Page 86 of Desire of a Highlander

Her husband nodded. “Aye. Bryce Campbell first. And then the others.”

“And if Ronan doesnae fall into line?”

Henry shrugged. “Then we’ll deal with him. After he’s killed Bryce for us, he will have fulfilled his uses. If he joins us or not, either way, his lands become ours, along with the Steading. Then we’ll finally have the secure base we need where the crown’s soldiers canna find us.”

Alana nodded thoughtfully. “And his people?”

“The fighters are useful. We’ll conscript them.”

“The women and children?”

“Useful in other ways.”

Alana laughed. “Oh, ye are ruthless, my love.”

“Ruthless?” Henry replied with a smile. “I prefer to call it pragmatic.”

Cold spread through Elodie’s veins like iced water. We’ll deal with him. Their offer of alliance was a sham. They wanted only to use Ronan’s bitter rivalry with his brother to get vengeance on Bryce, and then they would seize his lands, enslave his people. And Ronan himself? It was clear what they would do to him.

The panic rose up inside her again and this time she couldn’t tamp it down. Ronan. Oh God, Ronan! As quietly as she could, she backed away, fighting with all her strength not to give into her terror and make a run for it.

But as she reached the outskirts of camp, she couldn’t hold it in any longer. She turned and ran into the trees.

She almost made it. Almost. She darted through the undergrowth, not caring if she made a racket, knowing only that she needed to get away. Had to get away.

Then a hand seized the back of her dress and she cried out as she was jerked backwards.

“What’ve we got here?” A man’s face hove into view through the gloom, grinning unpleasantly. “Where do ye think ye are going?”

He tightened his grip and Elodie twisted violently. “Let me go!”

She stamped on his foot and he swore, his grip loosening just a fraction. Elodie took advantage of the lapse to spin and bring her knee upward with every ounce of strength she possessed. She was rewarded with a grunt and the guard making a strangled noise. For one glorious second she thought she’d won. Then rage replaced pain in the guard’s expression.

“Ye little—”

He slammed her backwards against a tree, the impact driving the breath from her lungs. His forearm crushed across her throat and she clawed at him desperately.

She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t— Panic surged and she kicked, thrashed, struggled. Nothing worked.

His face loomed closer. “I ought to—”

Something suddenly moved in the darkness behind him. There was a dull crack and the guard’s eyes rolled backwards. He collapsed like a sack of grain.

Elodie staggered, coughing. Ronan stood over the unconscious man, his eyes burning with fury. The dagger in his hand flashed as he stepped up and raised it above the unconscious man.

“No!” Elodie caught his wrist.

Ronan looked at her. “He hurt ye. I’m going to kill him.”

The cold fury in his voice frightened her. She squeezed his wrist harder. “Please. Don’t. “

For several endless seconds he remained perfectly still. Then slowly, reluctantly, he lowered the blade but the fury in his eyes didn’t ease. “Elodie,” he breathed, the words sounding like a promise.

The relief that swept through her at the sight of him was so strong it made her legs go weak. She was dreaming. Surely she must be dreaming. But no. He was here. He was real.

He clasped her arm to steady her. “Are ye hurt?”

She shook her head but he searched her face anyway, her neck, her arms, her shoulders. Making certain. Only when he seemed satisfied did he nod.