Legacy of the Mist Clans Box Set (83 page)

But Aidan was already on his feet, moving with incredible speed. He did not bother to draw his own weapon but balled up his fist and slammed it into Ian’s jaw, sending the man sprawling. “Ye shallna touch her!” he roared and closed the distance in the blink of an eye.

Kenna stared in mute silence at Aidan’s display of pure strength. One arm wrapped around Ian’s shoulders, the other grabbed his chin. Aidan jerked sharply and snapped the bastard’s neck. He kicked the body away and staggered back, his chest heaving as he battled to catch his breath, clenching and unclenching his fists. Slowly, he lifted his gaze, and agonized pale blue eyes stared into hers. “Kenna?” he whispered.

Tears streamed unbidden down her cheeks. She dropped her biodags and threw herself into his arms. Aidan crushed her to him and buried his face in her hair, shaking as hard as she was.

“He was going tae kill ye,” Aidan whispered hoarsely, his lips tracing a gentle path of fire along her cheek to her ear. His arms tightened around her.

Kenna battled to get her tears under control as she clung to him with all of her strength, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t deny the powerful sensation growing with each heartbeat, as if she belonged in his arms, and by God, she never wanted to give him up.

S
haking to the core of his being, Aidan only wanted to hold Kenna and never let her go, but the pain throbbing in his body increased with each heartbeat.“Aidan,” Kenna whispered, her arms still flung around his neck. “The men pursuing ye . . . ”“Are dead,” he said hoarsely. “Forgive me, but any man who gets in the way of my defense of ye willna live tae see the sunrise, not while I still have breath in my body.”

He thought it might have been his imagination when he felt her arms tighten around him. He realized it wasn’t and his lips lifted. But his pleasant mood faded as she pulled away from him.

“Aidan, what’s wrong?”

He scowled at her in confusion.

“Yer arm.” She pulled away even more, even though he was loath to release her. As she backed away, his right arm settled oddly against his waist, and he realized he didn’t want to move it.

“Ye didna break anything, did ye?” she asked, gently probing his arm.

“I dinna think so, lass.”

“But the bruise on yer back and shoulder,” she said. “Ye fell on it again.”

“Aye. It hurts like the devil, but I’m all right.”

“I dinna think ye dislocated yer shoulder,” she murmured, her fingers continuing to explore. He winced as she probed the bruise but abruptly relaxed when she found some knotted and sore muscles in his neck and shoulder. She withdrew her hands with a soft sigh, and Aidan battled the sudden desire to grab her hand and encourage her to continue. Instead, his gaze found hers, and he cupped her cheek with his left hand. “I owe ye an explanation,” he said softly. “I vow I didna mean tae hurt ye so terribly.”

Pain flashed across her expression and she turned her face away. “Ye owe me nothing. It was my mistake.”

“Nay, Kenna,” he said firmly, gripping her chin and drawing her gaze back to him. “Ye dinna understand. I want nothing more than tae love ye, but ye deserve a far better man than me.”

She blinked up at him, taken aback.

“I would hang the moon for ye, but it is not mine tae give. I would offer ye the world, but I have nothing.”

Aidan’s throat tightened as her face lost color. She turned her back to him but not before he saw her wipe away her tears. Still, the old memory rose of another lass turning her back on him.
Why would I marry the likes of ye? Ye have nothing.

Her actions stabbed his heart and left it bleeding.

Bloody hell! He knew better than to leave himself so vulnerable, but in Kenna’s regard, he had no defense. But seeing that bastard come so close to killing her had made him realize one simple fact. He not only loved her, he never wanted to lose her.

He never thought he would acknowledge the desire his heart held for her at that moment. He wanted to marry her.

Several heartbeats passed as Aidan struggled to come to terms with this new realization.

For a long moment, Kenna stood with her back to him, her shoulders slumped. Aidan’s heart clawed at him again but for an entirely different reason as he witnessed the fire he so admired in her threaten to die.

“Nay, Kenna,” he whispered, reaching for her.

To his shock, she spun back around and plowed into him a second time. “I dinna want any other man, Aidan,” she sobbed. “I only want ye.”

“How can ye—”

“Will ye be silent and listen?” she asked, cupping his face in her hands. He felt his lips tug upward again as he witnessed the fire within her return.

“I have nothing either, no dowry, no inheritance, no family, but I found freedom. Dinna ye understand? It was the freedom I saw in ye, in Raven, that gave me the courage tae reach for a new future. And I found it.” She paused and caressed his cheek. “I found that future, and I found ye.”

