And he wasn't alone.
Cray appeared in front of them on foot, gripping an ax in one hand and a sword in the other. Meanwhile, Aidan raced his horse alongside them and crossed blades with the man holding her. As he had likely intended, Cray’s blazing dragon eyes spooked her captor’s horse, and it reared up.
Though it might have been her imagination, she swore her ring sparked, and lightning flashed over Aidan’s blade. As if magic was trying to help but sputtered out.
Caught in a dizzying tailspin when the horse reared, she toppled over, falling toward the ground at breakneck speed. At this angle, she would snap her neck or end up beneath the animal. Luckily, before she hit the ground, Aidan caught her and set her down safely. Then he was off his horse defending her.
Strangely, she no longer wore what she’d put on in the tent but another gown. While similar to the dress that had magically appeared on her at Edinburgh Castle, it was even more provocative. It was also more golden colored than crème this time.
“Ye bloody bastard,” Aidan roared, going after her captor when he hit the ground, rolled and leapt to his feet. The men crossed blades with a fury that made her stumble back. It was one thing to see him fight his cousin, another, the enemy.
It was mesmerizing.
What she wouldn’t do to be able to write down what she witnessed. The amazing footwork. The way he swung his sword and moved his body. It was a glorious dance made of flexing muscles, precision, motion, and balance. Passion and anger. She had never seen anything quite like it. Anything so eye-drawing...or so terrifying.
She was so drawn to him battling that she didn't realize more men had arrived until a mini-battle exploded around her. By the looks of it, Scotsmen fought Scotsmen. Even the man who had kidnapped her was Scottish. Or so said his attire.
Despite her former captor's superior fighting skills, he soon fell beneath Aidan’s blade.
“Stand down,” a man roared, appearing on horseback beside Robert Bruce. “Stop attacking!”
It was clear he spoke to the men they fought. They werehiswarriors.
Initially, she thought he might have ordered them to attack in the first place but realized when they took off into the forest, his men had gone rogue. Which more than likely meant they were possessed. Where would they go now? How would they outrun Robert’s men who swiftly pursued no doubt to kill them?
They didn't deserve that. Not if they were possessed.
Her attention soon turned elsewhere when Aidan yanked her into his arms and held on tight. She felt in the tremble of his strong body how terrified for her he had been. Had he experienced their separation like she did? Had it been so strong?
“Did youfeelit?” she whispered, referring to their connection. She shook not just from everything that had happened, but because she was fairly certain she’d pulled him to her. Or had it been the sunlight? “Did youseeit?”
“What the bloody hell is going on here?” the new man on scene growled, swinging down from his horse. Of medium height and stocky, he had a hard, angular face. His furious, too-arrogant regard made her tense when he focused on the dead warrior, then Aidan, Cray, and Tiernan. “Who are ye? State yer business here.”
“As I told ye upon approach, these men are with me, Earl,” Robert reminded. “Friends all.” He introduced who turned out to be Donald, Earl of Mar, to the men then to Julie and Chloe. “They are allies, not enemies. Here to protect the rightful King David.” He gestured in the direction of the retreating men. “’Tis clearly yer men ye need worry about.”
One of Robert’s men returned, shaking his head, referring to the rogue warriors. “They are bloody gone! Vanished into thin air before our verra eyes!”
“Och, that is impossible,” Donald spat. “Keep searching. Bring them to me when ye find them.” He scowled at the forest. “My men are out there somewhere.”
Aidan’s thoughts flickered through her mind. It was just as he had suspected. Those men had been possessed by the Disinherited. But to where had they vanished? On Tiernan and Julie’s adventure, only the monks—those they assumed were the brotherhood in the flesh—were able to disappear. Now those they possessed could as well?
She noticed Robert didn't mention what he'd discovered about the MacLomains last night.
“Nor will he,”Aidan said into her mind.“Rumor has it he and Donald have never seen eye to eye. Nor do I imagine our future regent is a very open minded man. Even if he was, ‘tis a stretch to believe wizards came to Scotland’s aid in the last war. Most would sooner call it black magic and have us burned at the stake.”
“The earl seems like an ass anyway so probably better that he doesn’t know much about you,”she replied, more sensitive to his telepathic voice than usual. Perhaps because they were nearly separated? Whatever the cause, it felt like soothing honey on her raw nerves.
“I havenae heard overly favorable things about him.”Aidan remained by her side.“Other than that he leads battles well during wartime.”
Donald didn’t so much as nod hello to Aidan and his cousins but assessed their size and builds with approval. “If they fight for the true king, then so be it.” His dark regard landed on the women, and he scowled. “I dinnae like lasses traveling with my men.” He eyed Julie, clearly gauging her potential talents before his gaze narrowed in on Chloe’s cleavage. “Unless they are whores and serve a purpose, they cause too many problems.”
“I can assure ye mywifewillnae cause problems.” Tiernan’s tone might be civil, but his expression was tight. “Nor will Laird Hamilton’s.”
Tiernan and Julie weremarried? Since when?
“They best not,” Donald grunted, clearly unconvinced. He swung onto his horse and departed, but not before ordering his man to collect the fallen warrior for burial.
Apparently, he didn’t think she deserved an apology for his man trying to kidnap her. No surprise really considering the lack of value he put on women. If anything, they should probably be grateful he didn't want retribution on Aidan for killing his soldier despite his evident defection.
