Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

A va struggled for any more words. The curse hung in the air between her and Kai as she stared at him in disbelief.

The seer never said it would be Kai!

Yet Kai was before her. The seer’s words came back to her, he’s a man of careless elegance, a man whose confidence is his second skin, and has eyes like a storm over a sea.

Ava couldn’t look away from those stormy eyes now. It was the bane of her life that Kai, her dearest friend in the world, had grown up to be so handsome. He had a litheness to his body his brothers didn’t have. He was toned, as was evidenced by the shirt and tartan pulled tight across his shoulder. The dark chestnut hair visible just beneath the ugly hat was tousled around his ears, as if a lass had just been playing with it. The stubble was as endearing as ever. More than once in her life had Ava caught sight of a woman peppering his jaw with feather-light kisses.

She stepped back.

“It cannae be ye,” she muttered.

“What are ye doing here, Ava?” he said sharply again, reaching for her arm and pulling her toward him. She had to plant a hand to the center of his chest to stop him from tugging her any closer.

“Kai!” she hissed, looking around. “I dinnae want everyone in this tavern tae think I’m yer courtesan for the night.”

“Ye should have thought of that before ye just whispered in my ear about making me an offer.” His dark eyebrows raised, nearly disappearing up beyond the hat.

“That’s nae what I meant!” She threw the words back at him, trying to disentangle her arm from his grasp, but he had a tight hold of it. “Why are ye holding on so tight, Kai?”

“Because this isnae a safe place tae be.” He nodded his head around the tavern, at the thieves and bandits who were doing little to hide the wide they were eyeing up one another’s sacks and purses. “Now, tell me why ye are here and what offer ye are going tae make me, and then I’m taking ye out of here. Somewhere safe.” His voice had deepened on the latter words.

Ava tried to shift the feeling of warmth that Kai always brought with him. He only ever seemed to use this deep tone with her. It was always the way.

He looks at me as if I am his sisters, doesnae he? He always tries tae protect me.

“Offer? There was nay offer.” She pulled her arm out of his. “I… I’ve made a mistake… that’s all… I thought ye were someone else.”

He raised a solitary eyebrow this time as he folded his arms. She could feel the penetrating gaze of those stormy blue eyes. It was always the way. Kai had a knack for reading anyone’s emotions, especially when they were trying desperately to hide them. The thought that he could read her as if she was anyone else in this world infuriated her.

I cannae tell him the truth.

She could just picture Kai’s protectiveness if she did. He would probably yell and shout that she was not to bind herself to a man for the sake of her sister. She was not going to give him the choice to argue with her.

“I… I have tae go,” she said, fidgeting constantly, though she was aware her feet weren’t moving to take her away.

“Ye going tae tell me why ye are feeling so anxious?”

“I didnae say I was anxious.”

“Ye never dae, fierce and steady as ever, Ava.” He winked at her, then leaned an inch forward, lowering his voice in a conspiratorial whisper. “Yet I ken ye. I ken ye are anxious right now. Or do ye always fidget this much?”

She clamped her hands together and stood as still as a statue.

“Oh, much more natural,” he said with full sarcasm.

“I’m leaving,” she said swiftly, turning on her heel and marching for the door.

“What? Ava!” He ran after her, though she didn’t turn to acknowledge him.

Making a quick dash for the door, she stepped out as quickly as she could, her pace halting as she stepped into the snow. The wind whipped against her hair, making her tartan gown ripple. She grabbed her cloak, trying to stop it from flying away as it buffeted around her shoulders.

The door was shut loudly behind her, just as a pair of hands rested on her shoulders, planting the cloak in place so it could not move.

Ava felt something in her stomach that she did her best to ignore. She had learned years ago that touches from Kai were unimportant. He touched women regularly, for he was a known rake. She was just one of the few he would touch no more than this.

“Stay warm out here,” he whispered in her ear, his lips so close that her eyes involuntarily closed.

Dinnae think about how close his lips are right now.

Her eyes shot open again and she stepped forward, marching through the snow and wrapping the cloak as tightly around her body as you could.

“Have ye been riding without an escort?” he asked, traipsing after her with ease.

“I dinnae need an escort. I can defend meself, remember?” She hardly needed to gesture to the weapons she kept beneath her cloak. He had seen her fight many times.

“Aye, aye, so ye can, Ava. It doesnae mean ye should ride alone. Unless… the reason ye are here tonight ye wanted tae keep secret from everyone.”

“Stop reading me emotions, Kai,” she said sharply as she turned into the stable out the back of the tavern. Pulling on the bridle, she steered her white horse forward, but Kai was once again in the way, his tall figure overbearing and dominating in the stable.

“Ye ken I cannae dae that.”

“Dae me this favor.” She held up a finger to him. “Dinnae ask about what I said. Dinnae ask anymore about why I am here. It is me secret, me bur…” She broke off, fearing she had said too much.

Kai’s face hardened. Gone was the playful curiosity. In its place there was steady concern.

“Burden.”

“I didnae think ye could read minds,” Ava murmured, her stomach tightening all the more.

“Nae minds, lass, ye ken that.” He took a step toward her, and she tightened her hold on the bridle, intent on riding as far away through the snow as fast as she possibly could once the opportunity presented itself. “Hearts…” He paused and raised a finger, pointing at her chest. “Aye, maybe them.”

“Stop it.” She swiped his hand away.

“Ah, fierce as ever.”

“Always,” she spat in his direction. “Now let me leave, Kai, and dae me a favor, never mention this meeting tae anyone.” She put her foot in the stirrup and was about to lift her leg over when his arm came up around her waist. “Kai!” He pulled her back, until she could no longer touch the horse.

“It’s the only language ye understand, isnae it?” he whispered in her ear. “A fight…”

“Ye and I always fight,” she reminded him.

