read the tale without weeping hysterically, but she had to know the ending. She had to know that, in the end, Morpheus was alright, that he was happy in his domain of dreams.

Glancing around to make certain no one had seen her, she s.n.a.t.c.hed the book from the shelf and retreated quickly upstairs to her bed chamber with it. When she had climbed onto the bed, she settled the book on her lap and merely stared at the worn cover for many moments, trying to work up her nerve. Finally, she flipped the book open and searched for the story about Morpheus, Lord of the Night.

Cerise was worried about her sister and at her witas end to think of anything at all that she could do for Adriana. She had thought it was for the best when she had bullied Adriana to leave her room and rejoin the world, but she could not comfort herself that Adriana was greatly improved and it had been nigh a full month since she had come to them. Sometimes, Adriana would actually smile and behave almost like her old self, but mostly she moved about the castle like a ghost.

Finally, in desperation, she sent word to Bianca, begging their eldest sister to come and help her. To her relief, Bianca came at once. Cerise greeted her sister at the door. aThank heavens! Adriana is bound to perk up when she sees that you have come! Let us find where she has gone off to hide.a Arm in arm, they went first to the gardens to look for her. Seeing no sign of the girl, Cerise shook her head. aShe has curled up in that stuffy library with a book, mark my words!a They found, though, that the library was empty, as well.

Cerise looked around the empty room in disgust.

aPerhaps she went riding?a Bianca suggested.

Cerise shook her head. aShe has not gone near that poor little mare since she came to us. It reminds her of him and she canat bear to look at it. Come. She has gone to hide in her room. I am sure of it.a A worried frown creased Ceriseas brow, however, when she had rapped at the wooden panel and gotten no response. Turning the k.n.o.b, she pushed the door open anyway. To her relief, she saw that Adriana was curled up on top of her bed, reading--just as she had suspected--which explained why she hadnat responded to the knock. aLook who has come to see you and help me to cheer you up!a she exclaimed, dragging Bianca into the room with her.

Adriana looked up at them, but blindly. Her face was white as death.

aAdriana! What is it?a Bianca demanded fearfully. aAre you ill?a aI made it happen,a Adriana said in a voice that was little more than a whisper. aI made it happen.a Cerise frowned, s.n.a.t.c.hing the book from her sister. aYou made what happen?a aLook! Read for yourself. It says it right there in the book! Morpheus fell in love with the mortal woman and when she left him he was inconsolable. To escape his pain, he entered the dream world--never to roam the world of light again.a Cerise and Bianca struggled briefly over the book and finally shared it, reading the ending of the legend of Morpheus.

aYou donat know that it is you!a Cerise said sharply.

Tears were streaming down Adrianaas cheeks. aThe winged horse! He gave his love a winged horse and she left him! He did love me! And he will never forgive me now!a Dashing the tears from her face, she leapt from the bed. aI have to go to him, before itas too late!a Cerise and Bianca both grabbed her. aYou canat!a aI have to! Donat you see! I thought that I could prevent the legend from coming true by leaving. Instead, I made it happen. I have to go back, now, before itas too late!a Her older sisters exchanged a look, knowing that it was probably already too late.

Bianca wrapped an arm around her little sisteras waist. aYou must see that we can not let you go like this. You are distraught. Stay. We will send someone to him with a token of love from you and everything will be fine. Youall see.a aI donat want to send a token!a Adriana said angrily, stamping her foot. aI need to see for myself that he is all right.a aYou will feel excessively silly if you dash back to him and discover that you have gotten everything wrong again,a Cerise said.

Bianca gave her a chiding look, but she saw that as unkind as the remark was it had given Adriana pause. aA few more hours can certainly make no difference,a she added.

aWe will send Drago. He will tell you all that you need to know.a * * * *

Once Drago had been summoned, the sisters went down to the main hall to await his return. He would use his magic to hasten his journey, painful that it might be to him. Too anxious to remain still, Adriana paced back and forth across the room until Cerise at last lost patience and swore that she would wear a hole in the carpet if she did not cease. Chastened, Adriana moved to a chair and sat, but she only perched for a few moments and then she was up and pacing again.

