But what could he do? She didn’t want his help. He was alone, hurling these damned rocks. And besides, Marjorie was right. He didn’t know this world. He did need to listen to her, not just boss her around.
Konnor had seen people die in a battle before—his friends and army buddies who’d gone too early. Every time he thought of them, sharp pain pierced his chest.
He couldn’t save everyone, but he could swallow his pride, go back to the castle, and find a way to work together with Marjorie to protect her.
Yes, he’d only met her a few days ago. He didn’t really know her. But he felt for her much more than he wanted to admit. The Highland queen could bring him to his knees. What had happened to her connected them beyond words, even though she didn’t know it. He just couldn’t walk away.
Did he believe in destiny? Not really. Not until now, anyway. But after he’d found out about the common threads in their pasts, Isbeil’s words about finding the person you’re really destined for by traveling through the stone didn’t sound as absurd as it should.
Fact was, Konnor couldn’t live with himself if he up and left Marjorie in peril now. He just couldn’t. He had to try to make this right.
And the way to make this right lay with him opening up to her and working together with her. And that could cost him so much more than she could ever imagine.
That could cost him his heart.
Marjorie ran the blade of her claymore across the whetstone, and it let out a satisfying whoosh. The blade didn’t really need sharpening, but after Konnor left the council, she’d needed an excuse to do something physical to distract herself.
Going out riding would have been good, but she was not going to set foot outside the castle, not while MacDougalls could be out there, waiting for her to make one mistake.
She was so mad with Konnor. What an infuriating man. She’d only asked for his advice and help as a soldier. She hadn’t expected him to lay out a whole strategy in front of her and her men and completely undermine what she had in mind.
The truth was, it was her pride that hurt. She was inexperienced, but she was in charge of the castle and her whole clan. She needed to appear like she knew what she was doing. And he’d pointed out she didn’t.
She ran the blade over the stone again, her hands warm in the blacksmith’s gloves.
“I think it’s already sharp enough,” Konnor said.
Marjorie’s heart gave a lurch and galloped against her ribcage. She looked up. He stood in the doorway to the smithy. Marjorie straightened and brushed her forehead with the back of her gloved hand. Her cheeks burned, but that must be from the exercise, surely not because he was looking her like that with his handsome eyes. How could a man have such long eyelashes? And what was that pleasant warmth spreading in her stomach at the sight of him?
“Did ye need something?”
“Yes. I need to keep my word.”
“Oh?”
“I promised to help you, to do anything to protect you. In my life, I’ve seen enough people harmed, and I couldn’t do anything about that. But I can do something to try help save you.”
Marjorie’s heart jumped again. Those words melted something within her. Was he being truthful? Could she trust him? He was a stranger, after all, no matter how dashing and charming.
“Why? Why is it so important for ye to stay and save me? I’m no one to ye. It seemed just yesterday all ye wanted was to go back to…wherever it is that you came from.”
“You helped me,” he said. “I’m a soldier and a bodyguard. I won’t be able to live with myself if I don’t try to protect you.”
She studied him. A grimace of inner turmoil flickered across his face. “No, there’s something more.”
He walked into the smithy and stood by her side, his eyes on the sword. In the semidarkness of the workshop, the outside world disappeared. All she could hear was the sound of her heart drumming in her ears.
His hand lay casually next to hers. “Yes. There is. I know the pain you went through.”
Her breath fled her chest.
“Ye were—”
“Not me.” He met her gaze, and she choked from the pain in his eyes. “Someone very close to me though.”
She looked down, and her vision blurred. “I dinna need anyone to point out I’m weak,” she whispered. “That I’m not suited for the role of protector of the castle. That I need to show some courage.”
Konnor reached out and gently lifted her chin, making her look at him. “That’s not at all how I meant it. I think… I think you’re the strongest woman I know.”
Her throat convulsed painfully as she tried to swallow the tears. She shook her head. “How? I’ve trained to be a warrior for years, and yet I’ve nae been in a real battle. Yesterday, if it wasna for ye, I’d have lost my son to the MacDougalls. I proved I couldn’t defend him in my own home.”
He removed his hand, and she quickly wiped her eyes and then ran the other side of the sword across the stone. She put the blade against the light and inspected the edge. It ran smooth and was blemish free, like the first ice on the loch. Perfect. Sharp.
“Trust me, I dinna need an outlander to remind me how little chance we have under my leadership.”
“Look, Marjorie”—he gently took her hands in his and lowered the sword— “you are the best chance the castle has because you care about it like no one else. Because no one else has been through what you’ve been through, and no one will put their heart and body on the line like you will.”
Something released in her chest, and she breathed easier.
“And what you lack in knowledge and experience,” Konnor continued, “that’s what teamwork is for. You have Malcolm, who looks like he’s seen his fair share of battles. And you have Tamhas. You have your warriors. And you have me.”
She sank into the blue sea of his eyes, and everything around her blurred but him.
“If you let me stay and help.”
Jesu, his voice enveloped and caressed her, bringing her soothing relief. His face was so close, she could see every bristle on his square jaw. How would it feel if she touched him? Sharp and raw? Or smooth? She’d like either. His eyes were dark blue, like the loch before rain. Oh, she could sink in them, let them take her into their depths.
“Aye,” she said. “If ye wilna speak to me like that again.”
He nodded, and a playful chuckle slipped past his lips. “I didn’t mean to offend you or to imply you’re incompetent. I should have asked what you had in mind first. I need to learn how you do things…here. So I’ll listen to what you have to say and suggest we work together. Good enough?”
Marjorie smiled. Hope blossomed inside her. “I’m nae master of diplomacy, either.”
Their eyes locked, and Marjorie flew high up into a warm cloud of sunlight.
“And I was thinking, maybe you could teach me to fight with a sword,” Konnor said.
The idea of fighting with him, seeing his big arms swinging a sword, weakened her knees. “Aye, I can do that. And I’d like to hear more of what ye suggested about removing the rubble and building the stakes as a means of defense.”
“Good,” he said. “I’ve already started.”