Page 6 of Intrigued By A Highlander (Highland Revenge Trilogy #2)

CHAPTER 6

“ N ot a sound,” Knox’s low voice murmured in her ear, his breath warm against her skin. “Not until we reach the horse.”

Dru stilled, her heart racing like mad from fright or was it something else? Knox was as immovable as a stone wall, and yet she felt no fear in his arms. She calmed herself and nodded.

Satisfied, Knox moved his hand off her mouth but kept his hold firm as he guided her deeper into the forest. She didn’t resist. It wasn’t as though she wanted to linger where Seth or anyone else might come looking for her. Besides she had information to share with him and a task to complete.

The shadows thickened as they moved amongst the trees, the sounds of the village fading behind them. It wasn’t long before they reached Knox’s waiting mare, the beast flicking its tail impatiently.

Without a word, Knox lifted Dru onto the saddle, then swung up behind her. His arms bracketed her as he took the reins, and she was keenly aware of the warmth radiating from him.

Only when they were moving did he finally break the silence. “What did you find out? And what did the old man have to say? And it better be the truth.”

Dru arched a brow. “Sounds like we still have a trust issue.”

His arm around her waist tightened slightly, just enough to remind her she had little room to wriggle out of answering.

“Tell me all of it.”

She sighed dramatically. “Well, if you must know, I gave Albert an apple. He has good teeth, in case you were wondering.”

Knox’s eyes flared with annoyance. “Dru.”

She smirked but relented. “I asked him about Autumn. He told me what you likely already know, same with Hennie—Torrance hired a mercenary to find her. A big fellow… you.” She cast him a glance, but he remained unreadable. “Hennie also mentioned a healer who befriended Autumn’s mum, if that matters, and I heard whispers that some believe Autumn is dead.”

Knox’s grip on the reins tightened. “Anything else?”

“This news came as a surprise… there’s someone else searching for her, but Albert didn’t know who or why.”

Knox was silent for a long moment, the steady rhythm of the horse’s hooves filling the space between them.

“That troubles me,” he finally said.

Dru twisted slightly in the saddle to glance up at him. “Because we don’t know who it is?”

“Because if there’s more than one party hunting her, then we’re not the only ones who see value in her.”

Dru frowned. “But why? Autumn isn’t exactly a prize.”

Knox didn’t answer right away, his gaze locked on the path ahead. “She is to Lord Torrance. If someone else finds her, a price can be demanded for her. If that’s not the case, then we’re missing something.”

“It makes sense that other mercenaries might be hunting her—more coins to be made.” Dru chewed at her bottom lip in thought. “Unless…”

Knox waited, but impatience finally had him demanding, “Unless what?”

She sighed as if she was still wrestling with her thoughts. “Someone may intend to use Autumn in a different way.”

Knox fell into thought, then his eyes darkened. “Revenge.”

Dru nodded. “Lord Torrance’s father, Lord Randall, was a brutal man, but some say Lord Torrance is far worse. It seems the sins of the son far outweigh the sins of the father.”

“We need to stay vigilant,” Knox warned.

She grinned. “I’m vigilant. I heard you loud and clear back there.”

Knox flicked a glance down at her. “Heard me say what? Where?”

She batted her lashes playfully. “When you told Seth, ‘She’s mine.’”

As if the notion was absurd, Knox let out a laugh. “I said no such thing.”

“You did. Loud and clear.” She patted his chest, solid muscle, reminding her of his strength. “No shame in it, Knox. I’m rather fond of you myself.”

His laughter faded into something more serious. “Fond enough to make this marriage permanent?”

Dru almost hesitated. Almost. But she caught herself and laughed. “Not on your life.”

“The feeling is mutual,” Knox confirmed, though he had noticed the slightest pause, as if she’d actually considered it.

She cleared her throat. “There’s a croft where many travelers stop for food and drink. We might learn something there or at least learn who recently passed through.”

“Dugan’s place,” he said.

“You know it?”

“I’ve stopped there a time or two. We’ll see what Dugan can tell us. Then we’ll go to where Autumn and her mum lived, see if we can find the healer who befriended her.”

She shrugged. “Haven’t you been there already? It’s the first place I would have started my search.”

“You are as observant as you claim and it is the reason I chose to search for you first,” Knox admitted, then his voice hardened. “Why did that man chase you through the market? And I’ll hear nothing but the truth from you.”

“When are you going to trust me, Knox?”

“Never.”

Dru clutched her chest in mock pain. “You wound me, Knox.”

She couldn’t blame him. Trust wasn’t easy for her either. Her past had seen to that.

