So shocked by the shout from the petite women, Cowan halted. He glared at Elysia but pointed at Crissa. “She’s my daughter and she’ll be coming with me.”
Elysia shook her finger at the man. “She will not be going with you to be beaten again.”
Cowan’s face blotted red with rage. “You’ll not stop me from taking my own daughter.”
Elysia’s legs trembled with fear. There was no way she could stop the man, but she could delay him from taking Crissa, allowing time for her husband to reach her, since she had no doubt he was on his way.
“What kind of man are you beating on your daughter?” Elysia accused.
Cowan leaned his face down close to hers. “A man who knows how to keep a woman in her place.” He reached out and grabbed Elysia roughly by the arm.
“LET GO OF MY WIFE!” Odran roared taking a few steps up the stairs, but not wanting to rush the man for fear of what he might do to Elysia before he could reach her. One snap from the Cowan’s thick hand could easily break her neck.
Cowan snarled like a rabid animal and a nasty smirk lit at his mouth before he released her.
Elysia didn’t trust the man and she took a hasty step back, but it wasn’t fast enough.
His one hand shot up and grabbed Elysia’s neck lifting her off the ground, then his other hand caught her leg in a firm grip and he launched her up in the air to dangle her petite body over his head. He turned, his smile smug as he faced Odran poised on the steps.
Elysia froze out of fear of being dropped and fear of what damage a fall could do to the bairn she carried. Her glance darted to her husband, fury raged on his face while worry filled his eyes. Only one option was left to her… her husband would see her safe, and she held strong to that trust.
“PUT HER DOWN!” Odran ordered, his fear growing of what Cowan might do. He was a man who gave no thought or consequence to his actions or he never would have raged a battle against the Clan MacBridan.
“OR WHAT? Cowan challenged.
“Or I’ll see you dead,” Odran warned with dead calmness.
Cowan laughed and with a roar, he heaved Elysia toward her husband.
Odran reacted as he watched in horror as his wife flew through the air. He took the steps three at a time, his arms stretched out and his body prepared for the blow. He caught her before she hit the steps and wrapped himself around her to take the brunt of the fall as he stumbled back.
It was a brief fall, no tumbling or rolling, his wife’s head tucked safely beneath his chest and her petite body protected by his large, muscled one.
“Are you all right,” he asked, lying along the steps, an ache to his back where the edge of a stair dug into him. Though, it mattered not. He more feared his wife had been hurt.
She raised her head. “I believe so.” Her thought was for the bairn, but her husband’s body had cushioned the fall and had protected her and, hopefully, their bairn.
Odran got them to their feet and Elysia wasn’t surprised to see some of his warriors lined along the bottom of the keep steps, Finch in front of them, sword in hand.
Cowan signaled Odran forward with a wave of his two hands. “Come on, Odran. You said you’d see me dead if I tossed your wife. Show your warriors the coward you are and draw your sword on a man who has no weapon.” He spread his arms to show he wore no sword.
Odran moved his wife to the side, away from the stairs. “Wait here.”
Elysia stayed where he put her, her eyes fixed on her husband.
“I’m taking my daughter and leaving and you can’t stop me,” Cowan boasted bravely and grabbed his daughter’s arm as Odran climbed the stairs.
Crissa cried out and tried to break free.
“LET HER GO!” Odran demanded.
“You can’t stop me. I have a right to do what I will to my daughter,” Cowan snarled as Odran reached the top step.
“And I have a right to revenge what you did to my wife,” Odran said calmly.
Cowan shoved his daughter aside and came to stand face to face with Odran. “I knew you’d catch her. She suffered no harm. There’s no revenge to seek.”
“I warned you,” Odran said calmly.
Cowan threw his arms out from his sides and laughed. “Come on, I’ve been waiting to give you a good beating and one you richly deserve.”
A bare smile rose on Odran’s face and in the next second Cowan found himself grabbed by his throat followed by a quick grab to his crotch, then up in the air he went raised over Odran’s head and with a tremendous roar and powerful force he threw Cowan down the keep steps.