Portals Of Time by J. Lee Coulter Read Free Book Online Page B

between ye.”
    “Listen ta your husband, Arianna. He speaks true...especially where Angus is concerned.”
    She glanced between the two men and nodded agreement. It would not be wise to antagonize the man who she feared in her dreams. Nope! Not smart at all! Maybe I should mention it to Lucian.
    “Would ye like that, Anna?”
    “Huh? I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.” Glancing up at her husband, she stared deeply into his eyes. The vividness of the emerald color held her captive with invisible chains. She had never seen anyone before who held such a rich hue. They began to darken as desire flared between them. Arianna quickly looked away with a blush.
    “I kenned that ye may wish ta ride with me on the morrow. Would ye enjoy that?”
    “That sounds wonderful, Lucian! Shalizar was not very pleased with the run he got today. ”
    “Then tis settled. Come wife...tis time ta retire.”
    They bid her father a good eve and departed.

    As soon as they crossed the drawbridge the next morn, Arianna gave Shalizar his head. He leapt forward in joy as he flew across the open expanse before them.
    Lucian urged his mount to keep pace but lost ground steadily. The more distance she put between them caused his alarms to go off inside. How was he to protect her if he could not keep up with her? Just as he was about to call to her, she turned the stallion in a wide arc and returned toward him. It seems that m e wife is nae ignorant of the danger...that is good.
    She came up beside him grinning widely. He brushed errant tendrils of fiery hair from her flushed cheeks, enjoy ing the sparkle of life in her azure eyes.
    “Ye relish scaring the life out of me, wife?”
    “Maybe,” she replied with a sideways glance at him. “It depends on how you handle it. Am I to be punished...or cherished?”
    Startled at her seductive wit for a moment, he was speechless. The corner of his mouth twitched, threatening to break into a smile. Latching his large hand about the back of her neck, he drew her to him.
    “Mayhap both, wife.” His lips claimed hers with a passion better suited for their bedchambers than in an open field in front of his men. Loud hoots of encouragement and approval finally broke them apart. “We shall finish this later, Arianna.”
    “Is that a promise or...a threat?” she asked as she gathered the reins and took off once again at a gallop.
    “Both!” he yelled after her as he followed suit.
    The sound of wind whistled past her ear as she neared the tree line. She ignored it , glanc ing back to see how close Lucian was on her tail. Laughing at the determined look on his face she straightened in her saddle just as Shalizar screamed in pain. He pitched forward, falling to the ground as Arianna flew over his head.
    Lucian’s neck was on fire as he had seen the first bolt miss her by inches. He had urged his horse faster to close the distance but it was too late. His wife was unaware of the danger as she glanced back at him laughing. He saw the events unfold in slow motion before him. Fear clutched his heart as he leapt from his mount and knelt beside her crumpled body.
    His guard surrounded them quickly as a small group rode off to find the culprit. Lucian swiftly checked for broken bones as he observed her breathing. He could find nothing amiss.
    “Ian! What of her mount?” he barked.
    “He is injured, m’laird. I do nae ken if he can be spared. Mayhap if we can get him back ta the keep...”
    He brushed dirt gently from her cheek. He knew how much her horse meant to her. They had to try.
    “If ye can nae get him ta rise on his own then return here with a cart and enough manpower ta hoist him. We must do all that we can ta save him.”
    “Aye, m’laird.” He hurried off to do his bidding.
    Lachlan, his captain of the guard, handed him a skin of uisge beatha. Nodding his thanks, he parted her lips with his thumb and poured a small trickle into her mouth.
    Lucian peered intently at her still face, frowning.