A chill raced down her spine as it caught her breath. Leah fiddled with the tip of her braid as her mind played back Killian's rescue. It was violent and brutal. The images scarred her thoughts.
"I ken yer brother has a dark side," Leah answered, her voice barely over a whisper.
"I daenae think ye understand," Mason said as he grabbed her by the hand. "He's dangerous. I implore ye, daenae spend any time with him. He'll find a way to manipulate ye and control ye. Daenae give him that satisfaction. I want yer word."
Leah stared at Mason. The intensity burning in his eyes rattled Leah to her core. She took his hand and slowly bobbed her head. "Aye, ye have me word."
21
"Keep movin'," Killian barked as he dragged Marcus through the low, dank corridors of the castle's dungeons. His nose wrinkled as the strange, foul smells masked the scent of earth and decay.
Each fall of his boot echoed ominously. The sound, swallowed by the darkness, clung to the walls like a heavy burial shroud. Flickering torches sputtered in their iron sconces, and their light threw erratic shadows along the wall, which danced and skipped along the rough-hewn stone walls.
"I will nae tell ye again, stop draggin' yer feet or I swear, I'll lop them off at the ankle and toss remains in the hole."
"Why? So ye can kill me sooner? I think I'd rather crawl."
"Ye daenae ken what fate has in store for ye," Killian said as he tried not to think of Leah. Still, her words haunted him. Was he truly just as horrific as his father had been? How many timeshad Killian come to the dungeons to flee his father's wrath? He looked around at the familiar stone walls and shadowy nooks. How many places had he crawled in to hide? Deep down Killian felt an icy finger rake up his spine.
"Everyone kens to abandon all hope once they enter here. Yer faither once tortured me grandfaither in this hell until there was nothin' left of him. Ye think I daenae ken the apple dinnae fall far from that tree with yer family."
"Enough," Killian growled, silencing Marcus. With each passing moment, Killian grew more uncomfortable. As if the souls of all those his father tortured had come back to haunt him. Pushing aside the fear, Killian continued descending deeper into the bowels of the castle. His ears perked at each drip of water that punctuated the stillness around them.
A chill seeped into Killian's bones and settled in his marrow. The sensation was a welcome reprieve from the inferno that burned within his chest, fueled by his desires for Leah. How she managed to infuriate him even down here in the darkest pits he could go baffled him. Killian flexed his jaw as his irritation grew.
"Get in there," Killian ordered as he reached for the heavy wooden door and shoved Marcus through the opening. Inside, the chamber was dimly lit, and shadows clung to the corners like phantoms. Fraser stood with his arms folded across his chest, his eyes narrowed.
"What is this place?" Marcus asked, the tone of his voice pitching with panic.
"Where do ye think we are?" Fraser asked as he pulled Marcus to the wooden chair and forced him into it.
"I… oh Lord, I daenae ken," Marcus stuttered as he stained his pants.
"I want ye to squeeze him like an orange," Killian ordered. His voice was low and reverberated through the oppressive air of the dungeon. Stepping back to the shadows, Killian's figure merged with the darkness as he watched with a predatory intensity as Fraser took over the interrogation.
"Do ye ken why ye're here?" Fraser asked as Killian noticed his attention was on him instead of Marcus.
"We attacked the laird…" Marcus answered, his voice trembling with fear. Fraser's eyes remained locked on Killian, hunting for clues that Marcus was telling the truth. Giving a small nod, Killian nudged his head for Fraser to continue.
"Now why would ye go and do somethin' so foolish? Who put ye up to it? Was it a bet? Ye see, I can understand stupidity," Fraser said as he circled Marcus. "It's one of those things that can be corrected with the proper motivation and incentive. So, go on and explain to me why someone like ye would go up against the Mad Laird."
The crackling of dried forced laughter filled the chamber and caught Killian off guard. He stepped out of the shadow for a moment as he watched Marcus's mental well-being snap like a twig in the dead of winter.
"Is this yer idea of an interrogation?" Marcus squawked as he bounced violently in his chair. "Ye'll get nothin' from me. But ye've both given me plenty. I now have the layout of yer castle in me head. I wonder who would pay for that sort of information."
Killian's eyes narrowed as the warmth of his blood drained from him. Rolling his shoulders back, he poised himself to spring into action. Fraser moved swiftly into Killian's path as he continued the questioning.
" Who sent ye? What purpose will it serve by killin' the laird?"
"A new revolution is on the horizon. A new future for this clan. Ever since that bastard took over, this clan has become weak. Nay one wants to trade with us. Businesses that were once boomin' are barely hangin' by a thread and ye wonder why yer people want the laird gone," Marcus leaned back in the chair and shook his head. The smirk plastered on his face grated on Killian's nerves.
Emerging from the shadows, Killian kept his focus on Marcus. The tension in the room mounted as he emerged from his post as a formidable dark entity filling the chamber.
"Ye ken who I am and what I'm capable of doin', aye?" he asked, his voice low and gravelly, each word heavy with menace. The prisoner's bravado faltered and crumbled under Killian's unwavering gaze.
"Ye're the Mad Laird," he muttered, his voice suddenly lacking the conviction it once had. A chilling smile tugged at the cornersof Killian's lips as he watched the spark of understanding light within Marcus's eyes. What once seemed like a joke to Marcus was becoming all too real. His breath hitched as Killian drew so close they shared the same air.
"Do ye ken why they call me that?" Killian pressed as he stared deep into the windows of Marcus's soul. Intrigued by the sheer terror Killian invoked from Marcus, he couldn't help but wonder how fear never flickered across Leah's eyes when he'd get as close. Maybe there really was something special about her that he was just now understanding in the darkest pit of all places.
