Authors: Lisa Dawn Wadler
Chapter 23
“Why have we stopped, Hagan?” Claire asked from horseback. Her eyes stared forward, only able to see the long trail ahead of them. The rolling hills, lush greenery, and rocky outcroppings held no beauty. The clouds covered the sun, which left the day dreary.
Hagan dismounted and grabbed the bag of food. “‘Tis past midday. We both need to eat, and the horses should be rested. You set a hard pace.” He reached up to help her to the ground. His eyes widened as she stumbled on her feet. “Are you going to be sick?”
“That’s your wife’s thing. I’m just dizzy. Give me a moment, and it will pass.” She paused to breathe and was grateful as the wave dissipated. “So, Aliana told you?”
Hagan ushered her a bit away from the horses and opened the bag of food. “Aye, Claire, Aliana told me.” He motioned for her to sit and handed her a piece of the fresh bread. “Eat.”
Ignoring the food, she stared at the tree line in the distance. “Go ahead, I’m not that hungry.”
Hagan scolded her. “It will be late this evening before we reach my brother’s keep. You may have no hunger, but the bairn does. Eat.”
She knew he was right and took the bread he offered. Thankfully, Hagan was contented to let the meal pass in silence as long as she ate what he placed in front of her.
Hagan replaced the remainder of the food in the bag and returned to sit at her side. “Before we go, there are matters I need to ken. What arrangements have been made for the bairn?”
Claire replied with a short, clipped tone. “It is hardly a bairn yet, so what arrangements could I have?”
“I mean between you and Ian. Were plans discussed for the future? I would ken what to tell my brother to expect.”
Rising to her feet, she walked toward the horses. “Leave it alone, Hagan. Let’s go.”
How will I ever survive if even the mention of his name drives a stake through my heart?
“You did nay tell him, did you?”
Turning to face the charge, Claire’s voice was sharp with anger. “Don’t look at me like that. No, I didn’t tell him. Ian told me to leave, Hagan. Not exactly the right moment to tell someone a child is on the way.”
“I ken what set us on our path this day. He should have been told. Ian has a right to ken you are to bear his child.”
She wanted to argue and give a voice to the anger and pain she carried in her heart, yet she knew she would be yelling at the wrong man. Claire took the time to breathe deeply and let the fresh air calm her mind.
“Hagan, the child changes nothing, and you know it as well as I do. Ian chose to do what was best for the clan. What other choice was there? It’s not like I can pay Tavis for the taxes. None of us can. Even if he knew, I would still have been sent away.” Claire turned to face Hagan. “It changes nothing. If anything, it saves Ian from the guilt.”
“You amaze me, lass. And aye, you save him for the moment. Ian will still need to ken of his child. But we can talk about this more when you are settled.” Hagan turned to listen to noise from down the trail. “There are riders approaching.”
Hagan turned away to climb the small rocky hill next to the trail. With a reassuring smile, he descended to her side. “‘Tis nothing to fash yourself about, Nolen and his men approach.”
She now knew how the day could get worse. Claire asked, “Do we need to wait for them, or can we just leave?”
With a soft chuckle, Hagan said, “I dinna like the man either. Quickly see to any needs you have in the trees. They ride too quickly for us to avoid them,” Hagan replied even as his hand rested on his sword pommel. “After a quick greeting, we can be on our way.”
She walked a bit further into the trees than she would have if it had been just she and Hagan. Claire once again relieved herself in the woods. Her mind hoped the Douglas keep was fitted with indoor options, as the allure of the woods was long gone. Her walk back to the trail stopped immediately at the sound of metal clashing and Hagan’s loud cries. “Run, Claire, run!”
She hesitated as her instincts were torn between running and fighting beside Hagan. The sound of a rapidly approaching man spurred her into action. She lifted her skirts and ran even as she heard a shout that she had been found. In the distance, she heard orders given for her capture. Her mind raced as she ran.
Hagan must have been wrong and someone found us.
The cloak was her downfall. Grabbed from behind, Claire felt her feet leave the ground as the pursuer grabbed the billowing material and roughly stopped her motion. She stumbled as she turned and saw only the blade in his hand; her years of training took over.
