Captivated by a Highlander

Chapter 16 - Exposed

««Christine»»

We rode back in complete and absolute silence. I still felt ill from the recollection of what happened between Tomas and I. Kain kept an arm securely around me, holding my body close to his. I pressed my face into his chest. One of his arms wrapped around me tighter, much more protectively.

"Hold on, lass," he whispered against my ear. "The keep is no far from here."

We were moving faster. My heart was racing. I felt like everything was whirling, spinning, spiraling down a path that I could not see. Kain's voice was a refuge, but the moment he stopped speaking, all I could hear was Tomas.

"Ye' will never see the light of day again."

"I will not hesitate to silence ye' forever."

"Dunna think of telling my brother. That will no go well for ye' either."

I was shivering as Kain rode up to the front doors of the keep. A two maid hurried out to the two of us and helped Kain take me down from the saddle. Their arms supported me and gave Kain time to dismount, and once he had, he handed off the reins, picked me up, and carried me inside. He hurried up to my room, and we ran into Ivan on the way up.

"Kain?!" The youngest brother hurried after him, placing the book he was reading on the nearest chair or table. "What has happened?"

"I know not," Kain said quietly, though I could hear the rage in his voice. He was angry. Angry with himself, or someone else, I wouldn't know. "The lass just went cold. 'Tis strange, I dunna know what what caused this."

"I shall get Aunt Emma," Ivan added firmly. "She will know what to do."

My eyes opened as we entered my room. Kain set me down on my bed and my body finally relaxed when the layers of blankets cushioned my body. I watched Kain in silence as he went to the hearth and fed the waning fire with wood. And just as quickly as he left, he returned to my side and pulled a blanket up to my chest. He sank down in the chair by my bed and covered his face with his hands. A very heavy sigh left his lips. I had never heard him sigh like that before.

"Ye' will be the death of me, lass," he said with a bitter laugh. "I have no worried like this in ages."

I smiled weakly and reached out to him. One of my hands placed on his arm and Kain looked up. My hands must have still been cold because he clasped it in both of his. "I'll be fine," I said quietly. My lips curved upwards in a smile. "I-I think I simply need more sleep."

He watched me closely, and for the first time in quite a while, I noticed that his eyes were completely emotionless. He was masking something from me. However, considering my current condition, I did not think that it was smart to ask him what was wrong. I didn't really have the strength either.

My eyes flickered away from Kain's when the door burst open. Immediately, Kain stood, turned, and dropped my hand. I felt a deep, overwhelming sense of emptiness when he let go. I don't think he understood how much I needed him by my side, how much his touch comforted me, or how empty I felt when he let go.

Kain gave me the same sensations that Logan had. The same comfort when I was held, the same emptiness when he let me go, the same joy at the sight of his smile, the same fluttering feeling, more-like-elephants-in-my-stomach-not-butterflies feeling whenever he spoke.

For the love of God, why did I have to start thinking about Logan?

Tears filled my eyes and I shut them tightly. Emma had already rushed over to me and began feeling my forehead and cheeks for a fever. I had none, but she still believed that I was still ill. My extremities were still cold like ice. I forced Logan out of my mind. I had to, at least while Emma, Kain, and Ivan were all still in my room. But when I looked to turn towards Kain, my eyes widened as I looked past him at my open door. Tomas was there, and I met his gaze. He was watching me with his analytic eyes that were all too similar to Alan's.