Faelan: A Highland Warrior Brief Read Online Free

these sounds were too stealthy to be made by Agn es. She wasn’t a graceful lass.
    Remembering Ian’s revelation, he extinguished the lantern and reached into his boot. Dirk in hand, he nudged Nandor and guided him into a thick clump of bushes before quietly circling back around. It was black as Hades out here, but he could see his pursuer now. Scowling, Faelan slipped down from Nandor’s back and set the lantern aside. He whispered for Nandor to stay and crept toward the figure. When he was close, he lunged and grabbed his pursuer, dragging him from his horse. Straddling him, he put his dirk to his throat. “Bloody fool. Are you trying to frighten me?” Tavis was always trying to make him yell.
    “No.” Tavis punched Faelan in the ribs and shoved him aside. Tavis was about as strong as he was now.
    Faelan rolled to his feet. “Then why are you sneaking up on me in the dark?”
    “Didn’t need a lantern. You had one.” Tavis stood and brushed the dirt from his kilt.
    “You should have stayed inside like I told you.”
    “I don’t take orders from you.”
    “What about protecting the castle? You know as well as I do that Ian didn’t imagine that demon.”
    “Why do you think I’m here? If a demon comes through that fence onto Connor land, Da and the warriors wouldn’t reach you in time to do more than pick up your bones.”
    “So you’ve come to save me?” Faelan frowned, but he felt a rush of admiration. Tavis was no coward. There was no one he trusted more than his brothers.
    “Someone has to watch your bloody back. You’re too busy protecting everyone else.” Tavis gathered his spooked horse, a big grey stallion. It snorted and Nandor answered. Both of them stomped, nostrils flared. The horses didn’t get along as well as their masters.
    “We’d better find Da and tell him about the demon—” Faelan hadn’t finished his sentence when he heard a whimper in the trees. “Did you hear that?”
    “Aye. It came from over there.”
    Faelan retrieved his lantern and lit it. He lifted it towards the woods. “Agnes?”
    “Look here,” Tavis said, pointing at the ground. “Footprints. A lass’s.”
    They followed her tracks into the trees and found her lying on her back with a basket beside her. “What the bloody hell’s she doing here?”
    “Looking for you,” Tavis suggested as they crouched beside her. “She probably followed us from the village.”
    The girl was unconscious. They checked her over as well as they could, and found nothing wrong, other than a lump on her head. “Must have fallen. We have to get her home,” Faelan said.
    “Aye.” Tavis looked at Faelan but made no move to pick up Agnes.
    They stared at each other over her unconscious body for several long seconds. “Well are you gonna pick her up?” Faelan finally asked.
    “No. You’re the one she’s sweet on.”
    “Why do you think I’m not doing it? If she wakes up and sees that I’ve rescued her ... God Almighty. That’s what set her sights on me in the first place.” He’d pulled her out of the path of a runaway team of horses. There’d been times since wh en he very nearly regretted it.
    Tavis grinned. “I don’t want her waking up in my arms.”
    Grumbling, Faelan picked Agnes up. Her head fell against his chest and she moaned.
    “I think she’s coming around,” Tavis said.
    “B limey. I can’t let her see me.”
    “I’m not—”
    “I’ll give you the stone,” Faelan said.
    “It’s mine anyway. I won it fair and square.”
    “Only because I got hit by a branch.” Agnes moaned again. “Damnation, take her.” He shoved his bundle at Tavis and stepped back, knowi ng Tavis wouldn’t let her fall.
    “Bastard.” Tavis’ dark head came up. “What was that?”
    “Sounded like a growl.” The horses pawed and snorted in the trees, but that wasn’t the sound they’d heard. The hair on Faelan’s neck r aised. “Do you have your dirk?”
    “Aye,” Tavis whispered, holding Agnes