Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 92771 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92771 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
“Don’t be a fool, Rufus. He will not let you live after you harmed his wife,” James urged.
“If you must, take my life, but I beg you to let my family join Clan MacLeish and make their home here where they will be safe?”
“Aye, I can arrange that,” The Monk said.
“You doom your family, Rufus, by bringing them here,” James warned. “Asher will find out and when Lord Torrance takes over Clan MacLeish, he will see those dead who betrayed him.”
“What makes you think I would let Lord Torrance step a foot on Clan MacLeish land?” The Monk asked with a smirk of confidence.
“He has an army,” James said.
“I don’t need an army. I only need my daggers, and the deed will be done.”
“I will tell you where you can find my family. But, please, I beg you, my youngest daughter, Bethy, has troubling hearing. Please be patient with her.”
“I will make sure she is not harmed. Now what can you tell me about Asher?” The Monk asked.
“He is much like Lord Torrance. He is cruel and he lies. His word means nothing and recently Lord Torrance got upset with him. I overheard him yelling at Asher for failing to find and bring someone, a woman, to him. Asher was furious when Lord Torrance told him that he sent someone else to see the task done. But Asher let Lord Torrance know that it made no difference to him, he intended to see the task done since he coveted the generous payment offered for the task.”
“Do you know if the message Asher received had anything to do with that task?” The Monk asked.
Rufus shook his head. “I only heard whispers, though if they were true, I could understand what angered Asher.”
“What did you hear?”
“Three words… the mission failed.”
CHAPTER 19
Shade sat at a table in the Great Hall, wishing she had her cloak. She was tucked in a shadowy corner away from the heat of the fireplace where guests of little importance usually sat for an event or where seasoned warriors forced the younger warriors to sit. The men who had arrived, Angus among them, slept close to the hearth, some bent over in sleep at the tables.
After she had finished tending to them, another group of wounded warriors had arrived, reiterating what others had said about how difficult it was to get home. Many had to take a longer route to avoid Lord Torrance’s warriors, leaving wounds to worsen. She tended to them all, sending Ena to retire earlier, though not without protest, since she was far too exhausted to help. She had sat with a hot brew not too long ago, finally done. It was unwise of her since she immediately felt the effects the endless day had had on her. Now sitting still in the quiet, the ache of her wound and the tiredness of her limbs became more prominent, and she wondered if she would be able to make it up the stairs to her bedchamber.
Shade arched her shoulders back and warned herself to get moving before her limbs wouldn’t allow it when suddenly a dark shadow loomed over her as if embracing her. She had felt such a thing before when tending to the ill. It was death. It lingered around the sick and dying waiting for them. She wrinkled her brow, thinking that none of the men here were even close to death; she was sure of it. So, if not death, what was this darkness that embraced her?
An arm suddenly curled around her waist and if it were not for the familiar scent that drifted over her, she would have yelled out for help.
“You have done more than your share today. It is bedtime,” Quint whispered near her ear.
He didn’t wait for her to agree or object. He scooped her off the bench and into his arms.
Shade sighed and rested her head on his shoulder as he carried her through the Great Hall and up the stairs to their bedchamber. He placed her on her feet once in the room and walked away from her. She was disappointed he didn’t remain close, didn’t kiss her, or touch her. She had hoped with his declaration of love that it might be different now and he would no longer keep his distance. But she supposed guilt at admitting that he loved her more than he had Amara weighed on him.
“Go to bed, Shade,” he said not turning to look at her from where he stood by the hearth, his head hanging low.
He was letting her know there would be nothing between them tonight, but if not tonight, when? How long did he intend for this to go on?
She decided to take matters into her own hands and disrobed before saying, “How long do you intend to avoid touching me, kissing me, making love to me?”