Page 22 of In Bed with a Highland Beast

“He could have been lyin’.”

“He could have,” Alaric agreed. “Or he could have been tellin’ the truth an’ we would have condemned him tae a slow, miserable death. How can ye nae care about that? How can ye be so… so callous! Dae ye have nay heart?”

Lucia gritted her teeth, a muscle in her jaw spasming with the movement. It was easy for Alaric to talk about having a heart. It was easy for him to care about others when he didn’t have to figure out how he would survive the day that would come or how he would avenge his blood. He didn’t hurt like Lucia did. He didn’t know what it meant to have so many other things to worry about that a stranger was the least of her worries.

But what daes that say about me? What kind o’ person am I?

She was the person those around her had forged her into. She was the product of senseless cruelty and violence, and she did what she had to do in order to not only survive, but also get the revenge she deserved.

But if the circumstances of her life were cruel, didn’t that mean she should be trying to lessen the cruelty dealt upon others?

She didn’t dwell too much on it. Once again, she didn’t have the time.

With an exasperated sigh, she pointed an accusatory finger at Alaric, jamming it in his chest. “Never dae anythin’ like that again. I didnae bring ye with me so ye could risk everythin’ I’ve worked tae get.”

Alaric glared at her, towering over her in a way that forced Lucia to look up at him with a scowl. “I may have agreed tae help ye, but I never agreed tae become a pitiful bastard like them. If ye wish tae have me help, then ye should remember that.”

Lucia was about to argue, to point out that this had little to do with the kind of man Alaric was and everything to do with unfortunate circumstances, but she caught movement from the corner of her eye and turned to see Tiernan there, standing nearby. He was pretending to be cleaning mud off his shoes, but Lucia could see right through him.

He was observing them. Had he seen something he shouldn’t have, Lucia wondered? Had he realized what it was Alaric had done and was now preparing to tell everyone the truth?

But why would he wait? If he had seen Alaric’s deception, he would have said something on the spot. He would have made sure the entire gang would know what he had done, and they would have killed them both right then and there.

Unless he wishes tae threaten us an’ use us fer his own purposes.

Lucia refused to subject herself to such a thing. If it came down to it, she supposed she would have to quickly and discreetly dispose of him before he could inform the others of her plan. But the more time she spent around him, the more she feared Tiernan was a little too clever for his own good, a little too observant. Even if he had seen nothing, they would have to be more careful with him around.

“Let us go back,” Lucia said, letting her hand fall to her side. “Be discreet. Tiernan is already suspectin’ us, I believe.”

“Has he been lookin’ at us?” Alaric said, his anger seemingly draining out of him so that he could focus on the matter at hand. That, at least, Lucia could respect. When there was work to be done, she could count on Alaric to do it.

“He has,” she confirmed. “Has he been doin’ it often?”

“I wouldnae say often, but more than the others,” said Alaric.

Could it be that he was simply more curious than the rest? It was a possibility, one Lucia wouldn’t be too quick to disregard. Buteven if it were so, curious people were just as dangerous. To what lengths was he willing to go in order to find out more about the two of them?

It is best tae nae provoke him.

For the rest of the ride, Lucia and Tiernan observed each other. They both knew the other was watching, but neither did anything more than that. Lucia knew, too, that Tiernan had Alaric’s attention, as well, and it gave her some comfort that they were two against one. Whether the odds mattered or not was still a mystery to her, but at least she wasn’t on her own in this.

It was another day spent travelling without reaching the gang’s hideout. At this point, Lucia wondered if they ever would, but she didn’t dare ask anyone how long it would take. None of the men had thought to share that information with her or Alaric, and so she would have to be patient and see. Asking questions, no matter how insignificant, only invited scrutiny, and scrutiny could only bring trouble.

The night fell just as they finished setting up camp in the forest, the men clearly so practiced that they knew precisely at what time to stop for the night. The sky was dark once again, but Lucia could see the moon through the clouds, shining bright even though it was in its half-moon phase. That night, she missed the sun. Though it was still cold in the mornings, whenever the sunlight hit her, it warmed her skin and soothed her aching bones, but now out here, in the cold, there was little she could do other than huddle near the fire, her wool cloak wrapped tightly around her shoulders.

As he passed by, Tiernan left two bowls of slop next to her—presumably one for her and one for Alaric. He was gone before Lucia could even thank him; before she could even decipher the meaning of the gesture.

Was he trying to reassure her she had nothing to fear? Was he trying to lull her into a false sense of security?

Could it be that he had poisoned the food?

No, that last one was more than unlikely, she thought. If Tiernan wanted her and Alaric dead, he would have fought them with his sword or his hands. Such an indirect way as poison seemed unlike the men of this gang.

With a sigh, she grabbed the bowl of slop and took a reluctant bite. It tasted just as good as it looked, which was to say not at all, but it was better than nothing. When she heard a shuffling of feet near her, she looked up to see Alaric there, standing close and shifting his weight from one foot to the other as though waiting for her permission to join her.

Silently, she held up the other bowl, handing it to him. Alaric was just as silent when he took it and sat down next to her, looking at its contents with such suspicion and disgust that Lucia couldn’t help but laugh.

“Is the prince nae used tae this kind o’ food?” she teased in a quiet voice. There was no one close to them, not close enough to hear their conversation, at least, as one of the men had brought out a cithara and was playing a jolly tune, much to the delightof the rest. Lucia had chosen to sit far away from them, though, with the excuse that she was cold.

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