Page 96 of Highland Ruse

The wonder left Delilah’s face. “Where’s Torra?”

Kaid kept his hand still clasped on Delilah. Not that he assumed she needed his protection—she’d already proven herself capable enough—but somehow touching her reassured him she was there.

She was alive.

She was safe.

His throat drew tight with happiness, and he said it again in his mind twice more just for the sheer joy of it.

Delilah was alive.

Torra was easily found, crouched like a frightened child beneath a fallen tree. Scratches showed on her cheeks, but she was otherwise unharmed.

As Kaid watched Delilah reassure the woman, a realization slammed into him. He’d not hesitated once in battle.

His vision had not blurred, his heart had only pounded steadily and confidently, as it had done before the massacre. Even his palms had remained dry against the hilt of his sword.

He didn’t know when, or why, or how, but through loving a woman so brave and sacrificing as Delilah, he found himself restored to the man he’d once been.

• • •

Torra lay slumped between the brace of Delilah and Kaid’s shoulders.

The poor woman had been so frightened, Delilah had no choice but to offer the woman one of Percy’s draughts. She’d only been given half so she could still walk, but was terribly disoriented regardless.

“Where am I?” Torra slurred. “Why?”

“We’re taking you to a ball,” Leasa said in a soothing tone.

Delilah looked at Leasa who offered a helpless shrug. It was a ridiculous answer, but seemed to placate Torra.

While Delilah felt a stab of guilt over Torra’s drugged confusion, it was perhaps best the woman forgot everything that had happened prior to her taking the dose.

For now, they were heading toward Killearnan, where Delilah would have to face Sylvi. Already the city line was in view, and Delilah’s heartbeat pounded faster with each step closer.

“I’m going with ye into Killearnan,” Kaid declared.

Tension throbbed at Delilah’s temples. “You can’t.” The time for being quiet about the other women was over. “It wasn’t just me who was hired by Lady Elizabeth’s father.”

A knot of guilt lodged itself in her heart. She hated having to involve the other women. If going against her mission weren’t already betrayal enough, this was the twist of the dagger.

She shifted Torra’s arm on her shoulders to ensure the woman would not slip free.

“Who else is there, aside from Elizabeth’s maid?” Kaid asked.

“Elizabeth’s maid isn’t a maid at all,” Delilah replied. “Her name is Liv. But it isn’t just the two of us who do work for hire. There are several of us. I’m to meet with the woman in charge of us all. Kaid, if you come with me, she’ll try to have you hanged in order to see my assignment fulfilled.”

Kaid was quiet a moment too long. “I’ll no’ leave ye to go without me.” There was a determined edge to his tone, one she was sure he was used to seeing obeyed.

But she was not one of his men, so easily commanded. “It’s too dangerous. She wants to see you—”

“She doesna know anything about me,” Kaid said abruptly.

He was right, of course. Even Lady Elizabeth’s father did not know who might seek to abduct Elizabeth. It was only known MacKenzie had many enemies and so the possibility was great.

Elizabeth had been delivered to MacKenzie safely, which made their mission successful.

A protest readied itself on Delilah’s tongue when Kaid’s look stilled her words. His expression was not hard or insistent, but desperate with pleading.