After swinging up on his horse, he hauled her up before him and headed west.
* * * *
Later that day, deep in the cave, Cailin added several dry limbs of ash to the growing fire, thankful the curve of the chamber shielded any glow of light from outside. He rubbed his hands before the growing flames, glanced over at Kenzie curled up beneath the blanket, her eyes closed.
During their ride, she’d fallen asleep. Given the distance she’d traveled on foot before meeting up with her, he wasn’t surprised.
He grimaced, unsure if she was more foolish or brave. She’d risked great injury in travelling through such miserable conditions to at first escape and then to find him. A fact that supported her claim of her family’s fate. Regardless, neither his regret for her loss nor her plight swayed him.
While he reclaimed his birthright, the dangers would be many. Unseasoned in war, there were risks she wouldn’t understand. ’Twas best to leave her whereshe’d be safe.
Wherewasthe question.
Flames snapped as they slowly consumed the dry wood, and the waver of light from the growing flames shimmered over her.
In sleep, with wisps of her deep chestnut hair framing her face, she looked like an innocent maiden. A far cry from the brazen lass earlier this day, her emerald-green eyes dark with fury searing into his own.
If all she’d shared was true, she was a woman who would hold her own against the odds, fight for those she loved, go to any lengths toright a wrong.
A rare lass indeed.
Cailin grunted. He’d known few women of such caliber. All whom were now married to his friends. Not that he cared about her. He couldn’t afford to. When it came time to leave, he would walk away without looking back.
Her lashes flickered, opened. Confusion shadowed her eyes as she looked around, then her gaze landed on himand grew wary.
A sliver of regret shimmered in his mind. Cailin sat back.
With a wince, she sat up and looked around.“Where are we?”
“In a cave.”
“There are several nearby.”
He tried to ignore the soft roughness of her voice, thick with sleep. “Aye.”
Annoyance sparked in her eyes, bolstering his irritation with himself for noticing anything about her.
Kenzie tugged her cape closer and she glanced toward the flames. “I know you dinna believe you can trust me, misgivings I have more than earned, but I swear to you, from this moment on, I will speak naughtbut the truth.”
“There is little you could disclose that I would find useful.”
“As I stated earlier this day, I know places where we can hide until you seize Tiran Castle. More importantly,I know people whowill help you.”
Cailin lifted a stick from the fire, watched the curl of smoke. “Such as?”
“I risk much by telling you,” she said, nerves making her voice waver.
Doubtful, he remained silent. If she indeed proved herself reliable, once he claimed his birthright, ’twould be beneficial to have another person on Dalkirk land he could trust. Cailin gave a curt nod.
She wet her lips. “I am a friend of Father Lamond, who I know was a confidant of your father. A man I believewill help you.”
He stilled. Father Lamond, a trusted adviser of King Robert and the priest who’d risked his life to recover his father’s broadsword and deliver the blade to the Bruce. The weapon the king had presented to him but days ago, and the man Sir Angus McReynolds wasto lead him to.
Refusing to allow Kenzie to know the significance of the cleric to him, Cailin shrugged, cast a flaming twig into the blaze. “I heard hewas banished.”
“He was.”
“Yet he remains nearby?”
