The Highlander's Warrior Bride (24 page)

“I dinna know yet, but I do believe her,” Brandon said.

“Did she say why she’s gone against Longshanks? Obviously she was close with him, if he sent her with a message.”

Brandon’s lips thinned and he looked grim. “She did not go into more than to say she could no longer do his bidding in good conscience. I trust that she’s turned a new leaf.”

“But how can ye trust her? Ye barely know her.”

“’Tis a fact, ye are correct, but there is something in her eyes.”

Julianna raised a skeptical brow.

“Brandon is one of the best readers of people I’ve ever come across,” said Ronan. He grasped his cousin’s shoulder and looked into his eyes. “If ye say we can trust her, then I believe ye.”

Brandon nodded, a silent familial nod passing between the two. Not in the mood to argue, and trusting in Ronan’s decision, Julianna chose to believe too.

“What of the army? Did she give ye numbers?” Julianna asked.

Brandon nodded. “Aye, she said there are over two-hundred of them.”

“Will they disband or join us?” Wallace asked.

Brandon rubbed his hands together and cracked his knuckles. “I dinna know, she didna say.”

“Ask her,” Wallace ordered.

Brandon left them to go do their leader’s bidding.

“I need privacy,” Julianna murmured and turned to walk away.

“Wait, ye canna go alone,” Ronan said.

She turned around, raised a brow and patted the dagger at her hip. “I’ll be fine. I’ll scream if I need ye.”

With obvious reluctance, Ronan nodded. Julianna marched off into the woods in search of some brambles to relieve herself behind. Her bladder was so full, she could have cried. She’d not noticed until moments ago; probably the rush of danger in her veins made her forget.

The day was not going as planned. There were still over two-hundred traitors itching to slice them into ribbons and one bastard who wanted her taken alive. She’d never go alive
; they’d have to kill her to take her away.

Julianna found the perfect spot, checked to make sure she was alone and hiked her skirts.

Sweet relief.

“’Tis a prettier arse th
an I imagined.”

Julianna dropped her skirts, ripped her dagger from its sheath, stood and whirled around to find her enemy standing twenty feet away.

“Ross,” she hissed. “Have ye come seeking death?”

How the hell had she not heard him? The man was
slyer then she’d given him credit for. And Mariana had said Ross was gone. She shouldn’t have believed.

The man had the audacity to chuckle, and crossed his arms over his chest. Living on the run had not been kind to him. He’d been wrinkled and
grey before. Now, the top of his head was bald and his face covered in wrinkled and sagging skin. Though his form appeared to be in good shape. She’d not test him until she knew how fit he was.

He took a step closer, and Julianna braced for a fight, fully expecting his men to jump out from all around her. Again
, the man laughed and waved his hand as if dismissing her fear.

“I am alone.”

“A mistake,” she said through gritted teeth and pulled a pin from her hair.

“No, no, no, my lady. Dinna throw one of your poisoned pins at me. I’ve built up an immunity to mushrooms over the years.”

Julianna’s stomach knotted, and a cold, hard bubble formed around her heart. She may not be able to poison him, but she could injure him at least. Poising to strike, she stilled her hand when he spoke.

“Ye’ve killed a good deal of my men, lass. A woman should never do a man’s duty.” He walked closer and dammit if her feet didn’
t stay frozen in place. “Ye will be punished for it.”

And then he lunged. Julianna side-stepped, but he didn’t trip, in fact, seemed to have expected it and lurched to the side with her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and they both went tumbling to the ground. He was heavy and thick on top of her. An old man, but still muscular enough to weigh a ton.

She shoved at his chest, tried to get in a deep breath to scream, but she couldn’t. He was crushing her. And then she realized, he was actually doing it on purpose. Pushing himself down on top of her so she could barely catch her breath.

“Ye canna scream now, can ye?” he asked, his breath foul and rotten.

But Julianna was determined, she sucked in as much of a breath as she could and let out a blood-curdling scream. The bastard was not going to get the better of her again.

Ross hit her. Hard. She saw stars when his fist collided with her temple, but still she fought back. Remembering the pin in her sleeve, she worked to pull it free,
difficult in the position she lay in, gravity was not on her side. At last, she gripped the pin in her fingers, but Ross must have caught a glimpse of it and rolled away.

Julianna leap
t to her feet and lunged for him, but the old man scuttled out of the way. She wouldn’t, couldn’t let him get away. Fury took hold, and she tried as much as she could to not let her emotions rule her, but they did. Yanking the long dagger from her hip she brandished it toward him. Ross only fended her off with his sword, much longer than her own.

She realized, too late, that u
sing a dagger to fend off a sword was a bad idea. Hopping backward, she flung her pin, tripping over a branch or root at the same time. Her aim was off and the pin only sliced his cheek as it flew past him.

Ross growled, and charged toward her. Julianna scrambled backward, her back hitting a tree, and Ross
’ sword came within an inch of her throat.

