Chapter 31
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
“It’s a strange thing, really,” Eric mused, “how this has played out.”
He was advancing now, taking small, measured steps toward them with each word. His head stayed cocked to the side, like a wolf searching for the perfect opportunity to pounce.
“How is that?” Arthur asked, continuing to shift with every move that Eric made.
He was always between Eric and Marissa. Always positioning his body in such a way that the other man could never get a full, good look at her.
There was a part of Marissa that was grateful for that. She did not want that man’s eyes raking over her. But it also meant that she was finding it difficult to get a good look at him.
She was in the dark about many of his movements or subtle looks. And that left her feeling on edge, like there was important information she was lacking.
So, she kept shifting. Each time Arthur adjusted his stance, she would move. Just a little bit, just enough that she could make out what was happening around them without having to expose herself fully to the wolf at their feet.
“I didnae care if Roald killed ye when I sent him,” Eric continued.
His voice seemed almost amused, and it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.
“I just told him to do whatever it takes to bring me Marissa. If he had to dispatch ye or yer entire clan, then so be it. As long as I had her.”
“Like I said before,” Arthur growled, “ye sent the wrong man.”
Eric huffed out a laugh, waving his hand dismissively.
“Aye, I was gettin’ to that. So, when Roald didnae return when I thought he would, I gathered up some of me men and rode here.
We had fully intended to stake our yer castle.
Mayhap we would take one of yer servants captive, figure out a way to get inside and get to her. ”
“But imagine me surprise when we stumbled upon ye on our way!” He clapped his hands together as if it was all one big, grand joke.
“It was truly somethin’ special. Somethin’ that shows me that I’ve been right this entire time.
That Marissa belongs with me. Because if she didnae, then God himself wouldnae have put her right here before me.
Directly on me path. And do ye ken what else God intended? ”
Marissa did not like what Eric was saying. She didn’t like it one bit. With each word the man spoke, his voice rose, sounding more unhinged. He seemed like a man completely undone, a man that had split entirely with reality. And such a man was dangerous, indeed.
“What did God intend?” Marissa asked.
It was her first time speaking since he’d first shown up, since she had demanded to know what he was doing here. But she couldn’t wait any longer. She wanted to get this all over with. To get him to stop speaking and drawing out the moment so she could at least find a way out.
Or find a way to run.
Eric’s expression darkened. “He intends for me to kill the man who took ye from me,” he growled. “An act to prove to him how much I deserve ye, and that I’ll do anythin’ to make ye me wife. Guards!”
At the final word, his arm moved as quickly as a flash.
He drew a sword that had been sheathed at his side and pointed it directly at Arthur.
His men rushed forward with a mighty yell, one that sent terror racing all the way into Marissa’s bones.
Their eyes were not fixed on her, though. They were fixed on Arthur.
Just as quickly as Eric had acted, so had Arthur. He took the small hunting knife out of its sheath, holding it out in front of him with steady, confident hands.
There is nay way he can win this.
“Stay behind me,” he growled, just as the first guard reached him.
The yelling and the flurry of movement sent ducks squawking. Their cries mixed with the voices of the guards, grunting and yelling as they all advanced on Arthur.
It was absolute chaos. Marissa could hardly see what was happening as all the men converged on him.
She’d thought for certain that he would go down quickly. But somehow, he remained standing.
As someone would swipe for him, he’d expertly dodge, forcing them to move in and almost cut each other. Then, another one of them would move, blocking her view, and it would be chaos and confusion all over again.
She marked his safety with quick glimpses, nothing more than a flash of his tunic or a glance at his kilt.
I should run. They’re all distracted—mayhap I could escape.
Glancing around, she realized she didn’t see Eric. Maybe he was caught up watching the attack on Arthur? Or maybe he had joined it?
Either way, she thought that this might be her only shot.
If I can get away while they’re distracted, mayhap I can make it to the castle. I could get to Joseph and Arthur’s men. Mayhap I can save him.
