Page 25 of Highlander’s Hope

“Aye,” Tamhas said. “Muir and I are.”

Konnor looked him over from the perspective of a soldier and someone who owned a security firm. The man was tall, though he was a bit shorter than Konnor. Under his slightly dirty linen tunic were broad shoulders and lean muscles. He looked like the a professional athlete. He had intelligent eyes, like someone who could think for himself and estimate threats. Though Konnor would need to see him in action, the dedication to Marjorie was certainly there.

Konnor leaned forward. “So what about this siege that’s coming? Who are the MacDougalls, really?”

“One of the most powerful clans in the Eastern Highlands,” Tamhas said, looking a little bewildered.

Maybe Konnor could get the truth this way. “And what kind of weapons will they bring for the siege? A catapult or something?”

Tamhas leaned back and crossed his arms on his chest. “They could if they wanted to. They certainly have the wealth to order a war engineer and have one built.”

Konnor drummed his fingers against the table. “Will they bring guns?”

“Guns?” Malcolm said like he heard the word for the first time.

Gimme a break.

“So just swords and shields?” Konnor said, the hope they’d show any sign of reason and open up was disappearing quickly.

“Nae, spears and bows, too,” Malcolm said. “Mayhap even crossbows.”

Spears and bows… Crossbows… They weren’t backing down.

Konnor leaned forward and looked at them conspiratorially. “But they’re plastic, right? Like props in a movie?”

“What the feck is plastic?” Tamhas said. “And a movie?”

Konnor sighed. At least he’d tried. He should just accept his failure with them. In the end, all he wanted was to get out of here.

He looked at the loaf of bread and chunk of cheese. He reached for it, but Tamhas took Malcolm’s dagger and thrust it between Konnor’s hand and the food.

Konnor could disarm him with two easy movements and stick that dagger right into the guy’s eye. He looked at Tamhas’s snarl. “Now, now. That’s dangerous. You should take care when you play with grownup toys, or you might cut yourself.”

“Shut up. Ye’re here because of mistress’s kind heart. But even she is out of patience now. She wants ye out of here on the morrow.”

Konnor looked at Marjorie, who had turned and was talking to a servant girl. Her long, dark hair had spilled over her shoulders. Her eyes sparkled, her hand held her cup gracefully, and something in his chest squeezed at the thought of leaving her.

“She said that?” he asked.

“Aye. With her own words.”

What changed, Konnor wondered? She’d been afraid to let him go because he might be a spy, and now she wanted him gone. Was that because of his compliment?

So he’d leave tomorrow. Good. He was grateful to Marjorie and Isbeil for treating him and for feeding him, for taking care of him, and despite the strangeness of this place, a part of him didn’t want to go. A part of him didn’t want to leave Marjorie.

Though even if he stayed, nothing would be possible between them, no matter how attractive she was. His life had taught him well that romantic love only led to pain. He’d experienced that for himself. Although he tried to avoid relationships, he had liked a woman enough to give the whole girlfriend-boyfriend thing a try. It was five years ago. She was sweet, kind, and beautiful. A nurse. Spoke Spanish. Surfed. Volunteered at a homeless shelter. Great sex. The whole package.

They’d dated for about three months. She’d said she didn’t really know Konnor and started asking him about his childhood. Wanted to meet his mom. Suggested they go on a weekend trip to Santa Catalina Island.

If he hadn’t even told Andy about what he’d endured from Jerry, how could he tell her?

It only took a couple of weeks after that for them to break up. Well, for her to break up with him because he was “an emotionally unavailable fuck”.

“Good,” he said. “Then she’s finally came back to her senses.”

Tamhas removed the dagger, and Konnor tore a piece of bread from the loaf. But as he chewed it and looked again at Marjorie, he couldn’t help but wonder how he would ever forget her.

Chapter 10