Chapter Twenty-Three
“HOW DID WE affect thedestiny of Clan MacLomain?” she began only for a ruckus to erupt outside.
“Bloody hell, Cray,” Tiernan and Aidan said at the same time. They pulled Chloe and Julie after them and headed out the door with everyone else just behind them. She put her hood up against the rain and took everything in.
A circle of curious onlookers had formed in the street with Cray at its heart, fighting three men. One had a sword. The other two went at the giant MacLeod hand-to-fist. As to be expected, that went poorly for them, and Cray knocked their heads together in no time.
Rather than call a halt to it when he joined the fray of onlookers, the Earl of Mar seemed more interested in assessing Cray’s skills. Or so she assumed when he waved a few of his men forward to fight. She supposed there was always the possibility he simply wanted to see Cray get his ass kicked, but she didn’t think so. He was sizing Cray up. Meanwhile, the MacLeod kept his sword sheathed and engaged the third man hand-to-fist despite his opponent’s weapon.
“His rage is finding an outlet through his fists,” Aidan muttered. “Which would be fine if the earl truly understood what the MacLeod was capable of and called off his men.”
“I would think he’d want to keep everyone intact.” Despite herself, she was as caught up in the excitement as everyone else. “And fighting Cray definitely isn’t the way to do that!”
She flinched, leaving the rest unsaid when despite the slick mud underfoot, Cray moved fast and knocked the blade out of his competitor’s hand. Then he punched him so hard that he landed on his back, passed out cold. Clearly not in his right mind, Cray roared with laughter then made a come-hither motion to the men Donald had urged forward.
“Well, are you just going to let him go at it alone then, lads?” Grant commented, manifesting beside them, his ethereal form somewhat splintered by the falling rain. It was obvious nobody else could see him. But then there was a good chance even if they could a mere ghost would pale in comparison to the show Cray was putting on.
“You know bloody well, we’ll end up on the front lines of battle if we join him,” Aidan replied to Grant, though she didn’t miss the spark of excitement in his eyes either.
“Aye, no doubt.” Tiernan glanced at Donald, noting the earl’s sudden sobriety as he assessed Cray’s fighting.
“So there is an opportunity in this,” Grant said, referring to being put on the front lines. Which likely meant putting them toward the front of the traveling retinue as well. Grant glanced at Aidan and Tiernan, part of his ethereal form catching on torch smoke. “’Twill put you in higher regard and closer to the earl.”
Which meant closer to the king.
“Aye,” the men agreed, pretending that was the reason they were so eager to go to Cray’s aid. Not because they simply wanted to get in on the action.
Yet Aidan scowled and shook his head, remembering what he’d said to her earlier. “’Tis unwise to leave the lasses alone.”
While he didn’t say it aloud, she knew he was tempted to say, ‘especially Chloe.’
“We’ll be fine.” Julie looked at Chloe. “Won’t we?”
“Absolutely!” While one part of her worried about Aidan getting hurt, another part thoroughly enjoyed watching him in action. Watching him anytime, actually. Case in point, it had been damn near impossible keeping her eyes off of him when he bathed earlier.
Sure, she had seen his body when they slept together, but she’d been so lost in the moment she couldn’t really appreciate it. Not like it should be appreciated. He was beautifully made, all muscles and hard flesh. She looked forward to touching and tasting all his perfectly sculptured contours.
“Och, lass, how am I supposed to fight when ye think thoughts like that?”he growled into her mind. Somehow, his pre-battle adrenaline rush affected the timber of his internal voice and cranked her sex drive way up. The man had some serious energy when fighting so she could only imagine what he was capable of in bed.
He was right, though. Best not to think about sex right now. Definitely not a good time.
Cray side-kicked one man before he spun, punched another, then lunged at the third, never giving his opponent a chance to draw his blade. In turn, far too many of Donald’s men joined the fight and went at him.
“Well, we’ve no choice now,” Tiernan said with a little too much pep considering his dire expression. He planted a kiss on Julie, told her to stay put, then strode toward the fighting, throwing over his shoulder, “Come on, Cousin.”
“Ye best go then,” Robert Bruce said, joining them.
Just like that, Grant’s ethereal form merged with the rain and vanished into a puddle.
“I’ll watch over the lasses,” Robert promised Aidan.
When Aidan looked at her unsure, she urged him on. “Go, I’ll be fine. Please.”
“You’ll stay put then?”
“I will,” she swore.
His eyes narrowed. “I remember you saying something similar before.”
