Page 32 of Trapped By the Exiled Bastard

She had made a choice. And that choice was waiting.

“Ye ken,” Keir said, laughing, “I could teach ye how tae track better if ye stopped embracin’ me and kissin’ me every time I try tae speak.”

“Would ye like me tae stop?” Elin teased, her good mood bubbling in every word she said. Keir hadn’t asked what had happened in her little village, and she hadn’t told him. Instead, she’d marched right up to him, kissed him, and asked him to take her home.

He grabbed her suddenly enough to make her yelp, then pressed her against a tree. The wood scratched against her back as he kissed her deeply, only stopping when she was gasping for air. Then he pulled back. “Nay. But ye asked me tae teach ye.”

Elin giggled. Behind them, the ever-patient horse waited. They had started the journey home on horseback, but when they reached the forest, she’d asked Keir to teach her skills in tracking to go along with her skills in stealth. He’d agreed, and he’d tried to show her the things to look out for; he’d explained how to keep an eye out for footprints, broken twigs, misplaced leaves, and anything out of place.

She’d listened and really tried to follow, but every time she looked into his face, she was overwhelmed by giddiness. She couldn’t help but hold him, kiss him, and, yes, allow herself to love him, no matter how distracting it might be.

“Perhaps in this I am unteachable,” she teased. She looked down at the examples he’d tried to lay out for her but soon lost interest. “It seems that, should we ever be separated, ye will need tae be the one doin’ the findin’.”

He grinned. “Nae fear there,” he told her. “I’ll always find ye. Nae matter what, I’ll always bring ye home.”

15

Their camp had dried off to a more acceptable state by the time they finally arrived home. Noah was cooking a rabbit over the fire, while Theon and Briana sat nearby, whispering to each other, their faces close together. Elin smiled to see how much they loved one another and wondered idly if perhaps one day she and Keir would look at each other the same way.

When Briana looked up and saw her looking, she abruptly stopped talking, but Theon put an arm around her shoulders and waved.

“Welcome back,” he called. “Any trouble?”

“None,” Keir replied. “Smoothest mission of me life.”

As the brothers talked, Elin walked the horse, Mayweather, back to the little stable. She found Graeme there, feeding the other horses, and smiled when she saw him petting Nightwind. He turned as she secured Mayweather to the hitching post.

“Nice wee jaunt?” he asked. “Did Keir try anythin’ funny?”

“Must ye tease him so?” she replied.

Graeme laughed. “Aye, I must. He’s too serious. The lad needs a wee bit of levity before he disappears completely. Though, I’m guessin’ I’m nae alone in that mission anymore?”

It was impossible to miss the implication, and though Elin blushed, she smiled and gave a slight nod. Graeme grinned and squeezed her shoulder. He petted Mayweather then said, “Come on then. I ken ye’ve been trainin’ with that skinny lout of a man, but I’ve a thing or two I can show ye about self-defense.”

“Ye want tae train me?” Elin asked, surprise coloring her tone and expression alike.

He shrugged. “Aye, of course. I’ll nae have any wee sister of mine loose in the world without the ability to defend herself.”

He said it lightly, almost as a joke, but the words pierced straight down into Elin’s heart. Sister. She’d never been a sister, not really, only a guardian to the younger orphans. She’d never had a family. How was it that she had been so blessed as to not only find the man she loved, but brothers and a sister who cared for her? When had she started to think of them that way, and how had she not noticed that the affection was being returned? She had spent far too long of her life blind, and she was looking forward to what else awaited her now that she could see again at last.

“All right,” she said. “I’m ready tae learn.”

An owl hooted in the forest as night fell deep and comforting upon the camp that was now Elin’s home. It was a dry night, so cloudless that the storm from yesterday seemed half a dream, but the calm did nothing to help Elin sleep. She lay there for a few minutes, tossing and turning, her body urging her to sate it. Her hands trailed down her own belly, but she stopped, knowing that even that wouldn’t be enough to quench the flame. She sat up, took a breath, then walked to the door, opening it to find Keir lying on his back and looking up at the stars just outside.

“Ye dinnae need tae sleep out there tonight. Or ever again. Nae if ye dinnae want tae,” she told him.

He turned his head to look up at her, smiling. “How is it ye’re somehow bonnier than all the stars and the moon combined?” He sat up. “I dinnae want tae take advantage, Elin. There’s nae pressure tae…”

“I dinnae feel pressured,” she said immediately.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Noah saw the way we were lookin’ at each other, I think. I’m a terror at keepin’ secrets.”

“Oh?” Elin asked, not telling him yet that she suspected Graeme and Briana, and probably now Theon, knew the same anyway. “And what had he tae say about it?”

Keir shrugged. “Nae much. He told me tae be careful, that’s all. He’s always been the gentleman among us. Nae doubt he wishes tae protect ye.”

A tingle ran down Elin’s spine, and a delicious fire burned in her heart and belly. “Aye? Well what if I dinnae want tae be protected?” She reached out her hand, allowing her hunger to sound in her voice at last. “What if I dinnae want tae be careful?”