The Highlander's Triumph by Eliza Knight Read Free Book Online

ready to battle whoever had taken her.
    “Where is Lady Mariana?” he growled to the nearest guard.
    The man shrugged. Brandon turned in a stiff circle, studying everybody, every boulder, every tree. No dark -haired beauty with soot smudged across her nose. No petite figure within his billowing cloak. No seductive eyes, and coy smile.
    God’s teeth, where the hell was she?
    He wanted to shout out her name, but that would only draw Wallace, Ronan and Julianna’s attention. They’d not listen to him, then they’d go off of gut instinct that she was up to no good.
    He raised his chin to another guard, “Where is Lady Mariana?”
    “I dinna know, my laird, but I saw Jared speaking with her.”
    Brandon nodded and marched toward Jared who examined the forest.
    “Where is Lady Mariana?”
    Jared jumped, his face pale. Even the red of his hair seemed a shade lighter. “My laird.”
    Brandon waited a split-second for the novice warrior to regain his senses, about ready to pummel him, when he finally spoke.
    “She wanted to wash her face and hands.”
    “And?” Brandon bit out, irritation making his eye twitch.
    “I told her the burn was through the trees.”
    Fire lit Brandon’s blood. “Ye didna offer to escort her?” Brandon spoke through clenched teeth, every muscle in his body seizing.
    Jared shook his head. “I figured she’d be fine.”
    “Ye figured wrong, ye horse’s arse. Which way?”
    Jared pointed with a shaky finger. Brandon took off at a jog through the trees, holding his arm up to ward off branches that snapped, ready to slice his skin. Almost like the forest didn’t want him to find her, wanted to make his life more miserable. Brandon let out a string of curses and swore he’d take Mariana over his knee, spank her bare arse until her cheeks were pink—but that only made his cock hard. He’d barely made it a few dozen yards before he heard a sheer whistle pierce the air.

Chapter Five

    B randon turned toward the sound of the whistle, unsure if it was one of his own men or the enemy. Dusk was setting fast upon them and a wicked breeze ruffled his hair, winding its way down his shirt. Ordinarily, he might have missed his cloak, but rather than the whistle sending his blood to chill, it made him hot with the need to wage war with his enemies.
    Had Ross and his men so easily descended upon them? Ballocks! He had to find Mariana first, make sure she was safe, before he discovered who was behind the whistle. Turning back toward the burn, he picked up his pace, and bolted to the edge of the water.
    Not a soul in sight. No Mariana.
    “Damn,” he muttered, looking up and down the bank. The water trickled peacefully, completely in contradiction to the way his blood seethed through his veins. Rushes and horsetails grew tall to the edge in places and trampled down in others. He brushed a few aside to make sure he didn’t miss her crouching down in the water. No slender fingers dipping into the cool burn, only a few sparlings, plucking at the algae covered rocks visible just beneath the water’s surface.
    Where was she ? Had she already been captured?
    “Mariana?” he risked calling out. Several birds took flight at the sound of his voice, their wings rustling.
    There was no reply. Not even a whisper of human sound. He could have been all alone in the wilderness. Except —what was that? He tilted his head, fearing the truth of what he heard. A distant clang of metal. A battle.
    Mo creach! He couldn’t stand here. Praying that Mariana had made it safely back to camp, he rushed toward the sounds of the melee. God only knew how many were descending upon them—and he prayed it wasn’t the two hundred Mariana had spoken of.
    B randon broke through a copse of trees at the same time as Wallace, a dozen more of their men and a mass of enemy warriors. Ross stood in the middle facing off with Ronan and Julianna. The forest air filled with the clang of metal, the crash of bodies, shouts of victory and grunts