On Cam’s shoulder, Isadora grunted again and Cam knew he couldn’t keep her in that position much longer. It must have been excruciating for her. Therefore, he shifted her off his shoulder and turned around, carefully setting her down onto the ground. But as he bent over to prop her against the wall, he whispered in her ear.
“Not a word,” he murmured. “No matter what, not a word.”
That was all he said but as he stood straight, he could tell from the expression on Isadora’s face that she understood him. God, how he ached to hold her and tell her that everything was going to be all right. He could see the total trust in her eyes and it fortified him.
It also fed his fears.
He’d not been there when his grandfather had been in danger. But he was here with Isadora as her life hung in the balance. No matter what Drostan said, Cam wasn’t leaving without her.
He went with his instincts.
“Then I’ll make ye a proposition,” Cam said as he faced Drostan. “If ye willna give or sell me the woman, then I’ll makeye an offer—I’ll fight yer Beast for her. If I win, then I am allowed tae take her and the other Keith women. But if I lose, I’ll swear fealty tae ye. I’ll serve in yer ranks and ye’ll have two great warriors, both trained by the Ludus Caledonia. And I’ll destroy the Keith in yer name.”
Drostan looked at him in astonishment. “Are ye making me a serious offer?”
“I am.”
Drostan appeared as if he didn’t believe him, but then he motioned to Ternan and the two of them began to whisper furiously over at the feasting table.
Cam watched them, unable to tell which direction they were leaning or what decision they might come to, and his gaze eventually moved to The Beast, still standing in the same spot he’d been standing in since Cam entered the hall.
The Beast was looking at him.
Cam felt much as he had the first time he’d faced that mountain of a warrior—apprehensive. He’d lost to him once and triumphed over him once. He was apprehensive in that the man might be brighter than he was given credit for. He would be prepared for Cam to jump onto his back again and would do everything he could to prevent it.
That meant Cam had to be smart about it. He might have to try another tactic.
If he even got that far.
The seconds ticked away as Drostan and Ternan continued to bicker quietly. Casually, Cam turned to look at Isadora, who was still sitting against the wall beside him, only to see that she was gazing up at him with fear in her eyes. He knew that his offer to fight The Beast was the reason, so he turned around quickly, unwilling to be influenced by her. If she was fearful, then he might be as well.
It was quite some time before Drostan and Ternan finally stopped arguing. Cam had to fight down the uneasiness when Drostan turned to him.
“Very well,” Drostan said. “I’ll accept yer offer. But on one condition.”
“What is it?”
“That if ye win, ye dunna kill The Beast and ye dunna kill the Keith lass. We will need them both for things tae come.”
“I willna kill them.”
There was nothing more to say. The bargain was struck, but Cam was making promises he had no intention of keeping. When he took The Beast down, he intended that the man wouldn’t rise up again.
He was going to have to kill him.
Could he defeat The Beast twice?
God help him… he was about to find out.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Cam didn’t wantan audience for what was to come and, evidently, Drostan felt the same way.
Ternan cleared out what men happened to be in or near the hall. Usually, witnessing combat like this was highly prized, but Drostan didn’t want an audience for one very good reason—in case Cam won. It would be demoralizing to his men to see The Beast defeated, especially when Drostan himself had touted the man’s unbeatable skills, so if it was going to happen, he didn’t want anyone to witness it.
As men wandered from the hall, Cam noted that Drostan went to speak with The Beast and it gave Cam an opportunity to move unnoticed. While those two were occupied, Cam removed a tiny dirk from the belt on his waist and turned to Isadora, who was still propped up against the stone wall.
Standing over the woman, he palmed the dirk and assumed a hostile pose with his arms folded over his chest. Posturing over her, he glared at her so if anyone saw him, it looked as if he were menacing her.
