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Chapter Eighteen

T here was the pounding of hooves and sounds of voices as a group of guardsmen returned after a long day of patrolling. Six men and six horses, and the grim set to the men’s faces meant they’d not found the man nor Knox’s horse.

With practiced graceful movements, Hendry dismounted, handed the horse’s reins to another guard, and strode toward the well where Knox stood. The warrior’s fur-lined cloak made him bulkier and more menacing. Pulling water from the well, Hendry used the cup on a sting next to it and scooped water to drink. “How is yer arm?”

“Not as sore. My men have nae returned as yet. I will mount tomorrow.”

“Wait until the day after,” Hendry replied and turned to the house. “It was tiring. Nothing much to see.”

Knox knew full well how taxing it was to be out as the days became frigid and one had to fight to keep warm.

They walked toward the house together so that Hendry could give his report to Alexander. Knox let out a breath. “Sencha is here.”

With a soft grunt, Hendry shook his head. “She is close to Nala and will always visit.”

He’d told Hendry about his declaration and the rejection. Although not one to normally share, it was what happened when one was injured and drank too much ale. Surprisingly, it had made him feel better to share.

“She asked to speak to me,” Knox said, unsure why his mouth kept on. “I sent her away.”

Hendry stopped and turned to him. “It may be best that ye hear what it is she has to say.”

“What good would it do?”

The other guards caught up with them after leaving their steeds at the stable to be fed and brushed by the group of lads that worked there. The group went into the main house anxious for food and drink.

Instead of joining the others for last meal, Knox had retreated to his bedchamber, requesting food be brought to him. His chest felt heavy with frustration and weariness, the kind that settled deep in his bones. The loss of his horse gnawed at him, a dull ache that refused to relent. Gaisgeil wasn’t just a horse; he was a loyal companion. An extension of himself. For twelve long years, they had braved countless battles and patrolled endless terrain.

The only hope now lay in Gaisgeil’s intelligence and instincts. The horse was clever, and Knox clung to the fragile hope that the thief who’d taken him would be careless, failing to tether him properly, allowing the animal to break free and find his way back.

Gaisgeil had earned his name, meaning brave in their first year together. The horse had an uncanny ability to sense danger before Knox ever saw it coming. It was Gaisgeil’s quick reactions that had saved his life on more than one occasion, whether in the chaos of battle or during the quiet, tense moments of an ambush. Losing him felt like losing a part of himself, a steady presence that had never wavered, no matter the storm.

Knox pushed the plates away, the half-eaten food now tasteless and forgotten. Rising abruptly, he strode to the window and threw the shutters open with a sharp motion. Cool air rushed in, carrying the faint, woodsy scent of the evening. He leaned against the sill, his shoulders tense, his eyes scanning the horizon.

For hours he stood there, his gaze unwavering as the sun dipped lower. The sky turned a fiery orange, bathing the world in a golden hue that softened the harsh lines of the land. The hills and trees cast long shadows over the valleys, and Knox’s eyes searched for any sign of movement. A lone figure. The unmistakable silhouette of a horse.

But there was nothing. The fields stretched empty, and the stillness felt like a cruel joke. Knox blinked away the wetness gathering in his eyes, clenching his jaw to steady himself. He wasn’t one to fall apart—not ever—but Gaisgeil was more than just a horse. He was a comrade. A piece of his soul.

A soft knock at the door broke the silence, and Knox exhaled sharply. No doubt a servant had come to collect the dishes. “Enter,” he called out without turning, his voice rough from hours of silence.

“Knox.”

The sound of her voice made his spine stiffen. It wasn’t the servant, but Sencha. Her voice, wrapped around him like a balm to his frayed nerves, though he wished it didn’t. Her presence was the last thing he needed. His hold on his emotions was tenuous at best which meant her presence forced him to rein in the storm swirling within, to keep control when control was the very thing slipping through his grasp.

“Why are ye here, Sencha?” he asked, his tone colder than he intended. He didn’t turn. Couldn’t. “Ye should nae be in my bedchamber.”

