Chapter 1
Lily stirred awake with a dull ache in her head, and she groaned a little.
She felt movement beneath her while struggling to keep her eyes open.
It took a moment for her to realize she was sitting astride a horse, and a man was sitting behind her, his hard frame pressing against her back to keep her from falling.
She stiffened when the horse’s gallops made his body move against her back. She was on high alert now, but she tried not to move or alert her captor that she had awakened.
Her keen gaze skittered around her, and she noticed they were riding through a meadow she could recognize.
We are not far off from McLennan Castle yet.
Her mind began racing with her escape plot. Her wrists were tied together, but her legs were free, so she could throw herself off the horse, destabilize the man riding with her, and run.
Lily was skilled in fighting, she did not fear this man.
All she needed was the right chance to make her move.
When the horse neighed loud the next moment they neared a turn, she took the chance and threw herself off the horse with force.
She heard her captor’s rapid curse in thick Gaelic as she rolled on the ground to her freedom.
She loved the rush of energy that surged through her at the thought of her freedom. After years of training to defend herself, she could not let some strange man, no matter how handsome, kidnap her without a fight.
She found a sharp stick on the ground when she sat up, grabbed it, and began trying to cut through the ropes binding her wrists. She didn’t succeed in freeing herself before the three men came at her at once, so she knew she had to fight with the binds on.
Without hesitation, Lily dodged the first man’s lunge at her and hit him with her head, ignoring the pain that erupted in her temples from the impact.
She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, ignoring the heavy wind blowing against her short black hair as she fled into the wild, not caring what she would encounter, as long as she escaped.
Her heart pounded with every step, her breath snagged in her throat, but she forced her lungs to expand. Lily knew she would not make it far if he kept chasing her with this speed.
I need to hide.
She took a left turn and raced past the thick shrubs of bushes that scraped against her skin. She slowed her steps when she reached a cliff and then glanced over her shoulder and saw two men running towards her.
“Dinnae take another step!” one of them yelled as he slowed down and came to an abrupt stop behind her.
His eyes were a shade of green that could easily make any woman swoon. They had an intense effect on her, one that rattled her insides and made her sway on her feet. When her pulse picked up its pace again, she stifled it by sucking in air.
Lily shook her head to get rid of the effect the man’s eyes had on her when she stared at him again. “Back away, or I’ll take the leap,” she warned when he took one cautious step towards her.
“If ye jump, ye will die,” he said to her in a calmer tone this time. “My intention isnae to kill ye…”
Lily almost believed him before a wicked smirk lifted the corner of his lips and he added, “Yet.”
She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “So, you intend to just kidnap me? Keep me as your captive and probably a slave? Is that supposed to be a better option?”
“Ye’re English?” His brows furrowed together as the question tumbled out of his lips.
Lily caught the surprising glare in his eyes that lasted only a second before they narrowed into tiny slits that shot arrows at her again.
“I thought we have been through this with you Highland clans? A lady isn’t cursed, or evil, or unfitting for a lady just because she’s English.
She is simply blind. Why do you all seem so intent on killing her for something that is not her fault?
She did not do this to herself. She has done nothing to deserve this! ”
He frowned now, and his eyebrows scrunched up before his lips formed a tight line. “What are ye sayin’?” He had a genuine, confused expression on his face. She almost believed he did not understand what she spoke of. “What curse?”
Lily rolled her eyes. “Do not pretend like you know not what I speak of,” she retorted before glancing over the edge of the cliff to check the distance of her fall.
Lucky enough for her, there was a river down there, and if she jumped with the right force, she could land in the water.
Hopefully, it is not a shallow one.
She made a move to jump, but her captor yelled out immediately with a panicked tone that made her pause again, “Dinnae jump!”
His panicked voice made her pause for only a moment. When she stared into his eyes again, there was a solemn look there.
And a wild one too. Like he is scared for me.
“Just take a step back to me slowly… I willnae hurt ye.”
Lily scoffed before a harsh laugh tore out of her lips. “Am I supposed to believe that?”
“I willnae hurt ye,” he insisted.
Lily still shook her head adamantly. “I do not believe a word you say. I’d rather die here than let you take me with you. I will not become a burden to her ladyship.” Her throat burned as she added fiercely, “Or your slave.”
“What in heaven’s name are ye talkin’ about again?” he queried, relaxing his stance a little as he brushed his hands over his hair. “I dinnae care for the lady… I dinnae care that she is blind either. I came for ye.”
