A Warrior's Perception (46 page)

He pulled away and stomped into his room, slamming the door. Once safely out of her sight, he slammed his fist hard into the stone wall and slumped forward very aware he had what he wanted under his body begging for him to make love to her and he let it slip through his fingers like sand. He groaned as he closed his eyes and envisioned his woman reaching
for him in need of his touch.

“
Dagma, help me,
”
he begged.

“
What has got ye so flustered?
”
asked Crimm as he strolled through the door, taking a bite of the r
ed fruit he held in his hand.

Kagan growled at his friend and slipped into his tub. The water had grown cold and his body wilted under its weight.

He took a deep breath as his erection eased and he frowned at Crimm. C
rimm grinned and smiled as he covered his mouth
with
the back of his hand.

“
Known ye a long time, ne'er seen ye flustered 'fore,
”
he stated as he flung his long l
egs into the chair at the desk.

“
Ne'er ha'e I had to deal with a Duncan female 'fore.
”
He bellowed,
“
What in the name of Dagma did ye teach her?
”

Crimm laughed heartily,
“
Twas na teachin' involved, she takes after our mother. She was a spitfire. Head strong. She had the will power to bend the mightiest mountain and break the mightiest man.
”

“
What happened to ye mother?
”
Kagan asked.

“
She died when Andra was six. She fought the sickness for se'eral years ‘til it won the battle. She made us all swear we would treat Andra equally and raise her to be independent,
”
he answered.

Kagan leaned his head on the back of the tub and closed his eyes while C
rimm chewed on his fruit.

“
Crimm, I think I can'na live without ye sister,
”
he whispered almost wishing
Crimm had not heard his words.

Crimm coughed and gagged on the bite of fruit and came up laughing,
“
Praise be Dagma and his twists of faith, the laird has fallen in love with a hellcat!
”

Kagan insisted she ride Demon to the abbey and Andra reeled in pleasure as she rode across the highlands. She rode in front of Crimm and Kagan enjoying the scenery. Even Kagan had noticed how her icy demeanor melted when she was immersed in the highland's beauty. He vaguely listened to Crimm's long- winded philosophies on life, love, and humanity.

His gaze followed Andra as she smiled and coo-ed to Demon. That damned horse had taken to her quite well and now obeyed her better than he did Kagan. Perhaps obeyed was not the correct word, more like bent to her will. Kagan smiled lazily. He was also bending to her will very often it seemed. She had won many of their battle
s but the war was not over yet.

Andra rode hard and fast towards the tree line. Her outstretched arms embraced the whipping wind as she soared with Demon. She caught his reigns as he pulled to an abru
pt halt, stomping and snorting.

“
What is it Demon?
”
asked Andra a
s she looked around the trees.

They turned in circles as Demon grew more frantic. Andra saw nothing out of the ordinary and tried to calm him down. He stomped and turned towards Kagan snorting. From the corner of her eye, Andra caught a movement in the trees. Her head swiftly turned and her eyes widened.

A black clad archer was sitting on a heavy branch in a tall tree, his bow was drawn back and he stared towards Kagan and Crimm. She urged Demon to run as he jumped at her touch. He did not hesitate and went to a fast gallop towards his master. She screamed at Kagan but her words fell before reaching his ears.

Kagan saw Andra riding back like the devil were on Demon's hooves. As she neared her face was pale and she was saying something, nay she was screaming. He hurried his steed. Her words became a
udible as he raced towards her.

“
Take cover. An archer aims for ye from the trees!
”
she scream
ed as her face twisted in pain.

Her scream died on her lips as a scorching blinding pain split into her shoulder. The arrow's aim was true and its edge pierced through her skin, muscle, and bone. The bloody tip emerged from her shoulder before her very eyes. She stared at it as she slumped forward. Her ears heard Kagan's growl of anger as she was pulled from Demon and
shoved behind a huge boulder.

Crimm’s face appeared as if in a dream and his lips were moving, but Andra could not hear, could not move in protest as he tightly gripped the arrow and pulled. It seemed odd that she suddenly felt no more pain. She saw clouds r
oll by and the sun disappeared.

Her lips were dry and cracked and her mouth felt as if it were full of sand. Kagan's face slowly came into view from below her, his eyes were angry and hurt. She wanted and tried to comfort him but her words would not come. His face burst into thousands of red and silver droplets as she tried to reach for him. Time had no meaning and the heavens cracked open and swallowed her in
its
blinding light.