Despite the tiny voice in his heart screaming at him to stay logical, Aidan lowered his head, and his mouth found hers. He kissed her with all that was within him, and she returned his kiss without fear or reservation. His soul broke free of the pain of his past. He wrapped his arms around her and laid claim to her heart.

He heard the distant squeal of a horse and ended the kiss, lifting his head and frowning. Abruptly, his wits returned.

“We need tae get tae safety,” he muttered. “It will take a bit, but the Bruce’s men should give up the chase soon, as long as they dinna see us.”

She gazed at him a long moment then looked around. Her expression fell and she bit her lip. “I lost my horse . . . again.”

He chuckled softly, noting the big bay he had just acquired had stopped a few paces away and pawed at the leaves, searching for some grass. The horse the Bruce’s man had ridden had disappeared and there was no sign of his old horse that he had given to Kenna. But he had ridden the mount he had given her for a few years. He whistled between his teeth and heard an answering nicker. Within moments, his old horse reappeared and trotted up to him.

“The advantages of having a well-trained mount,” he said and winked at Kenna as he grabbed the reins.

Kenna fetched her biodags and returned them.

“We need tae keep moving,” he said and helped her into the saddle. Within moments, he mounted the blood bay and they left the clearing, moving at a rapid trot through the trees.

HHH

Kenna kept a close eye on Aidan as they rode. He held the reins in his left hand, but she noticed he kept his right braced against his midsection and seemed unwilling to move it. Although she knew it wasn’t broken, she worried over him. The less he moved his arm, the stiffer it would become. If he was forced to draw his sword, he would find fighting difficult. She hoped he wouldn’t be faced with that prospect.

She also kept her eyes and ears open for the Bruce’s men and noticed Aidan constantly glanced over his shoulder, but the men did not reappear, and Kenna hoped Aidan was right and that they would give up the chase.

About midday, they passed the small village where Aidan had purchased the gray horse from the farmer but continued on. The morning mist burned off and the sun shone brilliantly, but the air was still chill. They mostly kept their horses at a steady trot, allowing them to rest from their insane galloping but still making good time along the road.

Not far from the small village, they turned northeast on a smaller but still well-traveled road. As the sun descended in the western sky, they topped a rise, where Aidan pointed to another town in the small glen ahead. “This one has a decent-sized inn.”

Kenna nodded. “Do ye think Connell and Mairi came this way?”

Aidan shook his head. “More than likely Connell is traveling the same roads we journeyed previously. He is no’ familiar with this area and will take the most direct route home.”

“But we’re not?”

Aidan shook his head again. “I need tae make it a bit more difficult for the Bruce tae find me.” He paused, his cheeks turning darker. “I slew Laird Stewart.”

She blinked at him in shock. “Ye what?”

“He gave me no choice.”

“Then why would the Bruce blame ye for defending yerself?”

“He may or mayna,” Aidan muttered. “I’d rather not risk it. I still fear he is on the verge of learning Adam’s true identity. Hiding the truth, leaving the camp without the Bruce’s permission, slaying Stewart and now some of the Bruce’s men . . . taken together, I fear I have much tae answer for.” He paused and drew a deep breath. “My brother will be vexed with me, but I’d much prefer tae answer any questions the Bruce may pose behind the walls of Castle MacGrigor.”

“Yer brother will be upset?”

Surprisingly, Aidan grinned at her. “My brother is often vexed with me and has been since our youth,” he said and gave her a wink. “Dinna vex yerself about that.”

Kenna found her lips tugging upward. His sense of humor was contagious.

Unfortunately, his smile faded. “I should have kenned not tae kill Stewart, not until I learned why he mentioned Hurstal’s name.”

Kenna’s thoughts tripped over themselves as she recalled the conversation. “It was his man-at-arms who mentioned Hurstal first.”

“Pray pardon?”

She was about to answer his question, but they had reached the village and came to a stop before the inn.

Aidan dismounted, but he was moving even more slowly than before. “I didna get the chance tae tell ye how grateful I was for the work ye and Raven did with the nests. I found the merchant ye spoke of and replenished my gold.”

They entered the inn and Aidan spoke with the innkeeper, requesting a room and a hot meal. He fished in his belt pouch, wincing as he was forced to move his right arm. He withdrew a couple of coins and handed them to the innkeeper, who then guided them to their room.

They entered, finding it clean with a large bed and a warm fire burning in the hearth. Kenna tossed her pack on the floor, and her short cloak quickly followed. She gratefully sank into a chair, closing her eyes.

“Are ye all right?” Aidan asked.

She opened her eyes to see him removing his sword belt. He also sank into a chair and rubbed his eyes.

“Aye,” she said. “Sitting just made me realize I’m exhausted.” She removed her belt and unbuckled the straps securing her biodags. Placing them on the table, she then hauled off her boots and tossed them on the floor.

