Page 114 of Highland Ruse

“At a highly defended castle over two days’ journey from here?” Sylvi shook her head as if explaining common sense to someone daft. “With either no army or an ill-prepared one?”

Sylvi swept the staff toward Delilah’s legs. Delilah stumbled backward. “Yes,” she admitted sheepishly.

When she caught her footing, she kept her knees slightly bent, ducked the blow of Sylvi’s thrust and rose with the blade pressed to Sylvi’s throat. “And what would you do if you knew someone you loved were to be harmed?” she panted.

The blade of the sword pressed to the black silk ribbon tied to Sylvi’s throat, so close it brought the thin silk down just enough to reveal the ragged pink skin of a raw scar.

It wasn’t until she saw the reminder of what Sylvi had been through that Delilah realized what she’d said, what she’d done. The pulse at Sylvi’s throat leapt hard and fast.

Delilah lowered the blade.

Sylvi took a long, slow breath in and then carefully hissed it free. Sweat shone at her brow. Delilah knew it was not from their exertion.

Three years ago, Sylvi would have had Delilah on the ground and bleeding for having touched her neck. After being the sole survivor of her family’s massacre, Sylvi was tender about the reminder. The scar along her neck where someone tried to have her join them in death wasn’t without its own level of sensitivity.

Sylvi regarded Delilah with her cold, pale stare. “I would do anything to save them. Even if it meant leaving on my own.” She threw down the staff. It landed silently on a cloth bag lying against the side of the castle wall.

Delilah staggered back. She’d been so upset over Kaid declining to leave early, she hadn’t even considered the option of going alone. Perhaps because she didn’t want to leave without Kaid.

Not again.

And yet, if it would save Claire…

Sylvi looked beyond Delilah’s shoulder. “But before you decide to go out on your own, you may want to see what he says about that.” With a smirk, Sylvi strolled out of the shadows, toward the castle.

Delilah winced inwardly. She knew who was behind her before she turned. Yet still she allowed herself to spin on her heel and peer into the darkness for the familiarity of his face.

True to her suspicions, it was Kaid.

And she couldn’t help but wonder exactly how much of their conversation he’d overheard.

Chapter Thirty-One

“Were ye considering leaving without me?” Kaid asked.

Delilah stared at him for a moment and took in how the moonlight fell behind him, leaving a white glow surrounding his broad shoulders. He was strong, powerful, handsome.

She was still angry with him.

“How long have you been standing there?” The demanding tone might have sounded a bit petulant, but at that point, she was so frustrated, so wounded, she didn’t care.

“Long enough to hear Sylvi’s suggestion and familiar enough with ye to recognize the expression on yer face.” He strode forward, confident as always.

A cold breeze blew off Loch Assynt and carried his scent toward her. She wanted to close her eyes and remember all the caresses, all the love.

Instead she kept her eyes open and her wits about her.

He bent and grabbed the staff Sylvi had dropped. “Will ye spar with me?” he asked.

Delilah lifted her brows.

He knocked the tip of the staff against the sword, which she’d let dip to the ground. The weapons connected with a hollow clunk.

“I won’t go easy on you,” she warned.

Kaid watched her earnestly with his vivid blue gaze. “I wouldna expect anything less.”

Delilah put space between them. “Which weapon do you want?” She indicated Sylvi’s impressive stash.