Page 22 of Deception of a Highlander

The blood froze in Mariel’s veins. If Jane convinced Aaron that Mariel held affections for her target, he would have her dealt with, and she knew all too well what that meant. Fear yanked at her heart. Jack would have no one to save him.

“That’s not necessary,” Mariel said with a calm she did not feel. “You know as well as I do what you say is a lie. You would condemn me for no other reason than spite.” Her fingers curled against the palm of her hand to still their trembling. “You don’t speak Gaelic, and you know nothing about the culture. How would you assume you could take my place?”

“You don’t speak to the rest of us—like you’re too damn good for our lot. But if you did, you’d realize you’re not the only one learning Gaelic.” Jane smirked. “Aaron is smart enough to know there’s enough hatred between the English and the Scots to make it worthwhile to train others.”

Mariel’s heart leapt. If others were learning Gaelic as she had, perhaps Aaron truly did intend to let her—and Jack—go free.

Jane backed toward the door, threatening that delicate hope of freedom.

“Where are you going?” Mariel asked sharply.

A cold smile curled over Jane’s lips. “Oh, I think you know.”

Shirking all pretense of composure, Mariel lunged forward and caught Jane’s thin wrist.

The woman’s eyes shone with surprise. Her arm cocked back, and her fist flew toward Mariel’s face. Mariel pushed her forearm between them so the blow bounced harmlessly off the meat of her arm.

“Let go of me,” Jane hissed. Her foot flew out in a desperate kick.

Mariel relied on an instinct caused by countless hours of brutal practice. She shifted her leg toward the blow and flexed her thigh so the hearty kick could do nothing more than leave a slight bruise. Certainly, it did not rock her balance as she assumed Jane meant for it to.

Undeterred, the woman reached forward with a clawed hand and grabbed a fistful of Mariel’s hair, fingernails gauging painfully into Mariel’s scalp. She caught Jane’s hand with both of her own and bent at the waist. The woman’s wrist snapped sharply upward, but Mariel didn’t stop. She jerked herself backward with Jane’s hand still pressed against the top of her head, dragging the woman to the ground face first.

Her movements were controlled and practiced. Their struggle created no sound.

“Enough of this,” Mariel said in a harsh whisper. “You and I both know we’re both better off with me doing the task I’ve been sent to do.”

Jane glared up at her.

Mariel raked a hand through her hair to finger comb the tangled mass at the top of her head. “I have more at stake in this than I could possibly explain.”

In a show of good faith, Mariel knelt down to help Jane to her feet. The woman’s amber gaze softened, but only for a brief moment.

She leapt at Mariel, using both of their weight to throw them to the ground. “I can’t let you ruin this for me,” Jane snarled.

There was most likely more she intended to say, but Mariel never gave her a chance. She pushed with her knee, edging Jane from her body, and swung a leg over the woman’s head, trapping her.

One sharp drop of Mariel’s foot to the floor and Jane was on her back, trapped once more. This time in a position that would not fatigue Mariel.

The woman breathed heavily and writhed in protest.

Mariel flexed the muscles of her legs, ensuring Jane would not move. “I’m not—”

A knock sounded at the door.

The calm surrounding Mariel during the fight shattered and sent her heart into an erratic beat. She met Jane’s gaze and knew they both understood: no matter who took charge of the mission, discretion was still necessary.

Mariel eased her legs from Jane’s body and offered a hand to assist the other woman in standing.

Jane ignored the offer and pushed herself up to her feet. “Just a moment,” she said in a pleasant tone.

Her hands swept over her dress, setting her gown back into place before she opened the door.

Relief all but choked Mariel as Colin grinned down at them. “Kieran said we need to leave within the hour.” He glanced between them and lifted an eyebrow. “Is something wrong?”

Before Jane could answer, Mariel spoke up, determined not to let the opportunity slip from her grasp. “Colin, I have a favor to ask of you.” The words rushed out of her mouth before she even realized what she was saying. “Jane got lost last night and wasn’t able to find her way back to the inn until morning. I’m afraid she has a terrible sense of direction, poor dear. Please show her where to put my bags and stay by her side until we leave. It would be a pity for her to lose her way again and stall our departure.” The blaze of Jane’s anger burned against Mariel’s face.

“Anything to stay in the company of a bonny lass,” Colin said with a wink at Jane. “Let’s head to the stables first. I’ll help ye with the bags.”