Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 101336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
She tried to reassure him. “It’s nothing.”
“It most certainly is something. I had no right to hurt you.”
“You did not mean to.”
“That’s no excuse and never should you accept it as one.”
“And should I have lashed out at you and suffered the blow of your hand on my cheek for doing so?”
“I gave you my word that you were safe with me. You should have trusted it,” he argued.
She eased his hand off her chin. “I did and it is why I came in search of you. Now will you tell me what troubles you?” It was easy to see that he was reluctant to tell her. “We have shared and talked about many things these last few weeks. Please don’t stop talking and sharing with me.”
He did not want to cause her more pain or upset or frighten her, though the warrior in him warned against such a foolish thought. She needed to know. “It has been learned that the woman the mercenaries search for has reddish blonde hair.”
Sky instinctively grabbed a strand of her hair. “That means it is either me or Leora they search for.”
“Aye, and it has also been learned that a group of Lowlanders has crossed the border into the Highlands, but the reason is unknown as of yet.”
“But you think it may have something to do with the search for the woman with the reddish blonde hair.”
“I doubt it is a coincidence,” he said and wiped away a small spot of blood on her lower lip with his finger. It fired his anger all over again that he had hurt her, though he was not surprised that he could not harden his heart against it.
What surprised him was that he had come to care a great deal for his wife these past few weeks. It wasn’t only the pleasure he found in coupling with her, it was the time they spent together talking and laughing over foolish tales of when they were very young. There was also the contented silence they shared at times. There was not a time spent here that he did not enjoy being with his wife and the realization was something he continued to try and understand.
Sky left him to his silence having come to realize there were times he needed silence to think. She watched his eyes shift with his thoughts, from anger to concern, then troubled. She had come to understand the difference and it allowed her to come to know him better.
“Two days,” Slayer said. “We leave for Clan Ravinsher in two days.”
“I will be sorry to leave here,” she said.
“It is better not to get attached to anything.” Slayer almost shook his head hearing his father’s words coming from his mouth.
“Too late,” she said with a gentle smile. “I have already grown attached to this lovely place but more so to you.”
She had not intended to say that and yet she had not been able to stop herself.
“Don’t,” he warned. “I am not the man you think I am.”
“But you are,” she said defending him.
He took hold of her arm. “Nay. Do not be so foolish and so blind. I go to the compound. I do not know how long I will be gone.”
He walked away disappearing into the woods and Sky could not help but feel he was leaving her.
Dark gray clouds filled the sky by the time Slayer returned to the cottage later that day. The door to the cottage was closed but the window was open, and he saw that his wife was busy inside. She was probably preparing the evening meal for them. He had come to cherish that time with her and was glad he had since in two days’ time it would be no more.
The thought added to his anger that had flared even more since earlier. Rory had proved useless to talk with, changing his story repeatedly yet again and embellishing it outrageously. He had ordered him taken to Clan Ravinsher where he would be held prisoner until he could determine if the man would be of any use to him. But what annoyed him the most was that he had unexpected feelings for his wife. His intention in staying at the cottage was for her to accept their marriage and seal their vows. Developing feelings for his wife had not been part of the plan and did not help the situation.
He slipped his shirt off and grabbed the axe by the pile of logs and began swinging it, breaking logs in two with just one powerful swing. He split log after log relentlessly until he felt his arm muscles burn though he didn’t stop. His fierce swings reminded him of battle when he would swing his sword striking warrior after warrior until the bodies piled around him just as the split logs did now.