Page 17 of Taken by the Ruthless Highlander (Taken by Highland Devils #6)

17

“I ’ll nae repeat myself,” Ryder said, trying to keep his voice even and steady. “Now, I understand ye have an issue with my wife. But I’ll nae have ye speakin’ ill of her all around the castle. Ye’re a member of the council merely because my faither gave ye the position. But make nay mistake, whatever venom ye’re spewin’ into people’s ears about Morgana or any of her relatives will come back to me. And I’ll ken that it all came from ye. And who, then, do ye suppose will be swingin’ from the noose at the front gate?”

He glared at Nathan.

The gleam in the man’s eyes unsettled him. Maybe it was a faint memory of his father that had come back to haunt him.

Still, Ryder rolled his shoulders back and studied Nathan, gauging his reaction.

“Ye’re the Laird,” Nathan gritted out.

The audacity of him charging in, thinking he could challenge his master’s ruling, made Ryder’s blood boil.

“Aye, and the next time ye forget it, I promise it’ll be yer head,” Ryder growled. “Now, get out. I dinnae want to see yer face for the rest of the evenin’.”

“The council is meetin’ tonight. Ye’re to be there as well. Are ye tellin’ me to miss the most important vote? I willnae stand aside and let ye run the clan into the ground. Ye cannae keep me from votin’ tonight. My voice will be heard,” Nathan contested.

“Then ye’ll find yerself in my dungeons until ye realize that I’m in control now, nae my faither. And from what I’ve gathered, Morgana was barely married to my faither before his untimely death.”

“She killed him,” Nathan hissed.

“What did I say about spewin’ such lies in my presence? Guards!” Ryder bellowed.

Two men burst through the door, arms at the ready for whatever malice or mayhem they could be walking into.

“Take the councilman to the dungeons. He needs to spend time recallin’ where his loyalties lie. And dinnae worry about the vote—I’m certain Cohen will make sure that yer vote is counted.”

“Ye cannae do this!” Nathan cried as the guards dragged him out of the room.

Ryder took no satisfaction in what he had to do. He turned to the window and raked his fingers through his hair. He clenched his jaw as he tried to figure out what he was going to do with Nathan. There was no way he would be able to keep Nathan in the dungeons indefinitely, but maybe the time out would teach him to hold his tongue.

“Are ye sure this is how ye want to handle this situation?” Felix asked as he stepped into the room. “Ye’re goin’ to have the council in an uproar over this move.”

“Nae ye too,” Ryder huffed. “And here I thought ye were on my side.”

“Aye,” Felix answered. “I’m on yer side. But ye seem to be constantly puttin’ me in situations I’d rather not be.”

“What are ye grumblin’ about?” Ryder asked.

He eyed Felix narrowly, daring him to voice one complaint.

“Actually, I have nay complaints,” Felix answered as he moved to the fireplace to warm his hands. “Although, I am startin’ to wonder if there is somethin’ else behind Feya’s disappearance.”

“I take it ye’ve heard nothin’,” Ryder muttered, his gaze flicking to the window.

Morgana’s face flashed through his mind. He hated the thought of having to tell her that her sister had been kidnapped, but there was no other explanation he could come up with.

“Nae even a peep. I hate to say it, but what if somethin’ has happened to the lass?” Felix said, a hint of concern lacing his voice. “All the signs point to somethin’ happenin’ to her. A healer as well kenned as she is doesnae just up and vanish, ye ken?”

Ryder nodded once.

It wasn’t like he hadn’t expected that conclusion. After all, all the signs were there for any skilled tracker. But the question that kept gnawing at him was one that he dared not utter out loud. He understood that there were some things a person shouldn’t ask, and yet he was poking the grizzly.

“Do ye want me to say somethin’ to yer wife? Ye ken I will always be more than happy to spend a few moments alone with her.” Felix smirked.

“Ye dinnae want to vex me,” Ryder huffed. “I’m already in a foul mood—I dinnae need ye to be antagonizin’ me.”

“I’m just sayin’.” Felix threw up his hands in surrender. “If ye want help with her, I’m right here.”

Ryder shook his head, his brow furrowed.

Felix barked out a laugh. “When will ye lighten up? I swear, ye’re goin’ to end up six feet under before yer time.”

“Felix,” Ryder bit out. “We’ve been friends for a long time. Ye’ve seen the worst—and maybe ye’ll even live to see the best of me. But if ye want those memories, I suggest ye leave.”

“Alright, alright,” Felix relented with a chuckle.

Ryder couldn’t understand why he was on edge. It wasn’t like he had been looking for trouble. But when he turned and saw Morgana skipping through the garden, the soft golden light of the midday sun glancing off her hair, his chest tightened.

He didn’t want to be in the stuffy room, trapped inside all day. Why couldn’t he go out and have a spot of fun as well? After all, it wasn’t like Morgana would turn him away if he showed up at her family picnic. He was her husband and shouldn’t need an invitation.