It was Lily’s turn to sound confused. “Me?” she stuttered and drew away from the cliff’s edge a little. “Why would you want me? I am a nobody.”
“Whatever it is that ye are, I dinnae care.” He motioned for her to come to him. “Come here, or I swear to the heavens when I have ye tied up—and trust me, I will—ye willnae be able to speak or see till we reach my clan.”
It occurred to Lily then that she could at least find out who her captors were for when she finally made her escape, because she was certain she would. Her years of training and learning to fight were so that she could always protect herself and her mistress from vile men like her kidnapper.
Aware of the dagger still hidden in the stockings she always wore underneath her clothes, she took another fighting stance, tilted her chin high, and stared him right in the eye. “No. I will not go with you. Never.”
“Ye feisty little thin’,” he rasped, lurching towards her with a speed that would mean the end of her escape, but Lily moved faster and took a leap, launching her entire weight off the cliff so she could land in the water.
“Nay!” she heard him scream just before her ears nearly exploded with the force of her landing into the water.
Lily was also a great swimmer. Yvaine had taught her as much since she had come here.
She let her body sink into the river, thankful that it wasn’t a shallow one, then she drew in strength so she could push her weight upwards, towards the surface again.
When Lily emerged from the river, she looked around her, spotted dry land on the other end of the river, then began swimming towards it.
Did they really think they could take me down so easily?
She had injured only one of the three men who had captured her, but if anyone else came at her again, she would teach them all a lesson.
Especially the one with the green eyes.
Lily had almost reached the shore when she suddenly felt a tight grip on her right ankle. The weight pulled her back into the water and under it.
She fought hard to get back up, and saw him right there under the water, pulling her back towards him till he could grab her by the waist.
“Let me go—” she coughed and yelled when he pushed them back up to the surface. “Let me go this instant!”
Her screams and kicks meant little as he pulled her out of the water, pinned her to the ground, and began tying her wrists again.
She hit him with her head, loving the gruff sound of his groan, and tried to get up to run, but he recovered quickly and dragged her down again.
“You are insane!” Lily growled, her entire body burning with rage. She was going to say more, but he took out a piece of cloth from his kilt and stuffed it into her mouth.
“There, that should keep ye quiet for the rest of our trip. We have much ground to cover.”
Lily kept on speaking even though her words were muffled, and he kept tugging at her to follow him.
His hands were large as they wrapped around the bare skin of her arm.
His touch warmed that spot up, but since the rest of her was cold from her recent dive into the river, she could easily focus on the chill coursing through her than the sudden warmth his touch created.
They reached another clearing, where his horses and men were waiting, and even as she tried not to move any further, he pulled her forwards.
“M’laird,” one of his men greeted. “Do ye need us to take her?”
“Nay. This one is a fighter. I’ll handle her myself.”
Lily stopped in her tracks when they reached his black-haired mare. She noticed her captor’s own black, sleek, long hair and how it fell close to his shoulders.
A sudden tingle zapped through her as she noticed the way his hair brushed against his collar, and his perky nose. That tingle was instantly replaced by heat once she stared at his lips.
He had a huge frame, and his body could envelop all of hers in one try. His jawline was taught and well-defined, and his skin was fair, almost a pale white.
She hadn’t noticed it before now, but as he stood close to her, she saw the steady rise and fall of his chest and watched his lips as he spoke, “Get on the saddle.”
Lily’s eyes narrowed, and she stared him right in the eye without blinking. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen.
It’s a shame I will have to kill him eventually.
He sighed, picked her up from the ground with ease, and dumped her on the saddle before moving on. His body pinned hers in place once he climbed in behind her, and his nearness made her freeze.
For reasons she couldn’t understand, all fight seemed to leave her body the moment she felt his hot breath on the back of her neck as he sat behind her on the saddle. Her back stiffened in response, and a knot formed in the pit of her stomach.
What in the heavens are these sensations?
He began their ride without another word to her, and they had made it far before he took another path and continued. All Lily could see were the trees and shrubs covering the wide expanse of land as they rode past.
She had no clue where she was, or who this man was. Her fate was in his hands now… except, of course, if she found another way to kill him and escape.
Resolved in her heart to make a move when the right opportunity presented itself, she let her nerves stay charged up while her mind spun with possible scenarios of escape.
Lily knew she would enjoy killing him once she had the chance, even though every other woman in Scotland would miss such a handsome man.