Page 67 of Highland Sky

Chapter Eighteen

Kellina gasped, and jumped to her feet. Sure enough, she was staring straight into the eyes of a Sutherland. The man had rugged skin, blackened teeth, and long, scraggly hair. The most distinctive thing about his appearance was the long, fresh scar across his cheek. She remembered him well, since she’d been the one to give him that scar with her sword.

“Ye bastard,” she spat through gritted teeth, grabbing for her sword, but she didn’t have it. When they’d left on their trip, Nash had convinced her not to bring it with her. She didn’t even have a dagger on her now, and regretted it. If she had, she’d kill this man right where he stood.

“What’s this?” said the man, picking up the kitten by the scruff of its neck. “Only witches have black cats. I’m goin’ to have to kill it.” He pulled his dagger from his side.

“Ye willna harm my kitten. Now give it back!” When she tried to reach for it, he pushed her hands out of the way and held the kitten higher.

“If ye try to stop me, Witch, I’ll kill ye as well.”

“Nay!” screamed Kellina as he pointed his dagger at the kitten. The sound of a sword being unsheathed, and Nash’s voice stopped his action.

“I’ve got my sword aimed right at yer heart,” Nash warned the man from behind. “If ye so much as harm a hair on that kitten or my wife, ye’ll feel this blade goin’ through ye like butter.”

“Yer wife?” the man asked, stilling his actions. “Argh,” he grunted. “Now I remember her. She’s a stinkin’ MacKenzie – the one who gave me this scar.” He ran his hand down the side of his face. “Do ye two ken who I am?”

“Ye’re a Sutherland, and that is all I need to ken,” growled Nash.

“I’m Iver Sutherland – chieftain of my clan. Yer wife here almost killed me.”

“I wish I had!” spat Kellina. “I should have killed ye when I had the chance, ye filthy bastard! Dinna close yer eyes at night, because if ye do, I’ll gouge them from yer head for what ye did to my clan, killin’ our chieftain’s innocent wife and daughters,” growled Kellina.

Nash had tolook around the man, just to make sure it was really his wife he was hearing. She sounded so tough, so mean. And downright threatening. This was a side of Kellina that he had yet to see.

“Yer chieftain is the one we were after,” spat Iver. “He has a roamin’ eye, and canna keep his hands off the women – even of our clan.”

“God’s eyes, nay,” whispered Kellina. Nash could almost hear the thoughts going through her head, wondering how many more bastard children her uncle had.

“Put down the kitten, and get the hell out of here, Sutherland,” spat Nash, not wanting to kill him right here at the market. If he did, he couldn’t be sure that more innocent people wouldn’t die if Sutherland’s men came to help him. It was much too crowded, with too many children around to even attempt it.

“I dinna want to touch this cursed thing anyway.” Iver Sutherland tossed the kitten, and Kellina screamed, reaching out and catching it before it hit the ground.

“Remove yer blade from my back,” the man demanded.

“No’ until ye put away yer dagger,” warned Nash.

The man did so, and slowly turned around with his empty hands in the air. Nash lowered his sword as well.

“Ye’re a MacKeefe!” he spat, looking at Nash’s plaid. “Since when are ye allies with the MacKenzies?”

“Since I married one,” Nash ground out. “Now get the hell away from my wife, and I dinna want to see yer sorry face again.”

The man snorted. “If MacKeefes are allies of the MacKenzies, then ye’re our enemies now, too.”

“I guess so,” Nash called out to the man’s back as he hurried away.

Nash sheathed his sword and ran over to Kellina.

“Are ye all right, lass?” he asked, his arms going around her for comfort.

“Aye,” she said, holding the kitten protectively to her chest. She was on the ground, having fallen when she dove to catch the kitten. “I wish I’d had my sword with me, Nash. I would have killed him, I swear I would have.” Her eyes blazed fire and her jaw was clenched. Anger showed in her features as well as her stiffened body.

“I’m glad ye didna, because I dinna want my wife killin’ anyone. I’ll be the one to do the killin’ from now on.”

Nash helped Kellina to her feet.

“Och, now I’ve gone and dirtied my new clothes,” pouted Kellina, brushing off her skirt.