The silence stretched, but he sensed her moving closer, her presence a faint warmth in the room. When he finally turned, his breath caught. Sencha stood near the center of the chamber, her hands clasped tightly before her chest. Her delicate features were etched with worry, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Even in her sadness, she was breathtaking—a timeless beauty with creamy skin and a softness that seemed to make everything warmer.

“Knox,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “if I am the reason ye remain here and didnae attend last meal, then I will return home immediately.”

Her words struck him like a blow, and for a moment, he could only stare at her. What could he say? No matter his feelings, Sencha would always come to the keep. She was like a sister to Nala, and her presence would always be a constant.

“Once I say what I have to say, I will leave ye be,” she continued, taking a tentative step closer. Her gaze never wavered, pinning his. “First, I want to tell ye how horrible I feel about the way I reacted when ye told me yer feelings.”

Knox opened his mouth to reply, but her words came in a rush as though she needed to get them out before he could stop her.

“Understand me when I say this,” she said, her voice breaking slightly. “At that time, so much was happening, and it was so unexpected. I was caught off guard, Knox. I didnae mean to hurt ye.”

Her honesty pierced through him. He could see the anguish in her eyes, the way her shoulders tightened as though bracing for his response. And for the first time in days, he didn’t feel anger or frustration, just a hollow ache, a quiet longing he couldn’t suppress.

Unable to maintain eye contact lest he react as he wished and take her into his arms and lose himself in her. Instead, he turned back to the window.

“Ye dinnae have to explain anything.”

Keeping his attention on the darkening view, all he wanted was for Sencha to stop the reminder of the humiliating moment. Unfortunately, he would have to hear her out. Listen to what she needed to get off her chest and then she’d leave.

“I am wrong to judge ye as to whether ye are ready to settle down with a wife. Ye are well enough aware of yer own feelings else ye would have never said what ye did. Apparently, I need a knock on the head to nae have appreciated yer words fully.” She let out a shaky breath.

Letting out a long breath, Knox remained silent.

“Ye dinnae deserve it, how I reacted. I care for ye deeply Knox. I love ye, truly. I can only say fear made me react so flippantly about what ye declared.”

“I understand. Fear is what brought me to speak out and say things I should have kept to myself until a better time.”

Her hand pressed onto his shoulder, and he closed his eyes.

“I am so very sorry to have caused ye grief. I must ask that ye forgive me.”

Knox turned to her, searching her eyes as though he could find the answer to everything in the depths of her gaze. His voice softened, a tender edge in every word. “There’s naught to forgive, lass. Some of what ye said was true. I was uncertain, aye. But the one thing I knew, the one truth I could nae deny, was that I could nae bear to lose ye to another.”

Her lips trembled into the faintest of smiles but doubt still lingered in her eyes. “Ye are a good man, Knox Ross.”

Before she could say another word, he closed the space between them, capturing her mouth with his. It wasn’t a kiss born of haste but one born of need. Pure need. The need to hold her. To claim her.

The taste of her, the warmth of her body yielding to his, sent a shiver through him. When she responded, tentative at first, her touch careful on his injured arm, it only fueled the fire in him.

The pain faded into irrelevance as he slid his uninjured arm around her waist, drawing her closer. The world seemed to fall away, leaving only this moment. Her in his arms. Her kiss igniting a sense of completeness he’d never known. It wasn’t just passion that stirred within him but the profound feeling of finding his other half. She was the missing piece, the one who made him whole.

When the kiss ended, he rested his forehead against hers, his breath mingling with hers, his voice raw with emotion. “I love ye, Sencha. What I feel for ye—I’ve never felt anything like it before.”

Her arms circled his waist, and she leaned into him, her voice a whisper yet strong with conviction. “I love ye too, Knox. With all my heart, my soul, with every piece of me.”

“Will ye be my wife then?” He couldn’t live another day without claiming her, without knowing she would be in his life for the rest of their days.

For a scant moment, Knox’s gut tightened. Had he made the same mistake again? Caught her with an unexpected request at the wrong moment?

“Aye, I will. I wish for nothing more than to be yer wife,” Sencha exclaimed, raising to her toes and kissing him on the lips. “I will be yer wife, Knox.”

