Page 83 of Wedded to the Heartless Highlander
Erica was rarely quiet, unless she was thinking—and her thoughts often led to trouble.
Hunter led her back to his chambers and then stopped in front of a blank stretch of wall, lit faintly by the flickering firelight. He pressed his palm against a specific stone, and with a soft grind of ancient mechanisms, a section of the wall shifted inward. He motioned for her to step inside.
Erica’s eyes widened as she peered into the narrow, dimly lit passageway. “What is this?” she whispered.
“A secret passageway,” Hunter said gruffly. “The castle is full of them. This one leads to Lily’s chambers.”
Erica stepped inside, glancing back at him with a mix of curiosity and hesitation. “Why would a castle need so many hidden passageways?”
Hunter let out a mirthless chuckle. “You’d be surprised how useful they are. As boys, me braithers and I used to race through these passageways at night, stealin’ sweets from the kitchens or tryin’ to scare each other with stories of beasts that lived in the walls.”
Erica hesitated, clearly still upset. “And?”
“And then,” he continued, his voice softening despite himself, “we’d huddle in me eldest braither’s room, telling tall tales until we fall asleep. Duncan always made sure the youngest of us felt safe, even when he didnae believe a word of the nonsense we spouted.” His voice faltered, the weight of the memory pressing down on him.
The ache of loss surged in his chest.
They’re all gone. All except for me.
His brothers, his parents—every person who had once filled these halls with laughter and warmth. The ghosts of his past haunted every corner of this place.
He shook his head, clearing it before the emotions could take root.
“Hunter…” Erica began, her voice soft, but he cut her off.
“It doesnae matter now,” he said brusquely. “Stay close. These passages can be disorientin’ if ye dinnae ken yer way around them.”
Her expression was unreadable as she followed him through the narrow passage. Hunter focused on the path ahead, unwilling to meet her gaze. He had let his guard down, and he couldn’t afford to do it again.
They emerged into a dimly lit hallway, this one just outside Lily’s chambers. Hunter opened the door quietly to reveal the young girl sitting on the floor with an open book in her lap.
She looked up, her face lighting up when she saw Erica. “Aunt Erica!” she exclaimed, scrambling to her feet and running to hug her.
Hunter stepped back, watching as Erica knelt to embrace Lily, her smile warm and genuine. It struck him, then, how naturally she fit into their lives, even if he wished she didn’t.
She shouldnae be here, caught up in this mess. She deserves better.
Erica glanced back at him, her expression softening. “Thank ye,” she said quietly.
He gave a terse nod, his emotions too tangled to respond properly. “Dinnae stay long,” he muttered gruffly.
He closed the door behind him and then leaned against the wall, running a hand through his hair.
His mind felt like a battlefield, torn between the desire to protect his wife and the feelings he couldn’t seem to suppress. But he couldn’t let those feelings cloud his judgment.
He had a promise to keep, and Erica’s safety came before everything else—even his foolish hopes.
23
Erica sat on the edge of Lily’s bed, the dim candlelight casting soft shadows over the girl’s tear-streaked face. It pained Erica to see her niece like this, her small frame trembling under the thick blankets as she tried her best to put on a brave face.
Lily was so young, far too young to be caught in the crossfire of such danger.
Erica reached out, brushing a strand of her hair away from her forehead, and offered a soft smile. “Ye’re safe now, Lily,” she said gently. “I promise ye, we willnae let anythin’ happen to ye.”
Lily looked up at her, her wide eyes filled with worry. “But what about ye? And Uncle Hunter? He was so angry earlier… Is he mad at me? What is happenin’?”
Erica’s chest tightened. She wished she could shield Lily from the complex situation she and Hunter had found themselves in, but the girl was too perceptive to be fooled.
