3
Just a little bit more. Come on now…why is this not working?
Cleopatra glared at Ronan as she rubbed her wrists against the brittle boulder Ronan had set her against. Although she had no clue if her stunt would work, she knew she had to try everything in her power to get free. Her eyes flicked to the tree line and the sun kissed the canopy. It wasn’t even afternoon yet, but the sky seemed darker.
Little by little the rope around her wrists started to give. It was only a matter of moments before the line would snap, but she still didn’t have a plan in place of where to go. Ronan had already snatched her once before, proving he could outrun her. Cleopatra’s eyes shifted to the nook in the tree to her left. It wasn’t a big hole, but one she was certain she could fit in to hide from him if she needed to.
“Ronan.”
Cleopatra froze. She whipped her head round and peered through the trees.
The Laird and his men had pushed through the branches. Trailing behind them, Cleopatra noticed the young child. Her heart jumped for joy as she grunted and squirmed with delight, falling to her side. Ronan shifted his eyes to her for a second and shook his head.
“Stay put,” Ronan said as he walked to the others. “M’Laird,” he glanced to the boy. “I see ye found yer son. He looks well taken care of.”
“Aye, we were lucky,” the Laird said as he glanced over Ronan’s shoulder to find Cleopatra on the ground. “What happened here?”
“She tried to escape,” Ronan hissed.
“Untie her,” the Laird demanded. “Now.”
Ronan nodded sharply as he moved swiftly to Cleopatra. Pulling his sword from its sheath, he snapped the ropes around her wrists. Immediately, Cleopatra pulled the gag out of her mouth and gasped. She sat up and scooted back as Ronan glared at her. Rubbing her wrists, she looked to her captor.
“Ye have what ye came for, now let me go,” she said.
The Laird’s shoulders rose and fell as he took in a deep breath. She noticed the struggle in the Laird’s eyes. He cleared his throat and shook his head.
“Yer faither…” the Laird paused as he glanced to the boy before pausing. “Ye’re comin’ with us.”
“What?” Ronan and the others said in unison with Cleopatra. All eyes were on the Laird as tears began to pool in Cleopatra’s eyes.
“I don’t understand,” she said. “You got what you came for. Please, just let me go home.”
The Laird walked over to her. Towering over her, she tried not to reveal just how terrified she really was. In the back of her mind, she realized the only way to get free from them was to run away. She would have to wait. At the moment there were far too many of them surrounding her. Her heart sank as she glared up to the Laird.
“Get up,” he ordered. “We have a long journey ahead of us.”
Cleopatra crossed her arms over her chest and whipped her head away from him. If he were going to take her, she wouldn’t make it easy. The Laird reached down and grabbed her by the arm. His tight grip stung her arm as he hoisted her to her feet.
“Daenae make me force ye to go,” he warned. “Ye’re comin’ with us. But as long as ye corporate, nay harm will come to ye. On that ye have me word.”
“And how long will I be in your care?” Cleopatra asked as she felt her chest tighten.
“That is up to yer faither,” the Laird said. “But until he makes good on his promise, yer mine. And I expect ye to keep yer own.”
Cleopatra kept her eyes on him as the man named Ronan stepped closer to him. In hushed tones, Cleopatra could hear Ronan’s concern.
“Jude, are ye sure ye ken what ye’re doin’? The girl is of nay importance.”
“Aye,” Jude said shifting his eyes back to Cleopatra. She felt her heart flutter as Jude’s eyes fell on her. There was something about the way he held her gaze that rattled her. “And she will keep her own, willnae ye, lass?”
With her lip trembling, Cleopatra nodded sharply. Ronan moved to her and stood beside her as the Laird pushed through the shrubs. Ronan grunted and nodded to the dense forest. Twisting his head to face her once more, Ronan curled his arm around her waist.
“Let me be,” she screamed kicking and squirming to get free from his grip. Ronan struggled to restrain her, and she slipped out.
Cleopatra took off for the cottage. She knew she only had one shot at escaping, but as she glanced behind her to see where her captor was, her foot rammed hard against something. Losing her momentum, she plunged into the tall grass as a roar of laughter filled the space around her.
“Get up,” Ronan demanded as he moved to her. Towering over her, Cleopatra rolled onto her back and stared up at him. She shook her head.
“I said get on yer feet.” Ronan’s eyes narrowed as he leaned down and plucked her from the grass and tossed her like a bag of grain over his shoulder. Thrashing in his arms, she knew she wouldn’t get loose again. His arm tightened around her crushing the air from her lungs.
“Enough,” Jude said. “Ye willnae be doin’ that again.”
As Ronan carried her back to Jude over his shoulder, a plot began to form in her mind. It struck her like lightning, and she lifted her head trying to gaze the distance back to her father’s house unaware of the low hanging branch that crashed against her head.
The throbbing of her head was nothing compared to that of her heart. As her home slowly drifted out of view, she realized there would be no one coming for her.
If my Father made a deal with the Laird, surely, he will come
