Enchantress Awakening: Part One of the Book of Water (The Elemental Cycle 1) Read Free

better than to wait for thanks or any kind of encouragement so set off at once down the stairs to the ground floor crossing by but not through the training yard to the workshop and stables beyond.
    At the workshop, the steady clink of metal on metal told that the blacksmith Master Garrick was already hard at work. His back was to her when she entered while his assistant Clod moved between the smithy and the stables with bundles on riding equipment slung over his back. Garrick turned, being alerted to Caleigh’s presence by her shadow cutting across the light. “Good morning, Caleigh. How may I help you?” He said putting his hammer to rest. Before Caleigh could answer, a sense of desire flashed through her mind along with images of herself in states of undress. The sure and certain knowledge followed that Master Garrick wished to lie with her, “Something the matter?” Garrick asked seeing her shocked expression.
    “No, Master Garrick.” Caleigh recovered. “I momentarily recalled something I must do later.” The smith seemed satisfied with the answer.
    “What brings you here then?” Garrick inquired pleasantly.
    “Dame Edith needs her necklace repairing.” Caleigh drew out the necklace from her pocket. “I think some of the links have broken.” Garrick took the necklace and nodded at Caleigh’s assessment. “Do you think you can fix it before tomorrow evening?”
    “Perhaps…trouble is Sir Marc has set me to a full check of the whole armoury, not only his but all the thirty riders who live here. That has to come first, I’m afraid. Besides, I’m out of gold and it is fine work. I can send Clod into town later maybe and he can see what the goldsmith can do.”
    “You mean Glyn?”
    “Yes, do you know him?”
    “A little, worry not I can take it to him myself. Thank you anyway.” Caleigh took back the necklace and made to leave. In departing Clod nodded up at her and once again she was assailed by the same strong sense of desire leaving her quite disorientated as she stepped outside.
    She took a moment to think about what had taken place. Of course women could get a sense that someone was attracted to them but this was something more. She knew that these men desired her and exactly how much. In a sense there was nothing surprising in it. At first, she had been taken aback that Garrick might harbour such thoughts because he was married. On reflection, she supposed this did not mean such thoughts did not exist. That Clod, an unwed contemporary, would think of her in that way was no revelation. Yet this did not diminish the impact, it was one thing to take an educated guess about someone’s attraction and it was another thing altogether to be presented with the sudden knowledge of it.
    It was fortunate for her that she had been prepared in this way because between the castle and the goldsmiths she was met with a barrage of lustful thoughts heading her way. Sometimes it was of an intense nature, personalised lust that had been stored up for a long time. Other times it was a passing thought no more intrusive than the ogling looks she was used to. Soon she realised that she could sense a whole range of different ways of desiring someone. Older men whose wants were wistful, young teens with strong yet unspecific urges, carefully thought out fantasies and simple admiration. By the time she reached the goldsmith she found it more noticeable when a man walked by her with little or no reaction, simply because they were the rare exception. 
    At the goldsmith’s it did not take Glyn long to assess the repairs that needed doing. Caleigh smiled indulgently while he went about his inspection trying not to show how aware she was that the necklace was not the only thing he was inspecting. “A simple enough task, I believe.”
    “Excellent, will you be able to finish by tomorrow afternoon?”
    “That does not give me much time. The following morn would be more likely.” Caleigh watched Glyn in this short exchange