The Seduced by Donna Grant Read Free Book Online

evening meal she’d kept hoping he would come down, but Alistair had wanted to give him time. After the meal, however, Alistair waited until the hall cleared and then went after Daman.
    Since neither she nor Alistair was sure of how many more of their people sided with Donald, they decided to keep their conversation private. There was nowhere more private than the master chamber.
    Innes jumped when the door opened and Alistair filled the space. He gave her a frown and stepped aside. Then her gaze landed on Daman. Their eyes locked, held. It was a good thing she was sitting down because she was certain her legs wouldn’t have held her after she saw the desire reflected in Daman’s blue gaze.
    “Thank you again for helping me hunt,” Alistair said as he stopped at the hearth and turned to Daman.
    Daman glanced down the hall before he closed the door behind him. He bowed his head and crossed his arms over his thick chest as he leaned against the wall.
    Alistair clasped his hands behind his back as the fire popped behind him. “I wish things were no’ so dire for us. I was none too pleased that Innes woke you, but now I think she did the right thing.”
    Innes saw Daman’s slight frown, his hesitation, as if he were trying to figure things out. There was something about the way the lines bracketed his mouth that made her think he was in pain.
    She held up a hand to stop Alistair before he continued. “Daman, do you know why you were in the cave?”
    He shook his head slowly.
    Innes frowned. “That part of the story was lost to us. I was hoping you would remember. All we’ve been told was that you would one day save our clan.”
    Daman held her gaze for a moment before his blue eyes slid to Alistair and he shrugged.
    “Aye, I didna think you would know that either,” Alistair said with a sigh. “The truth is, you doona have to do anything. Our family has kept watch over you for two hundred years.”
    Was it Innes’s imagination, or had Daman jerked at the mention of the time that had passed?
    Alistair continued, saying, “Now that you’re awake, you can do whatever you wish. Nothing holds you here.”
    Daman pointed to Alistair and then to Innes.
    Innes glanced at her brother. “Daman, you don’t owe us anything.”
    “She’s right. You doona,” Alistair said. “But I’m asking if you’ll stay and help us fight if needed. Now that Donald is no longer a worry, I must turn my attention to the Sinclairs. They want a meeting.”
    Innes swiveled her head to Alistair, shocked. This was the first she had heard of it. “What?”
    Her brother pulled out a rolled missive from the sleeve of his shirt. “This arrived before the evening meal. David, the laird of the Sinclairs, wants to meet at our border. He is bringing the Lord of Ravensclyde with him.”
    “And his army, no doubt,” Innes said tightly. “The Sinclair doesn’t want to talk. He wants to fight.”
    Alistair tucked the missive back up the sleeve on his left arm. “David is an honorable man, Innes. I believe him. I was hoping Daman would accompany me.”
    Daman was nodding even as Innes asked, “When is this meeting?”
    “In the morn.”
    She closed her eyes in despair. Her world was truly crumbling around her. If only Donald had stood with Alistair instead of against him.
    “I would like you there as well, sister.”
    Innes’s gaze snapped open to look at her brother. If he wanted her with him, that could only mean one thing – a marriage proposal.
    She couldn’t pull a breath into her lungs. They were frozen with dread. How could she possibly go to another after having Daman with her?  
    After his kiss?
    She was being selfish, but that didn’t stop the feeling from continuing. The lives of her brother and her clan rested with her. She could broker peace if she were willing to be the bride of the Sinclairs’ laird.
    Innes had known her fate for years, even if she hadn’t known which man she would marry. Why was she rebelling now?
    “I