“And when I’ve cared for your brother and delivered Lady McCabe’s babe safely, then may I return home?”

The laird’s gaze narrowed. Caelen looked very much like he wanted to shout aye!

“I’ll consider it, aye. But I make no promises. Our clan has need of a skilled healer.”

She frowned, but she supposed it was better than an outright refusal.

Bored and restless from the slow pace the warriors set, she leaned back against Gannon’s chest again, uncaring of whether it was proper or not. It wasn’t as if she’d asked to be abducted, and it certainly hadn’t been her idea to be tossed from man to man like foul-smelling rubbish.

She set her sights on the countryside, trying to muster excitement for seeing beyond the area that she’d grown up and resided in since her birth. In truth, it wasn’t so different. Rugged landscape. Rocks scattered across the ground. They rode in and out of densely forested areas to valleys that were richly green and etched a path between rugged peaks.

Aye, ’twas beautiful, but not the difference she’d always imagined.

When they approached a stream that connected two lochs, Laird McCabe called a halt and ordered his men to secure the perimeter of their encampment.

Like a well-honed operation, they each took a different task, and soon tents were set, fires were built, and guards were posted.

As soon as Alaric was settled close to the fire, she hurried to him, feeling his brow and laying her head close to his chest to listen to his breathing.

His prolonged lack of consciousness bothered her immensely. He hadn’t woken once during their travels. She strained to hear his breaths. They were shallow and his chest barely rose with the effort.

His forehead burned to the touch. His lips were dry and cracked. Grimly she turned her head in the direction of his brothers, knowing they were watching.

“I need water and I need one of you to assist me in getting him to drink.”

Caelen went for the water himself while Ewan knelt on Alaric’s other side and put his arm underneath his brother’s neck. Ewan lifted as Caelen handed a tin down to Keeley.

She carefully put it to Alaric’s lips, but when she dribbled the water into his mouth, it spilled right back out again.

“Stop being stubborn, warrior,” she scolded. “Drink so that we may all sleep this night. I’ve gone long enough without sleep because of you.”

“Devil,” Alaric mumbled.

Ewan’s mouth twitched and Keeley glared at him.

“You can call me whatever you like if you’ll just drink,” she said.

“What did you do to my angel?” Alaric slurred.

She took advantage of his open mouth and tilted the tin so the water spilled past his lips. He choked and coughed but swallowed most of it down.