* * *
The way her body throbbed could not be a good thing.
Her lips were swollen. Her skin tingled. A place deep within her ached for something she could not identify. Well, if she was honest with herself, she could.
More. More of him.
The kisses she’d had with Caelan had never caused this wanting within her. They had been tepid, unmoving kisses. Just between two friends with no air of intimacy or longing.
Brodie’s had been possessive and enticing. He had tasted her and showed her how to taste him. He wanted her, she could hear it in his breathing and feel it in the way he held her and in the way his body...changed beneath her.
She’d asked her question because she’d needed to force herself out of this seductive haze and back into remembering who he was and, more importantly, who she was.
Months ago, her growing curiosity about him had been appropriate for they might have married. Now, now he was her captor, the man who’d kidnapped her and killed her brother. And his wanting her could lead to nothing but more heartbreak and dishonour. And he could not be the man she thought him to be those months ago if he did these things.
Instead of doing his duty to his clan, he’d torn it apart. Instead of honouring his uncle’s and his elders’ wishes, he had destroyed everything they’d worked for. And instead of being a man she could have loved, he was a man she loathed.
Worse, he made her hate herself for the part she had played in this tragedy. If only she had not asked Malcolm to go with them that night, he might yet be alive and none of this would have happened.
And Brodie made her detest the weakness within her that allowed her to enjoy his kisses. Knowing what she knew of him, her reaction—permitting him such intimacies—was deplorable and pointed out how correct her father was in his assessment of her. Whenever she tried to go against his will or use her own methods, disaster struck.
As it had been with Malcolm, both when they were children living with an angry father after the death of their mother, and then in causing his death.
She should learn...she would learn...before her poor judgement cost more lives.
Chapter Ten
‘Caelan has Magnus,’ Rob said as they walked from the cave towards the small gathering of men waiting for them. These were his most loyal friends, men and a few women who had left or been exiled from Drumlui Keep. With their help, he’d been able to find the caves and keep their existence from Caelan.
Magnus...well, their friendship had been broken over the love of a woman, but Magnus remained loyal to his cause. Though Brodie had not been able to offer Isabel marriage because his own future had not been decided yet, he did love her in his fashion. Magnus had offered what he could not. Isabel had chosen neither, leaving Drumlui and moving to live with her sister in another village. Magnus had blamed Brodie for losing his chance with her.
But the man knew the locations he used to hide and from which he or others spied on Caelan. And Magnus knew the identities of everyone involved. And, he did not wish any man to be left to Caelan’s mercy, for he had none.
‘When? For how long?’ he asked.
‘Two days. We just got word of it,’ Rob said.
‘In the keep?’ It would be difficult if not impossible to get him out of the keep, so he hoped Magnus was being held some other place. Rob’s grim expression gave him the answer without a word. ‘Who do we have there?’
‘Grigor is about the only one who could do anything. The others...’ Rob paused and looked at Hamish and Duncan for confirmation. The nods and shrugs said it all.
Grigor was an elder and knew of Brodie’s plans. He’d supported him in his efforts to be named tanist. But this, helping with this went well beyond any expectation Brodie held for his co-operation or assistance.
‘How long do you think he has?’
He met the gaze of each one and they understood his question. How long could Magnus hold out before betraying their location? Not truly a betrayal, for few if any men could withstand the measures and methods Caelan would use against his resolve. But the others did not know that Magnus was working for him. Jamie was the first to speak.
‘I doubt much longer. We should move further north now,’ he offered.
‘Too dangerous,’ Duncan replied before Brodie could. ‘Too many people to move without a place to go. And with winter coming...’ Everyone nodded in agreement—they’d discussed this before to the same conclusion. Many times. ‘It might be easier to get someone close enough to kill him.’
Though the suggestion should have shocked them, it did not. A quick death would be preferred over Caelan’s torturous path. But Magnus was too important to leave there.
‘Send more men to keep watch on the approaches,’ Brodie said. Jamie nodded. ‘Send word to Grigor to help if he can. If he can find a way to get Magnus out of the keep, I want men ready to get him away.’ Rob and Duncan nodded then. ‘And have a care for I know this is a trap of some kind.’
‘Bring him here?’ Rob asked. ‘Is that wise?’
That was the true question here, for could they trust a man who’d broken under torture? Brodie let out a breath. What choice did they have? Even knowing it was most likely a trap, they had to try to free him. He nodded.