Pure joy surged through him. Overwhelming him to the point Knox thought his heart would burst. Tears swelled in his eyes, and he didn’t bother to hide them. Sencha had a right to ken how deeply his feeling went.

The kiss that came next was laced with undeniable passion, their tongues mingling, hands touching, soft moans filling the space.

“I need more,” Sencha uttered, as his mouth traveled down the side of her delectable neck. “I need.”

Knox licked a trail to her ear. “I will give ye everything, once ye are my wife. Ye will never need for my touch.”

Clasping his tunic she pressed against him, and he wanted to curse the sling. He continued to press kisses down the side of her neck, whilst untying the sling. The stitches would pull a bit, but it was worth it to have her flush against him.

“Oh, Knox.” Her words were breathless as he’d trailed his lips to the top of her breasts where he continued to tease.

Whether it was her or him, they made their way to the edge of the bed.

Without speaking, both knew what the next step would be. There was no stopping their trek toward becoming one both in body and mind. Sencha never ceased to amaze him as she began to help him lift his tunic up and over his head, taking care not to move his left arm more than needed. It took a bit of doing, but their clothing was done away with and both stood before each other, their gazes traveling over what they’d not seen before.

Unabashed, Sencha studied him from his head down to his feet. When her eyes hesitated at his thick erection her face reddened but she kept her gaze steady as she continued her perusal.

When it came to her, there was so much to take in. So many places he planned to spend months and years exploring. Her breasts were not large but would fill his hand. The slope of her waist that flowed gently to her hips begged to be caressed. Under her soft stomach, a small thatch of red enticed one to what lay beneath. Her legs were slender, perfect for throwing over his shoulders as he explored the very essence of her.

Unable to wait, he held out his hand and she took it. They moved closer to the bed, then he lay on his injured side and beckoned her to join him.

When Sencha lowered, he pulled her closer, immediately taking her mouth with his as he slid his right hand from her neck to her upper back. As bold as the lass was, he knew she had never been with a man and didn’t wish to rush.

“At any moment, if ye wish to stop just say it. It is natural to be nervous or scared even. We have the rest of our days to be together.”

She gave him a grateful look and nodded.

As he trailed his mouth, licking and nipping the creamy skin as he went from her mouth down her neck until taking the tip of her breast and suckling gently.

Sencha gasped, her hands moving up and down his back, fingers digging into him as if wanting him to be closer.

Cupping her bottom, he pulled her against the hardness between his legs. Her moans filled his ears, the sounds so enticing it was like a beautiful song.

Rolling Sencha onto her back, he continued to kiss her breasts knowing he’d never grow tired of them, realizing he discovered true lovemaking for the first time.

His hand shook as he trailed it up the inside of her leg to her inner thigh, loving the way she quaked with passion and need.

“Knox,” she gasped breathlessly when he pushed her legs apart and lowered until his mouth could take her in. First he flicked his tongue between her nether lips, then delved in, sliding his tongue into the moistness between.

Sencha lifted and lowered her hips as he continued licking, using his mouth to pleasure her. With a soft cry, she shuddered, legs shaking as she found her first release. He’d never heard a more beautiful sound.

He moved up to see that her eyes were closed, mouth agape as she gasped for air. “Can I take ye?” he asked his own voice breathless.

“Please. Please.”

Still unsure of her ability to think clearly, he hesitated. Once he took her maidenhead, she would never be the same. And she would be fully his.

“Sencha,” he said waiting for her eyes to open. They green gaze was unfocused, as she reveled in the aftereffects of having shattered.

“Are ye sure?”

She focused on him, her expression still soft. “I have never been surer of anything. I wish to be yers completely.”

Reaching between her legs, he slid the pad of his middle finger over the nib in between the folds over and over until she began to climb again, her breathing in soft puffs.

Then taking himself in hand, he guided himself to her core. He was not a small man and feared hurting her. Proceeding carefully until nudging her entrance, he moved with deliberate slowness, allowing her to stretch and accommodate him.

