The door to the chamber closed with a decisive thud, and Willow abruptly stopped in her march across the room and turned to face Keegan.
The laird.
“Ye lied to me. Ye lied to me face, and I am still to trust ye that I have yer word that me men will come to nay harm. There is nae a single way that I?—”
“I dinnae lie to ye, lass. I only let ye believe what ye wanted.” Willow’s skull was sure to split open, unable to hold in the rage that coursed through her blood. “Ye misunderstood, and it wasnae as if ye were particularly open with me either.”
Her face burned, the raw edge of a knife contained within her heart. She balled her hands into fists, but it was futile, and she knew it. This chamber was the same as hers back home. Magnus ruled with a heavy fist, and it was clear that this Keegan wouldbe no different. Her men would be found and killed, no doubt, and her brother would not be interested in whatever exchange Keegan proposed.
That man…Me brother has something else planned. I’m sure of it. He willnae care about me, but why take the laird’s sister? What is he after? Ugh!
She screamed internally, for there was no point in doing it out loud. Instead, she turned away from her captor and went straight to the window. Clutching onto the ledge, Willow let the rough edge of the stone bite into her palm, seeking out a relief from the fury.
“Why did ye allow me to believe ye were the man-at-arms?” Willow asked without turning around.
“I believed that ye might be perhaps…more forthcomin' with yer words if ye dinnae ken ye were with the Laird of Brahanne.”
For what knowledge she had of the man, Willow didn’t find another lie in his words. But what did she really know of him at all? He’d been dishonest, her instincts betraying her as her thoughts had when she’d tended his wound.
“Ye allowed me to treat yer injury.” The anger was too great now, and Willow spun around, facing Keegan. “Ye…proddedat me about sleepin' in the cold! Ye are a scoundrel!”
She stamped her foot down, but it only served to draw that brow of Keegan’s down further. He ducked his chin back as if he were using the motion to physically restrain himself. The muscles of his jaw worked as he stood there, tense as a wire. Without meeting her eyes, Keegan let out a low breath.
“Ye will have care how ye address me, lass. Ye ken now that I am laird of this castle, and ye’ll do well to remember that.”
Willowed scoffed, taking a step forward and jabbing her finger across the air toward Keegan.
“Yeare laird? Och, and how am I to ken that for sure? How am I to trust a word out of yer mouth?! Me guards are as good as dead for all the worth in yer words.”
Keegan was across the room in a moment, standing just in front of Willow with the fire of rage blazing behind his eyes. He shoved her hand out of the air as she pointed at him, glaring down at her with those eyes so blue it actually pained her.
“I gave ye me word, lass. I willnae harm those men. Ikeepme promises, unlike others in yer life that are keen on breakin' them.” He spoke through gritted teeth, his nostrils flaring. “And thescoundrelis yer bastard of a brother who’s kidnapped me sister.”
Willow rolled her eyes, letting her head swing back in a circle to emphasize the gesture.
“So ye what? Took it upon yerself to steal me from me betrothed? I have nay part in any of this. Take yer grievances up with Magnus.”
It was Keegan’s turn to scoff, and he regarded Willow with a sneer, the annoyance plain on his face.
“Och, and I am now to believe that the sister of the laird has nay idea what he’s been doin'?. Do ye take me for a fool, Willow? I’ve paid enough to yer brother to last a lifetime, and I willnae be allowin' him to keep me sister.”
“I dinnae ken she was there! Magnus only said that he’d captured a Brahanne spy! He’s nae honest with the lot of us, least of all me.”
Willow couldn’t contain her voice, the levels reaching higher and higher toward the ceiling. She thrust herself up as she tangled with the laird, trying in vain to make herself taller so that he couldn’t look down on her.
“Do yehonestlyexpect me to believe that?” Keegan’s voice was quieter now, but Willow could still hear the disdain beneath each syllable he uttered.
“If ye’ve had any interaction with the man, then ye ken yerself what he’s like. I was to be handfasted and married. Just today, after spendin' two nights at the MacMillan castle. Has there been any word sent to yer castle from Magnus? Surely, it has gotten back to him that I dinnae arrive as expected. It’s been wellenough time for a messenger to have reached me brother. And yet…”
Willow let the words hang, knowing that Keegan would piece together her meaning. If anything, she did know that the laird was intelligent, and this exchange of his was clearly in great danger of failing for the lack of her brother’s response to her being missing.
Inches from each other, Willow didn’t back down, holding her ground as she narrowed her stare on the man who’d claimed her from her carriage. Fury and grief and something she would not name swirled through her blood in a maddening concoction.
“Easy, lass. It is best nae to challenge me.” Keegan matched her stare, his body rigid as his attention was focused solely on her.
Willow scoffed. She’d never wanted to marry the MacMillan man, but she had little choice. She never wanted to have Magnus as a demanding, ruthless older brother, but there, she had no choice at all. The only thing in the world that mattered to her was Lilith’s safety, and now she was as far away as ever from protecting her.
“Och, is it now? Ye are hardly better than the man ye claim to hate so much,Keegan.” His brows narrowed. “Ye have kidnapped the laird’s sister after all. And what exactly do ye plan on doin' with her?”