Part 20 (2/2)

Kestrel looked at it without taking it. ”What does it say?”

Realizing the man was illiterate, which wasn't uncommon for a knight, Lochlan read it to him.

Kestrel nodded. ”Follow me, my lords. We're going to find the b.a.s.t.a.r.d who took her and kill him.”

Why does this feel so familiar? Unfortunately Cat knew the answer. Every time she turned around, it seemed some man was tying her up to take her someplace she didn't want to be.

The only difference now was that these men intended to kill her and blame Lochlan for it.

Growling deep in her throat, she worked against the ropes that held her hands together. She was getting really tired of having chafe marks and rope burns on her wrists.

”I say we should go ahead and kill her,” Graham MacKaid said to his brother.

”Nay, not yet. We have to give Lochlan enough time to vanish as well. If it appears she's been murdered while he's still in camp with those who can verify his whereabouts, they'll know he didn't kill her. We have to send the note to him and have him come for her, then we kill her and everyone will think he did it.”

”Keeping her alive makes me nervous.”

”She's a woman. What can she do?”

If she wasn't bound and gagged, she'd be more than willing to show him just how far from helpless she was. As it was, all she could do was glare at them and hope she freed herself before their brother returned and told them Lochlan had left the camp.

Graham turned toward her and scowled.

Cat stopped moving.

But it was too late. He'd seen what she was about. He sneered as he approached her. ”You think you can untie that, Princess?”

Honestly, aye. She'd untied a lot better knots than this one.

But she wasn't about to tell him what she thought. When dealing with an enemy, silence was indeed the greatest virtue. They should never know what their opponent was thinking.

So she returned his sneer with one of her own. Not that it was probably off-putting given the fact that she was gagged, but it at least made her feel better.

Graham scoffed at her. ”She doesn't look very regal, does she?”

”Nay. More like a peasant. Even in finery, I'd have never guessed her breeding.”

As if their breeding was any better. What kind of man trussed a woman up like this, then butchered her while she was helpless?

Where were her father's guards when she needed them?

Graham fingered his knife while he watched her. ”Have no fear, Princess. We'll make the cut clean. There won't be much pain before you die.”

Well that just made her feel all better about it. But even with her inner quips, the truth was she was scared. Terribly. If she didn't get out of this, she would die. Alone and painfully. There was no reprieve from these monsters. They were determined to end her life.

Truthfully, she didn't want this. There was so much more she'd wanted to do with her life. She wanted...

Lochlan. She didn't know why he'd be her last thought, but he was. He would agonize over this and she didn't want to add that pain to him. He'd hold himself responsible.

And it wasn't just that. She wanted to see him again. To touch him. He truly was her biggest regret. She wouldn't be here to see him find his brother.

She wouldn't...

Cat stopped her maudlin thoughts and sniffed at the tears that were stinging her eyes. This wasn't her. She would not give up or in to these cretins. Not so long as there was a single breath in her body. Lochlan didn't deserve the fate these animals had planned for him and neither did she.

Nay, she would survive this and as Lochlan would say, they'd both play a giddy tune over their graves.

Her anger renewed, she kicked out against her captor. He yelped before he fell to the ground.

Cat pushed herself up and tried to run, but the other one caught her about the waist and threw her down.

She tried to kick him, too, but he was smarter than Graham.

”You do that again, la.s.s, and I'll cut your leg off.”

Cat slammed her head against the ground in frustration as he moved to tie her feet. She tried to kick, but it didn't do any good. Now she was trussed up so that she truly had no other hope.

Closing her eyes, she prayed with renewed vigor. This couldn't be the end of her. It couldn't.

Lochlan watched as Kestrel kept low to the ground and examined every part of the garden.

”What is he doing?”

”He's reading the foliage.”

”How so?”

”I have no idea. 'Twas a game his uncle would play with him and his brother. He taught them to track better than any hound or hawk I've ever seen.”

Simon smiled as he came up behind them. ”Kestrel. I should have known.”

Kestrel looked up with a feral grimace. ”Would you old maids stop your chattering? I'm trying to concentrate.”

Lochlan wasn't sure he believed in the man's abilities, until he rejoined them. ”There were three men who took her.” He held out a piece of plaid and velvet. ”They left this behind to be found.”

Lochlan cursed at the sight. ”'Tis a plaid my brothers and I use.”

Simon cursed. ”They're setting you up.”

”Aye and this confirms it.”

”Can you find their trail?” Stryder asked Kestrel.

A slow smile spread over Kestrel's face. ”One isn't far from here,” he whispered. ”He's waiting on us to leave Lochlan alone methinks.”

”How do you know that?”

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