It was that thought, that hope of being able to save the man who was currently fighting so desperately to save her, that finally overrode her fear.
Fisting her hands in her skirts, Marissa began to move. The shallow sand pressed against her boots, preventing her from running the way she desired. But that did not stop her from giving every last bit that she had.
She pumped her arms, the fabric of her skirts flailing around her. As she crested the top of the beach, finally getting to where sand gave way to grass, she cast one panicked glance over her shoulder.
The fighting was still going on. That much she knew from the grunts and cries that reached her ears. But she couldn’t make out much more than that.
Shocked filled her when she took in the scene. Somehow, Arthur had snatched a sword from one of the guards. At least three guards lay on the ground, either dead or severely injured, for none of them moved.
He swung his sword expertly, holding back the remaining men as best as he could.
Blood dripped down the side of his cheek, but whether it was his own or the blood of the men at his feet, Marissa could not tell. Either way, he did not seem gravely injured. At least, not yet.
Hold them off, Arthur. I will get help.
She prayed the words traveled to him, that God would hear her thoughts and keep Arthur safe just long enough for her to return with his men.
Marissa turned, gearing herself for another burst of speed, when suddenly her vision was blurred.
“And where do ye think ye’re goin’?” Eric asked, instantly wrapping his arms around her torso.
She yelled, thrashing as she tried to break out of his grip. She had no idea where he’d come from. She’d been certain that he was back on the beach, fighting with the other men when she’d lost sight of him.
Clearly, that was not true. Instead, he’d decided to peel off and lie in wait, waiting for the right moment to strike.
He is nay wolf. He’s a snake.
“Let me go,” Marissa grunted as she heaved her shoulders backward.
She felt the tip of her shoulder make contact with his ribs and was rewarded with a grunt as the wind was knocked out of him.
Remember what Michael taught ye. Ye have to keep calm. Ye have to keep fightin’.
When Eric had first grabbed her, she’d been facing his chest. But she had successfully wiggled herself around enough that he was holding her sideways. She jerked her head to the right, slamming it into his face.
There was a sharp pain in her temple as it made contact. But she knew that what she was feeling was nothing compared to the pain that Eric would be in, especially as she heard the crack of his nose.
Just as she’d hoped, his grip on her loosened, and he howled with pain. Marissa had just enough time to glance at him, a split second of a look that showed her blood pouring from the man’s nose as his hands flew to cup it.
She did not give herself any longer as her mouth quirked up in a feral, savage grin and she began to run.
Marissa ran harder than she ever had before. She got to the tree line that surrounded the loch.
Yes, I can use it as a cover. He willnae be able to see me. Mayhap I can do this.
She hurled herself through the trees, running as hard and as fast as she could. It wasn’t long before her chest began to burn and her lungs began to scream. But still, Marissa ran.
The sound of branches snapping and leaves crunching reached her ears as someone tore through the woods after her. No doubt it was Eric, chasing her once the blinding pain of his nose breaking had subsided.
“I willnae let ye get away from me, lassie!” he yelled, confirming exactly who was following on her heels.
The sound of his pursuit only spurred her to run faster.
Marissa crested a small mound. The edge of the woods opened up beneath her. She could see the sunlight bending through the trees, could just make it out as it filtered down to the grass.
The castle is just beyond there. I just have to—
Pain lanced through her as he grabbed her hair, yanking her off her feet. All the air was knocked out of her lungs as she hit the ground with a thud.
“Ye willnae run from me!” Eric roared, his bloodied face filling her vision as he leaned over her.
Red droplets of spittle flew from his lips, his teeth stained with the blood trickling from his nose as he screamed.
“Ye little wench!” he yelled.
Marissa was dazed. When Eric had thrown her back, her head had hit the ground, making everything seem hazy.
“I came all this way to get ye. To rescue ye from the likes of that brute and take ye home, where ye belong, with me, as God intended.”
