Page 60 of Bride of Ice
And second, because this foolhardy hostage with his misplaced heroics was beginning to tunnel his way into her heart. Even now she could feel him sapping her supports and undermining her resistance.
Her eyes melted when she looked at him. Her breath softened when they spoke. Her pulse quickened when he was near. And if they happened to touch, the brush of his skin awakened her senses in a curious and enticing way.
Clearly, allowing anyone that kind of power over her mind and body could prove deadly. No matter how pleasant and intriguing and welcome his attentions felt.
Besides, Hallie had no right to feel affection for a man. Any man. She was well aware of that. She was the heir to the title of Rivenloch, with all the responsibility that came with that. Her heart was not her own to give. Her hand was a matter of strategic alliance. Her clan and her inheritance were a royal gift to be bestowed upon whomever the king chose.
So how could she answer him?
Why should Colban the Champion refrain from beingherchampion? Why should he stop risking his life for her?
In the end, she gave him an answer that was technically true. A brusque, honest, chilling answer. Even if it wasn’t the answer in her heart.
“Because you’re no use to me dead.”
Chapter 17
The Valkyrie’s words felt like a blunt knife shoved between Colban’s ribs.
For a stunned instant, all he could say was, “I see.”
A stony silence fell as his hurt slowly coiled into anger.
Damn it, twice now he’d been willing to forfeit his life for the lass. Even her men were impressed by his deeds.
True, this time his judgment had been faulty and his rescue misguided. But his sacrifice had been genuine.
Was this how she repaid him? With cool indifference and callous rejection?
Maybe Isabel was right. Maybe Hallie was too cold and unfeeling for her own good.
Bitterness compelled him to remind her of the cost of his actions. Indicating his injury, he said with heavy sarcasm, “Then I must apologize for damagin’ your goods and decreasin’ my value.”
It gave him some satisfaction to see her color at his remark. Then she breezed past, muttering, “Breakfast will be up soon.”
When she closed the door behind her, he was left with an ache in his gut. An empty place that no amount of frumenty was going to fill.
For a brief moment, he’d feltsomethingburning between them. A spark of life. An ember of affection. A flame of lust.
For an instant, he’d forgotten they were foes. He’d seen her as a capable warrior. A brilliant commander. A clever lass. An alluring woman.
Just as he’d let his instincts guide him in defending her, he’d allowed his heart to lead him in desiring her.
But his instincts had been wrong. It appeared his heart was as well. And he was paying the price of his miscalculation with a throbbing ankle and a hollow chest.
With a sniff of self-disgust, he pushed up from the chair to test his bandaged limb. Putting weight on it sent a twinge up his leg that made him grimace and sit back down. He supposed he’d limp for a few days. But the pain would remind him never to come to Hallie’s rescue again. At least not without a formal invitation.
Her indifference did serve one useful purpose. It made the prospect of betraying her much more palatable.
Battling her knights had already taught Colban a valuable lesson. While his claymore had proved a powerful weapon against Lowland longswords, the pace of fighting was quicker with a lighter blade. The Rivenloch soldiers had been able to spin and dodge, maneuver and infiltrate his defenses while he was still hefting his heavy weapon.
Morgan’s forces were unaccustomed to that kind of warfare. Pitted against such an army, they would find their legs cut from beneath them before they could even raise their swords.
Colban had to warn them. He had to train them. He had to study the Lowlanders’ fighting style and their weapons and pass that information along to Morgan.
He’d seen Rivenloch’s numbers now and witnessed their impressive unity. They were formidable and awe-inspiring.
Not that the men of the mac Giric clan weren’t intimidating in their own way. Wild and fierce, they brandished their blades and gnashed their teeth, charging like a herd of galloping beasts. Morgan’s warriors could make the enemy soil their braies ere they could engage their weapons, if they dared to stand their ground.
