And while scanning the group, Lochlan's gaze was held transfixed by the executioner who accompanied the group. Dressed all in black, he even wore a black hood that obscured his face.

Obviously the king wasn't here to negotiate.

"Who is the lord of this place?" the king demanded.

Raziel entered the hall on the king's left and bowed before the king. "My lord is abed, Your Majesty. He regrets that he is unable to join you."

The king arched a disdainful brow. "Unable?"

"He is a war hero, sire," Lochlan said aloud from his place on the landing.

The king's dark gaze swung up to him and it narrowed dangerously.

Lochlan forced himself to bow down to Philip.

"And who are you?"

"Laird Lochlan MacAllister, Your Majesty."

"You!" he snarled, as if Lochlan were the vilest of creatures. "You dare to show yourself to us?"

Lochlan knew it was dangerous to taunt the king, but still he couldn't resist playing ignorant.

"Your Majesty has issue with me?"

"Of course we do. You took our daughter--"

"He protected me, Father. Those men you sent had beaten me and threatened me. Lord Lochlan should be commended for keeping me safe while the very ones you sent were out to do me harm."

Lochlan cut a sharp glare at Catarina, who had silently joined him. She was dressed in her pale gown with her hair left to tumble in curls around her shoulders.

"What are you doing?" he asked her in a low tone.

"What you've taught me to do, Lochlan. Stand my ground."

"Catarina..." he said from between clenched teeth.

She touched him gently on the face. "You were right. For better or worse, he is my father. I can't run from him for the rest of my life. 'Tis time I faced him as his daughter."

She left him to descend the stairs to where her father waited. "I'm not a fox to be run to ground by your hounds, Father. And I tire of this game we play with one another."

"Then you've come to your senses?"

"If by that you mean I'm willing to marry your prince, nay. Never. I will not have him for husband and I will not be used as a p.a.w.n in your political games."

"You willful--"

"Stubborn, obnoxious child," she finished for him. "I know, Father. I am your bane. Your curse."

"But above all, she is your child, sire."

Cat turned to find Lochlan standing just behind her.

"Your insolence is not endearing you to us, boy."

Lochlan inclined his head to her father. "Forgive me, Majesty. But I'm not sworn to protect France. I'm sworn to protect Catarina from any who would do her harm."

Her father's face hardened instantly. "Do you understand the line you are crossing?"

Lochlan nodded. "Aye, Majesty."

"And you are willing to give your life for hers?"

She exchanged a scowl with Lochlan. "What say you?"

He jerked his chin toward his daughter. "Does her freedom mean more to you than your own life?"

Lochlan frowned at his question. Was he asking what he thought?

"Answer me, boy. Will you die for her freedom?"

Aye, he was indeed.

"Nay!" Cat shouted.

But Lochlan knew the truth and he didn't hesitate with the answer. "Aye, Majesty."

The king scoffed. "Words are ever easy to come by. 'Tis actions we respect." He snapped his fingers and the executioner came forward with his sword. "If you mean what you say, then kneel before us and let us sever your head from your body. The moment you die, her freedom from our will is granted."

Cat shrieked and would have clawed her father had one of his guards not seized her. "You rotten b.a.s.t.a.r.d! d.a.m.n you for this! d.a.m.n you!"

But there was no mercy on Philip's face.

Lochlan took a deep breath as he considered all he was giving up for her. But in the end, he knew it would be worth it. "I have your word that she will be free to roam as she pleases?"

"Absolutely. Bought and paid for in your blood."

Lochlan nodded before he turned to where Cat was fighting the guard with everything she had.

"May I have a final moment with her, Majesty?"

He let out a disgusted breath. "We suppose a last request would not be unseemly given the circ.u.mstances."

Lochlan approached her slowly. "Catarina!" he snapped.

She stopped her fighting to look at him. Tears were streaming down her face as sobs racked her body. "Don't you do this, Lochlan. Don't you dare!"

His own eyes were misty as he used the sleeve of his tunic to wipe the tears from her face. She was so beautiful. So wonderful. "I told you, la.s.s. One hour or a million. 'Tis enough for me."

"I can't lose you. Do you understand?"

He cupped her face in his hands as he tried to make her understand what she was gaining. "You will live and you won't have to run ever again. There will be no more looking over your shoulder.

No more fear of being taken when you sleep. It's a small price I gladly pay for you."

She kicked her guard so hard, he released her so that she could run to him.

Lochlan scooped her up in his arms and held her close to him one last time.

"Why didn't you run with me when I asked you to?"

Lochlan had to bite back his own tears. "I wish I had, la.s.s. Kestrel was right. It's what you don't do that haunts you most. I'm sorry. If I could go back to last night, I'd gladly run and forget everything else in the world."

