Bound By Honour (Book 1)

Chapter 26

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"Hunter." Sparrow says his name, an edge of warning to her voice. Hunter ignores her and steps forward, his dark eyes with no light shining through pinning Logan down.

"If your reaction didn't give it away, their description of her certainly did. I've seen that girl around here, I know where she lives, who she spends her time with and I know that her brothers will not take kindly to such information." Hunter steps forward with each statement, a frown marring his features. "I also know that since you left before they gave a description you knew exactly who she was or, and I'll give you some credit, you worked it out when you saw the likeness in her brothers. So which one is it, Logan?" Logan drops his gaze.

"Hunter, this is not any of your business." Sparrow speaks as Logan seems to still be collecting his thoughts. Hunter shoots her a condescending look.

"How is it any of your business, huh? He's my brother and he's in a difficult situation. I need to know how to proceed." Hunter replies before grabbing Logan's arm. Both brothers, closest in age, look at each other and Logan audibly groans.

"I have known since the start, I thought she had told them last time she went home. Obviously not." His voice is defeatist and Hunter sighs. Sparrow sees the first genuine affection on Hunter's face as it twists into sympathy.

"This could cause a war. We cannot keep hiding her. We must tell them we've seen her and she must return home." Hunter states; providing the cold hard facts.

"She will refuse." Logan breaks away and starts to pace up and down.

"Logan." Hunter says with an edge of warning, just like Sparrow did minutes ago. "I will not have been the only to see her and I will not have been the only one to have seen her with you. Wolfe has given them permission to search for her, ask around. It only takes one person telling the truth. We have to get there first. You will have to lie, Logan."

"Lie? You want me to lie? I cannot put her back into their hands."

"You have no choice!" Hunter grabs his shoulders, stopping him abruptly pacing from one end of the stables to the other. He shakes him roughly. Sparrow leans backwards heavily against the door. Hunter was right, this is between them. The choices made here and now won't affect her future but it will affect theirs. "Only now do you have the opportunity to say that you know her but you didn't know who she was. You reveal her presence now and no tension can build between us and them."

"She will not agree. She will choose to run."

"Then you persuade her not to. If she loves you then she will remain for you and she will take the consequences of her actions. Or if you don't think she feels that strongly, you don't tell her."

Sparrow feels herself growing increasingly dizzy and she clutches onto the wooden door of one of the stalls. Her vision blurs before her.

"Can you not think of any other way?"

"Either you tell a small lie or I go round and ask everyone to lie. All to protect a girl who ran away from home, a home that is not cruel, and who lied to you about telling them. Tell her brothers, or I will."

Logan tenses and Hunter glances over at Sparrow, curious as to why she's been so quiet. He sees her slouched figure and how tight she clutches onto the door. He leaves Logan, allowing him to have some time to process. He bends down slightly and looks into Sparrow's eyes. He sees that they don't flicker when he comes in her line of sight and they seem to be slightly filmed over, the pupil far too small. With a gentle touch he removes her hand from the door and pulls her against his side. "Can you walk?" He asks quietly. She blinks and nods. However within a few steps she stumbles and Hunter has to pull her back up.