Mollie's family.Oh God, what has he done to Mollie's family?
"And now,"Callen said, moving even closer until Maia could smell the whisky on his breath, "now ye've made me look weak in front of the entire region. Made me look like a man who cannae even control his own niece. Made me a laughingstock because some Highland bastard walked into me castle and took what was mine without consequence."
I was never yers.I was never anyone's property.
But Maia couldn't saythe words. Could only glare at him over the guard's hand, her chest heaving with fear and fury and desperate, helpless rage.
"Well, nae more."Callen's hand shot out and gripped her chin, his fingers digging in hard enough to bruise. He wrenched her head around, forcing her to look directly at him. "Ye're comin' back with me. Tonight. Right now. And I'm goin' to find ye the worst, most brutal husband I can—someone who'll beat that defiance out of ye, who'll break ye the way I should have broken ye years ago. Someone who'll remind ye every single day of yer miserable life what it means to disobey yer laird."
Terror floodedthrough Maia's veins, cold and paralyzing. She shook her head frantically, tried to pull away from his grip, but the guard holding her only tightened his hold until she could barely draw breath.
"Oh, ye'll come,"Callen said, his lips curving into a smile that made Maia's skin crawl. "Ye daenae have a choice in the matter. And once ye're properly wed and under yer husband's control, McGill will have nae claim on ye at all. The political embarrassment will destroy his reputation, and I'll finally be rid of ye and yer constant threat to me position. Two problems solved with one marriage."
The guard'shand pressed harder over Maia's mouth, and she tasted salt and dirt and her own fear.
This couldn't be happening.She couldn't go back. Couldn't let her uncle win. Couldn't let him lock her away again, or worse—marry her off to some brute who would hurt her, control her, destroy whatever small pieces of herself she'd managed to reclaim over the past two weeks.
Ewan.I need Ewan.
The thought came desperately,instinctively, rising from some deep place in her chest that refused to accept what her eyes had seen. Even knowing about Laura, even believing he didn't want her the way she wanted him, she needed him now. Needed his strength, his protection, his fierce determination to keep her safe.
Please.Please somehow ken that I'm in danger. Please come for me.
But why would he?She'd run away. Had left without explanation, without giving him a chance to explain about Laura. For all he knew, she'd simply decided to leave. Why would he chase after a woman who'd made it clear she didn't want to stay?
The guard'shand shifted slightly as he adjusted his grip, probably getting tired of holding her struggling weight.
It was allthe opening Maia needed.
She bit down.Hard.
Her teeth sankinto the fleshy part of his palm, and she tasted blood—copper and salt and absolutely worth it. The guard roared in pain and jerked his hand away instinctively, and Maia seized the opportunity with both hands.
"EWAN!"Her scream tore through the forest, loud and desperate and full of every ounce of fear and hope she possessed. "EWAN, HELP ME!"
"Shut her up!"Callen snarled, his face contorting with fury. "Shut her up now!"
The guard'shand came back toward her face, but Maia screamed again, louder this time, putting everything she had into it. "EWAN! PLEASE!"
The guard'sfist connected with her temple, and stars exploded across Maia's vision. Pain radiated through her skull like lightning, white-hot and blinding. She felt herself sag in his grip, her legs going weak, darkness creeping in at the edges of her vision.
"Maia!"Mollie's voice, distant and terrified, barely penetrating the ringing in her ears.
"Get them both to the horses,"Callen ordered, his voice seeming to come from very far away. "And if either of them makes another sound, kill the maid. Let's see if the niece is so defiant when her friend's life is at stake."
Maia's vision swam,the world tilting dangerously. She could feel herself being dragged, her feet stumbling over roots and stones, but it all felt distant and unreal, as if it were happening to someone else.
But through thepain and the fear and the gathering darkness, one thought burned bright and clear in her mind.
Please.Please let him have heard me. Please let him come.
Even if hedidn't love her. Even if what they'd shared meant nothing to him. Even if he was with Laura right now, and wouldn't even notice Maia was gone until tomorrow.
She needed him to come.
Because if he didn't,if her uncle succeeded in taking her away, in marrying her off to some monster who would hurt her?—
She'd never escape again.Never feel sunlight on her face without fear. Never touch lake water or see mountains or experience any of the freedom she'd finally, finally started to believe could be hers.