Sencha’s hands clung to his sides as he moved, her body still and tense.

“Relax. Breathe,” he coached, lowering to take her mouth. He kissed her, somehow managing not to move from the precarious position his lower half was in until she responded. When he felt her tension ease he thrust into her.

Swallowing her cry, he held her in place, waiting for her to stop trembling. Sencha remained tense, undoubtedly fearing his movements would bring more pain. Thankfully she was wet, her sex receptive, so he began moving slowly, sliding out just a bit before moving back in.

It took several times before she relaxed and began to move into what became their rhythm of lovemaking.

She was so tight, so perfect, that Knox could not stop from peaking, his release making his entire body quake.

Breathless and spent, he managed to roll off Sencha and to her side. The slight pain on his left arm was worth it when compared to the fulfillment like he had never known. The sense that he’d found his perfect match in every way.

Sencha snuggled against him and sighed. “I cannae wait to be with ye every night.”

“Neither can I,” he replied, pressing a kiss to her brow. “Ye are perfect.”

It was much too early when Sencha woke up the next morning. She stretched, a smile across her face as every movement brought a bit of discomfort. The thought of what brought it on, made her cheeks warm.

Allowing a bit of doubt for just a moment, she considered that it was possible Knox would wake and change his mind. Yes, it was possible and yet her heart knew he would not. They were deeply in love. His eyes, his body, every part of him was hers.

Slipping from the bed she hurried to the hearth and placed kindling into it then started the fire. She returned to the bed to wait for the room to warm, as she’d used plenty of wood, soon she was able to get out of bed to prepare for the day.

After washing with warmed water, she draped a shift then a long-sleeved pale blue blouse, followed by stockings and a heavy dark brown skirt. Finally, she topped the blouse with a vest matching the skirt.

A smile crept up as she finished dressing and then went to the window and pushed one of the shutters open allowing light from the cloudy day into the room. Then going to a chair, she began brushing the tangles from her hair. In her haste to go to bed, she’d not bothered to braid it.

Brushing her long hair, she wrapped it into a low bun and pinned it in place.

Allowing herself a few moments to gather her thoughts, Sencha peered out the window to a view of a bit shoreline on her left and still green lush hills to the right. The salty air filled her lungs. There was so much she didnae ken about Knox. Where his lands were? Would he wish for her to live in a house there or here at the keep? Admittedly, she wouldn’t mind remaining at the keep and close to Nala. At the same time, having a home of her own was something she’d always wished for.

Then there was the matter of his roguish ways. She’d have to ask him how much of it was true. If there were other women in his life, he would have to put a stop to it immediately. One thing was for sure, she had no qualms about ending things if he refused.

A shepherd walked from where she supposed his home was to a group of sheep. The animals weren’t bothered, allowing him near as he looked over them. She kept watch as the man moved from group to group obviously caring for his herd.

A knock sounded at her door. Strange that a chambermaid would come so early. Opening the door her breath left at seeing it was Knox standing there. He’d donned a clean tunic, and his hair was damp as if recently washed.

When his gaze roamed over her, it was as if he touched her, and Sencha held her breath until she was forced to release it. “I didnae expect it to be ye.”

There was warmth in his gaze. “I needed to assure myself that ye did indeed agree to marry me. I pray it wasn’t just a wonderful dream.”

Without hesitation, she walked to him and leaned into his chest. “I will be yer wife.” Lifting her face, to his soft kiss, embers of warmth came to life in her stomach.

“Why are ye nae wearing yer arm sling?”

“The healer wished for me to keep my arm still so that the stitches held. Not one is torn, so I am confident it is nae needed.”

Fiery heat burned her cheeks, and Sencha covered them with her hands.

Knox took her hands and kissed each cheek. “I love how ye face brightens.”

“I dinnae. Everyone will ken something happened between us.”

With a shrug, he replied, “What they will think is that ye are excited and happy.” He pressed a light kiss to her lips. “Today, we must speak to Alexander and Nala. Then to yer mother before making our betrothal public.”

This time the heat was that of joy and Sencha couldn’t keep from smiling.

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