He couldn’t see Sutherland’s face, but he could only imagine the man’s lecherous expression. He turned the knife in his hand, gripping the very tip of the blade and taking aim for the throw. From this distance, the knife would easily bury itself into the base of Sutherland’s skull. Perfect. Albeit a bit too quick an end for Colum’s liking, considering the bastard deserved to suffer for all he had put Kenna through.
He straightened a bit as Sutherland unwound layers of a dark heavy plaid from around his body and crouched toward Kenna. Colum raised the knife, angling for the throw.
Sutherland took the length of the cloth and carefully spread it across Kenna, then tucked it around her shivering form. The silky material of the man’s darkléineglistened with wetness as the sleeting rain poured down his broad back. He reached across her and pulled forward several branches of pine. The boughs were dense with thick tangled bunches of lush green needles. He forced the sharpened ends of the thatched foliage into the muddy ground and bowed them over her into a makeshift shelter. Just before he backed away, he lightly traced a finger along the line of her cheek.
Colum lowered the knife as Sutherland stood. The chieftain stared down at Kenna for a long moment, then turned and walked back to the fire. What the hell was the bastard’s plan? He had decided to leave Kenna to her sleep? Just as well. He preferred killing Sutherland slowly, and with as much suffering as possible. Colum melted deeper into the shadows and headed toward Kenna.
CHAPTER25
Kenna’s nose twitched. Pine sap. Wet wool. And some sort of spice? Was it cloves or cinnamon? She eased in a deeper breath while sinking back against the hard curve of the tree. Definitely cloves. She barely cracked open an eyelid, just in time to watch a set of muscular legs and muddy boots walk away. The soothing warmth of the damp plaid bunched around her urged her to forget her troubles and go back to sleep. Absolutely not.Opening one eye a bit more, she forced herself to focus. Time to stay alert. She could sleep when she made it back home.
The muddy boots and legs belonged to Ronan. She held her breath as she snuggled the heavy wool farther over her face. Hopefully, he would just think she was searching for more warmth in her sleep and his irritating perception wouldn’t pick up on the fact that she was wide awake.
Thankfully, he remained oblivious to her shifting. Just stood staring down at the fire, his face drawn into a thoughtful scowl.
In spite of all that had happened, her heart twitched a bit. The poor man looked so
sad—so alone. Did he still mourn all he had lost? Had he actually loved both of his previous wives? He seemed frozen in time as he stared unblinking at the flames.
He finally jerked as though freeing himself of some sort of hold. After feeding several more logs to the fire, he propped himself against a chunk of limestone jutting out from the embankment, then leaned back and closed his eyes.
The wet logs popped and sizzled, shifting with a whispered thud and shooting sparks up into the night. Without emerging from her pine-scented nest, she scanned the campsite. Everyone slept, huddled deep in their plaids against the steady sleet shushing down through the trees.
She slid a thumb under the chain wrapped around her waist and yanked. Dammit.If only they had given her back her knife. Maybe then she could’ve used the blade to spread apart the twisted links and weaken them enough to snap her bonds. A sigh escaped her as she released the chain. Unfortunately, her captors weren’t stupid.
A distinct rustling louder than the pelting rain focused her attention on the woods behind her. Cautiously, she lifted her head and silently counted the sleeping men scattered around the campsite. Seven plus Ronan. That was everybody. Crap on a cracker.What if there was some kind of animal sniffing around back there looking for a snack? She had heard wolves earlier. Shivering harder, she strained to identify the noise.
A harder yank on the chain around her waist revealed it was good and strong. Whatever was in the woods wouldn’t even have to chase her. Not when she was tied to the tree like a big hunk of wolf bait free for the taking. Scooting up to a sitting position, she pushed the plaid away and yanked harder at the chain with both hands.
“Still yourself, lass. Do ye wish to rouse them all?” Colum’s hissed whisper came to the right side of the tree, through the thickest layers of pine boughs stacked around her.
Relief flooded through her, almost making her dizzy. She pressed her fists to her mouth as tears of joy blurred her vision. Colum. He was finally here. Then her heart fell as the chain around her waist tugged and sagged back into place. That damn chain. How could he free her of that stupid chain?
Kenna scooted back against the tree. With her gaze trained on Sutherland and his sleeping men, she struggled to keep her voice low. “Colum, I can’t tell you how glad I am that you’re here—but how are you going to get me free of this chain? The lock is some weird combination-looking thing. I heard a couple of the men bragging about how escape-proof it was because there was no key.”
He reached through the thicket of branches and brushed a finger across her check. “Have no fear,” he whispered. “Yer captors were good enough to gift me with this fine axe. ’Tis an arrogant fool who thinks his enemy is so far away that he can leave his weapons unattended.”
An axe? Kenna risked a quick glance behind her. She couldn’t make out anything but murky shadows and swaying branches. “They’ll hear you if you try to chop through the chain. Can’t you think of another way?” She squinted into the darkness. Where was he? “Colum?”
“They willna hear me. But they will hear ye if ye dinna hold yer tongue whilst I work.” The links of the chain quietly rattled, then fell limp to the ground.
Kenna pulled on the chain, delighted when she was able to gather the length of it away from the tree and pile it beside her. “How did you do that? I didn’t even hear a chop.”
“Like this.” Colum snaked the pointed tip of the axe head through the boughs of her shelter. He wedged the lethal point of the axe into a link of chain on a knotted tree root and severed it with a sharp twist. “This chain was not meant to withstand such treatment.”
Excitement raged inside her. She was free. Escape was finally at hand. With one last glance across the silent camp, she gathered the heavy plaid up into her arms and slid backward through the branches. She bit her lip against making a sound as Colum snatched her around the waist and swung her up beside him.
“I knew—” A silent sob cut off her words, lodging them in her throat. Rendered nearly breathless from the emotions pounding through her, she tried again. “I knew you would find me,” she whispered. Pressing closer, she brushed her lips across the warm strength of his throat, breathing in as he crushed her to his chest. Her heart lifted as the familiar scent of him soothed her in the most basic, primal way. Everything was going to be all right. Colum was here and she was going home.
“Ye are mine.” His hoarse, guttural claiming rumbled against her as he tilted her face up to his and searched out her mouth. He kissed her. Hard. His cold lips opened hers ever wider until his raw urgency pounded through her as well. “Ye are mine,” he rasped again as he swept her up into his arms and edged them both higher along the steep incline of the hillside.
She pressed her face to his chest and held on for dear life. Thank goodness he was carrying her. After that kiss, she didn’t trust the strength of her legs.
Colum carried her up through the dark wood as though she weighed no more than a feather. His breath huffed into her hair with the steady rhythm of each carefully placed step. She finally stretched and looked back over his shoulder. Nothing moved in the dark wet wood, and the weak flicker of Sutherland’s fire had finally faded and disappeared. She couldn’t even see the path Colum had made through the tangled clumps of saplings and ragged nettle branches.
Finally, he halted, lowered her to her feet, and leaned them both back against the base of an enormous tree. With his calloused thumb, he caressed her cheek while staring down into her face. He didn’t speak, didn’t pull her into another kiss, just stood and stared at her as though trying to convince himself she was really standing there.
She reached up and pressed his hand to her cheek. “I love you,” she whispered. Her tears streamed, refusing to be held at bay any longer.