At long last, when Adriana thought she could bear the suspense no more, Drago returned. His face was grim and Adrianaas heart failed her. Weakly, she wilted into the seat she had only just leapt up from. aTell me! For pityas sake do not make me wait to hear it.a Drago glanced at her sisters and finally spoke. aI did not go in. He has placed some sort of spell over his domain and I was prevented from entering the castle, but brambles grow everywhere, as if the place has been abandoned a hundred years.a Despair settled over Adriana like a cloud. She clutched her chest where her heart throbbed painfully. aI must go to him.a Dragoas gaze was sympathetic. aI fear it is too late.a She sprang to her feet. aI must go!a Bianca and Cerise tried to reason with her but she shut them out, covering her ears with her hands. aI will go! If you try to stop me I will never, ever forgive you as long as I live.a Bowing to the inevitable, they asked Drago to go with her.

The little mare was not pleased to have two riders, but Bianca and Cerise had been fearful that Adriana was too upset to ride alone, that she would fall from the mare to her death and they insisted. Regardless of the weight of the additional rider, the mare seemed to have little difficulty and within moments they were soaring above the treetops.

Impatience ate at Adriana, despite the fact that the mare flew at such speed that the wind whipped around her, tearing the pins from her long hair so that it fluttered behind her like a bright banner. At last the spires of Morpheusa castle came into view and Adriana strained forward, as if by doing so she could make the mare reach it faster.

Morpheusa night-mare trotted up to them when they alighted at last in the pasture. aPoor beast,a Adriana murmured, stroking the horseas muzzle, but her heart failed her, for she knew if the mare was here that Morpheus was also.

Turning away from the mare, she moved quickly up the long walk that led to the castle doors. She had already reached them before she remembered what Drago had said about the spell. When she looked back, she saw that Drago stood where she had left him.

A flicker of hope arose. If the spell had not kept her out, she thought, surely it must mean that Morpheus had not come to hate her for her perfidy. Thrusting the doors open, she paused on the threshold. Only darkness greeted her. But as her eyes grew accustomed to the dimness of the interior, her heart sank and fear seized her.

The main hall was a shambles. Tapestries had been torn from the walls, the furniture destroyed. It looked as if a great battle had been fought within the walls of the castle. Gathering her skirts, Adriana moved quickly inside. aMorpheus!a she cried out.

Nothing answered her but the mournful groan of the wind as it whistled through the door she had left standing wide.

aToo late! I am too late!a she cried out in despair.

She could not accept that. Crossing the main hall, she rushed up the stairs, nearly stumbling and falling in her haste and distress, calling to Morpheus again and again. He did not answer and she raced about the upper floor, searching for him. Each room lay empty--as empty as her heart had begun to feel, and still she searched, climbing at last onto the battlements.

Defeat settled over her when she found him not. Finally, weary with heartache, she trudged down the stairs once more. She paused when she had reached the room that had been her bed chamber. She had not searched it. She had not been able to bring herself to go inside, to face the memories that dwelt there.

Finally, she reached for the k.n.o.b and turned it, pushing the door wide.

He lay upon her bed as if he waited for her, still as death.

aHe sleeps,a she murmured in anguish, unable at first even to command her feet to move, she crossed the room finally, stopping beside the bed to stare down at his still face. aPlease,a she begged. aDonat leave me, Morpheus. I love you so much. Iam so sorry I left you.a Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she lifted a hand and stroked his cheek. aWarm,a she whispered brokenly. aAnd yet gone so far away.a Climbing onto the bed, she curled beside him, leaning down to press her lips to his. aForgive me, Morpheus. Come back to me,a she whispered hopelessly as she lifted her lips at last from his unresponsive ones.

His lips parted. A sigh sawed from his chest.

A sob escaped her and she buried her face against his chest, weeping for all that she had lost, all that would never be. She was so caught up in her misery that she barely noticed the first light touch upon her hair. A hand stroked soothingly over her head.

She pulled away, looking down at Morpheus. To her joy she saw that he was looking back at her. His arms came around her, pulling her tightly against his chest. aAdriana, my love. You came back to me.a aAlways, my love,a she sobbed, her heart near to bursting.

Nudging her chin up, he kissed her deeply, with desperation, with all the love he felt for her in his heart.

The End