Page 48 of Dark Side of the Laird
“Dinna use it on me. Safeguard it.”
“Logan, no! I have to save you.” The handle of the knife dug into my palm as I held it with an iron grip.
Logan closed his eyes, pain etched on his face, then slowly opened them. “Emma, ye canna, my love. I am beyond saving. But ye can save this country.”
Tears burned the backs of my eyes. He was pushing me away. He didn’t think I could help him, or he didn’t want to be saved.
“I can help you. I can save you and then you can save Scotland. You are the guardian, and I’m just…just a time traveler!”
Logan laughed, the sound gravelly and pain filled. “Lass, ye’re more than just a time traveler to me. And to Scotland. Ye were sent here for a reason.”
“Yes, to be with you!” I argued, refusing to take up this monumental task.
His lips quirked in that way that made me feel warm inside. Logan’s indulgent smile. The one he gave me whenever he knew I needed to be coddled, and reassured. But I didn’t want to be coddled, nor reassured. I wanted to help him. Wanted to take him away from this horrid place.
“Emma, do ye truly believe that Fate would have ye travel back five hundred years for a tryst?”
“We are more than a tryst, Logan. I love you. I love your people. I belong here. I should have been born in your time. That’s why Fate brought me back. Not so you could suffer when I can help. Not so I can watch you—” But I couldn’t finish, because I couldn’t saydie.Couldn’t tell him that he looked already to be on death’s door. That was not why I was brought back. I refused to believe that.
“Nay, love. Fate brought ye back, brought ye to me, so I could show ye how strong ye are. Because only ye have the power to save us all.”
I groaned, slapped at the wooden door. “What would you have me do? I can’t leave you here to die.” And there I’d said it. That horrible word that meant he was gone from me forever. Oh, yes, his spirit would live on, but I didn’t want to live on in the physical sense if he was but a spirit.
Again Logan seemed to hold his breath, his eyes closing. How much pain was he in? I couldn’t even imagine. He looked… shredded. “Ye must confide in Ewan. He will help ye. Dinna linger, love, for the night grows dark and bleak.”
I tried to respond, but the loud boom, like canon fire erupted, and I was once again yanked with forceful invisible hands backward, away from Logan, perhaps for the last time.
Seconds later, hands were sliding beneath my shoulders and hauling me to my feet. I blinked open my eyes, feeling groggy, my head pounding. A guard carried me back to my bed and Agatha screeched in the background.
“I dinna know how she fell, I was only gone but a second, and now she’s on the floor. Oh, dear, Lord in Heaven…” And on and on she went.
“Agatha,” I managed to rasp. “I’m fine.”
I sank beneath the covers, shivering uncontrollably, feeling numb, cold and filled with fear.
“Dearie, ye’re not fine. Why I—”
“Agatha, I need Ewan. Now.” I don’t know how I did it, but I managed to fill my voice with all the power I didn’t feel and it came out in a rush.
She shook her head and put her hands on her hips. “Nay. Not this time. I must—”
“Youmustget Ewan. Bring him to me now. It’s an emergency.” I glanced toward the table, recalling the herbal tea and the cup that lay somewhere on the floor. I leaned forward and motioned to her, keeping an eye on the guard. If Agatha had done the deed of seeing me drugged, then I could yell for him to help me. I whispered in her ear, “I’ve been poisoned.”
Agatha let out a gasp that sounded as though she might have a heart attack. She took hold of my shoulders, her eyes wide. “My lady, how?”
“In my cup. It was an herb of some sort, I’m almost sure of it.”
“What kind?” Agatha glanced around the room.
“I don’t know. I dropped the cup over there.”
My maid turned on her heel and rushed to the table. She ducked from my sight, but I could hear her rummaging around on the floor. She hopped up a moment later with the mug in hand, and sniffed it loudly before recoiling.
“My God, ye’re right. I dinna know what it is, but for certain, ’tis not tea in your cup.” Agatha frowned into the cup then held it at bay before slipping it in her apron. “I’ll ask Cook to help me figure it out.”
“Okay,” I said. “But send Ewan. Please.”
Agatha nodded. “Guard, keep an eye on Lady Emma. I will go and find Ewan myself.”
