King of the Isles by Debbie Mazzuca Read Free Book Online Page B

within earshot. He scowled at the mere thought of the woman, then caught sight of Aurora’s wounded expression. He lifted her into his arms. “All right, my wee wizard, let’s go and collect my sword.”
    She returned his smile. He noted the change in her eyes just as she brought a hand to his face. He jerked back, trapping her fingers with his. “Oh, no, ye doona. I’ve heard all aboot yer talents.”
    The last thing he needed was someone poking around in his head.

Chapter 4
    A black cat—hair standing on end—screeched past Lachlan as he entered his childhood home in the Mortal realm on his return from Rohan’s palace. He quirked a brow as his brother Aidan crossed the hall to greet him.
    “Syrena?” Lachlan asked, referring to his sister-by-marriage’s habit of terrifying the animal.
    “Nay, Evangeline.” Amusement crinkled his brother’s silver-gray eyes. “And if I were ye, I’d be followin’ his lead.”
    Lachlan scowled at the mention of his nemesis. “Where are they?”
    “In Syrena’s solar. Plottin’ yer demise, if I’m no’ mistaken. What have ye done this time?”
    From where he stood a few feet from the base of the curved oak staircase, Lachlan could see through the banister on the upper level to the closed door of Syrena’s solar. He shook his head at the thought of them in there scheming against him.
    “Nothin’,” he muttered. Then, with a resigned sigh, he returned his attention to his brother. “Evangeline thinks ’tis my fault Uscias was abducted.” At Aidan’s look of surprise, Lachlan frowned. “Did she no’ tell ye?”
    “Do I look daft? I wasna goin’ anywhere near the five of them, worked up as they are. Do ye ken who took him?”
    “Magnus.”
    His brother’s features tightened, a muscle jumping in his clenched jaw. Aidan had fought the king of the Far North when Magnus thought to claim Syrena as his bride. “Why?”
    “They’ve been tryin’ to get a hold of our Hallows to even the playin’ field, but to hear Evangeline tell it, ’tis on account of me refusin’ to wed his sister Jorunn.”
    “He wants ...” His brother stopped, his eyes widening as he looked beyond Lachlan. “What the hell happened to ye, Gavin?”
    Lachlan glanced over his shoulder and groaned. His brother’s man-at-arms and childhood companion, covered from head to toe in muck with only the whites of his eyes visible, dragged Aurora into the keep behind him. Anxious to be gone from Lewes before Evangeline became aware of his presence, Lachlan hadn’t noticed the bairn wasn’t with him. He should’ve realized when he met Gavin in the courtyard upon their arrival that Aurora would remain out of doors. Whenever the child accompanied Uscias and Lachlan to his home in the Isles, she took impish delight in tormenting his brother’s friend.
    “She tossed me in with the pigs. Fer all she looks like a wee angel, she’s a demon.”
    Lachlan grabbed the hand the blond cherub raised. “Aurora,” he said sternly. “Ye ken better. Ye’re no’ supposed to use yer magick in the Mortal realm.”
    “I was just playing with him.” She turned an innocent smile on Lachlan.
    “I’m no’ a bairn’s toy,” Gavin bristled.
    “Aurora, apologize and clean him up.” Lachlan supposed he should take her to task for tormenting Gavin, but his relief at seeing a return of her playful nature after what Magnus had put her through held him in check.
    “But, Your Highness, you just said I shouldn’t use my magick in the Mortal realm.”
    He wondered if women were born knowing how to turn a man’s words against him. Or mayhap the bairn had been spending too much time in Evangeline’s company.
    “Aurora,” he said in an exasperated tone.
    She waved her hand. Too late, Lachlan caught her mischievous grin on the last wiggle of her fingers. A dark cloud formed over Gavin’s head, then opened up to drown him in a deluge of water.
    Gavin stood sputtering in the heavy downpour, a puddle of mud forming