Page 61 of A Highland Rogue to Ruin

He ripped viciously away from her, shoving free of their warm swaddling, standing naked and rubbing the back of his neck so that his corded bicep twitched and bulged, and paced to the water’s edge.

And carved those spiteful words into him.

Branded him with a message to his sire.

An enemy retaliating against his sire in the vilest sort of way, by attacking his family.

Brighde scrambled to her feet and hurried to him, tears streaming down her cheeks and wrapping her arms around him from behind. She pressed her body to his backside. Desperate to ease the pain of his memories so he could let out this poison. Had he ever done so? If only she could absorb Tormund’s demons, so he could be free of them, because they had shaped the man and warrior he’d become. He’d taken that curse and made it his identity. Demon of the Seas. So that he could survive.

“Who were they?” she beseeched, coming around him, arms never leaving him. Praying it hadn’t been her sire. “Pray it was nay, nay my—pray I nay come from such bad blood.”

He pried up her fingers clenched around him, shaking his head, and brought them to his lips, pressing a kiss to them, softening instantly as if just gazing at her was enough to settle him. “’Twas nay yer kin, angel. And I’ll have no more tears over it.”

“Do ye promise?” she beseeched.

He picked up the talon around her neck to inspect it. Avoided her eyes. Didn’t answer her. “My mither was targeted, and my sire’s soul went dark. Marjorie was targeted, and Owen’s soul went dark. I nay want that to happen to us. And the first moment I suspect ye might be targeted, I will return ye to yer brother. I’ll no’ risk yer life because I want ye.”

She opened her mouth to argue, worry gaining intensity within her, for that wasn’t how two people faced a problem together—

“And ye’re right. I have something to tell ye.” He summoned a deep breath. “In Inverness, I’ve a w—”

He looked to the trees, distracted. Had he heard something?

“There’s a what?” She tried to guide his face back to hers, but he resisted and tugged his chin free of her fingers. No longer wanting to be touched.

He held his finger to her lips, face shuttered, when she heard a bird call. She wouldn’t have thought a thing of it, but his attention seemed to pique more.

He ripped away from her. The warrior was back. The man within had donned his armor. How would he know how to love her when he’d never been loved? Goodness, love? Aye, she’d meant it when she’d declared it. It was a young love, and needed nurturing, but she loved him. Such feelings had developed so swiftly, but she knew what this was burning within her.

But mayhap he didn’t.

He took her arm in his vice and marched her to their undergarments.

“Torm?” she fretted, shivering, as he thrust her clothing unceremoniously to her and quickly donned his braies and trews, an ache lodging in her chest and sickening her belly. “Is it the lurker?”

“Nay. I’m taking ye back to the faire. It’s my uncle. A problem. I need to go.”

Chapter Eighteen

Day Six – Final day of the Lughnasadh Harvest Festival.

Clank. Tormund swung his sword. He didn’t dare believe he had a Judas in his midst, and the need to send Brighde home with James to protect her burned with increasing fervor every passing minute since Niall’s call of alarm.

“Did ye find the supplies?” Tormund demanded.

Clank. It struck Niall’s sword again.

The field, fraught with nettles, cut their skin as he and his men trained in a nearby glen, their weapons collected from Rose’s storage and checked out of the faire.

“How did coils of ropes—” Clank. “—stashes of blades, arrows and bows, all secured in Glen Albyn—” Tormund grunted as his sword struck Niall’s again, “go missing?”

The reason Niall had interrupted him and Brighde. Tormund’s supplies for the ambush had vanished.

“I had a guard on them at all times.” Niall shook his head as they parried.

“Obviously no’.”

“No one came or went except our men. I swear it. But if they’re overturned to the royal guards at Kilravock and linked to us, then we’re in trouble.”