“Aye.” He paused and frowned. “Now what were ye saying about Hurstal?”

Kenna swallowed hard and stared at the floor. “The Bruce said earlier that Laird Stewart blamed my father for the brigands capturing me. He slew my father, taking the land by force of arms. But Stewart was the one who paid my ransom, although not all of it.” She scowled. “It just occurred tae me that by not paying all of it, Stewart guaranteed Hurstal would slay me.”

Aidan studied her a long moment then took her hand. “It wasn’t the ransom he paid,” Aidan said softly. “It was payment tae the brigands tae slay ye.”

Kenna nodded. “That’s what I’m thinking. My so-called death at the brigands’ hands gave Stewart the cause he needed tae justify his actions against my father.”

Aidan rose and began to pace, rubbing the back of his neck with his left hand. “Kenna, when Stewart spoke with the Bruce, the Bruce asked him tae swear fealty because Stewart’s allegiance had been with Longshanks.” He paced a little more, his brow furrowing. “We ken Hurstal was after Mairi and her bairn because he is Edward’s bastard, and we thought that’s why they originally waylaid yer wedding train. What if Stewart was the one directing the brigands?”

“Ye mean as Longshanks’s man?”

“Aye.”

She pondered this a moment. “Then it be a good thing that ye slew him.”

Surprisingly, Aidan shook his head. “I dinna think that stopped the threat, Stewart’s man at arms was still very much alive. I left him unconscious but alive. Holy hell, Kenna, I slew their benefactor. We need tae leave at first light and ride hard for home.”

“But Hurstal is wounded.”

“Aye, but we have defeated him at every turn. No doubt he has added tae his mercenary group. It be personal now. He will come after us like a hunting dog chasing a hare.”

HHH

Aidan’s thoughts raced as he and Kenna ate their meal in silence. His revelation about Hurstal troubled him, but the large single bed in the room possessed his attention even more. His shoulder and back hurt terribly, making it much more difficult to sort through his emotions. Kenna had said she wanted him. He was disinclined to hurt her again and knew his actions before leaving the Bruce’s camp had done exactly that.

He finished his meal and sat back with a sigh.

“I want tae check yer shoulder again,” Kenna said as she finished her meal and returned the bowl to the tray.

He glanced up at her, startled, then shrugged and winced as even that simple action sent a sharp pain down his arm.

Kenna rose and stepped beside him. “Tunic off,” she said firmly, plucking at the fabric.

Aidan sat back and removed the long belt he wore, and gritting his teeth, he tugged his tunic off over his head. He returned to his chair, and Kenna stepped behind him.

“Aidan,” she said, her voice soft. “This bruise is much larger now and a dreadful color.”

Once again her fingers probed the area around it. Then she found the knotted muscles in his neck. He couldn’t help the soft sigh that escaped him. He lowered his head as she began to work the knots loose.

“My sweet sparrow,” he murmured, “forgive me for my actions earlier.”

She sighed, but her fingers didn’t stop working. “I just need tae ken where I stand, Aidan.”

“Where ye stand?” he asked. How could he answer that question when he didn’t know where he stood? “Where ye stand?” he asked again. “All I ken is that I want ye standing beside me as my wife,” he muttered then snapped his jaw closed in horror. He had not meant to say that aloud.

Kenna’s fingers abruptly stopped.

Aidan’s heart slammed against his ribs. He started to lift his head to look up at her, but she moved to crouch beside his chair, taking his hand in hers.

“Aidan MacGrigor, was that yer version of a proposal?”

He blinked, seeing her lips curve upward and amusement sparking in her beautiful green eyes. He grinned helplessly. “I suppose it was. Although,” he said ruefully, “it should be I on one knee before ye.”

“Tae hell with convention,” she muttered, but the sparkle in her eyes did not fade. “I’ll take what I can get.”

A chuckle bubbled within him. He leaned forward, his lips hovering over hers. “Kenna MacLean, is that yer version of saying ‘aye’?”

She too laughed. “Aye.”

He cupped her face in his hands, examining every detail of her bonny face. “I love ye,” he whispered and captured her mouth with his.

She returned his kiss without hesitation. Desire bloomed within him, warm, powerful, but so very different than what he had experienced in the past. He deepened the kiss, his tongue tangling with hers. A soft moan curled up the back of her throat, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Aidan felt as if he was throwing himself headlong into the unknown. The danger of losing Kenna was very real, but he could no longer deny his heart. He had no idea what the future held for them, but he would follow her example and meet it with courage and strength. He wasn’t the man she deserved, but by God, he would do everything in his power to become just that.