Kilted Abduction (The Vikings of Skye #2)

Chapter 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

C iara walked down the corridor with a small smile on her lips. Even though they still tailed her closely, she had once again talked her way past the guards at the bedchamber door. She was starting to believe that she really was as clever as Magnus kept saying she was. Perhaps she could be the spy he believed her to be after all. It was a thought that made her giggle as she tried to imagine her life as some clandestine figure operating in the shadows.

The two men were walking a respectful distance behind her, but the gap between them wasn’t large enough to make a break for it if she’d wanted to. They would be on her in a matter of seconds if she tried. And if she were to make a dash for one of the doors that led outside and was caught, there would be no talking her way past the guards again. They would probably lock and chain the door or maybe use brick and mortar to seal her inside.

“Miss, we should probably go back now,” said the older of the two men behind her.

“Just a little while longer, please? I’ve been caged up all day and just want tae breathe a little fresh air. Surely ye can understand that, eh?”

“Aye. I can understand it,” he replied. “But if me maister returns and finds ye out of yer chamber, it’s me head he’ll have.”

“I promise we’ll get back tae the chamber before he gets back,” she pleaded. “It just feels so nice tae be movin’ about. Please? Just a wee bit longer?”

Ciara, not unaware of her beauty or the effect she sometimes had on a man, batted her sparkling green eyes at the man as she spoke. His face softened and he cut a glance at his partner.

“Fine,” he said. “But just a wee bit longer.”

“Aye. Just a wee bit,” Ciara agreed.

Ciara turned and walked on down the corridor, admiring the Yule decorations that continued going up around the castle, once again overwhelmed by the emotions they evoked within her. A wistful smile touched her lips .

With her guards in tow, Ciara turned a corner and stopped short. Magnus stood before her, his arms folded over his chest and glowered at her. His gaze shifted to the men behind her. Ciara snuck a peek at them and fought to keep the smile off her lips as they blanched and shifted on their feet uncomfortably beneath Magnus’ icy glared.

“Didnae I tell ye she was tae be kept in her chambers?” Magnus said.

“Aye, maister. She just asked tae breathe some fresh air a bit?—”

“Are ye bewitched?” Magnus snapped. “Or dae ye nae think ye need tae be followin’ me orders when I give ‘em?”

“Nay, Maister. I just?—”

“Ye just what?” Magnus growled. “Didnae I give ye an order?’

“Aye, Maister Magnus,” he said.

“Did she bewitch ye?”

“Nay, Maister Magnus. I’m sorry.”

Magnus stood and continued glowering at Ciara’s two escorts, muttering darkly under his breath. He finally shook his head, his face painted with disgust.

“Get out of here,” he growled. “I’ll walk her back tae me chambers meself.”

Looking relieved, the two men turned and fled down the corridor, anxious to put as much distance between them and an angry Magnus as they could. She turned to him and frowned.

“And what is it ye expect me tae dae that I need two armed men watchin’ me every move?”

“I’ve learned ‘tis wise tae expect anythin’ from ye.”

“I’m flattered that ye think me so capable.”

“I made the mistake of underestimatin’ ye once. I willnae dae it again.”

Ciara rolled her eyes, mostly irritated that he’d foiled her plans yet again. Magnus put his big hand on her shoulder and turned her around, giving her a gentle nudge forward.

“Come. Let’s go,” he said.

With a heavy sigh, Ciara started to trudge back toward Magnus’ bedchamber. As she did, she was still taking in her surroundings, and trying to put together a plan. She’d purposely walked a different way on her tour of the castle than the last time she had been out, giving herself a fuller picture of the castle’s layout. One thing she knew was that even the most carefully laid plans could go awry, making it necessary to have a viable backup plan. Being adaptable and able to change on the fly was important.

Magnus strode behind her silently, but she felt his eyes on her. She glanced over her shoulder at him, meeting his eyes, and shuddered. He wasn’t leering at her backside like he had before, this time he was staring at her as if he was trying to figure something out. What that was, she didn’t know. Ciara stopped and rounded on him.

“What?” she growled. “Why are ye bleedin’ starin’ at me?”

“I’m nae starin’ at ye,” he replied weakly.

“Ye are. Why?”

“I’m nae doin’ any such thing. Now, walk?—”

Ciara tried to bite back her frustration and tamp down the flames of anger that were flaring in her belly. She might as well have been trying to keep the sun from rising in the east for all the good it did her though. Her lips curled back over her teeth and her eyes narrowed to slits as she stepped forward until she was practically chest to chest with him.

“Dinnae tell me tae walk,” she screamed at him. “I am tired of this. Why am I bein’ locked in yer room? Why are ye keepin’ me here? Why dinnae ye just let me go? I’m nae a bleedin’ spy and I’m nae tryin’ tae dae anythin’ tae yer clan. I’m just tryin’ tae stay ahead of me faither, like I keep tellin’ ye.”

Her voice echoed around the corridor and Magnus stared at her like she’d lost her mind, which only made those fires of fury in her breast burn even brighter. She reached back and slapped him hard across the face. It didn’t seem to faze him, but he did look surprised. A sneer on her lips and her frustration bubbling over, Ciara reached back again to deliver another slap, but as she swung at him, Magnus caught her wrist before it could connect.

“That’s enough of that,” he said.

Before he could say anything more though, Ciara wrenched her hand free and delivered another slap, the sharp crack of flesh meeting flesh echoing off the stone corridor around them. Magnus’ face darkened and a scowl split his lips as he stepped forward and pushed her against the wall behind her. His face loomed mere inches from hers and their eyes were locked. She struggled to break his hold but couldn’t break his grip on her shoulders.

“Let go of me,” she cried.

He didn’t though and his gaze burned into her with an intensity that stole her breath away. Ciara stopped struggling and looked into his eyes, her throat growing dry and her heart pounding in her ears. It was beating so hard in her breast, Ciara was sure Magnus could hear it. She wasn’t scared though. With his face mere inches from hers, Ciara felt something… different.

His breath was warm upon her cheeks and was tinged with the sweet, fruity aroma of the wine he’d had. For a moment, time seemed to stop, and the scope of the world narrowed to his face. His full lips were tantalizingly close to hers and part of her was terrified he was about to kiss her. More troublingly, part of her wanted him to. That realization confused her as much as it scared her. She wasn’t in love with Magnus, and she had always said she would never give away her first kiss to a man she didn’t love.

But something about the man stirred something deep and primal inside of her. Something she didn’t understand. Having him standing so close made her heart flutter and her stomach turn over on itself and she trembled with both fear and anticipation. Her breath was shallow, and her legs were shaking so hard, she thought they might give out beneath her. As she looked deep into Magnus’ icy blue eyes, she wanted, more than anything, for him to press his lips to hers.

As he drew closer, seeming to be pulled by some unseen force, Ciara tipped her face up and her lips parted. The anticipation was like fire coursing through her veins. She was frozen, waiting, wanting, desire burning in the pit of her stomach. But then he abruptly pulled away and took a step back, leaving her with a cold rush of disappointment sweeping through her body. That was followed by a feeling of foolishness that swept over her like a river. She’d thought he felt what she was feeling. Ciara could have sworn she’d seen it in his eyes. Had she been wrong?

“Come,” he said gruffly. “Let’s get ye back tae yer chamber.”

She didn’t know how she’d misread the situation so badly. She’d been sure he was going to kiss her. Too stunned and feeling too foolish to speak, Ciara simply turned and walked on in silence, biting the inside of her cheek to keep the tears welling in her eyes from falling.