Page 62 of Taken By the Devilish Highlander
“Hey, I heard that,” Ayla cried, though there was laughter in her voice. The three women smiled at each other, simultaneously celebrating and mourning the little team they had formed. Feya was used to healing being a solitary business. She knew how lucky she had been to care for these villagers with a support system of her own.
As the women hugged each other, a dark shadow emerged from the doorway, and Archer scowled at them.
“Time to go.”
He barely looked at them, only crossed to the groom who held his horse and began adjusting the saddle, checking that the girth was tight and the bridle secure. Holly made a face at Archer’s poor mood, but Feya couldn’t bring herself to smile. The man had been cold and distant since their time in the woods, ever since he told her the agreement between them was nearly over.
“Don’t let him ruin your trip,” Ayla whispered. “Remember how happy your family will be to see ye.”
Feya nodded at Ayla as Archer looked back at them, clearly impatient. Perhaps she should have been pleased to see him so grumpy about this journey, but she didn’t find joy in seeing him upset. It only made her heart ache more, realizing the kind, gentle version of this man had disappeared.
He held out a hand to help Feya mount, but she shook her head, pulling herself up to the horse’s back on her own. Archer mounted with ease and clicked his horse to attention, setting his sights on the castle gate. With a final look over her shoulder to Ayla and Holly, Feya pressed her heels into her horse’s side and followed him.
Daenae cry. Daenae cry.
“My Laird!” A voice surprised her, and she looked up to see Elijah at the castle gate, waiting for them. She swallowed hard and pushed down her tears, suddenly determined not to let this man see her upset.
“We’re going,” Archer said, and she heard the beginnings of a fight in his voice.
“It’s not that,” Elijah said. “It’s Lennox. Ye have barely left, and he’s already telling the council he’ll be making decisions in your place. Did ye tell him to do this?”
Feya heard Archer’s growl, low and deep in his throat, and suddenly he turned his horse’s head. He spun around and set his sights back on the castle.
“Stay with her,” he barked, not even looking in Feya’s direction, and then he rushed back up the path they had just come down. It left Feya alone with Elijah, a man she had no interest in spending time with.
“He’ll be back soon,” Elijah said as he reached for her horse’s reins, eager to hold on to her. Feya turned her horse away so he couldn’t grab at her, her sadness suddenly replaced with annoyance.
“I can handle me own horse,” she said. One good thing about leaving: she didn’t have to be polite to people she didn’t like. After all, she would likely never see this man again. Elijah’s face flashed with anger, but he quickly controlled it, crossing his arms over his chest as he regarded her cooly.
“Ye changed him,” Elijah said. She had an impulse to ignore him, but she couldn’t bring herself to be that rude. She simply glanced in his direction, uncertain what Elijah meant by the comment.
“Archer,” he elaborated. “He was different with ye here.”
She didn’t respond, unable to discern whether Elijah thought her presence was a positive in Archer’s life or something more detrimental. But Elijah didn’t make her wait long for clarification.
“It’s good ye are leaving,” he said. Did she sense some amusement in his voice, a pleasure in telling her this? “Ye only weakened him. Caused rumors to swirl around him with thishealingof yours. Ye distracted him from his true work.Softenedhim.”
He said this with disgust and even spat onto the ground after he spoke. Feya knew she should ignore the words, that they were simply an angry man lashing out. But she couldn’t shake therational part of them—she had seen Archer change in these few weeks. There were moments hehadbeen softer. The question was: Was this a good thing for a Laird fighting to keep power over his clan?
“It will hurt him,” Elijah said. He stared at her, a flame of hatred in his eyes. “He will suffer because of it.”
Was that a threat? Or a prediction Elijah was preparing for?
“Archer can handle himself,” she said cooly. “Those loyal to him willnae be distracted by village rumors. They will see the leader he is.”
“How true,” Elijah said, looking amused by her words. “Wecansee the leader he is. With ye here, he’s shown us his true colors. And now we can give him therespecthe truly deserves.”
She felt a chill at the man’s words, a fear of something ominous. And yet, hadn’t he only agreed with her? She tried to read the man’s expression, but it was unreadable, a slight smile on his lips. And then they heard the pounding of Archer’s horse as it ran back to them.
“Take care, Feya,” he said to her, stepping away from the path. “Archer may think he can protect ye, but the world has teeth. Best to be far away when it bites.”
They rode up to the same inn they had stayed at all those weeks ago, the first night they met. The journey had been silent and tense, with neither of them offering any conversation. He knew Feya was eager to get back home, likely thinking of nothing except setting her eyes on Castle McKenzie, finally ridding herself of Archer and his haunted dreams.
“A room for me and me wife,” he told the innkeeper. He felt Feya’s quick glance, but he didn’t look at her. There was no way he was letting Feya out of his sight when he was so close to returning her safely.
“Archer,” she whispered under her breath, but he kept his eyes on the man in front of them. He wouldn’t arouse suspicion here in this inn. If Feya wanted to fight with him, she could do so behind closed doors.
“Very good, my Laird. Ye are in luck, we have the best room available.”
