Page 20 of Katie's Highlander (Highland Protector 3)
Ramsay gritted his teeth and willed her to feel his remorse for entangling her in this web of insanity. She slowly closed her mouth and wet her lips. She watched him then motioned first toward herself and then toward his father in ado you want me to talk to him now?move.
I am a damn fool for bringin’ her here. I’ve lost her for certain.
Ramsay shook his headno, then straightened and faced his father. All he could do was go along with the old man until they could get a hold of him. Ramsay eyed the twelve-inch athame strapped to his father’s waist. The ancient blade glinted in the late afternoon sun with a well-honed shine. They’d best take care when they did take hold of the old man. He’d seen his father use that dagger for more than just a ceremonial blade—Emrys MacDara had wielded it in battle with lethal accuracy.
As though reading Ramsay’s mind, Emrys drew the blade out of the leather belt loop and settled the haft comfortably in his hand, all the while watching the entirety of the clearing with sharp darting glances. “Tell yer brothers and yer wee sister t’line up back there.” He motioned to a point on the other side of the table. “Over there where they can be watched. And be quick about it. I’ll brook no’ disobedience on this day and I’m a damned sight too old for patience of any kind. ’Tis the goddesses’ will that this rite be done so do as I command.”
Dwyn—where the hell are ye?Where had the demigod gone when he’d exited the suburban? Katie made a move to step out from behind the stone. Ramsay held up a hand to stay her as he jerked a nod in his siblings’ direction. “Do as he says. That blade looks freshly sharpened.”
Emrys kept his back to the steel door, weary eyes narrowing further as he watched his children do as they’d been told. He slowly shook his head. “ ’Tis a pity m’dear Sarinda isna here.” His gaze settled on Ramsay. “Yer mother wouldha wanted t’see this but ’twas best that I do this without her.”
“Do what,Athair?” Ramsay eased forward, carrying his spear with him. He prayed he wouldna have t’hurt his sire, but he’d let no harm come to any of his siblings nor Katie.
Lifting his chin with regal flare, Emrys looked at Ramsay. “Bring yer woman forward, Protector.”
“Nay.” Ramsay resettled his grip on his spear and crouched to readiness. “I have no woman and ye ken that as well as I.”Stay behind the stone, Katie. Ye’ll be safe there.
“Come out from behind that stone, girl.” Emrys’s voice echoed strong and loud across the clearing, stronger and louder than the voice of an elderly man should. He took a step forward and lifted his left hand. In a more coaxing tone, he managed a kindly smile. “Come to me now, lass, ye have nothin’ t’fear from me—I swear it.”
Katie stepped out from behind the stone, smiling but looking a bit tensed. She hurried her way around the overgrown tufts of grass sprouting up among the stones in the packed earth clearing. “I know you’d never hurt me, Mr. MacDara. We’re friends—right?” Her voice was calm, but Ramsay picked up on the slightest quiver of uneasiness as she spoke. Her gaze kept darting fromAthair’sface to the athame in his hand. “I’d sure feel a lot better, though, if you’d put the knife away. You can show it to me later, okay? I’m an archeologist and I’d be honored to examine it later. Back at the keep. Will that work for you?”
Emrys impatiently waved her forward. “Come, come, woman. Cease yer prattle. ’Tis time.” His chin jerked down with a curt dip. “Ye kent this would happen when ye arrived. Did ye not?”
“Sure,” Katie quickly agreed as she moved closer. “Absolutely.” She looked at Ramsay and widened her eyes with agrab him nowlook.
Ramsay took another step toward his father.If I can just catch hold of the old man’s arm…
“Hold fast, Ramsay. ‘Twould be foolhardy in his current state—he successfully called down the ancient powers. The strength of every druid chieftain before him courses through his veins for a short while.” Dwyn wasn’t smiling. “And though it might only last a short while, the power is verra effective whilst in play.”
Hell’s bells and demon’s bollocks.If, as Dwyn had just said,Athairhad successfully performed the rite of the ancients, the old man temporarily possessed the strength t’snap the lot of them in two. His strength would leave him when the sun sank below the horizon. But none of them would be able to physically overpower him until that time.
“Where the hell have ye been?” Ramsay pulled his gaze from his crazed father and glared back at Dwyn. “Do something about this. Now!”
Dwyn held up a hand and smiled, shaking his balding head to and fro so quickly that his tuft of red hair at the very top of his pate fluttered in the breeze. He moved to Katie’s side and slipped his hand into hers, gently pulling her forward toward Ramsay and Emrys. He eyed Ramsay with a stern look as he lifted Katie’s clenched hand and shook it in the air as he spoke. “This is meant to be, Ramsay. Yer father is only fulfilling his duties.”
“What the hell are ye talkin’ about?” Ramsay reached out and took Katie’s other hand, feeling a brief surge of relief when she hugged up against him and held on tight as though she felt he was her only protection. His relief was short lived when he looked into her eyes and saw a flashing mix of confusion, fear, and the intense desire to get the hell away from this place.
“Is this a cult or something?” she asked in a panicked whisper. “I was willing to humor your father, but this shit has escalated way past playing pretend.”
Dwyn gently patted Katie’s shoulder as he retreated to stand farther back with Alec, Grant, Ross, and Esme. “It’s fine, lass. No cult. I promise.” He nodded to Emrys. “Shall we get this started afore we give the poor lass a heart attack?”
Emrys stepped forward and peered closely at Katie, studying her for far longer than civility allowed. His ancient face, wrinkled and textured like old parchment, crumpled into an even sterner scowl. Finally, after an uncomfortable span of what seemed like forever, he tilted his head and jerked down his chin in what could only be described as a judicious nod. He took hold of her wrist and gave it a shake. “Aye. Ye bear the blood and ’tis high time ye claimed him. Another nearly took yer place and destroyed my son. What say ye about that? What is yer excuse, woman, for takin’ so long to arrive and riskin’ my son’s life in the process?”
Ramsay held his breath, a desolate feeling of every hope he’d held of getting closer to this woman dissolving into darkness. All was lost. They’d be lucky if Katie didna sue them for some sort of assault after she’d run like hell from Brady, North Carolina.
Katie stared back at Emrys, motionless. Ramsay wasna even certain the lass was breathing. Her arm that was hugged around his waist loosened then slipped away as she shifted an arm’s length from his side.
Ramsay immediately missed the warmth of her, instinctively feeling he’d never enjoy that warmth again.
She watched Emrys for a long moment then bowed her head. “I…um…I had to overcome many obstacles to reach Ramsay. Please forgive me for taking so long.” Her voice squeaked a bit, but her words were strong and clear. It was plain she’d carefully enunciated them to ensure his father heard them. She rolled her shoulders and stood taller, then with a quick jerking movement, put her right hand in his left. “All that matters is that I’m here now.”
Ramsay bit back every profanity he’d ever known. Such a bitter disappointment. She’d stepped into his life and was now quickly on her way out and the missed opportunity at possible happiness pained him no small amount.
Emrys gave Katie a curt nod. “Well, then. After all these supposed challenges ye bested—do ye now pledge yer fealty to Clan MacDara? And t’my son, Ramsay Danann MacDara, as well?”
Ramsay almost flinched at the words. He closed the distance between them and pressed his mouth to Katie’s ear as he whispered, “Dinna answer, lass. I swear I’ll safely get ye away from here so ye can be on yer way.”
Moving with the strength and ease of someone much younger, Emrys lifted the lethally sharp athame and pressed its tip to the base of Ramsay’s throat until Ramsay slowly backed away from Katie’s cheek and stood motionless at her side.
