Page 6 of The Highlander’s Enchanted Healer (Spellbound Hearts #2)

“Ye do nae need to concern yerself with Laird Campbell,” Francine said in that annoying chiding voice she always reserved for me.

I knew if it were solely up to Francine, I’d be wed for an alliance by now, but luckily, Ramsey had promised me I could choose my husband, and Francine had been unable to sway him thus far.

Though lately, Ramsey had been dropping hints that I needed to get on with the picking, and three different unwed lairds had been guests at our home in the last year.

There was no point arguing with Francine.

I knew well she thought Ramsey gave me too much leeway.

She was a hypocrite. She’d always inserted her opinion with my da, and he had let her.

I would speak with Ramsey later and show him my newfound ability, and then persuade him to my plan to infiltrate the Campbell castle.

Ramsey had posed a good point, though, I needed to figure out exactly who I could pose as when I entered the Campbell stronghold.

Mayhap Katreine could aid me in coming up with an idea.

“Ramsey, may I sit with Katreine for supper?”

“Ye need to sit with us,” Francine said, to which Leon nodded his agreement awfully quickly, making my suspicion grow that he’d found his way under her skirts. My fingernails bit into the soft flesh of my palms as I tried to force any thoughts of the two of them entwined in passion out of my head.

I ignored her comment and kept my gaze on Ramsey, giving him, I hoped, my best pleading look.

An indulgent smile slowly turned up his lips. “Go,” he said, waving his hand toward Katreine.

I looked toward her table, then swept my gaze over the surrounding ones, noting all the men.

Where was that murderer Laird Campbell among these merry makers?

Katreine caught my eye once more and waved me over with a flick of her slender wrist. I rushed toward her, oddly feeling as if I was being watched, as I eyed the women gathered at the table I approached.

They were dressed, it appeared, in their finest gowns with fur trims and lace, and ribbons in their hair.

Their laughter tinkled while they batted their eyelashes and tossed their hair—golden wheat, chestnut, and raven black—over their shoulders.

These women, each with a strategically prominent décolletage, were hunting for husbands or lovers with the precision of falcons.

Perhaps they could point out Laird Campbell to me.

As I sat, I was greeted warmly by the women at the table, and Katreine grabbed my elbow.

I tensed, prepared to possibly hear her thoughts, but her thoughts did not come to me.

If I was going to use my powers, I needed to learn how, and part of me wanted to try now with Katreine, but I thought of my blurting my thoughts I’d not intended to before, and I decided to wait.

Katreine leaned toward me and whispered, “Can ye read thoughts?”

“Aye,” I replied, taking a care to keep my voice low, “but nae verra well, and nae without repercussions.” Then I added, “Do ye feel any different?”

She shook her head. “Nay, but I asked to be older than my sister, so…” She gave a little shrug.

“Katreine, do ye ken which man Laird Campbell is?” I asked in a voice loud enough for the women at the table to hear me in case any of them knew.

“I ken,” a young light-haired woman said with a giggle. “He’s at the table closest to the dais. We were just discussing him.”

Immediately, I looked to the table she pointed out.

It was packed with burly warriors, their shoulders jostling for space, tankards sloshing amber liquid onto scarred wooden surfaces.

I scanned their faces as my heartbeat thundered in my ears like war drums. Which one was he?

In the middle sat a man who dominated the space.

He was taller than the others by half a head, with obsidian hair cropped close to his skull like a soldier’s helmet.

His dress tunic—midnight blue with silver stitching at the collar—strained across a chest, which was broad as an oak.

The sleeves barely contained arms corded with muscle.

His jaw, angular and uncompromising, was set in a hard line beneath two days’ worth of dark stubble, and his hard green eyes held an expression of displeasure that seemed permanently etched into his features.

He looked like a ruthless ruler, a man who commanded loyalty with a glance and expected obedience before his words finished leaving his mouth.

“Is he the tall one with dark hair in the middle?” I asked, studying the man whose eyes narrowed as I watched him. My heartbeat quickened traitorously, even as my fingers curled into fists at my sides.

