MacKenzie’s new demand. Earlier this morn, Kirk and I actually visited the MacKenzie’s lair and ran another full and complete sweep of his dungeons and keep. There was no sign of Aleck or Adair.” Cherub set her elbows on the table and pressed her hands together. “The only thing we know for certain is that the MacKenzie wishes to hold supremacy over us, in whatever way he can. He also wants to ensure fae blood runs in his direct line, which is why his demand included a request that Julia be wed to Jeremiah in a marriage of alliance afore her parents are released.”
“I wish to see this missive.” She needed to read Colin MacKenzie’s demand for herself.
“Of course. I brought it with me.” Cherub pulled a folded piece of parchment from her pocket, one wrinkled from being scrunched up and handed it to her. “Finlay has spoken to Arabel and she is both furious and distressed. She worries for you and what you might do.”
“My sister knows my feelings well. If our parents live then I will do whatever it takes to free them.” She unfolded the parchment and read,
“ A marriage of alliance is what I seek. Bring Gilleoin’s niece to me, the aura reader Julia, and following her marriage to my son Jeremiah, I shall forthwith return Aleck and Adair Matheson into your hands.
You have a fortnight to answer this summons. Expect their death if you dinnae. ”
Julia tapped the paper. “’Tis all as you’ve said, Cherub, although any possible marriage of alliance will never bring a halt to the war between our clans. MacKenzie must certainly know that.”
“There also isn’t a chance I’ll allow you to marry another man.” Tavish plucked her from her chair and dragged her onto his lap. “That I can promise you.” His aura spiked with black, his anger rising hard and fast. “Do we understand each other?”
“I miss my parents, Tavish.” Hot tears burned behind her eyes. “Even though I’ve no desire for a marriage of alliance, if there’s the slightest chance the MacKenzie has spoken the truth and they’re actually alive, then I would do whatever it took to see them freed. There is less pain in accepting an unwanted marriage than in losing my parents all over again.”
“I feared this would be what you’d say.” Cherub sniffed as tears pooled in her own eyes. “Even though we found no sign of your parents at the MacKenzie’s keep, we still need to search our enemy’s lands. They spread from Loch Alsh all the way across the mountainous plateau to Loch Broom in the north. Colin MacKenzie has holdings elsewhere too, as well as alliances with other clans with whom he might have asked to hold his captives for him. So too all we have is a fortnight in which to find them.”
“A fortnight will have to be enough.” She rolled her shoulders and firmed her resolve. She’d do whatever it took to discover the truth. “Cherub, you’re aware I can hear the gentle hum of my parents’ auras when they’re close. I’d never mistake the sound for another’s. I need to be present when the search begins.”
“How close do you need to be to hear the hum?” Cherub squeezed her hand.
“Quite close, within a hundred yards.” She snuck off Tavish’s lap and pulled Cherub to her feet. “We must go. There is little time to waste.”
* * * *
“Wait.” Tavish shoved to his feet. There wasn’t a chance he’d let Julia go anywhere without him, not now he’d finally found her. “I’m coming.”
“I willnae pull you away from your kin. Your clansmen need you. You’re their doctor.”
“Don’t you feel the strength of the mated bond already taking a firm hold between us?” He cupped her cheeks in his hands and looked deep into her eyes. “Where you are, is where I need to be.”
“I—I—” Such pain and anguish swirled within her gaze. “I’m sorry.” She snuck in behind Cherub. “We must leave, with all haste.”
“I agree.” Cherub winked at him, and far too impishly for his
“I wish to see this missive.” She needed to read Colin MacKenzie’s demand for herself.
“Of course. I brought it with me.” Cherub pulled a folded piece of parchment from her pocket, one wrinkled from being scrunched up and handed it to her. “Finlay has spoken to Arabel and she is both furious and distressed. She worries for you and what you might do.”
“My sister knows my feelings well. If our parents live then I will do whatever it takes to free them.” She unfolded the parchment and read,
“ A marriage of alliance is what I seek. Bring Gilleoin’s niece to me, the aura reader Julia, and following her marriage to my son Jeremiah, I shall forthwith return Aleck and Adair Matheson into your hands.
You have a fortnight to answer this summons. Expect their death if you dinnae. ”
Julia tapped the paper. “’Tis all as you’ve said, Cherub, although any possible marriage of alliance will never bring a halt to the war between our clans. MacKenzie must certainly know that.”
“There also isn’t a chance I’ll allow you to marry another man.” Tavish plucked her from her chair and dragged her onto his lap. “That I can promise you.” His aura spiked with black, his anger rising hard and fast. “Do we understand each other?”
“I miss my parents, Tavish.” Hot tears burned behind her eyes. “Even though I’ve no desire for a marriage of alliance, if there’s the slightest chance the MacKenzie has spoken the truth and they’re actually alive, then I would do whatever it took to see them freed. There is less pain in accepting an unwanted marriage than in losing my parents all over again.”
“I feared this would be what you’d say.” Cherub sniffed as tears pooled in her own eyes. “Even though we found no sign of your parents at the MacKenzie’s keep, we still need to search our enemy’s lands. They spread from Loch Alsh all the way across the mountainous plateau to Loch Broom in the north. Colin MacKenzie has holdings elsewhere too, as well as alliances with other clans with whom he might have asked to hold his captives for him. So too all we have is a fortnight in which to find them.”
“A fortnight will have to be enough.” She rolled her shoulders and firmed her resolve. She’d do whatever it took to discover the truth. “Cherub, you’re aware I can hear the gentle hum of my parents’ auras when they’re close. I’d never mistake the sound for another’s. I need to be present when the search begins.”
“How close do you need to be to hear the hum?” Cherub squeezed her hand.
“Quite close, within a hundred yards.” She snuck off Tavish’s lap and pulled Cherub to her feet. “We must go. There is little time to waste.”
* * * *
“Wait.” Tavish shoved to his feet. There wasn’t a chance he’d let Julia go anywhere without him, not now he’d finally found her. “I’m coming.”
“I willnae pull you away from your kin. Your clansmen need you. You’re their doctor.”
“Don’t you feel the strength of the mated bond already taking a firm hold between us?” He cupped her cheeks in his hands and looked deep into her eyes. “Where you are, is where I need to be.”
“I—I—” Such pain and anguish swirled within her gaze. “I’m sorry.” She snuck in behind Cherub. “We must leave, with all haste.”
“I agree.” Cherub winked at him, and far too impishly for his
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