Page 3 of Highland Steel

“Och, stop it!” commanded Logan, never even drawing his sword, since he didn’t need it. The wounded man figured he was an attacker. If Logan even touched his weapon, he would be seen as a threat and he didn’t want that. He raised his hands in the air to prove he wasn’t going to hurt him. “I wasna the one to attack ye. I am here to help.”

Jack growled and moved forward slowly with his head down.

“The wolves are already here to feast on my flesh,” spat the man, seeming to use all his energy to speak. With what little strength he had left, the man pushed up to his knees, slashing out at Jack now.

“That’s enough!” Logan kicked the dagger out of the man’s hand and grabbed him by the arm. “That is my wolf and ye willna touch him. Do ye understand?”

The man struggled against Logan’s grip but was no match for him, especially in his condition. With another yank, Logan dragged him to his feet.

“I’ll kill you, you bastard!” The man swung at him next, but Logan clamped his hand around the man’s wrist and stopped him.

“I willna tell ye again,” Logan ground out through gritted teeth. “I am here to help ye. At yer daughter’s request,” he added.

“My daughter?” The man stopped struggling and looked up. “Where is she? Where are the others?” Then his eyes fell to the dead guards sprawled out on the ground around them. “God’s eyes, please don’t tell me they are all dead.”

“Papa,” came the cry of a female from behind them before Logan could even answer. He turned around to find Rhoswen riding up to join them. A frustrated groan lodged in his throat. She shouldn’t be here. Why had he thought the girl would really listen?

“I thought I told ye to go to the tavern with the others,” spat Logan.

“Newell took Blaine there, but I wanted to come back to see my father.” The girl hopped off the horse and ran to her father, gathering him into her arms. She winced as their bodies met. When the wind blew her cloak aside, Logan could see her torn gown and bare leg. Her leg was bleeding.

“Ye’re hurt, lassie,” said Logan.

“What did those bloody Scots do to you, Rhoswen?” asked her father, who was in worse shape than his daughter.

“They didna touch me, Blaine or Newell,” Rhoswen assured him. “I scraped my leg when my horse reared up and I fell, that’s all. Papa, are you all right? I thought you were dead.”

“Nay, I’m . . . I’m . . . ” Her father wavered and his eyes drifted closed. Logan jumped forward and caught the man just before he hit the ground.

“Papa!” cried Rhoswen.

Jack growled lowly, which told Logan they were being watched.

“Get on yer horse and go right now,” Logan told Rhoswen in a low voice, his head staying stable but his eyes darting back and forth.

“Nay. I won’t leave my father,” she answered stubbornly.

“I’ll take him on my horse. Now, do as I say.”

“He is injured and needs to be tended to right here. We can’t move him yet.”

“Ye’ll listen to me, and ye’ll do it now if ye ken what is guid for ye,” spat Logan. Jack growled again and Logan heard a twig snap in the forest. Rhoswen heard it, too. Her head jerked upward and her eyes opened wide. Then she turned and ran for her horse.

“Get rid of them, Jack,” Logan told his wolf, throwing the wounded man over his shoulder, carrying him to his horse. He didn’t like leaving here if the attackers were still in the area, but he didn’t have a choice. He couldn’t fight them and protect the girl and her wounded father all at the same time. Nay, he would have to come back later. Right now, he needed to get them to safety and tend to their wounds. Rhoswen’s father didn’t look good and Logan wasn’t even sure he was going to live. He threw the wounded man over his shoulder and headed for his horse.

“Ride for the tavern and dinna stop until ye get there,” he told Rhoswen. “And dinna turn back . . . no matter what ye hear or see.” They rode away, hearing the snarls of his wolf from behind them.

Chapter 2

Logan stopped and tethered his horse at the back of the tavern, looking around once more in case they were being followed. To his surprise, even though he was sure they were being watched, they hadn’t been bothered by the bandits. He had Jack to thank for scaring any stragglers away. Looking down, he ran a hand over his wolf’s head. “Ye’d better stay here, Jack. Auld Callum will have my head if ye come inside after ye stole the chicken out of the soup pot this mornin’. I’ll try to bring ye somethin’ though so dinna worry.”

Before he could even help Rhoswen dismount, she was off her horse and running over to him.

“Is he dead?” she asked with tears in her eyes, looking at her father.

“Nay, but close to it.” Logan collected her father into his arms, taking him from the horse. The man moaned and his eyes flickered open.

“Rhoswen,” said her father in merely a whisper.