Claiming Her

“At best, ’tis a ruse, lass.”

“A ruse?”

“Intended to do precisely what you are about to do: open the gates. Make us ride for them. We must do the opposite—”

“But—”

“Hush.”

She trembled with fury. “Did you tell me to…hush?”

“I am telling you to cease. Right now.” His voice was level and hard. “Our people are watching.”

Indeed, all along the walls, and down in the bailey, soldiers and villagers and castle folk were watching the argument between the lord and lady of the castle. She swallowed.

“So, aye,” he confirmed quietly. “Becalm yourself. And if you cannot, then return to the castle, and I will manage this matter.”

She stared at him, not seeing him anymore, but every person who’d moved through her life, telling her what she should not, could not, must not do.

It was the story of her life.

And now Aodh, too? Instructing her to silence her voice? She felt it as a betrayal, sensible or not.

“Do not tell me to calm myself,” she replied in a furious whisper.

He shook his head almost sadly. “Katy, I will toss you over my shoulder if I must.”

She gasped. He held out a hand, directing her to the stairs, back to the keep.

She didn’t move.

“Do not make me do it,” he warned.

“Stop telling me not to make you do things, Aodh,” she snapped. “You will do as you will. Did you not plant your flag on that claim? So, then, do what you will.” Her eyes were fierce, pinned on his. “As will I.”

He watched her a second longer. Something about the silent regard introduced the barest hint of, well…fear. Perhaps terror. Certes a grave and great discomfort in the pit of her belly.

She swallowed. “Aodh, if you would but listen to me—”

He bent and swept her up in a single move and tossed her over his shoulder.

“Good God!”

Shock wrenched the words from her mouth, then fury moved in, fast and hot. She began kicking with her knees and pounding her fists on his back. “Set me down this instant.”

He said nothing as she raged, just clamped his arm around her legs, pinning them to his chest, and walked her down the stairs.

Her face was scarlet with embarrassment, which mattered not at all, for her nose was bumping his back, and all her hair was now a thick dark curtain swaying back and forth over her head and down the backs of his legs, the ends trailing on the ground as he carried her inside to their bedchambers.

Once inside, he set her on her feet. She stumbled back, taking a moment for the blood to return to her limbs.

“How dare you?” she gasped.

“I dare much,” he said coldly. “You think this castle can survive, riven in two? Some who heed you, some who heed me?”

“No, I…” Her words fell away.

“It would not last the night,” he said harshly.