Heart of the Highlands: The Beast (Protectors of the Crown Book 1) by April Holthaus Page B

ran but any direction was better than back toward their campsite.
    “Oh the nerve of them!” she muttered to herself.
    She tried to put together the pieces of information she had learned from their conversations, but still nothing made sense. As if she were having a conversation with another, she cursed and ranted out loud about Ian and his band of barbarians. Her frustration building, she realized she had more and more unanswered questions. She believed that only her father would have the answers, as he was apparently in on this mess along with her intended groom, Laird Chisholm.
    She ran until her legs burned and the bottom of her feet grew sore. After nearly an hour, Keira stopped and rested against a tree, to catch her breath. To the east, the sky was beginning to lighten. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of her breath, wondering how much farther she had until she reached a nearby village or passed someone on the road. With no food, weapon or coin, she hoped to find someone with God’s blessed grace who would offer her aid.
    “Tis foolish fer a lass to be out here alone,” a male voice said.
    At first Keira thought it was her own conscience replying to her. She was beginning to agree that wandering off alone was a foolish idea. But the familiarity of his rough tone brought her back to the present.
    Keira’s eyes popped open in surprise. Leaning against a tree stood a smug-looking Ian.  How had he found her? How had she not heard his approach?
    “How did ye find me?”
    “I’ve been following ye the whole way.”
    “But how?”
    “My Lady, nothing gets past me.”
    “If ye have been following me this whole time, why did ye only now reveal yerself?”
    “I wanted to see how far ye’d get on yer own. I must say, I was quite impressed and amused.”
    “I am no’ here fer yer amusement!” she spat.
    “I dinna think ye know it, but yer quite bonny when ye banter wit’ yerself.”
    Known for talking out loud to herself when deep in thought, she felt mortified by the things he could have heard, though most of it curses aimed at him and his men.
    “So, ye think I’m a beast, aye?”
    “I think ye are more than just a beast!”
    Ian smirked at her remark.
    “That may be true lass. Where is it ye think ye were going?”
    “Home.”
    “And yer plan was to walk all the way there?”
    “Aye, if I had to!”
    “Tis no’ necessary. Once we make our journey to Linlithgow, I will see ye arrive home safely and promise ye, no harm will come to ye. But ye must promise me that ye will no’ try running off again.”
    “May I have yer word?”
    “On my father’s life, ye have my word.”
    Keira bit her bottom lip, leery of just how good his word was. The mention of his father sparked her curiosity like flames to dry parchment.
    “Who are ye?” she asked.
    “I already told ye who I am.”
    “Ye did no’ such thing. Ye gave me only yer given name. Surely ye are more than just one name. Ye dinna tell me where ye are from, or what clan ye belong to. If I am to trust ye wit’ my protection, I wish to know who is protecting me.”
    “I was born into Clan MacKay, and MacKay is my name.”
    “MacKay? Yer clan hails from just west of mine. Are we allies?”
    “My father is at peace with most of the neighboring clans.”
    “Yer father is Jacob, chieftain of Clan MacKay?”
    “Aye, he is.”
    “And the others? Are ye all MacKays?”
    “Nay! Only Leland and Rylan. Daven and Alec are warriors from other clans. I’ve told ye enough. We must head back. If ye wish to return home, we must leave soon.”
    “Wait a minute! That’s it? That’s all yer going to tell me? Ye haven’t told me anything like, why are ye keeping me captive? What crime is Laird Chisholm accused of? And who are ye really?”
    Ian walked toward her until he stood nearly a foot away. So close, she could smell his scent of horse and leather.
    “Lady Sinclair, I do no’ have the authority to divulge my orders to ye nor the details