Page 66 of Kilted Seduction
No. No, he didn’t. Sending Thora away had hurt almost as much as learning how she’d deceived him. He shuddered. “But how can I trust her?”
“Ye have tae decide. But if ye cannae trust her… what daes yer heart say, me laird?”
His first instinct was to snarl in anger and stalk away. His second was to shout a vehement denial. But after that… there was a soft whisper, deep inside, that murmured a truth he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear. But the truth was there. “I… I cannae trust her… but I dinnae want tae live without her.”
“Then ‘tis best tae talk tae her. But ye’d best be quick. The birlinn tae Skye was dockin’ even as I came tae find ye.”
The words jolted him into motion even before he had a chance to think about what he was doing. All he could think of was Thora… and the desire not to lose her. Not yet. Not like this, not because of words spoken by the betrayer of his clan.
Aedan raced through the village, toward the docks. The snow and mud underfoot was treacherous and uneven, forcing him to slow his steps despite his desire to hurry.
He emerged at the edge of the village, scant yards away from the docks with Mac on his heels. The birlinn was tied up where Mac had said it would be, and passengers were embarking. Aedan’s heart leapt into his throat as he spotted jet black hair nearing the gangplank up to the birlinn’s deck.
Then he spotted the dozen or so men in the colors of Ross Clan approaching from the other side, and his heart fell. He hurried forward. “Thora!”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
One moment, she was preparing to board the birlinn to return to her brother’s castle. The next, Thora found herself surrounded by a dozen men wearing Clan Ross colors. With a flash of insight, she realized what was happening.
Lachlan Ross had wanted her badly enough to try and kidnap her from the room she’d shared with Aedan. Now that he knew she was both unwed and without her protector, he was going to try to take her prisoner once again, to then force her into a marriage with him as a way to control her and her clan.
He would use the union to gain ground on the Isle of Skye, and other regions of the Highlands, attempting to achieve through matrimony what he had intended to do by subverting Clan Cameron’s resources.
She couldn’t allow that to happen.
“Thora!” A shout distracted her, and she turned to see Aedan racing toward her.
The distraction was enough to divert her attention from the Clan Ross warriors, and it proved her undoing. Before she had time to think, much less attempt an escape, she found herself surrounded by the men.
She tried to dart past them, but two of them seized her arms and stopped her. She tried to fight, kicking and squirming in their holds, but they were too strong for her. One of them applied pressure to her wounded shoulder, making her cry out as blackness threatened the edges of her vision.
“Thora!” Aedan arrived, Mac just behind him, and plowed into the nearest two men. All three of them went down in a tangle of limbs and weapons. Mac engaged two more, sword flashing like lightning against his opponents.
It was a valiant effort, but they were outnumbered, even with Thora trying desperately to assist. There were still half a dozen fighters free to join the fray. One managed to get a good kick to Aedan’s head, and the laird of Cameron Clan fell stunned to the ground, where he was kicked again into unconsciousness.
Mac was being driven back by four men. He fought valiantly, but even Thora could see he was outnumbered and outmatched.
She lunged against her captors, trying to free herself, to go to Aedan’s side, but one of the men backhanded her across the face, and pain sent stars shooting across her vision. She tried to stayconscious, but there was another impact to her shoulder, and it was too much for her to bear. Darkness caught her and took her strength away from her.
Her last sight, before she fell into unconsciousness was Aedan, pinned by two men and being bound, and Mac, still fighting to save his laird.
Aedan woke with his head throbbing and ribs that felt as if he’d actually broken them, as opposed to bruised them. He also woke to the feeling of a tree against his back, and his arms bound tightly behind him. For a moment, it was all he could do to remain conscious and breathe as he struggled to recall what had happened.
Thora. He’d gone to speak to Thora and seen her in the process of being kidnapped. He had raced to aid her… and then his memory faded away.
He must have been overwhelmed. That would explain his throbbing head. With a grimace, Aedan forced his eyes to open.
He was bound to a tree, at the edge of a rudimentary camp. A dozen men stood around, tending the fire or talking among themselves. Among them stood Lachlan Ross, a smug smile on his face.
Thora was beside him, dirt streaking her face and clothes, her hair wild around her face, and her eyes wide with worry. As soon as she saw him awake, she collapsed against him. “Aedan… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didnae mean tae… I’m so sorry.”
“I ken. I’m sorry as well, but ‘tis nae time tae talk about it.” Aedan glanced around. “Mac?”
“Escaped. I dinnae ken where.” Thora’s voice was soft. She sat up, and he saw that she’d been bound by nothing more than a rope around her wrists. “They’ve bound ye tae a tree, and me hands, but they’ve done little else. Lachlan is still planning his next move, and trying tae decide whether tae ransom ye tae yer clan fer their servitude, or send back yer head and claim the clan by right o’ conquest.”
Neither sounded like a good option for Aedan. “And ye?”
Thora shuddered. “He intends tae tak’ me back tae his castle and wed me by force, then use the wedding tae make me braithers submit tae his demands.”
