Page 88 of Bride of Mist
She palmed his jeweled dagger and, with a flick of her wrist, sent it flying. It thumped into the ground beside him, two inches from his boot.
He tumbled off the rock with a startled yelp.
Then she leaped down from the branch, landing before him. She glared down at him with her arms crossed and her expression crosser.
“You forgot something.”
They both knew she wasn’t talking about the dagger.
She expected a lie. A cruel challenge. Vicious words of rejection.
Instead, his face fell, and his expression was tormented by remorse. Caught in the act and at her mercy, he sagged on his elbows, looked up at her, and told her the truth.
“I could ne’er forget ye. Ye’re the most magnificent, beautiful, brilliant woman I’ve e’er known.”
A lump lodged in her throat. Did he mean that?
She was suddenly grateful for her mask and hood so he couldn’t see how her eyes shimmered with foolish hope.
“I had to leave, m’lady,” he continued. “Don’t ye see?”
She didn’t see at all. But she supposed he deserved a chance to explain. “I’m listening,” she choked out.
He sat up, placing his arms atop his knees. “I couldn’t let ye suffer the consequences o’ my recklessness. ’Twas my fault, I know. I should have reined in my urges. I shouldn’t have led ye into temptation. But I failed. And after what I did,” he said, shaking his head, “how could I allowyeto pay the price for—”
“Wait,” she said, her hurt vanishing like mist. “After whatyoudid?” A humorless bark escaped her. “Spare me.”
She hunkered down before him, wrenching his dagger from the dirt.
“You’re a cocky Westlander,” she spat, flipping the weapon in her hand, “always trying to take credit for my deeds.” She tapped the point of the dagger against her chest. “Last night wasmyidea. Whatever conceited notions you have that you somehow forced me—me,a warrior maid of Rivenloch—to do your bidding, I assure you you’re wrong. No one tells me what to do.”
Mac Darragh looked so stunned, Feiyan thought she could probably knock him over with a puff of air.
Chapter 23
Dougal hadn’t realized until this moment just how much he adored the swaggering warrior lass.
Ofcourseshe would insist the idea was all hers.
Ofcourseshe would claim, not that he had seduced her, but that she’d manipulated him into doing her will.
Was it true? Did it matter? What was done was done. The only thing that mattered now was the consequences of their actions.
“What will ye do now?” he asked.
“We’ll finish what we started. Find out what happened at Kirkoswald. Chase down and punish the devils who did this.”
We.She’d saidwe.When he left the inn, Dougal thought he’d never see her again. He’d never realized how alone he’d feel without her by his side.
Miserable, racked with guilt, riddled with shame, forlorn, and unforgiven, he’d swallowed up the ground, hoping the distance would lessen his pain.
But from the moment he’d left, he’d missed her company. Not just the warm comfort of her body, but her bright eyes and mind. Not only her tempting lips, but her prickly, wicked tongue. He missed her refreshing candor. Her clever deception. Her quicksilver emotions. The way she made the journey swifter with her prying questions. And how a coy wink from her could make his heart sing with joy.
He thought he might be in love with her.
He wouldn’t tell her that, of course. She might laugh in his face.
His world had shifted last night, made him hunger for more lasting companionship. But for her, it may have only been a pleasant evening’s diversion.
