He glanced at the halved gemstone and frowned. It had warmed, as it had within the cave when he’d struggled with his feelings toward Cristina. An image of the MacGruder brothers’ grandmother gifting him the halved malachite upon his being knighted wavered in his mind as did the whispers of her having the second sight.
Unease trickled through him. Nae those were but whispers. Regardless, she was dead, her abilities long since passed.
A stick snapped in the distance.
Patrik withdrew his dagger as he glanced toward the sound.
A wash of brownish red flickered through the brush. A fox.
His body eased, and he secured his blade.
At the next rise, Patrik took in the sun sliding from its zenith. He paused within the shadows, scanned the roll of woods ahead.
Cristina halted at his side. “There is smoke to the north.”
He scanned the tree-lined sky. Cursed.
“An English encampment?”
“I doubt they would halt this early in the day.”
“Do you think the English have torched another Scot’s home?”
“Aye. Likely so.” Anger welled inside him at the image of a scene he’d too often beheld. He drew a calming breath. “If ’tis the English knights’ doings, I must see if anyone still lives.”
She cast a somber glance. “And if no one survived?”
“Bury the dead.” He started forward; she fell into step at his side. “Once we are near, you will hide until my return.”
“I am going with you.”
He cast her a cool glance. “You will not. If I know you are safe, I will not worry.”
She angled her head. “But you will not always be here to protect me.”
“Nae, but I am here now.”
Emerald eyes darkened, but she said no more.
He damned the image in his mind of her killing the knight. Did the confidence in her voice hint that yesterday’s act was but an example of her skill? If so, exactly how well trained was she? Or were his doubts feeding complications that didn’t exist?
Still, she’d had a weapon, one she’d kept hidden until yesterday. “Where is your dagger?”
Her stride never faltered. “Secured at my thigh.”
“You hid it from me.”
“I will not apologize for having learned to protect myself nor for concealing a weapon.”
“When I first saw you encircled by the English, I saw no sign of a strap.”
“Before you arrived, the men had found and relieved me of my weapon. When you attacked, I used the distraction to grab the dagger before I fled.”
That she could think so clearly despite her panic impressed him, but also deepened his suspicion. “Where was your weapon when we made love? I stripped you and should have found it.”
“Behind a nearby rock. And just barely.” A smile edged her mouth. “You, Sir Patrik Cleary, are a man who moves very fast.”
Though she teased him, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something about the lass he was missing.
