and seemed more concerned with getting away than fighting back. He’d said naught so far, only grunting as he tried to shove his way out of Kiergan’s grip.
“Now, ye bastard, let us see—” Kiergan sucked in a breath as the approaching candle lit the man’s face.
Each step Katlyn took brought the candle’s light closer, illuminating even more. The man’s build was like Duncan’s, aye, and his hair as long as Rocque’s. But his eyes…
Both Kiergan’s eyes and the stranger’s widened when they realized how similar they appeared. In fact, ‘twas not just the eyes, but the shape of the man’s nose and his mouth, and even his cheekbones.
‘Twas like looking in a mirror. ‘Twas like looking at…
“Alistair?” Kiergan breathed, even though he knew this wasn’t his twin.
The man glanced away—toward Katlyn—and that was the break Kiergan needed. With his hold on the man’s shoulders, he pulled at him, then slammed him against the wall again, wrenching his attention where it belonged.
“Who are ye?” he barked, desperate now. “Why are ye here?”
“He looks…remarkably familiar,” came Katlyn’s dry whisper over his shoulder. “I thought he was yer brother at first.”
“Aye,” Kiergan growled, his eyes narrowing at the stranger. “Who are ye?”
The man’s expression was serious, but his eyes told of his fear. Fear of Kiergan? Fear of pain? Kiergan forced himself to loosen his hold, to step back. He didn’t release the stranger entirely for fear the man would bolt and leave him without answers again, but he didn’t like the look of that fear.
So he forced himself to gentle his tone when he asked for a third time, “Who are ye?”
The man must’ve understood the peace offering for what it was, because those identical blue eyes met Kiergan’s once more.
“Graham,” he finally said, his voice low and raspy. “My name is Graham.”
“And what are ye doing at Oliphant Castle, Graham?”
“I’m here to—” he broke off, and his gaze darted to Katlyn once more, before finishing with, “see someone.”
Not Katlyn apparently, because she was quick to ask, “A MacKinnon? Or an Oliphant?”
He pressed his lips together and shook his head.
Cursing under his breath, Kiergan turned to meet Katlyn’s eyes, ready to ask her opinion. But that was all the opportunity the stranger needed. Quick as a blink, he reached out and snatched the candle from her hand. The wax must’ve burned him, judging from the way he sucked in a breath the same time Kat released a startled shriek, but he didn’t hesitate to twist the candle in his grip and slam it into the stone wall by his hip, snuffing it out immediately.
And while Kiergan was turning to help Kat, the man shoved him, sending all three of them tumbling to the ground. Kiergan braced himself to keep from landing atop the woman he loved, which meant his hands weren’t free to reach for Graham.
The man scrambled to his feet and darted down the passage, obviously comfortable navigating in the dark. A door opened, then slammed shut as he ducked into a room.
Now he was in the main areas of the castle, and Kiergan didn’t know if he was a threat.
“Come,” he growled, pulling Katlyn to her feet a little less gently than he should’ve. “He cannae get far. I’ll raise the alarm.”
“Alarm?” she puffed, hurrying beside him as he felt for a door out of the passageway.
“Aye, my brothers and father must ken we have a stranger among us. And— Ah!”
Triumphantly, he pushed the lever for one of the doors and stepped into what turned out to be Katlyn’s bedchamber.
Katlyn’s…and Davina’s.
The woman was standing there, hairbrush in hand, her lovely blonde curls resting over her shoulder. For the first time, she wasn’t looking at Kiergan with hatred, but that was likely due to the shock of seeing him come through her wall, and her sister following after him.
“Kat?” she whispered.
Katlyn, for her part, smiled as she stepped around Kiergan. “Good morning, Vina. Ye’re looking well.”
Indeed, Davina did look well—all rosy-cheeked and happy. And aye, ‘twas morning already. Kiergan strode to the window, surprised to see the sun was fully above the horizon now. They’d been in the passageways all night? In fact, ‘twas likely the morning meal was already done being served!
Shaking his head, he strode back to Katlyn and swept her into his arms. After claiming her lips in a quick kiss, he smacked her lightly on the arse. “Get dressed, love. I’m going to warn my brothers, but then I’m going to see yer grandfather.”
Behind them, Davina sucked