Page 87 of Cherished By A Highlander

“Where is he?” he demanded and rushed at her, gripping her arm before she could slip out the door.

She was honest with him, there was no reason not to be. “I don’t know.”

Brother Peter shook his head, puzzled. “But you were tending to him.”

“I never tended Chieftain Ryland. He was never here. We made it appear that he was.”

“Has this all been a ruse? Did Ryland never make it home? Is he dead?”

“I don’t know what happened to Chieftain Ryland, where he is, or if he is dead or alive.”

“Who does?” Brother Peter asked.

“No one.”

“You’re coming with me and if you call out for help, you’ll not only die but those around you will as well,” he warned.

“But so will you,” she said as if he hadn’t thought it through.

“True but knowing how you pride yourself on helping people, saving lives, do you truly want innocent people to die because of you?”

“Don’t you plan to kill me anyway?” she asked, fearful that was his intention.

“That has yet to be determined.” He yanked a dagger from his robe and poked her lightly in the side with it. “Your husband is not the only one skilled with a dagger. Be foolish and you will feel its sting and die a slow agonizing death.”

He would have to be truly skilled to know precisely where to stab her to cause such a painful death, but she was not about to take a chance. Besides, she couldn’t let others die because of her. She was confident The Monk would rescue her. It would not take long for him to see that she had not kept her word to rest and once he didn’t find her in their bedchamber, he would come here and hopefully find the clue she left him and understand who took her. If he was delayed, Ula would come look for her wondering what was taking her so long to prepare the mixture.

“Your cloak,” he said and walked her over the bench where she had dropped it.

“Much better. It will conceal the dagger.”

They walked at a normal pace through the village, Brother Peter smiling and talking to her, appearing as if they were enjoying a walk through the village. People called out greetings and smiled, though most were too busy to pay them any mind. She was disappointed but also relieved. No one would die because of her.

They entered the woods with more ease than she expected, no one taking note of them.

“Move,” Brother Peter ordered, giving her a shove when they were out of sight. “I have men to meet.”

“You’re not a monk?” Shade asked worried her marriage to Quint was not valid.

“Worry not, your marriage is official. I am a monk but not for long. I have planned long and hard and suffered too many delays, but the time is finally here. I will finally have the power and wealth I’ve craved. Now shut up and keep moving.”

Quint droppeddown to examine the area. “Two camped here.”

“And kept their campfire small to go unnoticed,” Nug said. “These two must be the ones who waited for word from the culprit who wounded our sentinel.”

“What word, though?” Quint asked more to himself than Nug as he stood. “What were they waiting to hear and why leave after word was received?”

“I’ve been watching, and I haven’t spotted Dru since yesterday when you told her to take me with her when she searched those hiding spots, she mentioned to you. All signs point to her as the culprit. She is probably here spying on Clan MacLeish and passing whatever she learns to those who wait to hear word from her,” Nug said with a nod to the extinguished campfire.

“I was hoping you teased me, out of friendship, but now I see how little you think of me. I may be a thief, but I thieve to survive. What’s your excuse for being an arsehole?”

Nug turned to glare at Dru. “And what’s your excuse for being here where the culprits camped?”

“Enough, Nug. I know Dru far better than I know you. Are you trying to shift the blame, so no one notices that you’re the culprit?” Quint accused.

Anger flared on Nug’s face. “How dare you accuse me. I would never betray my clan, my chieftain, my friend.”

“Dru and I are friends and just as you would not betray your friend, Dru would not betray me. So, you will accuse her no more.”

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