Page 11 of Trapped By the Exiled Bastard

She turned, her mouth open to argue, but she must have seen something in his eye. Maybe it was the pulsing, restless fury and shame that had cycled in Keir’s heart as long as he could remember, or maybe it was just the memory of his threatening promise. Whatever the reason, she closed her mouth and primly took a seat. When Noah offered her the bowl, she took it, though she glared at Keir as she did.

“Theon, aye?” she asked after a moment while Graeme doled out the rest of the meal for everyone else.

Theon nodded.

“Ye’re the leader of this wee group, are ye nae? Ye must let me go,” she demanded.

Keir started, surprised—he’d not expected her to try with someone else. He almost spoke, but curiosity kept his mouth closed.

After a pause, Theon said, “I’m sure Keir has explained why that isnae possible.”

“I think it is possible. I think ye just dinnae want tae,” Elin protested. “Ye willnae get what ye want from me. I see ye’ve got this lass as a willin’ servant—”

Noah interrupted with a laugh. “Forgive me, miss, but me lady here is anythin’ but a servant.” He winked at Briana, then grew a little more serious. “I ken yer family will miss ye, but I assure ye, so long as ye obey, ye’ll be safe until ye can return tae them.”

It may have been a trick of the moonlight, but Elin’s white skin seemed to grow even paler. “I—” she started, then shook her head. “Ye’re criminals, all of ye, and ye’re makin’ a mistake. I will be missed. Eamon Grant will come for me, and for Nightwind too, and he’ll ensure ye all pay for what ye’ve done.”

Keir grunted, his eyes on his food. “If we’re tae pay when Eamon arrives, how about ye stop talkin’ about him and allow us freedom from havin’ tae listen about it? Nae need tae punish us twice.”

He felt rather than saw how his words had offended her, but he did not look up. He didn’t want to see her expression.

“He’ll destroy ye all like the traitorous rats ye are,” Elin hissed. Beside him, Keir felt Briana stiffen, no doubt remembering the same sentiments leaving her own lips not so long ago. “And I’ll watch with glee. Just ye wait.”

Elin sat by the fire alone long after the others had dispersed, the cold bowl of stew still almost full in her hands. She had weakened and taken a bite or two, but only when she was sure that none of them were watching her. Briana had tried to talk to her several more times, but when it had become clear that Elin wasn’t interested, Briana and Theon had gone off to their own little hut. Graeme had gone to his own soon after, and lastly Noah had followed, bidding her a courteous goodnight. Now, the fire was dimming, and she poked it with a stick, partly for warmth and partly for something to do.

How had she ended up in this situation? She felt disgusting, her clothes weighty on her body thanks to dirt and Keir’s blood, her skin clogged with sweat and muck. Briana had come out briefly to offer her a simple front-tie robe to change into. It would be a bad fit, but it would cover her well enough until she could get her current dress cleaned. First, though, she’d need to do something about the grime on her body—that was, if they’d even let her.

The crunch of boots on the ground made her look up to see Keir approaching. He’d left at some point earlier, and she’d deliberately not let herself wonder where he’d gone. She didn’t like how much her thoughts were dwelling on him, nor how disorienting it was when he was out of sight. He stood watching her in silence for several moments.

“What?” she snapped. “What do ye want?”

Keir folded his arms. “Are ye gonnae sit out here until the fire dies? Will ye sleep on the ground as well?”

“Is that an option?” Elin asked.

He snorted. “Nay. Ye’ll sleep in me hut, of course. I presume ye want tae wash first? I can show ye where.”

Embarrassment mixed with spite. Elin knew that she needed to bathe, but to have Keir mention it felt somehow mortifying. She dropped the stick and gave him a dark look as she answered. “Did yer brother order ye tae extend that offer? I imagine the MacKenzie heir makes the decisions about what ye do with prisoners.”

She expected an angry reaction, but, although Keir’s expression tightened, his voice remained calm. “Theon doesnae order me tae do anythin’. But, if ye like, I can leave ye unwashed.”

Elin hesitated. Her urge to be clean battled with her wish to rile him up more. At least when she was arguing with Keir, she wasn’t afraid. She chewed on her lip, debating her answer, but eventually her need won out. “Nay.”

“Nay what?” he asked, folding his arms.

She stood. “Ye’re gonnae make me ask ye?”

Keir smiled and gestured expectantly.

Elin gritted her teeth. “Fine. Keir, will ye please take me tae bathe?”

Eyes sparkling, Keir held out a hand. “Let’s go.”

The burn that ran through the grassy clearing in the forest was complete with its own little waterfall, and Elin sank into the fresh water with a delighted sigh. It was cold, and though gooseflesh erupted all over her naked skin, she didn’t care. She crouched with her shoulders under the waterfall, allowing the water to pound on her back and wash away the dirt and stress and weight of the world. Every so often, she thought she felt eyes on her, but when she looked toward the bank, Keir was always standing with his back turned.

Was he stealing glances? Surely not. And yet, Elin found a strange excitement in the idea. What would he do if she caught him looking? She idly swam a little in the water, her head full of the thought. If she looked and saw him looking back with those blue eyes, would he be angry at being caught? Would he walk away? Or… would he come closer? Would he join her in the water, peeling away his clothing, moving close to her in this healing burn? And if he did, she imagined, his fingers would find her skin beneath the water, and would he pull her close, demanding, both of them surrendering…

A splash abruptly tore Elin from her daze and she straightened up, her cheeks flushing, her skin suddenly hot despite the coldness around her. She saw a little frog hopping just ahead and cursed and thanked the creature for dragging her back into reality. What had she been thinking? She stared toward Keir, but he was still studiously looking away. She must have been imagining that he had looked at her. That was all.