“I’m sure the swords are not sharp. They wouldn’t want to lose men in a mock battle when there is enough bloodshed in real ones. Look over there.” Siena pointed. “They are practicing with bows and arrows.”
“I see that,” Agatha said. “But I’m sure you could still best them, milady. I’ve never seen anyone better than you with a bow.”
As if he sensed someone watching him, Roderick turned and looked her way, but instead of waving, he grabbed an arrow, placed it on the bow that he’d snatched from one of his men and pulled back the string. In the blink of an eye, he’d aimed at her and let the arrow go.
What! Her mind screamed, and then everything happened in slow motion.
“Get down, milady!” Agatha yelled, shoving the shocked Siena to the ground.
Siena cried out in fright. She couldn’t move from the shock. There was a bellow from below, much like a war cry, and a scream behind her. Why would Roderick try to kill her when he’d just saved her life? Something didn’t make a bit of sense.
Thank goodness, Siena’s wits returned quickly. She heard screaming from behind her, and this time the scream wasn’t hers.
She didn’t have a chance to get to her feet because Roderick and Derrick were already beside her. Roderick pulled her to her feet and then steadied her, so she wouldn’t fall back down. “Are ye all right, lass?”
Siena pulled back and glared at him, expecting to see anger in his eyes not concern. “I—I think so.” Her chin jutted out. “Why did you shoot at me?”
Roderick chuckled.
Siena scowled. How dare he laugh at her. She didn’t think her question was funny at all. The bloody man had shot an arrow at her head, and if not for Agatha, he could have killed her. “I don’t see the humor in you trying to kill me,” she snapped.
“I’ve gone to too much trouble to kill ye, lass.” He turned her around. There lying on the ground behind them was a woman with an arrow protruding from her arm. “She was getting ready to stab ye in the back.” He pointed to the knife lying in the dirt beside her.
“Milord, I’m so sorry,” the woman whimpered. “Please don’t punish me.”
Roderick set Siena aside and stepped over to the woman on the ground. “Helen, ye dare to attack someone under my protection? Ye should be glad I dinna kill ye.”
“Ooo,” Helen moaned. “But she is Fidach’s sister. Her brother murdered my son. And ye promised all of us revenge, yet ye bring her here to the castle.”
“Aye, I did promise ye. However, once I arrived at her brother’s castle, Lady Siena had already killed her own brother. By doing so, she destroyed our enemy. Ye should be thanking her not trying to kill her.” Roderick turned to Derrick. “Take Helen up to the keep,” he ordered with a wave of his hand, “so someone can mend her arm.”
“I can mend her arm,” Siena said.
Roderick whipped around. “Ye would mend Helen’s arm after she attacked you?”
“I’m sure Helen is sorry now that she knows I have no love for my brother.” Siena glanced down at the woman on the ground and said, “I would probably have felt the same.”
Duncan snapped the arrow shaft and pulled it from Helen’s arm. After he tied a cloth around her wound, he tossed the woman over his shoulder and headed back toward the castle. Helen continued to cry out, “I’m sorry, milord. Truly.”
“I will go and get your things ready,” Agatha said as she hurried to catch up with Duncan.
“Come and walk with me back to the great hall,” Roderick said, taking Siena’s elbow. “I want everyone to see that you’re with me, so we dinna have to worry about yer safety again. From now on, one of my men will be with you when you go outside.”
“I’m sorry. I do not want to be trouble.”
“Lass, it’s been an adventure since I first laid eyes on ye.”
“I can’t promise that will change, but I’m a good healer, and I would like to take care of your people. With your permission, that is.”
“Aye. I think that is a grand idea.” He nodded. “Elen has complained for years that she needs help. I’m sure she’s told you she’s 105.” He smiled, and Siena found him so handsome and devilish all at the same time. He took her breath away.
“Actually, she told me she’s 103.”
Roderick chuckled. “Proves my point that her memory is slipping with the passing years.”
Once they had reached the castle’s steps, he stopped. ’Tis good to see ye up, lass. I will leave ye here wi’ yer patient and return to my men.” He looked at her for a moment as if he were trying to figure something out, then added. “I look forward to yer company tonight at dinner.”
Siena nodded because she couldn’t think of anything to say. Roderick made her feel things she’d never felt before. His smoldering black eyes seemed to capture hers, her heart turned over in response. Every time he talked to her all her sad thoughts floated away. She shouldn’t have these feelings when he was married, and most likely, she would be meeting his wife tonight.
