Page 15 of Bride of Fire
“Fine,” he said. “Then tell me, lassie, who exactly am I dealin’ with?”
The blonde straightened with pride. To his surprise, she was almost as tall as his man Colban.
“I’m Hallidis Cameliard. This is my cousin Feiyan la Nuit. And Jenefer du Lac is the one you’ve got in a death grip. We’re the Warrior Daughters of Rivenloch.”
He resisted a snicker. He’d heard his father speak of Rivenloch. It was the property adjoining Creagor. But Warrior Daughters? They had to be jesting.
“Och aye,” he drawled, “and I’m the Lion o’ Scotland.”
“I knew he wouldn’t believe us,” dark-haired Feiyan said, shaking her head.
Hallidis held up her hands in peace. “We mean you no harm. But you must put our cousin down.”
“Or what?”
Jenefer strained in his grip and bit out, “Or they’ll run you through before you can say ‘Lucifer’s ballocks’.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Jen,” Hallidis scolded, then turned to him. “We’ll do no such thing.”
Jenefer stiffened in outrage. “What do you mean?”
“I told you before,” Hallidis explained. “We’re on a mission of diplomacy.”
Morgan’s brows popped up. Diplomacy? They had a strange way of showing it.
“Thor’s rod, Hallie! Does he look diplomatic to you?” Jenefer demanded.
“Besides,” Hallidis added, “we’re unarmed.”
“What!” Jenefer exploded. “You’re unarmed? You mean to say you followed me here and brought no weapons? Then why did you bother coming at all?”
Morgan was beginning to wonder if he should drop the lass to the ground and let the three work out their differences on their own when he spied a dark figure out of the corner of his eye. Someone else was stealing through the shadows behind the lasses.
For an instant, he feared he might be outnumbered.
Then moonlight glinted off the intruder’s golden hair.
Colban.
He’d probably heard the noise and come down to lend aid.
Meanwhile, the Warrior Daughters bickered on, unaware they were being stalked.
“Wehadto come, Jen,” Hallidis said pointedly, “becauseyoubroke the pact.”
“I didn’t break it. I followed the plan. I just…acted independently.”
“You ran off. We were supposed to do this together.”
Morgan could hardly keep up. What were they supposed to do together?
The one called Feiyan tried to intervene. “Honestly, sir,” she said politely, “’twould be best if you let our cousin go now.”
Colban was sneaking up behind the dark-haired lass. Morgan could see him, but he gave no indication.
“If I let her go,” he said, “what assurances do I have she won’t attack me again?”
“She’ll give you her word,” Feiyan said. “Isn’t that right, Jen?”