As his hand rose to threaten a strike with the dagger, she stepped into the attack and blocked the swing with her forearms. She took full advantage of the shock and twisted his wrist and came away with the dagger. With a bend in her knees, she avoided his wild punch. Recognition dawned on her as she finally saw his face. It was one of Tavis’s men.
The surprise of who attacked slowed her motion and gave the man the opportunity to lunge for her. She braced at the last moment, and her legs held firm as he came to take her down, only to find his dagger now buried in his chest. The man, not one she could name, fell to his knees and then to the forest floor.
A wave of dizziness caused her to stagger and left her without the ability to react to the voice behind her. “You are full of surprises, Claire.”
Her turn to face him was too slow, and Nolen’s voice was like ice down her spine. Claire was not ready for the blow. The hilt of the sword came into her line of sight too late. She felt the strike just below her right temple and then nothing as the world turned black.
“Why aren’t you doing something? That was an illegal hit!” Claire turned to storm at Michael. “There’s no hitting to the head. Are you going to stop this match or am I?”
The look on Michael’s face was a mix of sadness and determination. “This isn’t a fight I can stop.”
She wondered why she couldn’t move her hand to touch the side of her aching face. “Of course you can, it’s your dojo for heaven’s sake.”
Michael held out his hands to prove the statement. “Too bad we’re not in the dojo now.”
He was right. She saw the trees, the growth-covered ground, and the gray sky above. She was not in the dojo. “What do I do now, Michael?”
He moved to stand close and looked into her eyes. “You do what you have to do. This won’t be a fair fight. There are no rules, not here and not now.” He took her by the shoulders. “Every drill, every class, and every sparring match has prepared you for this moment.”
Her voice whispered the words she never thought she would say. “I’m so scared, Michael.”
“Good, Claire. That’s a great place to start. There are a lot of unknowns here: why, who, and to what end. This won’t be easy, but true battle never is. Use your strength, and more importantly, use your mind. This is your greatest asset. Wait for it, Claire, wait for the right moment. You’ll know it when it happens.”
Pain roared through her head, as well as the sensation of something sharp on her legs. “It hurts, Michael. It already hurts so much.” With consciousness threatening, Claire begged, “Help me, Michael.”
Michael smiled. “You don’t need me. You have everything you need inside you. Find your moment and use it well.”
Claire wanted to stay with Michael, but the sting to her cheek brought her back to the forest, to the battle ahead.
Unable to stop the groan from crossing her lips, the first glimpse of consciousness delivered only pain. The taste of blood on her lower lip let her know a hit of some type had woken her. Slowly she remembered the strike to the side of her head and was instantly aware that her right eye was barely open. The swelling had already taken over. She wondered why she couldn’t move her hands. She felt the hard, damp ground beneath her back and the pressure on her wrists. She was flat on her back, and her hands were over her head, tied up and attached to something. The decision to reach out was immediately regretted as she felt the cut from a blade.
“Ahh, Claire, you finally join me.”
Focusing on the man leaning over her, recognition dawned. “Nolen.” His cold, blue eyes stared into hers as the smile spread across his face. It took a great deal of focus to suppress her shudder of fear.
“I began to fear I struck you too hard and you would nay wake. I wanted you awake, lass.” He stared as she tested the bindings on her wrists, and his tone was almost casual. “Save your strength. The bindings are attached to my sword, which is stuck deep in the ground. There will be no escaping.”
She tried to concentrate enough to take stock of the situation. Her legs were free. That was good. With her head tilted, she could see that only three or four inches of the sword’s blade were visible above ground. Buried deep was an understatement; there would be no way to pull the sword loose from where she lay. Circulation was not an immediate concern in her hands, but it would be over time. The material used was too familiar, and her legs felt the cool breeze, which brought more into focus. She was tied with pieces of her yoga pants. With the realization, she broke out into a panicked sweat. Fear raced through her veins, and she struggled against the bindings. A hard slap to her cheek from Nolen stilled her body.
“Dinna you wish to ask about your cousin, Claire?” Nolen began. “Three of my best chased him through the trees. They will return, and Hagan will nay.” He crouched to brush a loose lock of hair from her forehead. “Dinna waste your time mourning. You have little time left in this world either.”
