“Just wonderin’ if Cleo was up for another story?” Ronan asked. “The men are nae quite ready to turn in.”
Jude shifted his head back to Cleo. She raked the back of her hand over her lips, but there was no hiding the blush on her cheeks.
“Perhaps another night,” she answered. “I’m a bit tired from the journey.”
Ronan nodded as Cleo stepped around Jude and headed back to the fire. Roman crossed his arms as he glared at Jude.
“What are ye doin’?” Ronan asked with an arched brow.
“Nothin’,” Jude said shrugging. Although in the depths of his being he wished for more time with Cleo, he knew there were things that kept them apart.
“Dinnae look like that to me,” Ronan said. “I certainly hope ye’re nae gettin’ attached to the lass. Ye told us the girl would be goin’ back to her faither.”
Jude leaned in closer and glanced over Ronan’s shoulder. In the distance, too far for her to hear, sat Cleo next to Hugh. Pulling in a deep breath, Jude looked to Ronan.
“Her faither told me to keep her,” Jude confessed. Ronan’s eyes widened as he stepped back in disbelief.
“Nay,” Ronan said shaking his head. “Are ye sure?”
“Aye, heard it from the man’s own lips,” Jude said.
“Well, then, it looks to me, ye have a situation on yer hands,” Ronan said patting Jude on the shoulder roughly.
“So, what do I do?” Jude asked, hoping his friend had some clue or direction to take.
Ronan shrugged. “Suppose that is somethin’ for ye to figure out. But the girl should ken, daenae ye think?”
“Aye, but nae yet. And daenae speak of this to her either. We’ve come too far to have her run off again.”
“Again?” Ronan gasped as he glanced over to Cleo.
“Never mind that, just keep a keen eye out and keep yer mouth shut,” Jude warned as he stared Ronan in the eye.
“On me life,” Ronan said slamming his fist to his heart.
7
A cold chill brushed over Cleopatra’s body pulling out of her wild and restless sleep. Lifting her head up, she turned toward the dying fire, hoping to hold onto some of its warmth. As she tried to drift back to sleep, Jude’s voice lured her awake.
Sitting up, she noticed Ronan, Adam, Jude, and the others gathered at the mountain pass. By their stern glares and furrowed brows, Cleopatra couldn’t help seeing that something was afoot.
Jude glanced in her direction and nodded as a quick grin flashed across his face. He patted Ronan on the shoulder and stepped away from the group. Cleopatra watched as Jude walked toward her. Quickly, she dropped her gaze and tucked the loose strands behind her ear.
“Mornin’,” Jude said crouching down beside her. She glanced up at him as she envisioned his lips on hers once more.
“Good morning,” Cleopatra said with a hint of a smile on her lips. She tried her hardest to hide the blush in her cheeks.
“The men are goin’ huntin’,” Jude said as he reached up to her head. Cleopatra’s heart fluttered as she felt his fingers shifting through her hair. With wide eyes, she noticed the twig he plucked from her hair.
“Are you going with them?” Cleopatra asked. She knew she had no right to wonder if he was leaving, yet she found herself curious about him.
“Nay,” he said. “Someone needs to stick around here to keep ye from runnin’ off.”
“I will not run, if that is what you are worried about. Go, I see Hugh is goin’ too,” she said as her eyes shifted to the young boy focused on Ronan.
“It is more than that,” Jude confessed. Cleopatra noticed the worry drifting over his face. It was as if a cloud had blocked the light from his eyes. She reached out and grabbed his forearm. His head turned to face her as he took a stick and poked at the dying embers.
“Ye’re cold,” he said. “Let me fetch some more wood.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Cleopatra said hoping that he would stay by her side.
“I will nae be gone long,” Jude promised as he rose. Cleopatra watched as he walked away from her and she couldn’t help but notice how isolated and alone she felt with him gone.
It didn’t take long for him to return with his arms full of dried wood. The thunder of the wood falling from his arms startled her.
“Sorry,” Jude said with a smirk on his face. “I dinnae mean to frighten ye.”
“You didn’t,” Cleopatra lied as she crossed her legs and watched Jude build up the fire. Scanning the area, she looked for the others. They had disappeared into the patch of trees some distance away. Dropping her shoulders, she exhaled.
“What is on yer mind?” Jude asked as the fire spit and spatted back to life.
“Nothing,” she answered as she picked at the pebbles by her feet. Jude walked over and plopped down beside her. He nudged his knee into hers and tilted his head to catch her eye.
“I can see somethin’ is wrong,” he said. “Tell me.”
“I miss my home,” she said. “I cannot help but wonder what my father is doing. Or if he even knows I’ve gone missing.”
“I wouldnae worry about such things,” Jude said. “If he doesnae realize ye’re nae there, then perhaps ye’re best off with someone who pays attention to where ye go.”
Cleopatra glanced over her shoulder to face Jude. There was truth in his words, but she wasn’t ready to hear it. Her heart broke, thinking about her life and where she was going.
“Will we reach the castle tonight?” Cleopatra asked turning her attention to the large stone structure on the horizon. Jude nodded.
“Aye, we can be there in a few hours,” he said.
“Then why send your men out to hunt?”
“Tis tradition to come back with a bounty on returnin’ home. It is for the feast to signify we have won, that the quest that was set before us has been