“And ye love it.” His lips were practically against her neck. Something spiraled in her gut, a type of excitement that she had learned long ago to stamp down on when she was around Kai.

Get out of his grasp!

Acting on instinct, she reached for the basilard in her belt and lashed out with her foot. Kai was clearly prepared for it. He spread his legs wide in time, managing to avoid her kicking a particularly sensitive area, though he relaxed his hold in the effort to do so. She spun around, backed up from him, basilard outstretched to warn him not to come any closer.

“See?” he said with a rumbling chuckle. “Ye love a good fight, Ava.”

“Hmm.” She backed up toward the horse again as his laughter faded into sudden seriousness.

“Nay more messing around.” Kai held up his hands in the position of surrender. “As tempted as I am tae play rough and tumble with ye all night.”

“Kai!” she spat angrily. There was the briefest of smiles that faded fast.

“I can read ye better than any other, Ava.” His words made her hand on the basilard drop an inch. What did he mean by that? “I can see ye’re anxious, and most of all, I can see ye are scared.” Those stormy eyes looked more intense than ever, only just visible thanks to the one lonely candle that was lit in the stable. “What kind of friend would I be tae ye if I let ye ride off into the night, in the middle of the snow, scared about something?” He stepped toward her. “I am nae that kind of man. Ye ken that. So, tell me now.”

He took her wrist holding the basilard, his fingers surprisingly soft, then removed the blade from her fingers. Even slower still, he flicked her cloak to the side and put the basilard back in her scabbard. The movement brought him so close she held her breath.

“What are ye scared of?” he whispered, his face deadly serious as he faced her.

“I’m nae scared.” Her words made him raise his eyebrows once again. “I’m determined.”

“Oh, I can see ye are that.” He nodded slowly, tilting his head to the side. It was hardly the first time in her life that Ava felt as if Kai was looking into her very soul. It was one of the reasons they had become such good friends from a young age. He knew her feelings without her even having to confide, and she also knew she could trust him with her life. “Ava,” he whispered, his voice deepening once again. “Dae ye think there’s a secret in this world ye couldnae trust me with?”

She looked down at the minimal space between them as he was now standing so close. He was right. He had always kept any secret she had told him.

“I came fer help,” she whispered.

“Who’s help?”

“Nae yers!” She snapped her head up again.

“Then who’s?” He waited patiently.

“A seer told me I’d find a man here who could help me, a man wearing an ugly hat.” She nodded at the ungainly thing on his head. As if angered by it, he snapped it off and tossed it away. It landed somewhere amongst the straw, as he ruffled his dark chestnut hair with his long fingers. Ava had to snap her gaze back to his eyes fast.

“And what was this man supposed tae help ye with?”

“He was supposed tae teach me things.” She chose to now stare into the middle of his chest, at the tartan and the clan brooch that he had reversed in order to hide his allegiance, the pin only just visible to her in the amber candlelight. “Ye ken me sister’s woes. Ye must have seen the man who wants her, the man who…”

“I’ve heard the stories.” Kai nodded fast. “Me braithers and I have talked about it, how he covets yer sister. He willnae get her, Ava. Yer sister is too good of heart –”

“Me faither may nae be in a position tae refuse his offer of marriage,” she cut him off, watching as his jaw dropped. “We need money, Kai. We dinnae have it. And this man is offering a large sum fer Lyla’s hand. So, me faither has another solution.” Suddenly feeling sick at the thought of telling Kai this secret, she placed her hands on her hips, finding comfort in her fingers being so near to her weapons, as if they gave her unseen strength. “If I can marry a man like Blair Grant –”

“Laird Grant!?” Kai suddenly spluttered, taking a step back.

“His fortunes are so vast, me faither could refuse Lyla’s suitor in an instant. It is a good plan, Kai.”

“Is it?” There was something abruptly wild in Kai’s character. He turned on the spot, maddeningly pulling at his hair, then turning back to face her again. “Ye’re going tae marry Laird Grant?”

“If I can.” She fidgeted, well aware that her nerves were palpable in the air between them, without needing the penetrating glance he shot her way as he marched up and down the stable. “The problem is, catching the eye of a laird like Blair Grant isnae something that I…” She trailed off. Her sudden silence made Kai pause in his pacing. He turned to look at her again, just waiting for her to go on. When she didn’t, he held his arms out wide.

“Shall I point out that ye nae only look terrified but look frankly murderous?” His words made him sigh. “Go on, Ava,” he pleaded, his voice so deep that she fidgeted once more.

“I dinnae ken how tae seduce a man,” the words fell from her so quietly, he clearly didn’t hear it.

“What?” He marched back toward her. “Ava, what did ye say?”

“I said…” She cleared her throat, lifting her chin to look him in the eye. “I dinnae ken how tae seduce a man. If I am tae marry Blair Grant, then it’s something I must learn tae dae.” She was down the rabbit warren now, and suddenly the whole truth came out of her. “I went tae see the seer in the forest outside me faither’s castle, and she told me that tae seduce Blair Grant, I should come and meet a man who kenned the art of seduction. He would be in The Stag’s Rest tonight, sitting alone, wearing an ugly hat. I had nay idea she meant ye.”

She abruptly stopped, aware that Kai was looking at her in a way that she found completely unreadable. His lips were parted, his stubbled jaw dropped, his hands loose at his sides.

Silence extended between them. It became awkward in its length, with Ava wondering if Kai would ever speak to her again. She shifted her weight between her feet, and in the end the mare behind her whinnied, clearly sensing the awkward air too.

“Ye came tae find me, tae coach ye on seducing a man, Ava? Is that what ye are telling me?” He took another step toward her. “I’ll dae it only when hell is covered in snow as thick as is outside tonight.”