“I disagree.” She looked at him, again feeling as if she were slipping into a void, spinning round as she fell, tingly chills once more rippling through her. “There is much enchantment in our hills. It beats in every stone, each sprig of heather, the gurgle of a burn, or even the curl of peat smoke.
“Such wonder is especially potent now, at Yule.” She held his gaze, not caring what he thought of her.
He frowned. “I wouldn’t have taken you for a lass to believe tall tales,” he said, pulling a flask from beneath his cloak and thrusting it at her. “Drink this. ’Tisuisge beatha, strong and peaty whisky to chase such foolery from your mind.
“It’ll also warm you for our journey.” He walked back to her, stopping but a breath away. “We’ll be sailing through the night, so you’ll need it.”
Alanna’s jaw slipped. “What?”
“Sailing,” he said, looking at her as if he thought her daft. “Traveling by sea, lassie. In a ship.”
“I’m not going anywhere on a ship.”
“Aye, you are.” His tone was firm. “You’re no’ in a position to argue.”
“It’s dark.”
“Nae too dark,” he shot back. “There’s plenty of moonlight and star-shine, the snow helps, too.”
“You’ve planned this.” Alanna seethed.
He shrugged. “I’m telling you this night’s perfect for a journey.”
“You’re a fiend.” Alanna stared at him, dread sluicing her. Just moments ago, she’d felt safe with him. Clearly, she’d erred. He was a brigand through and through. A cold-blooded killer and – was it possible? – perhaps the one behind all her grief?
The many losses that plagued Seacliffe and her family. The sorrow she tried so hard to shake, but that always came back to knock her down, each tragedy claiming a chunk of her, darkening her world, and, at times, making it so hard to even climb out of bed in the morning.
But she did, and always, she hoped.
She refused to surrender.
Yet now, here in this enchanted place she’d sought so long…
Her heart sank and she drew Gubbie closer, taking strength from his warm, bulky weight.
She met the blackguard’s gaze. “Where are you taking me?”
“The slave mart in Dublin.”
Alanna’s eyes rounded, the breath leaving her. “You can’t mean that.”
“Aye, I do.”
“I’ll scream and fight you every mile.” She backed away from him, raised her hands, fingers curled, ready to scratch. “Come one step closer and-” She broke off, stumbling over a pine branch. “Aggggh…” She lurched, flailing her arms before slamming onto her knees beside theLovers.
“Owwww!” she yelled, pain shooting up her leg.
The brigand was on her in a beat, reaching for her, but she rolled away, pushed shakily to her feet. And it was then that she saw what hurt her knee so badly…
A heart-shaped piece a wood, age-blackened and smooth.
Quickly, she snatched it off the snowy ground, clamping her fingers around it. “Leave me alone,” she warned her captor, backing away again. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“What have you got there?” He caught up to her in two strides, gripped her wrist. “If you’re thinking to dirk me-”
“I don’t have a dirk,” she snapped, wishing she did. “I didn’t think I’d need one at my own Yule feast.”
“Then what are you hiding?”
