Highland Dream (Book 1)

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Opening her eyes was the hardest trial of her life. She had been through so much already, and that final effort proved too much for multiple times. She had known hours or days had passed since she first woke to the light. Eventually though she managed to gain enough strength to lift her leaden lids.

The first things she found was Camdyn’s head on the side of the bed beside her, the fingers of her right hand interlocked tightly within his larger fingers, his hand swallowing hers. Looking around the room she found the shutters still open and the night’s sky full of stars outside. What she didn’t know was how long she had been out and what exactly had happened to her.

Lethargy held her body down. Her limbs felt heavy, but at least the agony had reduced. Her stomach was still tying itself into agonising knots and her throat was sore and burning, but her head was clear and her limbs were painless.

Looking back to Camdyn slumped over the side of the bed, her heart gave a kick. She had never had anyone who cared before. She had even started to not care whether she lived or not anymore. But this, it completely change something inside of her. Almost as if something had shifted and changed, moulded into a new shape. She knew whatever it was it was linked to the man before her.

Left hand moving slowly from the opposite side of the bed, she managed to lay it on the top of his head. His thick hair sifting gently through her fingers. Nothing about him when he was awake hinted at softness. He radiated strength and a protective nature so deep it was an integral part of him. To see him so was a trust she didn’t think she had earned but would never take for granted. With one hand tangled within his, and the other still interwoven in his hair, she closed her eyes and slept again.

While Hamish wanted to hurt, or seriously maim, Corey; the information he had just imparted was important, so he had let him walk away, for now. This knowledge had to be shared with Cam, and just because it was the middle of the night had no bearing on the fact that he needed to know this now.

Edging the door open as quietly as possible, he was not bother about waking Cam, Aislinn, however, needed all the rest she could get. Slipping in through the smallest gap he could create, which was not that small if he had to admit it. He found the room lit by the glowing embers of the dying fire and the open shutters letting in the starlight and the little moonlight that could be found this night.

With the room growing colder, he felt his protectiveness rise before anything else and went to bring the fire back to life first. He would not be doing his job properly if he gave information but let a woman freeze to death in the process. Well, maybe he was being a little melodramatic there.