A smile stretched across his lips as he turned and made a beeline for the door.

Confusion flickered across Felix’s features as he breezed past him.

“Where’s the fire?” Felix playfully taunted as Ryder pushed through the door.

The warm air hit him as he stepped out into the sunlight. The scent of wildflowers and basil tickled his senses as he made his way around to the garden.

“Ye better hurry up!” he heard Morgana call from the tree to his left. “Ready or nae, here I come.”

His heart skipped a beat the second he spotted her under the shade of the oak.

“And what’s this?” she asked as she paused her attack. “Have ye come to join us?”

“Actually, I thought I would,” Ryder answered, just as two girls came charging for him. His body tensed as Morgana opened her arms to them.

“Ryder, ye remember Eloise and Poppy?” she said.

The twin girls dipped into curtsies. If Ryder hadn’t known any better, he would have thought he had seen doubles and would need to lay off the ale for a bit.

“Ah, aye, I do. And how are ye doin’ this fine day?” he asked.

Only for Eloise to repeat his question in a high-pitched, annoying tone.

“I’m doin’ well,” he answered, wondering what the purpose of the game was. If the girl’s objective was merely to grate on his nerves, she was doing a fine job. “Is this how they always are?”

“Alright, girls. Go hide again, and I’ll come find ye,” Morgana ordered, before turning and batting her long lashes at him. “Nae unless ye want to play?”

“I’ll sit this one out,” Ryder grumbled.

Morgana smiled as she pointed to the blanket and basket of food she had prepared.

“There are a few meat pies left if ye want one. Eloise and Poppy helped make them,” she said, before she moved back to her position behind the tree.

Ryder sat on the soft blanket, watching as she tried to find her siblings. It wasn’t until the eldest had come around the bend, red-faced and whizzing, that he found any amusement in the ordeal. The whole game seemed to be more than just a waste of time.

“What in the world are ye playin’?” he asked, after watching them for a few more moments.

At first, the running around made him think they had been playing tag, but when one got touched, they froze until another came around to unfreeze them. At this rate, no one was going to win.

“This is one of the most exhaustin’ games I’ve ever witnessed. What is the purpose if ye cannae tag everyone?”

“Then ye try harder,” Ronnie answered as he tried to catch his breath. “But Morgana is just playin’ nice. She could catch us all if she wanted.”

“And I could do it now if I wanted to,” Morgana quipped.

Her voice was simply music to Ryder’s ears. How was it that merely being around her eased his worries? Was it the fact that his body needed hers? It had been far too long since he had last felt her skin against his. Still, her allure drove him mad.

What was it about her that pushed him to his breaking point? After all, he was outside instead of his study, trying to spend time with her and her family.

“Since ye’re our braither now because ye two are married, are we still supposed to call ye Me Laird ? Or can we call ye Uncle now?” Eloise asked suddenly, the confusion on her face mocking him.

“In public, it will always be Me Laird , but in moments like this, I dinnae see why ye cannae just call me Ryder. I’ve had the name my whole life, and it’s sort of grown on me,” he said, his gaze flicking to Morgana.

She gathered the picnic basket and dropped it closer to him. He flashed her a smile as the twins scrambled over his lap, making it impossible for him to reach into the basket.

“Why do ye have a beard? Does it nae bother ye while ye eat?” Poppy chimed in, her curious eyes boring into him.

“I suppose it’s because I dinnae like shavin’,” Ryder answered. “It’s easier to keep it trimmed than to try and take away somethin’ that God clearly wants me to have. And what about ye? What’s wrong with yer nose? Has it always looked so stout?”

“My nose isnae stout,” Poppy scoffed. She reached for her nose, double-checking if he was telling the truth. “ Yer nose is hooked.”

“Aye, like a hawk’s,” Ryder answered, bobbing his head like a rooster.

Poppy burst into shrill giggles.

Morgana’s eyebrows rose with suspicion. “Ryder,” she asked, “what are ye talkin’ about now?”

“She asked about my beard.” Ryder shrugged as if he were knee-high once again.

“Alright, both of ye need to leave him be,” Morgana scolded, shooing the twins off his lap.

“Well, if I had kenned ye were out here, I would have come out a lot sooner.”

Ryder’s jaw tensed as he glanced over his shoulder to find Cohen walking up to Morgana. The smirk on the man’s face grated on his nerves.

“Cohen, I’m surprised to see ye out here. I always assumed that ye’d burn up in the sun,” Ryder jibed.

Cohen stopped beside Morgana and executed a low, humble bow. “Nasty rumor, I assure ye. But who doesnae ken the stin’ of rumors ?” he countered.

Ryder glanced at the twins, wishing his father’s man-at-arms hadn’t come out to bother him.

But he was fully aware of why Cohen had come out, and it had nothing to do with Nathan being in the dungeons and more to do with Morgana being alone.

