As if she were property to be disposed of at his whim.
As if her wishes, her feelings, her very autonomy meant nothing.
The fury that rose in her chest burned away the fear, the panic, the helpless terror that had gripped her moments before. She watched Murdock help his daughter onto his horse, watched him hand Rufus the reins with quiet instructions, watched him prepare to ride away as if the matter was settled.
As if she’d simply accept his decree.
She ran.
Not away from him, but after him. Her skirts tangled around her legs as she raced across the meadow, but she barely noticed. All her focus was on the man mounting his horse, on stopping him before he could leave, before he could make decisions about her life without her.
“Murdock!” His name tore from her throat. “Daenae ye dare!”
He paused, one foot in the stirrup, and looked back at her. His expression was carved from granite, showing nothing of what he felt.
That made her even angrier.
“We’re nae done talkin' about this,” she said when she reached him, her chest heaving from exertion and the emotions churning inside her.
“Aye, we are.” He swung himself up into the saddle. “The decision has been made.”
“Without me? Ye made a decision about me life without even askin' what I want?”
“I ken what ye want, lass. Ye want love and fairytales and all the pretty things ye’ve been taught to believe matter.” His voice was hard, cold in a way she’d never heard before. “But we daenae have time for that anymore. Ragnall has forced our hand. So, in two days, ye’ll marry me, and that’ll be the end of it.”
He turned his horse toward the castle. Leona grabbed the bridle, stopping him.
“Let go, Leona.”
“Nay.” She met his eyes, refusing to back down despite the warning in them. “Ye cannae just order me to marry ye like I’m one of yer soldiers. This is me life. Me choice.”
“Yer choice?” Something flickered in his expression. Pain, maybe, or frustration. “Yer choice has put everyone here in danger. Yer choice has given Ragnall ammunition to threaten me people, to threaten yer brother. So, forgive me, lass, if I take that choice away before someone gets killed for it.”
The words hit her like a slap across the face.
Leona released the bridle, stepping back as if burned.
Murdock’s expression softened fractionally. “Go back to the castle with Rufus and Skye. We’ll discuss this further when tempers have cooled.”
Then he was riding away, Hamish falling in beside him.
The two men disappeared over the ridge, leaving her standing in the meadow with her heart pounding and her hands clenched into fists.
“Leona?” Rufus’s voice was quiet, uncertain. “Are ye all right?”
No. She wasn’t all right. Nothing was all right.
But she couldn’t say that. Couldn’t let her brother see how close she was to falling apart.
“I’m fine,” she lied. “Let’s go back.”
The ride back to the castle was torture. Skye tried to maintain cheerful chatter, but even her enthusiasm couldn’t pierce the heavy silence. Rufus kept casting worried glances at her, his hand resting protectively on Nyx, who sat in front of him on the saddle.
Leona barely saw any of it. Her mind was racing, circling the same thoughts over and over.
Murdock was going to force her into marriage. Was going to take away her choice, her autonomy, everything she’d been fighting for. And he thought he was doing it for her own good. Thought he was protecting her.
Just like Ragnall did.
