“Nay, my da did. ’Tis from the antler of a stag the former chief killed over twenty summers ago. I was a wee lad then, but I remember them returning from stalking deer. Everyone was excited and happy about the successful hunt.”
Though she had never talked with his father, Conall MacKay, beyond a greeting, she’d often seen him at Dunnakeil and knew him to be a friendly, hearty and boisterous man, quick with a laugh but also quick to defend those he loved.
“The knife is beautiful.” She was touched by his generosity, but he seemed unaffected that he was giving away personal items he must have treasured for many years. Or was he merely hiding his emotions? His eyes held no regret, only affection, when he observed her. He made her feel as if… she was special.
She swallowed hard and lowered her gaze. No one had ever made her feel special before. No one had ever cared whether shecould defend herself or not.
“I’ve always wanted a weapon,” she confessed.
“In truth?”
She nodded, remembering how she used to dream of having a weapon with which to defend herself and her sister during her father’s violent rants. Such a thought was blasphemous, she knew, considering she was not honoring her father. But she had never done anything to deserve his wrath, nor had her sister or their poor mother.
“Why?” Keegan asked.
She could not tell him the truth and instead shrugged. “I admire those who are good fighters.”
“Well, mayhap you will be a good fighter when I’m through with you.” Keegan smiled.
Heavens!Did he expect her to spar as the men did during practice?
“The first thing you need to learn is how to draw thesgianquickly.” He moved his right hand near his left wrist and, within a blink of an eye, he held a knife in his hand. “Did you see how I did that?”
“Nay.” He’d drawn the knife so swiftly, ’twas but a blur.
Keegan returned his knife to its sheath on his left arm, then pulled back his other sleeve to reveal another on the right forearm. “I never want to be without a knife.”
“I see.”
“Watch. I’ll do it slowly so you can see what I’m doing.” He gradually moved his right hand toward his left. His fingertips slipped toward the inside of his wrist and tugged the handle. The knife slid out and he palmed the hilt. With the next demonstration, he repeated the movements a bit faster, but still not with the speed he’d first used.
“You try it,” he said.
After relaxing her arms for a moment, she lifted them as he’d done. She pulled at the knife within the sheath on her forearm. It would not budge. She tugged harder and the knife slid out smoothly into her hand.
“Aye. Very good.” Keegan grinned and a different expression entered his eyes, darkening them. The way his eyes changed amazed her. Sometimes they were pale and bright as the sky on a clear day. Other times, like now, they resembled the sky at twilight.She wished she knew what he was thinking so she could figure out why his eyes changed so much.
“I’m proud of you,” Keegan said. “Now, return it and draw it again. Often in the Highlands, who lives and who dies is determined by who can draw their knife, dirk or sword the quickest.”
Her stomach knotted with the thought she had to be quicker than an outlaw warrior. She did as he’d suggested and returned the knife to the sheath.
She yanked it out again, faster this time.
Keegan stood back, crossed his arms over his chest and nodded. “Keep going.”
Concentrating on the task instead of Keegan’s intriguingly broad shoulders and muscled arms, she repeated the process several times. She was amazed at how she became much swifter and more proficient each time. She smiled. Of course, she wasn’t yet as fast as he was, but she likely never would be.
“Och, lass, you have a beautiful smile,” Keegan said.
She halted in the midst of returning the knife to its sheath, her hand shaking.
He quickly grabbed her hand. “Careful. Don’t cut yourself.”
She released the knife, her hands trembling. That’s what he did to her… him and his distracting, complimentary words.
He pushed the knife into the sheath and stepped back. He tried to hide his smile but she saw it easily. The heat rushing over her intensified.
He cleared his throat and sobered. “One thing you have in your favor, Lady Seona, is the element of surprise. Most men won’t expect you to be carrying such a stealthy weapon. Likely, an attacker won’t strike you with a blade. His main objective won’t be to kill you immediately.” He frowned, his expression turning lethal. “He’ll probably try to restrain you or capture you. He might grab you from behind, or he might rush you from the front.”