Why did the man’s lingering gazes on Morgana bother him so?

It wasn’t like Cohen would act on his desires. For one, it would mean death for him. For two, Orella certainly wouldn’t be too thrilled to hear about her husband’s betrayal.

“Rumors can be devastating,” Morgana said, stepping between the two men. “I’m glad that we are tryin’ to figure out how to squash some of them.”

“Och, is that what ye’re doin’?” Cohen flashed her a smile. “And here I thought we were tryin’ to see how many lives we could ruin in a day. Here, let me go first.”

“Enough,” Ryder barked, his voice echoing through the garden.

The twins stopped and stood a bit taller. Ronnie froze. The fear on their faces was enough to make Ryder wish he hadn’t come outside in the first place. So far, his little endeavor to see Morgana was not going too well.

“But I thought ye would want rumors to be… How did ye put it? Och aye, nipped in the bud. Which is why I came out here to ask ye about Nathan. Why did ye throw the man in the dungeons?”

“Ye threw Nathan in the dungeons?” Ronnie blurted, trying to hold back a grin and failing miserably.

“Aye, Nathan’s in the dungeons. It’s true. And he kens precisely why I threw him in there.”

“The vote will be held tonight,” Cohen hissed, a flush of embarrassment rising to his cheeks.

“And tell me again, what are ye votin’ on? To take more of my rights as Laird away? What makes ye think my faither would have allowed any of ye to do that? Nay. Nathan can stay in the cell. Everyone kens which side that man is on. Cast his vote without him. It’ll make nay difference.”

Cohen’s eyes flashed with anger.

“My Laird,” Morgana whispered. The softness of her voice snapped Ryder back to the present. “I think Cohen understands.”

Ryder noticed the shocked expressions of her siblings. Feeling trapped, he stepped closer to her, ensuring that Cohen received the message loud and clear.

“Aye, I’m sure of it,” he said, glaring daggers at Cohen. “And if it hadnae been clear before, I’m sure ye understand now, dinnae ye?”

Cohen’s reluctant nod wasn’t as satisfying as Ryder had expected. But the fact that he had gotten under the man’s skin thrilled him.

“Crystal,” Cohen answered. “I’m sure my wife will want to make sure that he’s bein’ taken care of.”

“Oh, dinnae worry about him,” Ryder said. “I’m sure he’s doin’ just fine in the cellar.”

“I thought ye said he was in the dungeons?” Cohen asked, panic evident in his voice.

Ryder wasn’t sure if Cohen was scheming to break Nathan out of the dungeons, or if the man merely wanted to visit him. But whatever the reason, the fact that he was standing in their way and thus thwarting their plans pleased him to no end.

“Did I? Are ye sure?” Ryder flashed him a mischievous smirk. “Ye ken he could be in the dungeons, or maybe I put him in the cellars. There’s a bit more room down there, and it’s a nicer place to rest his head.”

“And how much longer will he stay there?” Cohen asked.

“As long as it pleases me,” Ryder snapped. “When will ye learn that I’m the Laird of this clan? My word is law, and I willnae tolerate yer attempts at underminin’ my authority. Watch yer tongue, Cohen, or ye might find yer head detached from yer body.”

“I think the heat of the day is gettin’ the better of me, My Laird,” Cohen gritted out.

Panic, anger, and the need to protect all ripped through Ryder as he watched him reach for Morgana’s hand. But before Cohen could even lift it to his lips, Ryder snatched it back.

“Ye seem to be a man who is never where he is wanted,” he hissed. “Why dinnae ye take the children and see that they are tended to for the night.”

“My Laird, I’m nae a nurse, nor do I have experience in such things,” Cohen said, trying to keep panic out of his voice. But Ryder could hear it in every word he said. “Let them go back to their nanny.”

“Do ye have wax in yer ears? I gave ye an order, ye carry it out,” Ryder growled. “Ye’ll tend to them and see that their needs are met—better than how ye treated yer own kin.”

He rolled his shoulders back as he watched Morgana herd her siblings toward Cohen. The expression on her face pained him. The last thing he wanted was to see her hurt, but watching Cohen encroach on what was his… now that he couldn’t tolerate any longer.

“Was that really necessary?” Morgana scolded.

Ryder turned his attention to her. There was a beauty to her ire. Oh, how he wanted to quell the flames that flickered and burned deep within her gaze.

“Aye,” he answered, his hands itching to touch her silky hair. “Sometimes the only way to make someone understand is to assert authority.”

“Ye realize that I’m tryin’ to get the clan to like ye, right? If ye throw people in the dungeons for the slightest offense…” she trailed off.

Ryder could not resist the urge any longer. He lifted his hand and ran his fingers through the smooth, silky strands.

But Morgana stepped back from him too soon.

“Ryder, are ye listenin’ to me? That’s nae goin’ to help our cause!”