Highlander Enchanted(54)

“I ‘ave traveled with worse.” Selecting a dagger, he returned and placed it in her pocket.

“Very well. If you wish to die before you return to your home, I will not dissuade you.”

“I’ll not die, Lady Cade. I must survive to our wedding night.” The gleam of promise in his eye left her flustered.

“Get on with it, Laird Cade,” she ordered. “Fling me from the window, if that is your plan.”

“Yer as beautiful when yer angry as ye are after I kiss ye.”

She glared at him.

He lifted her onto the sill effortlessly and steadied her. “Niall awaits you. Take the rope and kneel.”

She did so.

Cade stepped away and grabbed the rope as well. “When you are ready, Lady Cade.”

She resisted the urge to snap at him, not at all appreciative of his mocking tone. Instead, she slid her legs over the side of the window and began her journey from the fourth floor of the keep to Niall on the ground.

Cade lowered her until Niall was able to grab her and steady her the last few feet. She dropped to the ground and glanced around. This part of the bailey was quiet, and she stepped aside once Niall had untied her. The rain was even lighter than before. Brian stood nearby with three horses, all destriers.

She watched Cade scale the wall with ease and drop to the ground beside his cousin. He appeared steady on his feet, but she had seen a lot of blood soaking his clothing. He was not well or at least, would soon be in real danger. She clasped her hands, praying they did not face a battle to escape the hold.

Cade took her arm and walked her to one of the horses, speaking quickly to his cousins as he lifted her onto the horse’s back. Pulling himself up behind her, he jostled her with little respect for her space until she was settled comfortably against him. Tugging the reins, he urged the horse into a quick walk towards the walls of the keep.

One of his arms went around her, and she gripped it with both of her hands, heart in her throat when she thought about what happened if they were caught.

They slid out of a side gate and raced to the forest. Rather than follow the main road, Cade led them to a dense section of trees and drew the horse to a halt. He whispered words in a tongue she did not know. Flickers of magic glowed green and darted into the forest, disappearing into the dark depths. His sorcery had created a bubble around them as well, protecting them from wind and rain.

The woods parted for them, and Cade nudged the horse forward again.

“Ye doona like magic?” he asked.

Realizing she had tensed, Isabel forced herself to relax against him once more. “’Tis unnatural.”

He grunted without answering.

Green flickers zipped ahead of them, creating a path as they went.

“Unnatural,” she breathed. Awed and alarmed, she did not know which emotion was stronger as she witnessed what no one outside the Highlands and Cade’s clan had ever seen. “Is it harmful?”

“It can be,” he said quietly. “A sword can either defend or attack, and so can magic.”

“Why do you not ask it to heal you?”

He was quiet for a moment. “I doona possess that gift now. I lost it when I took a dark path in the Holy Lands. Marie is our sole healer, because of this.”

This was to become her life. Black Cade, clan wars and sorcery eating at him from the inside. “I do not know if I can do this,” she said.

“All will be well.” His grip tightened around her. “We need to reach the MacCosse lands.”

If only it were that simple. She understood enough of their situation to guess they would soon face a war Cade’s clan was unprepared for.

“I must send a message to my uncle,” she said.

“And what? Beg him t’save ye from the Highland savages?” he growled.

She shook her head. “You cannot win a war without allies.”

“We have one in the Scottish court. I doona want the English fighting my war.”

“Then you should not have wed an English woman!”

“Yer not English,” he said and laughed so loudly, he drew the looks of his cousins.

She bit back her initial retort and drew a steadying breath. “At least allow me to warn my uncle about Richard.”

Cade was quiet.

“Richard will do what he must to take my father’s land.”

“I doona care and neither should you.”

“Cade! Do you have gold? Because I do!”

“Let Richard have Saxony, lass. I doona want yer English gold or yer English land.”

“Saxony is my home!”

“Yer home is where I am,” he said firmly. “Be mindful of who ye are now, Lady Cade.”

She expelled an exasperated breath. Sensing his resolve, she chose not to press the matter and also to find a way to send word to her uncle despite Cade’s wishes. It was foolish to dismiss Saxony as he was, even if he never planned to leave the Highlands.

“Must we return to the time when I wished you dead?” she grumbled.

He chuckled. “Is this an English tradition? T’kill yer betrothed?”

“If it were?”

“I would sleep with ye in my arms and a dagger behind me. But I wouldna ever let ye go.”

“To be desired for a reason other than my lands!” she snapped.

“Ah, lass. Ye are. If not fer war, I would have shown you tonight.”