“Then why I am still alive, Nolen? You could have just killed me.” She tried to shift away from his touch, disgusted by the feel on his hand on her head.
Nolen laughed at the question. “Did you truly believe it would be so easy, lass? There is unfinished business between us.”
Before she could ask what he meant, Nolen moved. He sat on top of her midsection and pressed her hard to the ground with his weight. “I made you a fine offer. You and your cousin led me to believe you were a proper lass. Did you think I would accept being made the fool?” He slapped her hard on the face. “I am nay a man to be lied to, lass.”
Even though he slapped the side not swollen, the pain roared through her head. She again tasted blood inside her mouth. “This is because I wouldn’t marry you?” Somehow she didn’t believe his motivation for this brutality could be so singular.
“You think too highly of yourself, yet, in part you are correct. I wanted you, so I will have you.” He pulled the laces on the front of her gown. “It could have been different between us, but that matters little now.”
Claire’s mouth dried, and her breathing became shallow as he untied her bodice with painstakingly slow movements, as if drawing out the moment to last an eternity. She could tell he wanted her fear as much as anything else he might try to take. His method worked. Panic took hold as his dagger cut through the tank top beneath the gown, followed by fresh pain as he cut the skin beneath. With her pulse racing, she squirmed beneath his weight.
“Let that be a lesson, Claire. Dinna think to struggle or more cuts will find their way to your skin.” His breath quickened as fear trickled down her spine. Nolen pushed the gown off one of her shoulders and ran a fingertip along her collarbone. “Would you like to ken the best part? I will tell him how you died. The Draig laird will die with the knowledge I had you.”
Even as her body cringed in disgust at his touch, she knew what Nolen said made no sense. “What do you mean, Nolen? Why would Ian die?”
Still perched on her stomach as he leaned over her face, his breath was hot on her cheeks. “Before Ian draws his last breath, I will tell him what happened here. He will ken the last hand to touch you was mine.” Nolen touched her bruised lip with a gentle finger and caressed the swollen side of her face. He leaned closer to stare in her eye. “They are all going to die, Claire.”
“What do you mean they all will die?” The question made him smile, and he shifted his body to lie on top of her. Her breath stopped when Nolen settled between her legs.
His casual air disturbed her the most. The brutality had ceased and given way to a perverse conversation. He again brushed her cheek with care. “You surprise me. I thought you kenned the whole of it. You were the one digging into old contracts.” His hand caressed her neck as he asked, “Would you hear of it? Do you wish to hear of it?”
She wasn’t sure she wanted to know anything, yet she needed time to find a way out of her predicament. Claire looked into his cold, blue eyes and asked quietly, “Please tell me.”
“Such fine manners you have, lass.” Her submissive tone made his cold stare soften a bit. He studied her and perched on his elbows while he rested over her body. “Tis about wealth, lass. Such matters are always about wealth. Tell me, would you die satisfied kenning you were correct?” Nolen surprised her with a kiss to her chin. “The lands you pestered Ian to investigate are the reason. A few years ago we accidentally stumbled on the mines while chasing a loose herd. The mines had just begun to yield silver, lots of silver. We simply took control of the mines and those who toil there. We have enjoyed this wealth ever since.”
The explanation was simple enough, greed. Claire didn’t understand why they bothered to come all the way to the highlands. This made no sense. “So why kill everyone? You have what you want.”
“Aye, that we do, lass. However, the Crown prefers everything neat. It took us some time to discover who had rightful claim. Imagine our surprise when Hagan arrived searching for a wife for the verra man we needed to give us clear title. Ian refused to sign formal agreements during the negotiations, stating some nonsense about only wanting a marriage contract. He left without signing what we needed. We captured him before he left our lands. My men had secured Ian, and a messenger came to tell me where he was being held. Unfortunately, Ian escaped and, in the process, killed three of my men. I sent half of my forces to recapture him. Ian somehow managed to make it back to his lands. The Laird of the Draig’s mark to a paper for the ownership of the land would have been forced if we had captured him. Of course he would have died anyway.” Nolen settled more forcefully onto Claire. “So now a marriage contract will have to suffice.”