“Aye,” the blond woman said, “that’s Laird Campbell. But I saw him first this night,” she added with a possessive smile.

“I do nae want him,” I replied, my voice catching on the lie. I swallowed hard, both heat and ice flowing through my veins. I wanted him, just not in the way these women did. I wanted to get close enough to him to learn all his secrets and destroy him.

“He’s the finest Highlander here,” the woman said, lust heavy in her words.

“Aye,” said the dark-haired woman beside her. “But do nae waste time trying to seduce him. I approached him and his brother to dance with my friend and me. His brother was eager, but Laird Campbell sent us on our way.”

“Why?” I asked, eager to discovery anything I could learn to aid me in taking the man and his warriors down.

She shrugged. “I dunnae ken.”

An older woman across from us clucked her tongue and then said, “I heard he’s here looking for a healer for his sister.”

I sat up straighter, my pulse exploding. “A healer, ye say?”

The silver-haired woman nodded. “Aye. ’Tis well-known the laird’s sister, Alba, is broken in mind.”

“The Campbell’s sister was attacked by the Gordons,” the blonde said.

I gripped my goblet at that treacherous lie as Katreine clutched my arm and opened her mouth, likely to protest on my behalf. I discreetly shook my head. I was glad these women didn’t know who I was so they would speak freely.

“Why would he come here looking for a healer?” I prodded.

“Because,” the older woman said, “Mara MacLeod is the best healer in the lands and kenned for being especially good at getting through to people with broken minds. But Laird Campbell will come away empty-handed this day.”

That was good news indeed. I could pretend to be a healer. “Oh, aye?” I asked, excitement bubbling within me. “Why is that?”

“Mara was sent to the king to aid him with one of his children. And I doubt the king would be willing to release her from his service to aid Laird Campbell.”

“I ken ye, Elena,” Katreine’s voice came in a whisper near my ear.

I turned to her as the other women commenced talking of other things. My heart was now racing with excitement. “I have my way into Laird Campbell’s castle,” I said, my words rushed and low.

Her eyes widened and then narrowed. “Ye dunnae ken a thing about the healing arts!” she hissed. “Last time we were here, ye nearly gave me stitches with yer embroidery needle!”

“I’ll learn,” I assured her, refusing to be daunted. “I just need to ken enough to talk my way into the Campbell stronghold. If Laird Campbell is desperate enough to seek a healer here for his broken sister, it should be easy to convince him I’m the best in the Highlands.”

“But—”

“Once inside,” I said, not wanting to let her put doubt in my head, “I will take the measure of his mind, find his secrets, and use them to destroy him.”

“I still say yer plan to infiltrate the Campbell stronghold sounds dangerous, Elena,” Katreine whispered.

I nodded. “Aye, but I welcome the danger if it means getting my revenge.” My da had always said the best way to destroy your enemy was to turn their own strengths against them. Now, with this gift, I could do exactly that.

“Ramsey will nae ever agree,” Katreine said.

But I knew exactly how to get him to consent.

I had to show him my powers. I needed to speak to him alone and show him what I could do, as I failed to when I spoke with him before.

I’d read Murieall’s mind three times in my tent.

I could do this. Ramsey had to see I could help him get the vengeance we both wanted.

“I need ye to do me a favor after Ramsey and I leave tomorrow.”

Katreine cocked her eyebrows as she smirked at me. “Does it involve blood?”

“Nae yet,” I joked, though it would. I had never harmed a person in my life, but to obtain vengeance for my da, brother, and uncle, I would do this.

Just then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Laird Campbell stride by.

“Tomorrow, I want ye to spread a whisper that there’s an excellent healer named Aria Leslie and make sure Laird Campbell hears it. ”

Katreine frowned. “What if he sends a missive to Laird Leslie, or what if he goes to see him and discovers there is nae an Aria Leslie?”

“Let him,” I replied, standing. I glanced down at Katreine, and her worried look warmed me to know she cared so much for me.

“Do nae fash yerself, Katreine. Laird Leslie wishes an alliance with Ramsey. He will keep our secret.” At that moment, I happened to look toward the door as Ramsey exited the great hall.