Unable to stand it any longer, he brushed his lips over her cheek and inhaled the sweet scent of her skin. That was all he would take with him to his death. The memory of her touch. Of her scent.

He pushed her gently toward Raziel. "Don't let her see it."

Raziel nodded grimly as Catarina cried out in denial and reached for him.

Lochlan let her go and turned back to Philip, who was watching them with a stoic expression.

This was the hardest thing Lochlan had ever done.

Run you b.a.s.t.a.r.d, run.

But he couldn't. He'd given his word and he would abide by that.

So he met her father's gaze levelly. Without fear or remorse. Well the latter most certainly wasn't true. He had remorse for every day he wouldn't live on this earth with Catarina.

Steeling himself, he dropped to his knees and lowered his head.

Cat fought against Raziel's hold. "Let me go!"

"Stop it!" Raziel hissed in her ear. "The man goes to his grave for you, woman. The least you could do is let him die without hearing your anguished cries ringing in his ears."

He was right and it was killing her. Lochlan deserved more than this.

"I love you, Lochlan," she said, hating the fact that her voice broke as she spoke the words. "I will always love you and you alone."

Raziel turned her toward the wall and held her so that she couldn't see what was happening.

"Have you any last words?" her father demanded of Lochlan.

Lochlan pulled the small crucifix from his neck. He crossed himself, then kissed it and held it out toward the king. "For Catarina." He glanced over his shoulder to see her cringing while trying to remain brave. "I love you, too, la.s.s. May G.o.d keep you always."

Philip s.n.a.t.c.hed the cross from his hand, then nodded to his executioner.

Lochlan braced himself for the blow. He saw the shadow of the man raising the sword on the stone floor. Closing his eyes, he prayed.

Cat heard the soft thunk behind her. And there in the firelight of the rising sun she felt her legs give away as the most unimaginable pain tore through her. She wanted to scream, but no sound could squeak past the vicious, burning lump of agony in her throat.

Lochlan was dead and it was all her fault.

She was only vaguely aware of Raziel holding her up. "I want to die, too," she whispered.

"Please."

"Whatever happens in your life, girl," her father said from beside her, "I want you to remember this pain that you feel right now. Keep it close to your heart because so long as you remember it, it will keep you from being stupid again."

She looked up aghast at her father's cruelty.

Only it wasn't her father's face she saw, it was Lochlan.

He was alive and he was holding her.

"Wha...?" It was a ridiculous response, but her mind couldn't grasp the fact that it was his arms holding her and not Raziel's. And he looked every bit as baffled as she felt. "I don't understand."

Her father narrowed his gaze on her. "You are a princess related to three monarchies, Catarina.

Did you really think we would allow you to run away with someone who saw you as nothing more than a t.i.tle?"

He looked at Lochlan. "Lord Stryder told us you loved her more than your life. But we didn't believe him. We needed to see proof of this love. Now we know exactly how far you are willing to go to ensure not just her life, but her happiness." For the first time, his features softened. "There is no better gift a father could have for his child."

Still Cat wasn't ready to forgive him quite so easily. "You insensitive beast!" she snarled as tears washed down her face. "This was so cruel."

He nodded. "In time I trust you will learn to forgive me. In the meantime, I have a priest outside who is willing to make an honest woman of you."

"What?"

Philip shrugged. "He was to either marry the two of you or perform Last Rites if Lochlan didn't agree to die for you."

Cat looked over her shoulder to see Lochlan's own baffled expression.

Before either of them could respond, the executioner threw off his cloak to reveal Stryder, who was smiling at them. "I suppose you should hate me, too. But trust me, I knew if the king saw for himself what was so obvious to the rest of us, he would never be able to condemn you to marry another."

Philip cleared his throat. "So are we going to have a wedding, or are we all going to stand around looking irritable?"

For the first time since Lochlan had shaken her awake, Cat allowed herself to smile. "Oh we're going to have a wedding, Father, and then you and I are going to have a long talk about mutual respect and about how you will never again do such a thing to me."

"Aye, but look to the bright side, child. When a man is knighted, he's given a stiff blow so that he'll always remember the moment. This was your blow to let you know exactly how much your husband means to you and how much he loves you. Everyone should be so blessed."

And in that moment, she realized he was right. Shaking her head, she left Lochlan's arms to stand before her father. "I may not always agree with your methods, but I do love you, Father.

And I'm glad you came to your senses."

He laughed for an instant, then sobered. "Where's that priest? We want our daughter well settled."

Cat turned toward Lochlan and Stryder. "Trust me, Father. I couldn't be in better hands."