red with anger.
“Mind your business,” Angus said harshly.
“She’s hurt and needs—”
“To stay on her feet and stay strong,” Angus finished.
“She’s a woman—”
“She’s our leader first,” Angus corrected.
“Let me go,” Burke all but snarled.
“Let him go,” Storm ordered sharply after shaking her head clear, and the men obeyed.
Burke walked over to her and got more annoyed when he spotted her red cheek. “That wasn’t necessary. I would have helped you.”
“By letting me faint and delaying us from leaving?” She shook her head. “That isn’t helping me. We’re leaving now,” she called out.
“You’re in no shape to walk,” Burke argued, though he doubted it would make a difference. Storm was a stubborn one, and as Angus had pointed out, she was their leader.
“I have no choice,” she insisted. “We must get back home before nightfall or we risk being caught. Now if you don’t want to be left behind, Mr. Longton, I suggest you keep up with us.”
She turned and set a quick pace, her men following suit.
Burke mumbled several oaths, scooped up his bow and arrows, and took off after them. He was still reeling from the vision of Tanin slapping Storm across the face. Her head had jerked to the side and she would have stumbled if Tanin hadn’t grabbed her arm.
That Tanin’s action had prevented her from fainting didn’t matter to him, she had suffered an injury and needed tending, not abuse.
“Couldn’t have done it, could you?” Malcolm asked, having slowed to walk beside Burke.
“If you mean slugged her, no, I couldn’t have.”
“Then you would have failed her. Would you have preferred that?”
Burke didn’t answer, and not another word was spoken until they reached camp hours later.
“Tanin, see to things,” Storm ordered. “I’m going to see Janelle.” She walked off, her strides slow.
Burke looked at Tanin.
“Go. If she does not find my mother in the shelter on the ground, she will need help getting up the tree,” Tanin said.
Burke took off and would have whether Tanin approved of it or not. He had worried about Storm on the whole journey home. She had kept a quick pace, which couldn’t have helped the pain in her shoulder. Yet she had not complained once. He wasn’t certain if she had been courageous or stupid. What did it matter now, as long as she was all right.
He found her with her hands held firm to the thick rope. Her head rested against it as if uncertain she had the strength to keep hold.
He didn’t bother to ask her if she needed help. He walked over, slipped his arm snugly around her waist, tucked her against his body, and ordered, “Put your arm around my neck and hold on.”
She looked up at him, her blue eyes filled with pain.
He almost spewed a plethora of oaths but instead ignored his anger and addressed her pain.
“Hold on to me. I won’t let you go. I won’t let anything happen to you,” he whispered his promise in her ear.
Her eyes drifted shut and her head descended slowly to rest on his shoulder.
“I’m here, Storm, I’ll take care of you.” His words alarmed even him, but then he felt compelled to look after the pint-sized, stubborn woman. No one else did, at least not the way he would—leader or not.
He continued to hold on to her as he walked her through the open door of the tree house.
A tall woman with long white hair that lay in a single braid over her shoulder turned at their entrance. She had remarkably beautiful skin with few wrinkles, though one sensed her advanced years.
“Her shoulder took a deep slice,” Burke explained, reluctant to release Storm.
Janelle hurried to his side. “Help her to the chair.”
Burke did as directed, anxious for Storm to receive adequate care. He feared her wound could prove deadly. He had seen much lesser wounds prove someone’s demise.
“I wrapped it as best as possible,” Burke offered, stepping aside but not too far. He felt the need to remain close to
“Mind your business,” Angus said harshly.
“She’s hurt and needs—”
“To stay on her feet and stay strong,” Angus finished.
“She’s a woman—”
“She’s our leader first,” Angus corrected.
“Let me go,” Burke all but snarled.
“Let him go,” Storm ordered sharply after shaking her head clear, and the men obeyed.
Burke walked over to her and got more annoyed when he spotted her red cheek. “That wasn’t necessary. I would have helped you.”
“By letting me faint and delaying us from leaving?” She shook her head. “That isn’t helping me. We’re leaving now,” she called out.
“You’re in no shape to walk,” Burke argued, though he doubted it would make a difference. Storm was a stubborn one, and as Angus had pointed out, she was their leader.
“I have no choice,” she insisted. “We must get back home before nightfall or we risk being caught. Now if you don’t want to be left behind, Mr. Longton, I suggest you keep up with us.”
She turned and set a quick pace, her men following suit.
Burke mumbled several oaths, scooped up his bow and arrows, and took off after them. He was still reeling from the vision of Tanin slapping Storm across the face. Her head had jerked to the side and she would have stumbled if Tanin hadn’t grabbed her arm.
That Tanin’s action had prevented her from fainting didn’t matter to him, she had suffered an injury and needed tending, not abuse.
“Couldn’t have done it, could you?” Malcolm asked, having slowed to walk beside Burke.
“If you mean slugged her, no, I couldn’t have.”
“Then you would have failed her. Would you have preferred that?”
Burke didn’t answer, and not another word was spoken until they reached camp hours later.
“Tanin, see to things,” Storm ordered. “I’m going to see Janelle.” She walked off, her strides slow.
Burke looked at Tanin.
“Go. If she does not find my mother in the shelter on the ground, she will need help getting up the tree,” Tanin said.
Burke took off and would have whether Tanin approved of it or not. He had worried about Storm on the whole journey home. She had kept a quick pace, which couldn’t have helped the pain in her shoulder. Yet she had not complained once. He wasn’t certain if she had been courageous or stupid. What did it matter now, as long as she was all right.
He found her with her hands held firm to the thick rope. Her head rested against it as if uncertain she had the strength to keep hold.
He didn’t bother to ask her if she needed help. He walked over, slipped his arm snugly around her waist, tucked her against his body, and ordered, “Put your arm around my neck and hold on.”
She looked up at him, her blue eyes filled with pain.
He almost spewed a plethora of oaths but instead ignored his anger and addressed her pain.
“Hold on to me. I won’t let you go. I won’t let anything happen to you,” he whispered his promise in her ear.
Her eyes drifted shut and her head descended slowly to rest on his shoulder.
“I’m here, Storm, I’ll take care of you.” His words alarmed even him, but then he felt compelled to look after the pint-sized, stubborn woman. No one else did, at least not the way he would—leader or not.
He continued to hold on to her as he walked her through the open door of the tree house.
A tall woman with long white hair that lay in a single braid over her shoulder turned at their entrance. She had remarkably beautiful skin with few wrinkles, though one sensed her advanced years.
“Her shoulder took a deep slice,” Burke explained, reluctant to release Storm.
Janelle hurried to his side. “Help her to the chair.”
Burke did as directed, anxious for Storm to receive adequate care. He feared her wound could prove deadly. He had seen much lesser wounds prove someone’s demise.
“I wrapped it as best as possible,” Burke offered, stepping aside but not too far. He felt the need to remain close to
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