I scrambled off the bench, intent on catching him alone, and I needed to exit the great hall anyway.

I did not want to chance anyone pointed out to Laird Campbell who I was.

“Where are ye going?” Katreine asked.

“To set my plan in motion,” I said. I turned and pulled my hair down over my face as I looked partially down.

I moved toward the far wall, behind the tables, so as to hopefully not be seen and headed toward the double doors at the far end of the ballroom.

I dodged tittering lasses and warriors in their braies and tartans, ignoring the hungry gazes that followed me.

My breath came in shallow gasps by the time I pushed through the heavy doors.

The cool air of the corridor was a blessed relief against my flushed skin.

I had half expected to have to hunt through the labyrinth of the stronghold for my stepbrother, but there he was, his tall figure silhouetted against the moonlight streaming through the small window.

“Ramsey!” I called, gathering the rustling folds of my skirts in trembling fingers as I hurried toward him.

He turned, one dark eyebrow arching. “Is something amiss?” His deep voice resounded off the stone walls, filling the empty corridor with sudden warmth.

“Nay,” I called back as I closed the distance between us.

He looked to me expectantly, but I had to take several deep breaths, as I was panting still from all the running.

Finally, I gathered myself and blurted, “Laird Campbell is looking for a healer. For his sister.” A dark shadow swept over Ramsey’s face.

I thought I understood it. Ramsey had given the order for our warriors to attack the old Laird Campbell after the man had killed our da, brother, and uncle, but Ramsey had specifically instructed his men to spare the women riding with Laird Campbell, which had included Lady Campbell and Alba Campbell.

Some of the men had let bloodlust get the best of them and had struck all in the traveling party down, killing Lady Campbell, Laird Campbell and leaving Alba Campbell for dead.

She’d lived, but apparently, if Ross Campbell was here looking for a healer for her, her mind was now broken.

“Her fate ’twas nae yer fault,” I said.

He looked away for a long moment, but I could see his profile.

His jaw was tense, and a nerve ticked there.

Silence stretched, and I shifted from foot to foot, impatient but trying to hold my tongue to give him time.

After what seemed an interminable pause, he looked to me once more. “I assume ye have a plan.”

A small smile tugged at my lips. “Give me yer hands,” I said, feeling victory within my reach.

“Why?” he asked, wariness in his voice.

“Ye do nae believe I can read minds, so I want to show ye.”

He slapped his hands into mine as a smirk twisted his mouth.

He did not believe me, but I would show him.

I closed my eyes and concentrated on hearing his thoughts.

Instead, a half dozen noises battered my ears at once, but none of them were what I was searching for.

Laughter from the great hall pierced my ears.

Hounds were barking outside. Ramsey took deep breaths and tapped his foot.

Music began to play, and the wind whistled.

I concentrated harder, picturing Ramsey’s mind like a trunk that needed to be opened.

All I needed to do was pick the lock, something Ramsey had once shown me how to do with a hairpin, and then I could open the trunk and pluck out what I needed: one single thought.

The noise around me slowly disappeared, replaced by the swish of my breath, the thud of my heart, and the whoosh of my blood. Bright light bloomed behind my eyelids.

Elena is a fool. Mama is right. I overindulge her.

I stiffened, stung by the first two thoughts, but I repeated them as I opened my eyes and locked gazes with Ramsey. “Elena is a fool. Mama is right. I overindulge her.”

He jerked his hands out of mine, as if I had burned him, and took a step back from me out of my reach. “God’s blood,” he whispered, gaze riveted on me.

We stood face-to-face, him gaping at me in obvious shock as a feeling a sense of triumph and pride swelled within me. Slowly, his lips turned up into a wolfish smile. “We will destroy them with this power of yers.”

Triumph exploded within me. I had gained his support, and there was no tingling in my mouth, no blurted secrets of my own.

It had been a fluke, as I had hoped. I was not cursed!

I matched his smile, my heart thudding in my ears with my excitement.

The world was a battleground of secrets, and I was finally ready to get vengeance with mine.