Page 35 of Bride of Fire
In frustration, he pounded the door with the back of his fist.
How much time did he have before the army of Rivenloch arrived at his gates? An hour? Two?
What was he to do?
The castle’s defenses were his first concern.
He’d have to muster the few soldiers he had and station them along the curtain wall. He’d send servants out to gather the livestock and quickly harvest what remained in the fields to prepare in the event of a siege. Maids could haul up buckets of water from the courtyard well as a defense against fire. Young lads could set them at strategic points inside the palisade timbers.
His best defense, of course, was his possession of the lasses. Unless the Laird of Rivenloch deemed the Warrior Daughters expendable—and he didn’t believe that for a moment, considering their marriageable beauty—battle could be avoided with that simple leverage.
But what about Hallie? What if shehadn’treturned to Rivenloch? What if shewaslost in the forest? Set upon by outlaws? Eaten by wolves?
His leverage was worthless without the third cousin. Hallie was the commander. She was the laird’s daughter. If the Rivenloch knights appeared, and Morgan couldn’t prove she was safe and unharmed…
He shuddered. He had no desire to face the army of a vengeful father.
He had to send someone after Hallie. Someone who could find her quickly.
His best tracker was Colban.
With any luck, his clever right hand man would find her before her clansmen could set foot on Creagor soil.
“So, Highlander, do you plan on starving us?” Jenefer suddenly asked, jarring him from his thoughts.
Food was the least of his worries. He would think it would be the least of hers as well. After all, she was about to become a pawn in a clan battle.
Feiyan chided her. “How can you think about breakfast at a time like this, Jen?”
Jenefer lifted a proud chin. “Unlike you, dwarf, I need sustenance to keep in fighting form.”
Feiyan shook her head, then arched a judgmental brow. “You eat like an ox.”
“I do not.”
“Apregnantox.”
Jenefer’s eyes flashed. “You spawn of a goblin! How dare you—”
“Enough!” he thundered.
Next door, awakened by all the noise, the bairn began to wail. Morgan growled deep in his throat.
“I’ll send the maid up with breakfast,” he grumbled.
“I won’t eat live mice,” Jenefer warned.
Morgan scowled. “What?”
Feiyan gave her an elbow. “Ignore her.”
Jenefer elbowed her back.
Morgan shook his head. “Do ye think ye can keep from killin’ each other till then?”
They exchanged smoky, slit-eyed glares full of malice, but nodded.
Feiyan got out of his way when he strode to the window. He unknotted the rope of sheets and hauled it in. For good measure, he took the coverlet as well, leaving only the sheepskins on the bed. He drew the line at confiscating the lasses’ garments, though he wouldn’t put it past the brash wenches to flee naked down a rope of their own clothing.
