“I pay attention,” he said. “That is enough humility.”
She huffed, then heard the laugh in it and pressed her mouth flat.
The crowd eased back, giving them a ring of space. Murmurs ran to the edges, names traded in low voices, rules repeated for those who had not seen the start.
She kept her chin level.
“I bet ye’re nae humble enough to take off yer mask too,” she said, and tilted her head, daring him.
He did not answer. “Ye’ll be shocked.”
He untied the ribbon and lifted the mask free.
The first thing she noticed was that his left eye was gone and that a scar was in its place, old and plain. His right eye, on the other hand, was bright and assessing.
Only one laird was rumored to have lost his eye in battle.
One tall, strong laird.
Recognition struck clean, and she felt her knees weaken. Without knowing it, she took a step back in shock.
“Laird MacMillan…” she breathed, stunned.
He inclined his head a fraction. “Please, call me Alex.”
Erica swallowed, the words that once hung on the tip of her tongue now nowhere to be found.
He watched her, not unkind, only careful. “Now, do ye think I deserve to be proud or nae?”
Around them, the murmur shifted. Men glanced and looked away fast, while women whispered to another and touched their brows.
Erica’s success grew heavy in her chest. She had asked for the most dangerous shield. And Lord, did she find it.
“Thank ye,” she said again, quieter. “For the cut. For standing where ye did.”
He tied the mask to his belt and said nothing.
“I will go,” she added, and shifted to step past him.
“Nay.”
She stopped. “I didnae start anything. I needed help. Ye gave it. I will leave ye to yer night.”
“It’s nae that simple,” he said, and took one step that made the space small again.
He did not touch her. He did not need to. He lifted two fingers and pointed, not at her but at the ring of faces.
“Everyone here kens ye claimed me.”
“I only said it to save meself.”
His mouth curved. Not kind, not cruel, but dangerous. “Then ye should have thought about what that would cause.”
She felt heat at her neck. “I did think. I counted. Ye were the safest choice.”
He shrugged. “That depends on what ye callsafe.”
“I call it living to the next dawn and keeping me space.”
