Page 11 of The Highlander's Auctioned Hellion
The groom nodded as the reins landed in his hands and turned, tugging the horse behind him.
Seamus didn’t move, glaring at Callum.
“Oh, aye. Like that, is it?”
He pulled the other half of an apple from his pocket, walking to Seamus’s heavy head and placing it beneath his mouth. The horse chomped down on the apple happily and buffeted his huge nose into Callum’s chest for good measure.
“Ye’re a menace,” he whispered, watching Seamus walk slowly away, the sweat bunching in white foam around his legs.
“Ye’re returned!”
Callum’s jaw clenched at the sound of Alexander’s voice. His very presence felt like needles in his skin.
There’s only one way to resolve me anger toward him, and I may as well see to it now.
“Aye,” he said, turning to face him. Alexander’s eyes were wary as he came up to him, a loose léine against his chest and dark breeches over his thick leather boots.
“How was it? Did ye find a bride as ye hoped?”
“Come with me,” he growled.
Alexander followed behind him as Callum walked through the arch, and they entered the training area.
There were a multitude of weapons to choose from, but Callum headed for the swords. Even in his years of exile, he had always made sure he was fit and strong, tending to train two or three times a day.
Nobody was going to come up on his castle and find him weak and listless.
“Choose yer weapon.”
“M’Laird?” Alexander looked bewildered.
“Now. Unless you want me to run ye through without a fight.”
The man-at-arms quickly walked to the other wall and took down a long sword to match.
Callum held his weapon up to him, letting the anger of the day surge back beneath his skin.
“We’re goin’ to have this out, man to man, and then we’ll nae speak of the past again.”
Alexander fidgeted, shifting his weight and scratching nervously at his neck.
“Ye have me loyalty, M’Laird, I willnae?—”
“This isnae about what I have. It’s about what I lost.”
He swung, without warning, and the swords clashed in mid-air. Alexander was taken by surprise, but he rallied quickly, striking back, slicing upward through the air and knocking Callum’s sword away.
He’s better than he was when I left.
The two men began slowly, but as the coiled anger in his gut started to build, Callum used his strength to dominate the fight.
Alexander’s eyes grew wide as Callum struck and cut at him, biding his time before he dealt the final blow.
Both of them were puffing hard, Alexander backing slowly toward the wall. He was holding back, not fighting with his full strength, and Callum knew it would be to convince his Laird that he was not his enemy.
He still watched me braither torture and disown me without a word to defend me. Me best friend, and he didnae speak up once.
Flicking the sword high and wide, the clang of metal echoed around the walls of the small courtyard as Alexander’s sword was struck from his hand, skidding over the floor.
