Free Claiming the Highlander by Kinley MacGregor Page B

asked as soon as Braden finished his tale.
    Ewan descended the ladder. “What do you mean, they’ve taken Lochlan captive?”
    “You heard me,” Braden said. “As soon as Fergus left here, he went ‘round to the homes, gathering up men and inciting them. When Lochlan returned to the castle, they seized him.”
    “Those bastards!” Ewan roared. “Give me a sword and I’ll—”
    “What?” Sin asked, interrupting him. “Bleed all over them? I realize you’re quite a bit larger than the average man, but we’re still just three against how many?”
    “Two score in the hall even as we speak.”
    Sin shook his head. “‘Tis too many to fight.”
    “Sassenach!”
Ewan spat.
    Before Braden could blink, Sin grabbed Ewan’s collar and jerked his head until their gazes were locked. The black, evil look on Sin’s face would have made any other man wet himself.
    “Don’t you
ever
insult me again,
brother,”
Sin said, his quiet voice carrying the wrath of hell. “You forget which of us was cast out of Scotland into the hands of our enemies. I was fighting for my life while your lily arse was being coddled by a doting father and loving mother. If you’ve a desire to learn firsthand what I was taught, then grab your precious sword and meet me outside.”
    For the first time in his life, Braden saw uncertainty creep into Ewan’s eyes.
    And Braden had had enough. Growling at Sin, Braden separated them by prying Sin’s grip from Ewan’s shirt and stepping between them.
    “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, is there not a single soul in the whole town who can go more than a second without letting their emotions get the better of them? Leave him be, Sin, or I swear, in themood I’m in, I’ll tear your head off your shoulders and use it for a footstool.”
    Sin’s face was a mask of utter disbelief as he looked skeptically at Braden.
    Few, if any, men had ever stood up to Sin for fear of the knight’s honed skills and short temper. And if Braden hadn’t been so angry, he would have laughed at the expression on Sin’s face.
    However, at this moment, Braden couldn’t find much humor in anything.
    Recovering his stoicism, Sin said sharply, “Believe me, there is nothing more I would love than to stain my sword red with Scottish blood, but should we storm the castle, the first casualty would be Lochlan.”
    Braden nodded. “They said as much before I left.”
    A tick started in Sin’s jaw while he thought the matter over.
    When Sin spoke again, his tone was ominous. “Let us not forget that we are dealing with men here. Men who are horny and hungry. In their state, they are capable of most anything.”
    “So, what are we to do?” Braden asked.
    Sin stroked his chin in thought. “How much time did they give you?”
    “Four days. If the women aren’t out by then, they’ll kill Lochlan and storm the kirk.”
    “Four days,” Ewan repeated. “Well, it gives us time to poison the lot of them.”
    Sin gave a short half laugh. “Remind me totake you along on my next siege, little brother. I like the way your mind works. However, if we poison the men, then we’ll have the women out to kill us for the deed.”
    “He’s right about that,” Braden concurred. “After all, they’re hiding in here to protect their men.”
    Silence settled between them as each tried to think of something to end the stalemate.
    “I’m afraid we have no recourse,” Sin said at last. He met Braden’s gaze. “You’ll just have to complete what you started. Seduce Maggie.”
    How simple that sounded. If it were anyone other than she, Braden had no doubt of his success. But at the moment, her seduction was nearly out of the question. “It’s not quite so simple a matter anymore.”
    “How so?”
    Braden sighed. “You realize that if I continue pursuing her after she told me she’s doing this to protect her brothers, she will think I’m a total monkey’s arse for it.”
    Sin arched a brow at him. “Are you telling me you’ve never