Page 36 of Her Scot of Bygones
“Yet ye didnae wait in the end, and I was right there by yer side supporting ye,” I reminded Broderick.
“Ididwait,” he corrected, “until I knew things were going wrong, and ye will do the same.”
Understanding what he was saying without saying it, I met my cousin’s eyes. “So ye will support me if they mean harm to Hazel before the king’s man or Sloan can stop them.”
“Of course he will,” Aspen answered for him. “We both will.”
Broderick was about to say more, but we were interrupted, and I could not have been more grateful.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
–Hazel–
EVERY MOMENT BEING close to Dugal on our ride to Sutherland Castle made me feel filthy. Outside of the obvious, there was something vile about him I couldn’t quite nail down, other than it felt slimy. Fortunately, he kept his word and didn’t touch me inappropriately, but still. He might as well have with the way he inhaled the scent of my hair every so often.
I had lost contact with Lucas once we were on Sutherland lands, and the sensation was horrible. He had become vital to me and my inner beast in little time, making me wonder yet again how I could have ever forgotten him.
So it was a huge relief when I sensed him again.
“Can you hear me?”I asked tentatively, without looking around to see if Flame was nearby and giving him away. Lucas had told me he was following me with the Viking Sword Turned Evan’s Blade, and it would likely reconnect us without Dugal knowing.
“Aye, lass, I’m here,”he replied, relief in his internal tone.“’Tis good to feel ye with me again.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
“Has Dugal done anything untoward or hurt ye in any way?”
“Not so far, but there’s definitely something creepy about him,”I said.“I’m so glad Aspen wasn’t meant for him. That would have been awful.”
“I couldn’t agree more,”Aspen said, surprising me when she was there within my mind as well.“So hang in there, sis, and know we’re all here for you if he breaks his word.”
“I know you are,”I replied, because I knew that’s what she needed to hear.“I didn’t think I’d be able to communicate with you, too.”
Evidently, the Viking blade had only connected Aspen and Broderick last time this happened.
“Chara thinks it’s probably Flame’s magic enhancing as time goes on,”she replied.“And likely because your inner dragon is surfacing, connecting you to your fated mate and blood relations first.”
I could only pray I was Lucas’s fated mate.
Aspen went on to tell me Sloan MacLeod and one of the king’s men were already at Sutherland Castle, so there was at least one MacLeod present if things went wrong.
“And dinnae doubt you will have me too,”Lucas swore.
“I know,”I assured him because I knew he needed to hear me say I felt protected by him as much as Aspen needed me to know she had my back, even though we both knew Broderick wouldn't let her anywhere near this. I wouldn’t want her to be, either. Not while she carried my precious nephews.
After that, we didn’t talk much, but I felt them right there in my mind, and it helped calm me when Sutherland Castle appeared through the forest. Unlike MacLeod Castle, it had fewer rugged corners and didn’t sit on a cliff overlooking the sea, but relatively close to the water, surrounded by trees.
It helped me cope with all this when I recalled Evan talking about it as a boy. He had loved this castle despite its cruel chieftain, because Dugal’s father was worse than him, ruling with an iron fist rather than kindness. So as much as I feared what lay ahead, I looked forward to seeing more of the castleEvan loved, not to mention finally seeing my sister after so many years. To meet her again, knowing we were related this time.
Unfortunately, as it turned out, that meant meeting her mother-in-law, Elspet, the moment we rode into the courtyard, and she was as creepy as Aspen had warned me she'd be. Her silver hair was pulled back tightly, and her dark, beady eyes gave me chills as she assessed me with both disgust and opportunity as Dugal helped me down from the horse.
“So ye’re the one meant for our traitor.” Her voice was as tight as her hair when she snagged my wrist with her cold, bony fingers and inspected my tattoo with a predatory gleam. “’Tis a match to be sure.”
That was all the introduction I was going to get, it seemed, before she spun on her heel and ordered Lilias to see me settled, so we could begin the process.
Process?Not liking the sound of that, I swallowed hard and tried to remain calm as Dugal barked orders for the traitor to be made ready, then strodeup the castle stairs after his mother.
“’Twill be alright, Hazel,” Lilias said so softly I almost didn’t catch it.
