Page 57 of Highlander’s Bride

As Raghnall approached, he heard Bryanna say, “I’m not going to tell you anything.”

“Ye’re an interesting one… Like Rogene aren’t ye, with yer odd accent, and yer perfect skin, and yer youth…”

Her words were slurring a little, as though she was drunk…or maybe just exhausted.

“Ye’re a Mackenzie, also, even though just because ye marrit one. But they’ll come for ye, I ken, especially if we entice them a wee bit.”

She signaled, and one of the guards raised his giant arm and slapped Bryanna.

A guttural yell burst out of Raghnall’s throat, and he ran to put himself between her and the guards.

Chapter 28

Through the ringing in her head and the explosive pain, Bryanna heard a man roar.

She turned her head, both worried and hopeful it was Raghnall, but could see only a blurry spot running at her.

She hated herself right now. For being weak. For being so useless. For letting that man back on the wall knock her over.

For being her.

She was the weak link. She wasn’t the brave woman that Raghnall had told her she was…a woman full of sunlight.

She was a woman full of misfortunes.

But at least if she did die today, it would be while she was having the biggest adventure of her lifetime. She’d take it every time over dying alone in a hospital bed while on life support.

She blinked trying to make herself see sharper, and finally could distinguish Raghnall, running at the guards with his sword raised.

“Ye will be sorry, ye bastart!” he roared.

Euphemia blinked at him. “Stop him, right now!”

The guard standing by Euphemia lifted his sword and met Raghnall’s, the ring of metal against metal loud and bright.

Raghnall kept thrusting his sword. “I came. To deliver. A message. From Angus.”

Euphemia came to life. Her whole body straightened, her head rose higher, and a blush even seemed to hit her pale cheeks. “Stop! Let him speak!”

The guard froze, still pointing his sword at Raghnall, a look of warning on his face.

Raghnall stopped also, his chest rising and falling quickly. Despite the acute danger both Bryanna and he were in right now, she couldn’t help but admire this man. He’d been wounded in several places, clearly, but he kept going. His eyes met hers, and there was everything she needed to know… He’d come for her. He was afraid for her.

He was here for her.

“Yer wife was useless,” said Euphemia. “Ye Mackenzies have nae taste in the women ye marry. What’s Angus’s message? Would he like to surrender now or a wee bit later, when half of his men will be dead?”

“He wants to negotiate,” Raghnall said, returning his gaze to Euphemia.

Euphemia shrugged one shoulder. “If he wants to negotiate, why didna he come himself?”

“He wants ye to meet him, one-on-one. Nae warriors. Nae weapons. Just talk.”

A shiver ran through Bryanna. Euphemia kept her cool exterior, but something had shot through her—something that might have been curiosity or even desire. Bryanna didn’t know the whole story and she didn’t know what Raghnall was playing at, but she knew this meant something to Euphemia. She knew Raghnall was on the right track to change this losing battle.

“There’s nothing to discuss,” Euphemia said, her voice emotionless. “Ye’ve almost lost. I only have to wait, and my men only need to keep pushing. ’Tis nae in my interest to talk.”

“What do ye want?”