A Warrior's Heart (Shields) Read Online Free PDF

pain and fear?   About her revenge?
    Jayna knew she hid those emotions well.   To the world she appeared a woman on her own, ready for whatever life threw at her.   No one had ever known the deep despair that sometimes overwhelmed her, or the longing she had for her family and her people.   No one.
    Until now.
    “I’m sorry,” Mina said suddenly.   “I’m not sure what came over me just now.   It was as though I could feel your pain.   Or someone’s pain.”   Her gaze studied Jayna as if she were trying to decipher if what she had felt was real or not.
    “No apologies,” Jayna said.   “I think I’d like to rest for a while.”
    “Of course.   I’ll return in a couple of hours to check on you.”
    Jayna waited until the door closed behind Mina before she closed her eyes and sighed heavily.   Killing Gabriel might not be as easy as she first thought.   Not as long as Mina was around.
     
     

 
     
    Chapter Five
     
     
    Gabriel stopped his horse in front of the ancient monastery and stared at the crumbling stones.
    “It was never much to look at,” Cole said quietly.
    “Nay. Strange that a holy place would call to the creatures.”
    Cole dismounted and dropped his horse’s reins.   “I thought that myself.   Once holy, always holy.”
    “Right,” Gabriel answered as he too dismounted and went to stand beside Cole.   “Evil such as these creatures shouldn’t be able to touch a place such as a monastery.”
    “Hmmm,” Cole said as he scratched his chin.   “A question in need of answering.   Shall we look inside?”
    Gabriel grinned as Cole cocked an eyebrow before walking through the arched stone gateway of the monastery.   Gabriel’s eyes scanned the top of the monastery as he recalled when he, Hugh and Cole had knocked the stone gargoyle off the roof.
    Just as before, remnants of the monks could be seen in the statues of gargoyles at the top of the monastery used to ward off evil.   Holy or not, the monks were also superstitious, not that Gabriel could blame them after everything he had seen while a Shield.
    “I wonder,” Cole said, “if the Fae hadn’t given Hugh the clue that the gargoyle could be killed while it slept, would we have won that day?”
    Gabriel turned to his friend and shrugged.   “I like to think everything happens for a reason.”
    “I agree.   I just can’t help thinking Earth would’ve been destroyed ages ago if the Fae hadn’t been here to help.   Without us, the evil would win.”
    Gabriel knew that Cole was bothered that the Chosen hadn’t figured out how to destroy the Great Evil yet.   “Shannon and the others are strong and intelligent.   They’ll figure it all out.”
    Cole nodded absently and walked into the monastery.   Gabriel followed.   Instantly, the musty smell of disuse assaulted Gabriel.   The entry was large with ceilings that soared high above them.   Balconies looking down into the entry could be seen from every floor above them.
    Bookshelves that had already been knocked over were now crushed, the books nothing more than dust after the two battles that raged within the holy walls.
    “I don’t smell evil,” Cole said as he picked his way through the debris.
    “Me, neither.”
    Just as Gabriel was about to turn and leave, he spotted something oozing off a fallen bookcase.   “Cole,” he called out as he squatted down to get a better look at the nearly clear, thick substance.
    “What did you find?” Cole asked as he knelt beside Gabriel.   “Well.   That’s interesting.   What do you suppose it is?”
    “I don’t have any idea.”   Gabriel reached out and touched it, then rubbed it between his finger and thumb.   “Its almost sticky and easily pliable.”   He leaned down to sniff his fingers.   “There’s no smell to it.”
    Cole stood and looked around the chamber.   “Whatever it is, it’s left its mark on the place.”
    Gabriel rose and followed Cole’s gaze to see other spots throughout