“Pull the wagon forward,” Ronan ordered. “With care,” he added as he lunged up under the back of the wagon and latched onto both of her ankles.
She kicked and squirmed but the wheels rolled so close on either side of her, she couldn’t curl around and slash at the man at her feet. She dug her fingers into the tangled clumps of grass and prepared to start stabbing as soon as the wagon rolled away.
“Nay, my lady.” One of Ronan’s men darted forward and grabbed her wrist with a gloved hand. He twisted the knife out of her fingers and tossed it to Ronan.
“Tie her feet and hands,” Ronan said with a sad shake of his head. Turning slowly, he glanced up at the sky. “Storm clouds will bring us rain soon. Our muddied tracks will betray us and lead them to our fine lady. Hurry, men. ’Tis time to bid MacKenna keep farewell.”
“Colum!” Kenna screamed again, bucking and kicking against the men at her hands and feet. Dammit.She didn’t care if the entire clan was drugged into a stupor. She would scream loud enough to wake the dead. Ronan pulled a square of shimmering black cloth from one sleeve and knelt beside her head. “Forgive me. But with the coming storm and the awakening of the drugged men, I must quiet yer calls. As soon as we are well into the mountains, the gag will be removed.”
“You know they’re going to come and get me. You won’t get away with this. They’re not going to go belly up and just let you have me without a fight.” Nauseating panic churned through her as Ronan rolled the bit of silk into a gag and leaned toward her.
“I know. It is always the way until the woman I have chosen discovers being wed to me is not such a bad thing.” Ronan slid the cloth between her teeth. Nodding to the man on the other side of her to lift her head, he pulled the gag snug and tied it.
As Ronan lowered her head, he gently brushed a thumb across one of her cheeks and smiled down at her. “Ye are a fine woman, m’lady. Lovely and strong. I am certain I have the right of it this time.” He bent and kissed her forehead with a feather-light touch, then straightened and nodded at his men. “Place Lady Sutherland in the wagon, lads, and be quick about it. Our time grows short—soon MacKenna keep will discover what has been done.”
Lady Sutherland? Like hell!She closed her eyes against burning tears as the men hoisted her up. She bit back a sob and sank her teeth into the silk gag as they gently lowered her into a plush nest of pillows and blankets.
As the wagon shuddered, then lurched forward, Kenna curled sideways and buried her face in her arms. She would think of something. These bastards would wish they had never laid eyes on her. She sank her teeth harder into the gag, fighting against rising panic. Colum had to be all right. He was just drugged. She squeezed her eyes tighter shut. Colum wasn’t hurt…or dead. He was just drugged.
She wouldn’t allow any other option to rear its ugly head.
CHAPTER20
Strong hands dug into his shoulders. Without opening his eyes, Colum pushed up from the ground and spun, swinging his fists at whoever risked touching him when he was down. He had to get to Kenna.
“Whoa, lad.” Gray leaped back, both hands in the air. “What the hell happened? Ye are covered in blood.” The chieftain’s dark scowl bespoke of even greater troubles. “Every able-bodied man in the keep is retching and my own head is pounding like a fiend. What evil took place here last night?”
The brightness of the sun shot excruciating barbs of pain through Colum’s throbbing skull. He clamped his eyes shut and staggered to one side. Extending his hand, he batted blindly until his fingers raked across cool, rough stone. “Dammit straight to hell and back. I will kill that son of a whore when I get my hands on him.”
He cradled his aching head in one hand while bracing his body against the solid wall of stone. Cold sweat peppered his forehead and his gut churned a sickly gurgle. Nausea sent a warning burn of bile up into the back of his throat. He risked opening his eyes again. By the fires of hell, he would not rest until Ronan Sutherland’s bloody head dripped from a pike in the center of the bailey.
“We can’t find Kenna.” Mother Sinclair’s shrill cry pierced the cool morning air from where she stood in the arched doorway of the kitchens. “Her blankets are still turned back and smoothed across her bed. She never returned to her room.”
Pale as death, Mother Sinclair slumped against the gnarled post of the doorway, clutching her cloak. Her hands trembled and clenched at the loosely woven wool around her shoulders. “We have to hurry. There is no telling how long they’ve been gone. You have to save my little Kenna.”
Heavy footsteps pounded into the garden. “Sutherland and all his men are gone. ’Tis as though they were never here.” A groaning gag and then the sound of retching followed the announcement. Colum recognized that voice—’twas Rory from the stable. Heavy breathing, then more retching. Colum cringed but kept his eyes shut. What the hell could be wrong with the man?
Bits and pieces of the previous night made their way through the muddled fog filling Colum’s aching head. Kenna and Ronan . . . arm and arm. Kenna’s fear as she turned and looked up at Ronan.
He bent and clutched his throbbing skull between his hands. Dried blood and matted hair coated the back of his neck. “The bastards nearly split my skull. Sutherland has stolen my dear sweet lass. My precious Kenna is gone.” He slowly straightened and forced his eyes open. Fury outpaced the burning nausea churning through him as he slowly faced Gray. “I will kill that son of a bitch.”
“Fetch Trulie,” Gray bellowed to Mother Sinclair. He turned to a wide-eyed lad with a gathering basket tucked in the crook of his scrawny arm. “You and Rory hie to the stable. Fetch Roarke and bid him gather all the men. I dinna care if they are unwell or not. Trulie and Mother Sinclair will heal them all so they can ride.”
The half-filled basket of herbs crashed to the ground as the boy jumped to do his chieftain’s bidding. Rory veered sideways with a teetering stride and hurried to follow.
Colum pushed away from the wall, squinting against the dizzying bursts of pain exploding behind his eyes. He lurched to one side and fell back against the stones. “The damn ground willna stop its vicious spinning. Fetch Rua. Get me to my horse.”
“Still yerself until Trulie or Mother Sinclair heals ye. If ye keep staggering like a drunkard, ye will only cause yerself more harm.” Gray latched onto Colum’s arm and pulled him over to a bench.
“Ready the horses.” Gray motioned to a man clad in a leather apron just as the burly brute plowed through the back gate with a pitchfork raised in the air. The garden slowly filled with Gray’s sickly men as word of Kenna’s disappearance spread. All were pale and drawn about the mouth, but all stood with swords drawn.
“I go alone.” Colum clutched at Gray’s arm. A growl of pain escaped him as he squinted up at his chieftain.
“We go together to take back what is ours. No MacKenna ever stands alone.” Gray steadied Colum, squeezing his shoulder.
Colum turned away and vomited on the other side of the bench. A roaring sound pounded through his head as flashes of light dimmed his vision. Damn the bastard that did this. Damn Sutherland for stealing his precious Kenna out from under his very nose.He forced his words through gritted teeth, bloodlust pounding through him. “I go alone to take back what is mine. Vengeance is mine alone.”
“Ye are not fit to travel alone. Ye could verra well still be in a weakened state even after Trulie heals ye; it depends on the harshness of yer wound—and the fickle whim of the Fates deciding if they will allow yer healing.” Gray motioned to the men nearest the gate. “I want ten of ye ready to ride within the hour.”
