Page 34 of Kilted Abduction
Ciara let out a scream and he felt her slip on the stones underfoot. As the current began to take her, Magnus tightened his grip on the woman’s arm then pulled her to him. With herarms clasped around the back of his neck, she clung to him fiercely. Their faces hovered mere inches apart from one another and Magnus felt his heart begin to race as he stared into her emerald-colored eyes.
For the first time since entering the frigid water, the cold did not bother Magnus. He barely noticed it. With their bodies pressed so tightly together, his every sense was consumed by Ciara. His body tingled and his heart beat so hard in his chest he was sure she could feel it and the lump in his throat was making it difficult to breathe. Her gaze remained fixed on his and the emotions scrolling across her face made Magnus think she was feeling the same way. In that moment, he would have given anything to be able to hear her thoughts.
Ciara cleared her throat and finally looked away. “Ye should probably get us out of the river.”
The moment between them broken, Magnus gave himself a small shake then nodded. “Aye. Right. Of course.”
With her still clinging to him tightly, Magnus waded through the river, finally setting her down on her feet when they reached the other side. Before she could do anything though, he gave her an almost apologetic look as he bound her hands tightly again.
“Is this necessary?” she asked.
“Ye’ve made it necessary,” he replied. “I’m sorry.”
She sighed as he led her onto the path that cut through the forest. He found a small clearing he knew well and sat her down. The clearing was sheltered from the cold drafts that swept through the trees by high piles of rock on three sides. Magnus quickly built a small fire, and she eagerly moved closer to it, holding her hands out to warm them. He sat down beside her and pulled some food from his pack, then doled it out. It wasn’t much, but it would sustain them for a little while.
They sat side by side, eating and taking turns sipping from the wine skin he’d produced. Sitting so close, their shoulders were touching, Magnus couldn’t help but recall the feeling of having her hold on to him so tightly. It stirred feelings deep inside of him he didn’t know what to do with. And when he snuck a peek at Ciara, he found her staring into the flames looking as if she was feeling the same thing he was.
As if feeling his gaze, she turned to him. The small flickering fire made her skin glow as she warmed, and made her eyes sparkle. He tried to reach out again, tried to get into her head so he could hear her thoughts. Once again though, he was met with a wall of silence. He didn’t know how she was able to block him from being able to use his gifts, but there was little doubt she could.
“Thank ye,” she said quietly. “Fer saving me from being swept downriver.”
His lips compressed in a tight line. “Aye. Ye’re welcome. I’m… I’m sorry it was so close,” he said then added softly. “I’m sorry about all of this.”
Her gaze lingered on him for a long moment. Her cheeks flushed and she looked as if she was remembering the feeling of clinging to him in the river, although perhaps that was just because he couldn’t shake the memory of her body pressed so tightly against his.
“Aye. So am I,” she said simply.
Magnus thought there was more she wanted to say but swallowed down the rest of her words. And because his gift was useless around her, there was no way he would ever know what those words were.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
As they crested a rise, Ciara got her first look at the Isle of Skye from high up and Dunvegan Castle. Though she’d never admit it to her captor, the sight was breathtaking. The castle, made of light and red colored stone, was large and imposing. Set among a field of snow, although she could imagine it green in summer, splashed with a riot of colors from wildflowers, the castle was beautiful. Magical. It was nothing like her father’s keep, which was large, but dark. Dunvegan reminded her of the castles from the fictions she’d loved so well as a child.
Magnus let out a heavy breath and he wore an expression of relief on his face. He was happy to be home. Ciara, on the other hand, felt anxious. Terrified. She had no idea what awaited her once she got inside those castle walls. It might look like a magical place from the outside, but she didn’t know what kind of horrors awaited her within.
“Let’s go. We’re almost home,” Magnus said.
“Ye’re almost home. I’m almost tae a cell,” she grumbled.
If Magnus heard what she said, he gave no indication. Instead, he ushered her down the path that led from the hill to the edge of the village that was nestled in front of the castle. As they passed through the village, Ciara couldn’t help but notice the number of people who greeted Magnus as they passed, offering well wishes and welcoming him home. She also couldn’t help but notice the number of women who looked at him as he rode by faces. Though Magnus returned everybody’s greeting with a curt nod and a few words, he didn’t seem to notice the admiring stares of the women who were practically swooning at his feet.
As they crossed one of the several rock formations to where the castle stood, she recognized Kai as he rushed toward them. The look of relief on his face was palpable as he clasped Magnus’ forearm in the traditional warrior’s grip.
“When ye didnae turn up on the road, I feared the worst,” Kai said.
“We were… delayed,” Magnus said with a pointed look at Ciara. “Then the storm caught up with us so we sheltered in the old lodge.”
“Good thing ye did. The old ones say they havenae seen a storm so cold in an age.”
“Aye. Felt like it,” Magnus said.
Kai turned to Ciara and offered her a small smile. “Greetings,” he said. “I hope yer travels werenae too taxing. Havin’ tae be around this one is tryin’ enough, I ken, so ye have me sympathies.”
“Shut it,” Magnus said.
She laughed despite herself. When Magnus glanced at her though, her smile melted away and she lowered her gaze. Laughing was the last thing she should be doing given what was about to happen to her. But she had to admit, it wasn’t the sort of greeting she had been expecting. She had been anticipating armed soldiers taking her down to the dungeon below the keep and throwing her into a cell to await the torture she was certain was looming.
“Where is Domhnall?” Magnus asked.
