Highland Savage Read Online Free Page B

his ears and Lucas nearly gaped as the carving began to move, opening inward like a door. There was no room behind it, however, just what appeared to be a large black hole in the floor.
    “Catacombs?” he asked softly as he edged closer.
    “Aye,” the small reiver replied, almost grunting out the reply as he lit a torch. “A veritable maze of them.”
    “Is this the only way in or out of them?” Lucas felt compelled to ask.
    “Nay, there are two other routes.”
    That was good news but did not fully soothe the unease Lucas felt. He hated small, enclosed spaces. He suspected he was about to discover that large enclosed spaces with no fast route of escape would disturb him almost as much. Stiffening his spine he followed his short savior into the dark, struggling to climb down a wooden ladder without displaying too much awkwardness. When the larger man shut the door and followed him, Lucas smothered the urge to run back up that ladder and out into the open air.
    The torch the small raider carried did not do much to cut the oppressive dark that enfolded them all. Lucas breathed a silent prayer of gratitude when the larger man lit a second torch and handed it to his small companion. He inwardly cursed when he looked around to find himself in a large burial chamber. Although not a particularly superstitious man he hoped this was not where they were going to be staying. Despite his distaste for small dark places Lucas was almost relieved when yet another hidden door was revealed and they started down some steep, narrow stone steps.
    At the bottom of the steps they traveled several yards along a narrow tunnel before coming to yet another chamber. Here were tables and benches, a central hearth, and bedding. Glancing up as his companions lit several wall torches, Lucas saw two holes inthe solid rock ceiling that allowed smoke out and air in. Either these people had worked very hard to make themselves a comfortable lair or the ancient holy men who had once occupied the kirk had done so.
    Lucas looked at his companions and immediately forgot about asking where the other ways out of this tomb were located. They had removed their cloaks and the cloth masking their faces. The smaller one was no youth. He recognized that long, thick, honey-gold hair all too well. For a moment he felt choked with joy as he looked upon Katerina’s sweet face and saw her smile, her wide dark blue eyes alight with welcome and happiness. Memories of their time together, the warmth of her kisses, and the softness of her skin swept over him. And it was all a lie, he thought, abruptly banishing every trace of pleasure he felt over the sight of her standing there alive and well and pretending she was glad to see him.
    “They told me ye were dead,” he said.
    Something cold and hard in his voice halted Katerina’s rush to hold him in her arms. For just a moment she had seen joy, wonder, and heated welcome in his beautiful silvery-blue eyes, but that was all gone now, Now Lucas looked distant, cold, and even angry. She began to feel increasingly uneasy. This reunion was not going as she had imagined it would.
    “Aye, but those bastards didnae succeed in killing me, either,” she said.
    “And why would they e’en want to? Ye refused to pay them for a job weel done, did ye?”
    “A job weel done? Ye think I ordered them to beat ye?”
    Lucas shrugged. “Ye certainly seemed to be enjoying the show.”
    “They caught me as they caught you. They told me that if I stood there and said naught, did naught, they wouldnae kill you.” The scornful noise he made cut her deeply.
    “Ye made nary a whisper of protest e’en as they threw me o’er the cliff.”
    “I was too shocked! By the time I realized they truly meant to kill ye, it was too late to do anything, e’en protest. Ye were gone.”
    There was a catch in her husky voice that sliced through his fury and that made Lucas even angrier. He would not weaken again, would not allow the tears welling in