Page 86 of Taken By the Heartless Highlander
A young woman with long brown hair falling down her back turned to her, her eyes wide with surprise that Keira would address her directly.
“How is yer bairn?” Keira asked, keeping her voice steady, even though she had never been so frightened in her life.
Agnes did not answer, looking about in concern as the others turned to glance at her.
Perpahs she believes she is tainted, even for speaking to me.
“I was there when she was born,” Keira said taking a small step forward. “I nursed ye for two weeks after the birth. I visited ye every day after yer husband passed.” Keira glared at the woman, willing her to deny it. “What is yer daughter’s middle name, Agnes?”
There was an ominous silence, as those who were closest to her turned to Agnes and waited for her reply.
Agnes glanced about her, but Keira saw her face soften as she finally spoke the truth.
“Her middle name is Keira,” Agnes said quietly.
“And why did ye name her that?” Keira asked.
“Because… because ye saved me life and hers,” Agnes stated reluctantly, the torch in her hand lowering as she looked about her for an ally in the throng.
Everyone was glancing between her and Keira now, looking more uncertain by the minute.
“I used nay witchcraft. I did nothin’ but heal! Just as Neive would have healed ye. I am nae wicked. I love all of ye, and I cared for ye. I will care for ye for as long as I live.”
A few more torches were lowering now, and some of the men who had been throwing rocks at the windows of the castle had stopped to watch them.
Keira understood the mentality of a mob. They would act as long as they were not alone. As soon as one stood out from the crowd, their resolve started to fracture.
“Please,” Keira begged them, looking about her as a few more faces she recognized came into view. “I did nae harm. I only ever wished to help.”
But just as she said the words, there was a thundering crash from behind her. She turned, a cry falling from her throat as she saw a burning cart rolling toward her at an alarming pace.
Callum yelled a curse, leaping forward as Keira fell back. The cart barreled into her, knocking her sideways. There was a horrible scream from Agnes, who had only been feet from where Keira stood and whose dress was suddenly aflame.
Callum yelled at the guards to come with water as the crowd scattered, and Keira was knocked to the floor as feet trampled past and over her in their panic.
After several seconds of confusion, she managed to stagger to her feet. Her side ached from the collision, but otherwise, she felt unharmed.
She could see Callum subduing the flames, and there was an almighty splintering sound as the cart collided with the castle walls. Agnes was sobbing. Keira looked down to find her new dress singed, just as the old one had been.
Will I forever be dogged by fire?
She looked around her frantically, desperate for any sign of Noah, but as she looked something else came into view that made breath stutter in her lungs and her heart beat madly in her chest.
In the darkness behind her, where there seemed to be no light at all, stood Lucas. His face was a picture of calm as he watched her. For an endless minute, they stared at one another as the turmoil of the crowds continued all about them.
Then, in an instant, he ran at her like a wolf.
Keira turned, sprinting away from him, blind in her panic, just wishing to get as far from the man as possible. In her haste she bolted away from the safety of the castle walls. Now she stood on open ground in the midst of many enemies.
She knew Lucas would be too fast for her. Sure enough, his arms locked around her waist in seconds, and she was pinned against his body as he clutched her to him. They were in the midst of a crowd of villagers running in every direction, but they might as well have been entirely alone.
Kiera fought for all she was worth, but he was impossibly strong. He gripped her arms so tightly that she could not move them an inch.
“Hush, now,” he whispered, his rancid breath fanning over her ear. “I have ye, I have ye. Ye are safe now, Keira. Ye are in the arms of God, and he will absolve ye.”
As he spoke, three men materialized from the crowd as though waiting for his command.
“Bind her hands,” Lucas barked, and the men grabbed her roughly by her upper arms. They tied rough cords around her wrists, so tight it cut into her flesh painfully.
