Under the Highlander's Spell Read Online Free Page A

responded with a nod. “Ronan made mention of three brothers.”
    â€œCavan, the oldest; then there’s me; Lachlan follows; with Ronan the youngest.”
    â€œRonan worried about Cavan.”
    â€œCavan and Ronan were captured by barbarians during a battle. They were separated, and Cavan finally returned home after a year of captivity. He worries daily over Ronan’s fate,” Artair said. “He also worries about his new wife, Honora, who is to give birth in a couple of months.”
    â€œAnd Lachlan? Is he wed?”
    That brought a smile to Artair’s face. “Lachlan wed? Not likely. He likes women too much, as they do him.”
    â€œRonan missed you all, especially his father and mother.”
    Artair’s joy vanished as quickly as a snuffed out candle, and Zia realized the news wasn’t good.
    â€œOur father was murdered a few months ago, and while the culprit was caught and punished, my heart breaks to have to tell Ronan.”
    â€œI am sorry for your loss. It must be difficult for your mother.”
    â€œShe claims she is fine, but we all see how much she misses our father. They were together many years and never tired of each other. I never heard either of them speak ill of the other. They respected and loved each other from the day they met.”
    â€œThey made a good match.”
    â€œA perfect match, my father claimed, and urged all his sons to do the same.”
    â€œYou look for a perfect woman?” she asked, curious.
    His smile returned. “There is no such thing.”
    â€œIsn’t there?”
    â€œNo man or woman is perfect.”
    Zia sighed dramatically. “When you’re in love, everything is perfect.”
    â€œYou know this from experience?”
    â€œNo, only from what I’ve been told, though I’m looking forward to experiencing it firsthand. And what of you?” she asked. “Have you known love?”
    â€œNo, duty comes before love.”
    Zia’s eyes popped wide. “You would marry out of duty?”
    â€œI almost did,” he said. “Cavan’s wife Honora was to be my bride. We even exchanged vows.”
    She gasped. “What happened?”
    â€œCavan returned on my wedding day, but due to the marriage papers stating that Honora was to wed the next chief of the clan Sinclare, she was actually wed to Cavan and not me.”
    â€œYou had no feelings for her at all?”
    â€œI barely knew her. What mattered was that I was doing my duty as the next clan chieftain.”
    â€œBut you said your father encouraged you to find love.”
    Artair nodded. “Yes he did, and I chose a woman who I felt would make a good wife, and in time I believed we would grow to care for each other.”
    â€œCaring for a wife is far different from loving her.”
    â€œCaring is an essential part of love,” he argued.
    â€œI care for many. I wish to love—passionately love—the man I wed.”
    â€œPassion eventually dies; caring lasts forever.”
    She smiled. “Passion only dies if you let it, and it is not only the passion of intimacy I refer to, it is pure passion for life.” She stretched her hands up to the night sky. “Life is full of passion. You only need embrace it.”
    Artair stared at her, his eyes narrowing.
    â€œYou think me crazy,” she laughed. “But I will take being crazy over your mundane sense of duty.”
    â€œYou do your duty when it comes to your healing.”
    With a huge smile, she hugged herself tightly. “With joy and gratitude and tons of enthusiasm.”
    Artair smiled, her zest contagious.
    â€œWhat of your brother Cavan?”
    â€œWhat of him?”
    â€œHe found himself wed to a complete stranger. Didn’t he object?”
    â€œAt first, adamantly.”
    â€œBut he realized his duty and did it?” she asked.
    Artair nodded. “It actually turned out well for him and Honora. They fell in