Page 100 of The Winter Laird

He slid the brooch into her hand, and she saw the flash of a sword, swinging in an arc from behind him.

“No!” Brianagh screamed, grabbing his tunic and pulling him as hard as she could toward her. “No, no! Behind—”

He landed on the ground, gaping up at her. “What the—”

“My men didn’t beat you enough,” Burke snarled, standing just outside the alcove where Nioclas had been standing.

Nioclas’s guardsmen came running into the garden, and Burke grabbed Brianagh. She struggled until he put his sword against her belly and she froze.

“Clever little wall you have here,” Burke said conversationally. “Keeps the wind and rain out nicely.”

“What do you want?” Nioclas growled.

“You had it right,” Burke replied. “I want your wife. And her control of time.”

The guardsmen looked to Nioclas in concern. He ignored them and focused on the sword at Brianagh’s belly. One false move and Burke would kill her.

“I’ve nothing to lose by killing her,” Burke said as if he’d read Nioclas’s thoughts. “I’ll be dead before moving an inch, with all your guardsmen here. But I think you want the lady to live, so you’re going to call off your guard.”

“Guards, leave us,” Nioclas said without hesitation. When they balked, he shot them a glare. “I command you to leave us!”

They backed up until Nioclas, Burke, and Brianagh stood alone.

“Let her go free, and you can have me,” Nioclas said in a low voice. “You can kill me and take the clan for your own.”

“Just so your woman can travel back and kill me before I have a chance to kill you? I don’t think so,” Burke replied with a sneer.

“It doesn’t work that way,” Brianagh ventured. “I can’t time-travel.”

“Shut up,” Burke growled, wrapping his fist in her hair and pulling her head back. “I know you can. I’ve seen you do it.”

“No,” she choked. “You’ve seen Reilly do it. And Colin…but not me.”

Burke’s eyes narrowed.

“Enough,” Nioclas said in warning to Brianagh. Nioclas tossed his sword to the ground, then removed his daggers. When finished, he stood with his arms outstretched, completely unprotected. “She can’t help you, Burke, so take what I offer. My life, for hers.”

Burke didn’t loosen his hold on Brianagh, but he inched them closer to Nioclas. “Lay on the ground.”

“Not until you release my wife,” Nioclas replied calmly.

“Nick, please, don’t do it,” Bri cried. “Please—”

“Release her, and you may kill me. Claim the babe as your own, have your clan back. All of it is yours, Burke…but only if she lives.”

Burke tightened his grip in Bri’s hair, then rubbed his jaw along her neck. He smiled. “I love the unwilling ones,” he said. She shuddered, digging her fists into her skirts.

Nioclas took a menacing step forward, and Burke twisted Bri’s head away from his and tightened his grip on his sword.

“I think the revenge is best if I just kill her, then you,” Burke said with a smirk.

Nioclas shook his head in disgust. “Coward.”

Burke’s eyes narrowed to slits, and he pushed Brianagh away. He rushed at Nioclas, his sword pointed at Nioclas’s chest.

Burke’s face suddenly contorted, and he halted, then staggered. He dropped to his knees, his eyes wide, as Brianagh stood behind him, her face colorless and her arm extended.

A knife protruded from Burke’s back, buried to the hilt.

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