Page 114 of Highland Spy

He prepared himself, but this time she did not attack. They circled one another, their gaze fixed on the other. Predator stalking prey and waiting for the perfect opportunity to pounce.

“Ye’ve been doing well, Ariana,” he said. “I havena seen ye train so hard.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Maybe you’ve underestimated me.”

Then she flew at him and caught him in the gut with her fist.

Indeed, he had underestimated her.

Not only her strength, but also her emotion. What had transpired between them at Urquhart, what had happened with the man she’d killed, it had all had changed her.

Guilt twisted inside him and further drew his breath from his lungs.

He had done it. All of it.

He’d taken his own damaged past and ruined her too.

The soft squeals and grunts of effort behind them had ceased. Liv and Isabel could doubtless no longer raise their blades.

“Enough,” Connor said. “Practice is over.”

Ariana’s gaze flicked toward the sun, which was not yet fully overhead. “It’s early.”

“Aye,” he agreed. “But no’ all are as tough as ye.”

She nodded. “I’ll help them put everything away.”

He wanted to stop her as she walked past. He wanted to catch her by the arm and meet her angry gaze so she would understand the depth of his regret for the many things he’d done wrong.

But he knew from her clipped gait, even if he did do such a thing, it wouldn’t make a difference.

The door to the castle burst open and slapped against the stone wall with a crack. Connor turned to see Percy running toward them with a box in her hand.

“Percy, what—”

“Delilah and Sylvi are coming,” she shouted. “They’ve got someone injured. Throw open the gate.”

Connor sprinted toward the portcullis and triggered the contraption to raise the gate, which ascended with painful slowness.

Percy danced from foot to foot with uncharacteristic impatience. “I saw them from the window. At first I didn’t recognize them.”

“Who is with them?” Connor asked.

Percy shook her head. “I’m not sure. Murdoch is in his room—I already checked. He’s still sleeping.” She craned her neck in an effort to look impatiently under the slowly raising gate. “I will check on him when he wakes.”

When the widening gap in the gate had reached about three feet, Percy darted forward and ducked under the heavy wooden structure. Connor did likewise and raced behind her to where Delilah and Sylvi approached.

An extraordinarily large man was slung over Sylvi’s horse, facedown.

“We found him on the road not far from here,” Sylvi said. Her face was set and deep shadows showed beneath her eyes.

Percy waved her hand toward Connor. “Help me pull him down.”

“Save your herbs, Percy. They’re not needed.” Sylvi leapt off her horse and pressed a hand to her lower back before stretching forward.

Delilah slid from her own horse and cast a worried glance at the man. Her dress was rumpled and stained from having worn it often. Even her hair fell limp around her face. Never had Delilah been such a mess.

“He’s already dead.” Delilah’s voice was as wan as she looked.