“Say your prayers, my lady. Today ye die.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

R
ed fury blinded Ronan as he burst upon a scene he hoped never to see beyond nightmares.

He let out a battle cry that shook the trees and ran toward Ross at full force. The bastard turned when he heard him shout, giving Julianna a split second to knock the sword away and dive to her left and away from danger.

Ross let out a sheer whistle, that meant God only knew how many were about to descend on them.

Wallace, Brandon and a dozen others surged into view just as a horde of Ross’ own men did. The clanging of metal and shouts of pain echoed through the forest air. Two attacked Ronan from behind while Ross hacked at the air in front of him.
He cut one down with his claymore but left it in the man’s chest, opting for the lighter sword at his hip and an axe. The third man was quickly put down, leaving only Ross who fought like a vicious zealot. When the two had fallen, two more quickly took their place. All eager to protect their lord. The next two fought harder than the first, not wanting to fall victim to Ronan’s superior skill, but they soon did, though they got in a few cuts of their own.

Ronan ignored his bleeding wounds and turned back to Ross to find him gone. He searched frantically, cutting down men left and right, but he was gone. Julianna! She too was out of sight.

“Julianna!” he roared, sweat dripping into his eyes.

He whirled in a circle, willing her to appear. More men pounced on him and again he fought with vigor and won. And still no Ross. No Julianna.

“Julianna!”

Ronan ran toward their camp, praying all the while, that she’d run there toward safety, but when he arrived, she wasn’t there. Oh, God, no… His mind whirled, every horrid possibility coming to the forefront of his mind. He ran back to the battle scene, which was now just a pile of defeated men, Wallace, Brandon and most of their men still standing.

“Julianna! Have ye seen her?” His voice was hoarse from shouting, his gut tight and aching.

All the men shook their heads, worry furrowing their brows.

“He’s taken her!” Ronan shouted, fear gripping his spine in its icy hands. He rushed in the opposite direction, the place he’d seen some of Ross’ men come from, followed tracks, though he knew not whether they were coming or going. Panic made his hands shake, fury made him blind.

“Julianna! Ross!”

The sky overhead was turning grey, but not from the smoke. It would soon be nightfall and then his chances of finding her were nil.

A rustling came from behind and he whirled, sword drawn to find a haggard looking Julianna limping toward him.

“Och, lass.” He rushed toward her, relief so keen he could have collapsed. Ronan grabbed her and pulled her into a tight hug, kissing her hair and face. “Are ye all right? Are ye hurt?”

She nodded, shook her head.

Ronan didn’t want to let go, though he needed to assess her.

“Which is it?” he asked.

“I’m all right. Not hurt too badly,” she said, her voice tired.

A long slice went down her arm, the fabric of her sleeve open and exposing her wound.

“Ye’re bleeding,” he said, ripping fabric from his shirt to wrap around her wound.

“So are ye.” Her fingers touched his chest and arms where he too had been cut. “We’re a mess.”

“Mine are just scratches.” Ronan wrapped her arm tight enough to staunch the flow. “It doesna look so deep as to need stitching.”

Julianna shook her head. “Nay. Was but a nick.”

“Ross?”

She nodded. “He grabbed me
and threw me over his shoulder. But the man is old and I was not going to let him take me. I stabbed him in the back and he dropped me. My arm caught on a tree branch, which is how I got this.” She glanced down at the wound and smiled. “Ye’re wrapping me up again.”

Ronan let out a shaky breath, his fear finally starting to abate.

“Is he dead?”

Julianna bit her lip and shook her head. “I fear not. When I fell, he ran.”

“With a knife in his back.”

“Aye. The man is determined to live.”

Ronan pulled her back into his arms, her soft body trembling as she pressed against him. Julianna wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face against his chest. He could feel her heart pounding against his.

“I thought I’d lost ye,” he whispered, pressing his lips onto the top of her head.

“’Twould take a lot more to get rid of me, warrior.”

Ronan chuckled. “Even still… I feared never to see ye again.”

Julianna squeezed him tighter, pressed her lips to his heart. “I never want to let go.”

“I never will.” He gently lifted her chin and claimed her lips. Soft, loving, showing how much he cherished her, but when her tongue touched his, his good intentions left him and he kissed her with possessive passion. “Julianna, I love ye,” he murmured against her mouth. “I have since the moment I laid eyes on ye.”

Julianna slid her arms around his neck, stroked her fingers into his hair. “I love ye, too. And no matter what, we will never part again. I couldna bear it.”

Ronan growled low in his throat, kissed her once more with fire. She was his. Always would be.

“I see ye found her.” Wallace’s voice cut through their desire filled hazes just as his claymore had cut through Ross’ men.

But neither of them jerked apart, as they would have done hours before. Still holding onto one another, they turned to face Wallace head on.

“Ye will say nothing of this to the Bruce,” Julianna said, authority in her tone. Strong as always, he felt a surge of pride rush through him.

