Page 72 of Highlander the Conqueror

“Wise of them,” Slayer said.

“They know you well, my lord,” Euniss said and left them alone.

Slayer dropped a cloth from the small stack into the water-filled bucket and looked at his wife. “You need admonishing for putting yourself in danger as you did.”

“I thought I might learn more from him and I did. He said he would not hurt me. That he was a friend I should trust.”

“Friend? Trust?” he asked incredulously and twisted the soaked cloth tight until not a drop of water fell from it. Then he shook it out and placed it on Sky’s ankle. “How do you trust a liar to be a friend? The other prisoners say that Lester only recently joined them and that none of them trusted him. He would disappear at times and suddenly return with a poor excuse of where he had gone. The mercenary leader didn’t care since Lester was a skilled swordsman, and he didn’t want to lose him. Just learning that, I was on my way to question him some more when I heard you scream for me.”

“He told me that he had hoped to have more time to talk with me?—”

“Bloody hell,” Slayer grumbled. “He knew his time here was limited and that when I found out more about him, he would once again be a prisoner.”

“That was why he ate before having his wound tended to. His stomach would be full, and he would not need to worry about food, only his escape.” Sky shook her head. “Seeing how fast he climbed that tree, I suspect he never suffered a wound.”

“I believe you’re right,” Slayer agreed. “What else did he say to you?”

“He told me that I was in more danger than I knew—” She stopped talking suddenly.

“What is it, Sky? Tell me,” he urged.

Her brow wrinkled, recalling Lester’s words, and she shook her head slowly as if not believing what she was about to say. “He told me I was not who I thought I was but that the truth would reveal itself soon. He must know who my parents are.”

“Or he lies to you as he did to me. But I will catch him, and he will have no choice but to confess everything to me.”

“His last words sent a chill through me. Who will come for me? Why will he come for me? And why do I need saving from this man?”

“You could be the one the Lowlander family searches for and with there being no love lost between Lowlanders and Highlanders, it could be why he warns you against trusting anyone. I would linger and discuss this with you and try to make sense of it, but I cannot wait to hunt him. His tracks will be fresh and when I catch him, I will get the truth from him.”

“What if others wait for him and you ride into a trap?”

“That will not happen. The trackers and riders have already been dispersed and will send word to me, so I know what I face. It is Lester, if that is his name, who needs to worry and fear what awaits him.” He stood. “You will rest and heal your ankle while I am gone, and you will not go beyond the gate.” He leaned down and kissed her firmly, then pressed his cheek next to hers to whisper, “I will miss you, wife.”

Sky was off the chair when she heard the door close and thought about running after him and reminding him how much she loved him and that he was to stay safe and return home to her. She almost reached the door ready to do just that when it swung open. She did not wait. She threw her arms around him.

“I love you with all my heart. You will stay safe and come home to me. I will have your word on it,” she insisted, even though she knew fate would have the final word.

“Your ankle healed quite fast,” Slayer said with a slight smile.

Sky’s cheeks turned a warm pink. “It was the only way I could get you alone.”

“Yet when you had me alone you still allowed me to believe you were injured.”

“I gave it thought, but then your hand felt so good on my ankle, I found myself remaining silent.”

He kissed her gently. “I am glad you did since I very much enjoyed caressing your ankle.”

“We think alike, husband,” Sky said. “Now please give me your word that you will return to me.”

“Nothing will ever stop me from returning to you. Even a wound will not stop me. I will make my way home to you, for if I am meant to die it will be in your arms.”

“Nay! Do not say that. You will not die. We have a whole life to live together,” she insisted, keeping the tears that sprang to her eyes at simply the thought of losing him from falling. “Why did you return? Did you forget to tell me something?”

“Aye, I forgot to tell you that you,mo ghaol,belong to me and only me and I will let no one ever take you away from me. You are mine and always will be.”

His hand cupped the back of her head as his lips came down firmly on hers in a kiss that left no doubt that he meant what he said in the only way he knew how… that he loved her.

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