The knight in charge scanned the angry torrent of churning waterrushing past. Massive tree limbs bobbed in the current as if they were fallen twigs. “They must find another place to cross.”
“So must we,” Colyne whispered as he faced her.
A frown wedged across her brow. “What direction will we take?”
With a grimace, he surveyed their surroundings. A wall of rock on their left removed the decision to travel north. With the steep banks slick and treacherous, retracing their steps wasna possible.
One choice remained.
“After the riders leave, we will head downstream.”
The burly leader scowled at the blackened sky and then faced his horsemen. “We will set up camp here. Guards will be posted. If they try to pass this way, we will catch them.”
Her eyes widened. “They are staying?”
A muscle worked in Colyne’s jaw. “ ’Twould seem so.”
“Over there,” the leader called. One hand shielded his face from the driving rain as the other motioned toward a stand of trees crowded on the top of the embankment, a short distance down the burn.
An outlook allowed them a fair view of their surroundings and, unknowingly, the ability to see any move he and Alesia would make.
The knights secured their horses in the nearby trees and hurried to construct a makeshift shelter.
“What are we going to do?” she whispered. “We cannot stay here.”
As if he didna realize that. He curbed his temper. Circumstance, nay her, instigated their plight. The small cave offered them protection from the weather, but with their bodies wedged in the confines and his wound aching, they couldna remain much longer. Having Alesia’s body pressed against him, and his wanting her, helped naught.
They must find a larger shelter if he was to keep his sanity. Colyne gave her hand a squeeze. “Wait here.”
As he started to pull away, Alesia tightened her grip. “What are you going to do?”
“At the next rumble of thunder, I will release the horses. With luck, they will believe the blasts frightened their mounts. Once the men give chase, I will return. Then we can leave.”
Her face paled. “You cannot go out there alone. Your arm is not fully—”
“ ’Tis too dangerous for us to remain. Our only hope of escape is to create a diversion.”
“Even so, they will keep the horses guarded. And what if you do not—”
“I will be back,” he said, his words nae as steady as he would have liked. The possibility he wouldna return was all too real. Wanting to divert her concern, he gave her a teasing smile. “You are nae worried about me, are you?”
Eyes rimmed with concern, she scowled at him. “This is not a matter to make light of.”
“That it is nae.” He cupped her face, swept his thumb over her bottom lip. “If I do nae return, you are to remain here until ’tis safe, then leave.”
“Colyne—”
“Promise me!”
“I . . .” She closed her eyes for a long moment before opening them, the fear within easy to read, as well as anger. “Oui, but you must promise that you will return.”
He’d meant to make the parting simple, but with her impassioned demand, she’d made it impossible. Aching for her, he claimed her mouth, his kiss turbulent, filled with unchecked desire.
A horse whinnied in the distance.
He broke the kiss, pressed his brow to hers, and banked his desires.
He needed to go.
