Haunting Desire by Erin Quinn

Author:Erin Quinn
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Penguin Group USA, Inc.
Published: 2011-02-11T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

LIAM carried Ellie as he set a brisk pace through the tangle of woods and away from the men and whatever conflict awaited them. She knew the young man would rather be back fighting at his brother’s side than escorting a woman and a child, but he didn’t say it. Only the tension that stiffened his shoulders when a shout echoed in the thick foliage betrayed him. Both of them strained to hear something more, to know what was happening with Tiarnan, but the farther they moved away, the quieter it became.

Shealy did her best to keep up with Liam or at least to not slow him down, but it was hard to focus on what was ahead when she didn’t know exactly what she’d left behind. Who had Jamie seen in the woods? There were too many enemies to count in this place, and it could have been anyone from Cathán himself to the mysterious Druid that Tiarnan had told her about. At least Jamie said he’d seen men approaching and not another creature. She couldn’t imagine facing one of those again. Still, even if it was only men, they’d be greatly outnumbered. She couldn’t help but be afraid for them.

“Yer all right there, Leary?” Liam asked as he began to climb.

She shook her head at his teasing tone and use of Leary—a nickname that seemed to be sticking.

“I’m okay,” she answered, but her legs cramped and she had a hitch in her side that felt deadly. She was hopelessly out of shape and all the running and the climbing she’d done in the past two days made every muscle and joint ache.

The trees had thinned without her noticing and Shealy saw that they’d entered a rocky area that rose steadily up. Were they near the cliffs where the wolves had caught them? The landscape appeared similar, and yet the hills didn’t peak so high and she couldn’t hear the sea. The air had a different feel to it, more arid and scented of rich dust and earth, not fish and salt. Up ahead she saw three stones balanced one on top of the other.

Liam skimmed across the treacherous terrain without thought to where he should put each foot, but Shealy had to focus on every step or risk slipping and ending up flat on her ass . . . or her face. Neither scenario held much appeal. They’d just reached the balanced stones when suddenly Liam stopped and held out a hand to steady her as she drew up beside him.

He hushed her with a finger to his lips in a gesture that made him look exactly like his brother even though their physical resemblances were few. His expression, his bearing, his intensity had Tiarnan written all over them.

He pointed to an area below, and Shealy crept up to the boulder blocking the way and looked down. A man on horseback appeared to be giving orders to others she couldn’t see from her position.

Two men held a woman between them who kicked and fought as they kept her prisoner.

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