Page 111 of The Highlander's Auctioned Hellion
Dismounting, he made his way through the grass alongside the lakeshore, hearing the two men arguing with one another as Lydia fought for her life.
He could have thrown a knife through the air and dispatched one immediately, but with the weather as it was, he could not be so sure of his aim, and he did not wish to put his wife at risk.
The men came to a stop, one holding a dagger to Lydia’s throat, and Callum rose from the shadows, a knife in each hand, as Lydia’s wild gaze met his.
“One more move and ye’re both dead.”
One of them turned in surprise, his chest exposed and as easy a target as Callum had ever had.
He threw the knife without thought, without any hesitation, and watched as the man sank to the floor on a quiet sigh.
The other gripped Lydia more tightly, backing away from him, looking for an escape.
“Ye can go anywhere ye like. Ye willnae get far. Ye were dead the second ye touched me wife.”
Understanding dawned in the man’s eyes.
“Laird Murray,” he whispered, his words drenched with fear as he threw Lydia away from him and pointed his blade at Callum’s heart.
“Ye are a fool, lad. And I will take pleasure in killin’ ye.”
The other man pulled a short sword from his belt as they began to circle one another. Callum glanced quickly at Lydia, ensuring she was at a safe distance from the man.
Their gazes collided, her mouth open in shock as Callum gripped his blade more tightly.
The shadow ahead of him snarled as the man raised his sword, bringing it crashing down against Callum’s. He was small, but strong, the impact reverberating along Callum’s arm as he sliced his own blade down and away.
His attacker lunged forward, blade cutting upward as Lydia gasped, and Callum brought his sword down hard on the knife. The shape of it spiraled away, buried in the ground as his opponent kept advancing.
The short sword in the man’s other hand swept upward, colliding with Callum’s again and again as they sliced at one another. The great sweeping arcs of the blades coming together echoed all around them as the night drew in.
The man’s eyes were wild, and it did not take long for Callum to get the measure of him. He was a decent fighter, but trained for simple efficiency, not finesse.
With a roar, Callum pulled his blade up in a low arc, slashing it across the man’s torso. There was a sharp hiss as the man buckled forward, his blade still held ahead of him, swiping at the air uselessly.
“I hope she paid ye a handsome sum for yer life,” Callum murmured darkly, and as the man looked up, gaze wide and terrified, Callum stabbed his blade through his chest.
His opponent collapsed against the sodden ground beneath and, after a low moan of pain, stopped moving entirely.
Lydia let out a sob of relief, and Callum was at her side in a moment, wrapping one arm around her and holding her close.
“Are ye hurt?”
She shook her head. “N… no. I am all right.”
He bundled her into his arms, holding her close, smelling the familiar scent that surrounded her. He was beyond grateful that the most important person in the world was finally safe.
CHAPTER 31
Lydia had never been sograteful to see anyone in her life.
Callum’s strong, warm body enveloped her, and for a moment, she did not want to let go.
“I have found ye, thank God,” he said against her hair. “Thank God.”
Lydia clutched at him, but even in his warm, empowering presence, doubts rose in her mind.
She pulled away, disentangling herself from him as the rain began to fall more heavily around them again.