Her wounds were those that few men could have survived, yet she clung to life with every fiber of her being. Her thoughts were broken pieces of memories and were shrouded with unintelligible languages. Words spoken so loud her tender ears could not comprehend the speech. Her heart ached as Kagan k
ept turning from her and walked
away. The pain filled cries escaped her dry lips and crept into the hallway.

Kagan paced the floor before Andra's room. Each step he took drove his dark mood deeper into his heart. Heavy lines etched into his forehead and the scowl across his lips thundered in his black eyes. The steady hand that had won all his battles now shook with worry, or was it fear?

She was close to death and Kagan did not have the cure. Death was an opponent Kagan knew he could not win against but his heart urged him to take matters into his own hands. A low growl of menacing defiance burst out from his lungs and the air shrunk away and grew heavy around the keep. Dark clouds filled the once clear sky and thun
der echoed across the rooftops.

The archer's aim had been precise and the oddly shaped tip of the arrow had claimed Andra as its victim. Kagan uncurled his fist and gazed down at the tip of the arrow. It was as black as onyx and sharper than any dagger he had ever lain eyes on. His growl grew louder as the edge sliced across his palm easily and his blood dripped in defeat.

A gift a death from an unknown enemy. How could he fight an enemy he did not know and who would ever dare to kill somethi
ng that belonged to a McKregan?

Kagan's hand scratched at the bandage on his arm. The archer had been very skilled in hand to hand combat. He had moved like a snake and had the strength of a bear. Kagan slammed his fist into the wall; he had underestimated the small man that was dressed from head to toe in black. He replayed the entire fight in his mind, growling with disgust at his apparent almo
st inadequate skills of battle.

Kagan's sword had failed to take the black warrior down on several attempts. The man had dodged the blade as if the very wind had aided him. Kagan had thrown his sword aside and attacked him with brute strength and still he had failed to subdue the little man. His lithe body had wormed out of every advance Kagan had made and in return, Kagan had suffered the man's strangely deployed attacks.

Each blow had made Kagan stagger backwards. The last one had even taken his breath. Kagan's viscous smile had appeared during the battle and his determination had won. Sidestepping the man, Kagan had caught him around the throat as the little warrior kicked into the air to deliver a fatal blow to his chest. He had slammed him to the ground as a dagger appeared in the man's hand.

Anger bubbled up Kagan’s throat as his fingers curled
around the bandage on his arm.

His mind was thrown back to the present as the door opened and the old crone and Jahfar stepped out. She softly closed the door and refused to look Kagan in the eye. He would not like the answer and she feared he would draw his sword on her if she told the truth.

She quickly looked at Jahfar and he nodded his head and pointed to the stairs. Her old gray dress rustled as she scurr
ied out of the laird's wraith.

“
Speak the truth of her wounds,
”
Kagan demanded as his hand went to the hilt of his sword.

“
She fights hard with death and refuses to leave the world of the living. The world of the dead call
s
to her with open arms and insist she let go of her pain.
”
Jahfar frowned as he continued,
“
If her insides do not begin to heal soon, death will claim her and you will
lose
two of the most important people in your existence.
”

Kagan's heart stopped and his lim
bs went completely numb.

Two? Two of the most important people?

He reached for the wall and dropped his mighty head as he sank to his knees. Jahfar came to his side and knelt before him.

“
You must be strong for their sake. She is dying and needs the medicine of her people.
”
Kagan eyes burned into Jahfar's as he pulled him to his feet,
“
It would be better to
lose
her to her world than l
ose her to death.
”

Kagan swung his fist and sent Jahfar backwards,
“
She stays here! She will'na be moved from this keep!
”

Jahfar stood his ground and unsheathed his broadswords as Kagan drew his blade,
“
She will die here. You must allow her to leave this place before it is too late.
”

“
Lea'e this keep or I will kill ye where ye stand.
”

Kagan's threat was not idle and Jahfar knew he would try to kill him, but he had to protect Ell'andra and keep her alive to fulfill her destiny so that she in turn could fulfill his. He would not fail his queen even if
it meant defying her beloved.

“
I will only leave with her or at her command. Prepare yourself McKregan, for I am the best of the best and you shall not win this day.
”
Jahfar danced with his swords and bowed slightly,
“
This is not for you to decide upon, she is not yours as you claim. She is Fae's successor as it was meant to be and I have been sent to ensure that you will not be the death of her in this mortal realm.
”