Brodie cocked his brow at Loki. “Like you did with me,” Loki glanced at his sire, speaking only loud enough for him to hear.
Brodie nodded. “Suits me if it suits you. He seems like a resourceful lad.”
“I’m coming,” Kenzie yelled out, “but let me hide some things first so no one steals from me.” He tore back behind the building, and Loki saw him dash into the trees.
Loki waited until the laddie was out of hearing distance, then explained to his sire. “He found Bella when she was about to fall from her horse from cold and exhaustion. He wrapped her in plaids, then moved her in the back before he came to find me.”
Brodie nodded. “That explains everything.”
Loki hung his head as he whispered, “He also found a pan with the initials ‘LL’ inscribed with a knife in the middle of the bottom.”
Kenzie raced toward them, only a plaid in his hand.
“Do you have anything else of importance, lad?” Brodie asked, an unreadable expression on his face.
The laddie gazed up at Brodie Grant, hesitant to answer for some reason. “Aye, my lord.”
“What is it?” Brodie asked, in a quiet yet stern voice with which Loki was quite familiar.
“Uhhh…”
“Speak up, lad.”
Kenzie swallowed and said, “My mama sewed me a fabric puppy before she died.”
“Then you better get something that important. We won’t be coming back.”
“Aye, my lord.” Kenzie hurried through the walkway and returned with his well-worn puppy. “Where am I going, my lord?”
“Home,” Brodie replied. “‘Tis time for you to go home with us after we’re done with this wee skirmish.”
Kenzie’s face lit up as he stared at Loki in delight.
Loki gave his father an appreciative look and then held his hand down to the laddie. “Aye, you’re moving in with the Grants. Welcome to the clan.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Loki meets the “rat bastard” again.
He walked toward the gate, his gaze searching for any sign of Bella. He noticed the area around the keep was quite empty—the clan members he’d seen here on his first visit had apparentlydeserted the earl. He was told to wait outside the gate for the earl to come to him.
That’s when his world collapsed. The Earl of Cliffnock lumbered toward him, his hand holding a dagger to the delicate throat of his wife. Loki had no moves. Alex had told him not to worry, that the situation would be handled from inside. When activity exploded in the keep, Alex and his men would be ready to attack. But there was no sign of Kenzie or the others.
What if Kenzie had failed?
“Set the bag down, but don’t come any closer. I want it on that tree stump over there. I’ll not play the fool again, Loki.” The earl’s eyes danced with a look of superiority.
Hamish came out from behind him. “No wise arse remarks today, Loki? Are you sure you do not wish to take me on? One wee fight. Whoever brings the first to the ground wins. What do you say? The earl gave me permission to fight you, just once.”
Loki stood, his gaze not moving from the earl’s. “Here’s your coin. Release my wife—we have an agreement.” He placed the sack on the tree stump Blackett had indicated, his gaze locked on the dagger at Bella’s throat.
Hamish continued to throw his best taunts his way, but he would not allow the brutish man to distract him from his focus.
His father said, “I do have an agreement with Hamish. He wants a fight with you. I’m of a mind to allow it. What say you, son?”
“I’m not your son, and I am naught like you. Free Bella as you promised. I am not interested in battling with Hamish. I only want my wife.”
The grin that exploded on Edward Blackett’s face told Loki the man had known all along that he was not his sire.