“There is nothing for me to say,” Wallace s
aid with a smile, then turned challenging eyes on Ronan. “For I’m certain it is Ronan’s intention to beg the Bruce’s permission to marry ye.”

Ronan glanced down at Julianna, their eyes locked and he smiled. “I’ve every intention to marry her.”

“And I’ve every intention to marry him.”

Wallace coughed uncomfortably. “Well, now that ye’ve settled it, what of Ross?”

Julianna frowned and this time, she did take her arms from around Ronan, but she kept a tight hold on his hand. “I’m sorry to say, he got away.”

“Not without injury?” Wallace asked.

“My knife in his back,” Julianna said proudly.

Wallace chuckled. “Rightly so. I’ll send the scouts out to look for him. With that injury, he shouldna be able to travel far.” He looked them both over with a critical eye. “Ye’ve both got some wounds that need tending.”

“Nothing to fash over,” Julianna said.

“All the same, your brother will have my head if ye catch an infection. Go with Brandon and Lady
Mariana back to the keep.”

Julianna was suddenly exhausted, close to collapsing. She nodded.
Was it fear of her brother’s reaction, or her own body’s attempt to rest from all that had transpired? Probably a combination of everything.

Ronan gripped her elbow, holding her up more than she cared to admit. “I’ll carry ye to your horse if ye desire it,” he whispered so that no one else could hear.

“Sounds wonderful, but I fear they’d never look at me with respect again.”

Ronan chuckled. “My woman deserves to be spoiled.” He lifted her easily, sweeping his hand beneath her knees and cradling
her against his chest. “Step aside, make room. The lass has lost much blood, we must get her back to Eilean Donan,” he said in a voice louder than necessary.

Julianna smiled into his chest, hiding her red cheeks from everyone. “I have not lost
that
much.”

He chuckled. “I know it. Ye need not lose face. And I get to hold ye close.”

Ronan walked with quick, steady steps back to the makeshift camp and lifted her onto her horse, his hand lingered hotly on her leg. “I would much prefer ye ride with me,” he said.

“Aye, but we’ll be quicker if we ride separately.”

Ronan frowned, and nodded. “True enough. But know this—I dinna intend to sleep alone tonight.”

“And I intend to get no sleep at all,” she teased back.

Ronan’s grin widened and he winked. “A promise I will make sure ye uphold.”

“Let us ride the
n.”

’Twas well pas
t nightfall when they arrived on the bridge to Eilean Donan. Ronan sent up a call to the guards to let them know it was no enemy that approached and the gates were swiftly opened.

Half the men returned with them, while Wallace led the other half in a chase for Ross.

They were greeted in the courtyard by nearly everyone, including the Bruce who looked worried over the lack of those returning, and stuttered Wallace’s name, until Ronan explained what had happened. He then gave his future king a serious look and asked to speak with him in private.

“I will also attend your private meeting,” Julianna stated. Her shoulders were squared, head held high.

“Julianna…” Robert warned, but Ronan shook his head.

“She may, if ’tis all right with ye, my lord.” Ronan couldn’t take his eyes off her. Despite the bits of dirt smudging her creamy skin, she was still a vision. And nothing had scared the piss out of him more than seeing her quiver at the end of Ross’ sword, and then finding her missing.

“All right,” Robert drawled, looking between the two.

The man must have started to put two and two together, because his face grew pinched, and if Julianna’s earlier projections about her brother not wanting
her to marry were true, they might be in for a bit disappointment.

Robert beckoned them into the castle and they followed him up the spiral stair to his chambers. A fire blazed in the hearth and several candles lit the room. Ronan’s stomach twisted with hunger, but he ignored it.

“Wine?” Robert asked, holding a jug up.

“Aye, please.” Julianna gripped a cup from his table and held it out while her brother poured.

Ronan nodded and lifted his own cup, watching as Robert poured the red liquid with steady hands.

“Sit. Drink. Tell me what this is about.”

Ronan and Julianna both took seats while Robert stood, arms crossed and giving them a stare that might have cowed a lesser man. But Ronan was not a lesser man, and he knew what he wanted. Needed. Julianna. He loved her.

“I wish to offer for Julianna’s hand in marriage.” There, he’d said it.

Robert looked ready to throttle him, but at least no weapons had been drawn. However, Ronan wasn’t entirely sure that he wouldn’t be cast into the bowels of hell—the Bruce’s glower was that staggering.

“I see. Julianna?”

I see?
What the hell kind of response was that? Ronan tried not to frown, but couldn’t help his jaw muscle flexing with irritation.

“I wish to marry him, brother. With all my heart. I’ve served ye many years. Since ye were a bairn even. Now I am seven and twenty. ’Tis well pas
t the time I marry.” She turned to Ronan and smiled, her eyes twinkling. “And I love him.”

Robert let out a disgusted grunt and whined almost like a spoiled child, “Truly?”

“Aye, brother.” Julianna turned her attention back to the Bruce, and her voice grew stern. “I’ve not asked ye for anything afore. I’ve only lived to serve ye. Give me this one thing.”