Maia had gone very stillbeside him. "What happened to them?"
"When I was sixteen,me faither killed me maither in a rage." The words tasted like ash. "And then I killed him. Because that's what he'd taught me to do—to respond to violence with more violence, to let me anger control me."
"I'm sorry,"Maia whispered, and he could hear tears in her voice. "I'm so sorry ye went through that. Nay child should, ye dinnae deserve that. Any of it."
"Neither did ye,"Ewan said, finally turning to look at her. "But at least I had good moments before—" He stopped, realized what he'd been about to say.
"At least yehad some happiness before it was taken away," Maia finished softly. "At least ye ken what it feels like to be loved properly, even if only for a little while. I had that too. Me parents loved me. Made me feel special and wanted and safe. And then they died, and I had nothin' but me uncle's cruelty to remember them by."
They satin silence for a moment, two broken people finding unexpected kinship in shared pain.
"I'm sorry,"Maia said abruptly. "For callin' ye a murderer that first night. For accusin' ye of killin' Mollie. I was angry and scared."
"Ye had every right to be,"Ewan interrupted. "I did kill people that night. Maybe nae the servants, but men died in that raid. And I let ye think Mollie was dead because it served me purposes. Ye daenae owe me an apology, lass."
"Still.I said things I shouldnae have." Maia pulled her hand from the water and wiped it on her skirt. "And I've been meanin' to ask, about Kian. He said his parents died when he was wee. But ye called him yer nephew?"
"Cousin,actually. Me faither's brother's son." Ewan's expression softened as he thought about the boy. "His parents died in a fire five years ago. He was only five years old, and there was nay one else to take him. So I did."
"And named him yer heir,"Maia said, and there was something warm in her voice. Admiration, maybe. "Even though it meant ye'd never have to marry."
"I dinnae want to marry."
Dinnae thinkI could risk it, with me faither's violence still lurkin' in me blood.
"Dinnae wantto put a woman through what me maither endured. So aye, I named Kian me heir. Gave him a home, a family. It seemed the right thing to do."
"It was the right thing,"Maia said firmly, and when Ewan looked at her, he found her smiling at him with such genuine warmth that his breath caught. "Ye saved him. Gave him love and safety when he had nothin'. That's beautiful, Ewan."
She was beautiful.Sitting there beside the lake with water droplets clinging to her fingers, her hair loose and wild around her face, her grey eyes soft with emotion.
The afternoon suncaught in her brown hair, turning it gold at the edges, and her skin glowed in the gentle light.
Ewan wanted to kiss her.Wanted to close the distance between them and taste her lips again, wanted to pull her close and show her with touch what he couldn't seem to say with words.
Wantedto make her understand that she was worth so much more than her uncle had ever told her. That she was brave and fierce and wonderful, that her body was perfect exactly as it was, that any man would be lucky—blessed—to have her.
But he couldn't.Shouldn't. She was his prisoner, and he was the man who'd kidnapped her, and wanting her this badly was dangerous for both of them.
So instead,he stood and offered her his hand. "Come on. Let me show ye the rest of the shore."
Maia took his hand,and Ewan pulled her to her feet. But he didn't immediately release her. Just stood there, her hand warm in his, close enough that he could see the silver flecks in her grey eyes.
"Ye'refree to wander as ye please now," Ewan heard himself say. The words came out rough, almost reluctant. "The castle, the grounds, the forest paths—all of it. Ye daenae need to ask permission anymore."
Maia's eyes went wide. "What?"
"Ye heard me."He forced himself to release her hand and step back, creating proper distance. "I'm nae yer uncle. I willnae lockye away like he did. Ye can go where ye want, when ye want. Just—" He paused, his jaw tightening. "Just daenae try to escape. If ye run, I will find ye. And there will be consequences."
For a moment,Maia just stared at him. Then her face broke into the most radiant smile he'd ever seen, bright and joyous and completely unguarded.
"Thank ye,"she breathed, and then she was throwing her arms around him in an impulsive hug that caught him completely off guard.
Ewan froze,his hands hovering awkwardly at his sides, every muscle in his body going taut. She was pressed against him, soft and warm and smelling of lavender and lake water, and his control was hanging by a thread.
"Thank ye, thank ye, thank ye,"Maia was saying against his chest, her voice muffled but ecstatic. "I promise I willnae run. I promise I'll follow yer rules. I just—thank ye for givin' me this."
Slowly,carefully, Ewan let his hands settle on her back. Just a brief touch, nothing more, before he gently disentangled himself from her embrace.