His voice was less angry now. Instead, it had taken on a whiny, petulant note, as if he was begging her to see reason. As if anything he was saying was actually reasonable.
“And this is how ye thank me?” Eric bent, and a moment later, searing pain shot through her scalp as he fisted his hand in her hair and tried to tug her to her feet. “Get up.”
She struggled against him, trying her best to wrench her hair free from his grasp, but it was to no avail.
He pulled her up, a grunt escaping him as he did so. Once Marissa was standing, the pain in her head eased just as she felt the pain in her arm.
She glanced down at it, quickly taking in the fact that his hand was now clamped around her bicep. His fingers were gripping her so tightly that she could see the indents they were making in her skin. Could feel the blood pooling beneath them as she started to bruise.
“Let me go!” she yelled, her voice breaking with the strain.
Her head throbbed, her vision going slightly blurry at the effort. Her stomach churned violently, and she fought to remain in control.
Dinnae throw up. Ye cannae vomit. Nae now. Ye have to keep yer wits about ye if ye want to get out of this. If ye want to help save Arthur.
Throwing her body weight back, she tried once again to break Eric’s grip on her. But it seemed he had learned from his mistake.
“Careful, lassie,” he hissed through gritted teeth. “Otherwise, I may have to knock ye out. I would have nay problem throwin’ ye over me shoulder and carryin’ ye the rest of the way.”
“Then do it,” she snapped, never once letting up on fighting against his hold as she fought to retain control over her churning stomach. “Knock me out. Show me how much of a coward ye are. After everything ye said on the beach about nae wantin’ to hurt me. And now look at ye.”
“Ye hurt me first,” he gritted out. “Dinnae forget that. Or did me nose just break itself?”
“I should have broken more than yer nose,” Marissa hissed. “And I will break every single bone in yer body if ye give me the chance to.”
Apparently, her words had struck a nerve. She watched as Eric’s face flushed with anger. He stopped in his tracks, yanking her forward so that her face was mere inches from his.
Up this close, she could see that he wasn’t as handsome as she’d once thought. His teeth had a yellow tinge, and his breath reeked of something sour. His stench did little to quell her rioting belly.
“Listen to me,” Eric hissed, his fingers biting into her skin as he gripped her tighter.
Something trickled down her bicep, and her eyes flicked down. Eric was gripping her so hard that his fingernails had broken her skin, allowing blood to drip from it.
“I willnae listen to anythin’ ye have to say,” Marissa answered, her fury rising to drown out everything else.
“I dinnae want to marry ye,” she spat, unleashing every bit of venom she could muscle in the words she hurled at him.
“I havenae wanted to marry ye since the very first day ye followed me from the market. Ye think that it was Arthur who made me nae want to marry ye, but ye’re wrong. ”
“Lies,” Eric growled, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. “If it wasnae for him, ye would have been me wife. Ye wouldnae have had yer mind filled with these fanciful notions. Ye would have—”
“He was a lie!” she yelled as loud as she could, despite how close they were. “I thought the laird I was writin’ to all those years ago didnae exist. I made him up just so ye would leave me alone. But ye’re too snivelin’, too pathetic to see when a woman doesnae want ye.”
Eric glared at her, his chest heaving as he panted in anger.
“He has made ye go barmy,” he said, sounding like he was trying to convince himself. “Look at the way he has yer mind all jumbled up. A lass would never choose the likes of him over me. Nae when I could offer ye—”
He did not get to finish his sentence. Like a man crazed, Arthur came out from behind the nearest tree, launching himself at Eric with a mighty roar.
Arthur crashed into him with the force of a bull, sending him catapulting through the air. But what he seemed to not have accounted for was Eric’s grip on Marissa. A grip that did not loosen as Arthur and Eric went sprawling to the ground, pulling her along with them.
She hit the ground again, harder than she had before. And as the earth rose up to meet her, she saw it a split second too late—the root jutting out beneath a thick patch of foliage.
Her head hit it with a sharp, loud crack. And then, everything around her went black.