“Tell me why he was chasing you.”

She tilted her head, curiosity sparking in her eyes. “I will tell you if you tell me something about yourself first.”

Knox’s gaze narrowed. “What do you want to know?”

“When did you join the mercenaries?”

“I didn’t join them. I was sold to them when I was eight years.”

“Who sold you?” she asked softly almost as if she didn’t want to know.

She imagined him as a lad—perhaps large for his age, or maybe small and skinny, handed over to ruthless men. Her heart squeezed with pain for him.

“My parents,” Knox said without feeling. “There were eight of us. Too many mouths to feed. The mercenary leader, Phelan, offered good coins for me. It was the last time I ever saw any of them.”

“You never wanted to see your family again?” she asked.

Knox didn’t answer right away. His gaze was distant, lost in memory. Then, suddenly, he said, “There’s no point. It’s been too many years. They wouldn’t know me, nor I them.” He looked down at her. “Now, your turn. Why was that man chasing you?”

With what he had shared, she had no trouble telling him the truth, at least part of it.

“Hennie was boasting about men—how some were exceptional lovers, making any man who followed seem disappointing. Birdie said she wished she had one. If Seth had found out, he’d have beaten her senseless, so I lied to misdirect him.”

Knox arched a brow. “To you?”

“Aye. Birdie stood no chance with him. I knew I could outrun him.”

“And if he caught you?”

Dru grinned. “I had a secret weapon… you.”

Knox let out a sharp breath, shaking his head. “And what if I hadn’t intervened?”

She chuckled. “There were enough turnips there to knock him out.”

Their laughter faded into thought and silence settled between them.

He didn’t want to think of what might have happened to her if he hadn’t been there. Seth had enough bulk on him to do her serious harm. And if he had… he would have made him suffer for it.

Dru could see the wheels turning in Knox’s head—just as they were in hers. There was much to consider, much to be concerned about, much that could prove dangerous, but what thought was the foremost in her mind?

Her slight hesitation when he asked her if she was fond enough to make the marriage permanent? Why the pause? She had no answer and that troubled her.

As dusk fell followed by a crisp autumn night, Knox found a place for them to camp. They ate some of the food the nuns had generously packed for them while few words were exchanged.

“You need to sleep,” Knox said, seeing the way she struggled to keep her eyes open. “Once we’re done at Dugan’s place, we’ll head on. It will be a long day.”

“Aye, I could use the sleep,” Dru said and stretched out on the ground, wrapping her threadbare wool cloak around her as tight as she could.

The fire spread warmth, but the ground was cold, and her worn cloak held little protection against it. She couldn’t stop the shivers from settling in down to her bones.

Knox added more wood to the fire, hoping it would help ease her shivers. When it didn’t, he went to her and lay beside her, taking her in his arms. He tucked her tight against him and shared his cloak, throwing it over her, and tucking it firmly around her.

She would have never allowed a man to get as close to her as Knox had, but he had made it clear when she was naked in front of him that he had no intimate interest in her. So, she had no worries about that. Besides, the heat that radiated off him was a comfort she gladly welcomed.

“Thank you, husband, that is most considerate of you,” Dru said as she settled her head comfortably on his chest, though hard with muscle, surprisingly comfortable.

“You are my wife. It is my duty to take care of you.”

It was a stoic response, not a bit of feeling to it. Duty. She was nothing more than a duty to him. Shouldn’t she be relieved to know that? Whatever was the matter with her thinking otherwise? And she was sure some of the food the nuns had given her was partially rotted since that strange feeling returned to disturb her stomach.

She was glad she was too tired for her thoughts to keep her awake and her husband’s warmth made all the difference. It allowed her to drift off to sleep.

Not so, Knox. His wee wife was proving difficult after only one day of marriage. He had been forced to steel himself against any feelings after only a few days with the mercenaries. If he hadn’t, he would have never survived. Some days he hadn’t wanted to. Death was a better preference. But he had survived and lying here with his wife in his arms, he thought how nice it would be if it was real. That she actually cared for him if only a little.

Foolishness , he silently warned himself.

He allowed himself to be lured into a false sense of comfort and absurd hope. He needed to concentrate on finding Autumn, returning her to Lord Torrance and claiming the land he promised him. There was where he would find true comfort and hopefully peace.

He smiled at the slight scent of turnips that drifted off his wife just before falling asleep.

Dru stirred beneath her cloak, shifting against the cool ground, then blinked awake. The campfire had burned low, its embers casting a faint, flickering glow against the darkened forest.

Something was wrong.

She reached out instinctively, expecting to brush against Knox’s solid form beside her.

Nothing.

Frowning, she sat up, scanning the camp. The mare was still tethered, ears flicking, but Knox was nowhere in sight. Had he gone off to relieve himself? Had he heard something and went to investigate? He hadn’t deserted her, or his mare would be gone. So, where was he?

Dru pulled her cloak tighter around her, listening. The forest was quiet—too quiet.

She was vulnerable sitting here in front of the fire, an easy target. When on her own she always found a place to sleep that was tucked away from the elements, where no one could spot her.

Her head swerved to the side. Had she heard something? It came again.

A twig snapped.

She froze.

Slowly, she turned her head, heart hammering in her chest as she scanned the darkness beyond the dying fire’s glow. A shadow moved, stepping out from the trees, his heavy boots crunching against the fallen leaves.

A man.

He was tall, thickly built, and with a sword strapped to his back, daggers sheathed at his waist, and another tucked in his boot. His face was partially hidden by the hood of his cloak, but his sneer was clear enough.

“Well, well,” he said, sounding pleased with himself. “Looks like I found myself a bit of company.”

Dru stayed seated, keeping her posture relaxed, though every muscle in her body tensed. She needed to think, not panic. “You must be lost.”

The man chuckled, his amusement thick and unsettling. “Oh, I know exactly where I am. And I know exactly who you are.”

Dru arched a brow, fighting the fear that rose inside her, knowing it would do her no good to surrender to it. She needed her wits about her now.

“Do you now?” she asked, her voice light, unconcerned.

“Aye.” His head tilted as he studied her. “You’re the little fox who’s been sniffing around for Autumn.” He sneered. “That’s a dangerous game, lass.”

Dru clapped her hands together with feigned delight. “Oh, I do love a good game,” she said, her voice carrying, hoping that wherever Knox had gone, he’d hear her.

His sneer deepened and he let out a low chuckle. “Then you’ll enjoy this one. Tell me what you know, and maybe I won’t have to hurt you.”

“Take one step toward her and I’ll kill you, Rankin.”

Dru was never so relieved to hear Knox’s voice, though she had yet to spot him, and she was more surprised that he knew the man. Which meant Rankin was a mercenary.

Rankin’s head snapped up scanning the darkness. “You know the rule, Knox—first to find, first to keep.”

Knox emerged from the dark woods, the firelight catching the sharp lines of his face. His expression was unreadable, but there was a deadly calm about him.

“Aye,” Knox agreed. “So, why lie to me?”

He strode toward Dru, stopping beside her, his eyes never leaving Rankin.

Rankin hesitated, his confidence slipping. “I’m not lying?”

Knox arched a brow. “Then you’ve gone blind or deaf since I last saw you?” He flicked Dru a quick look—a silent command. Stay put.

She had no issue with that. Knox could handle this.

“What are you saying?” Rankin asked warily.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t see my horse. Or hear her,” Knox accused.

Rankin’s gaze darted around, searching.

“For a mercenary, you’re an idiot,” Dru said unable to hold her tongue after Rankin failed to spot the mare.

Rankin’s mouth curled into a snarl, but before he could retort, Knox cut in.

“You forget one of Phelan’s many rules,” Knox said. “Never let your manhood dictate your brain.”

Rankin mumbled beneath his breath.

“How do you know the woman’s been asking about Autumn and why does it matter to you?” Knox demanded.

“Freedom,” Rankin said. “I want to be free from Phelan. Not all of us could walk away from him like you did, fighting with whatever mercenary group you choose. Finding this Autumn woman might give me that chance.”

Knox shook his head. “You’re lying again, Rankin. Lie again and I’ll gut you.”

Rankin sneered. “You can try.”

Knox didn’t flinch. His voice remained deathly calm. “Do you really want to take that chance? We both know I’m more skilled than you. You don’t have a chance against me. But if you’re eager to die tonight, I’ll oblige you.”

Dru shivered at the cold certainty in his words—and from the look in Rankin’s eyes, he did too.

Knox took a step closer, his stance relaxed, but every inch of him radiated menace. “Now, I’ll have the truth, and this is the last time I’ll ask.”

Rankin swallowed hard and rushed to answer. “A bounty has been offered for Autumn?—”

Knox’s expression remained impassive. “Lord Torrance rescinded his bounty on her when he hired me, concerned that Autumn could be harmed and be of no benefit to him. Besides, everyone had already failed to find her.”

“It isn’t Lord Torrance who offers the bounty,” Rankin said.

Knox’s eyes narrowed. “Then who?”

Rankin lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “No one knows. But this bounty isn’t for her return. It’s for her death.”