Written in 55 minutes. Did a spell check but not a reread.

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Jason scowled at his wife, seeing the stubborn set of her face. “What do you mean, you can’t go?” he demanded. “You knew I’d come after you!”

“I knew—” Elizabeth closed her eyes. “I knew your honor would demand it—”

“My honor—”

“But why do you think I left with Albany?” she interrupted. “He threatened to burn the keep to the ground, to kill anyone who stopped him—” Her voice faltered. “He said he’d arrest you for treason—so you have to go—”

“You think I’m worried about—”

“We always agreed that our marriage would last only as long as my secret didn’t threaten the clan.” Elizabeth twisted her fingers together as tears slid down her cheeks. “Now it has, and I’m sorry—but if you go now, Cameron will have you—”

“We never—I never—” Jason stared at her, bewildered. “I never told you that—”

“That day by the lake—”

“I said I would not press you for your secret, not that—” He grunted. “We’re wasting time. I’m not leaving you here. So you can come willingly or we’ll argue it about once we’re on the road—”

“Jason—” She twisted away when he tried to grab her arm and he grimaced. He really didn’t want to have to tie her up and drag her out of this castle, but he might just have to—

“Damn it, Elizabeth—”

“No! No! I won’t let him kill you! I won’t let him take everything away from your family—”

“You’re my family!” Jason cut in roughly, taking her by the shoulders. “You and Cameron—why do you think I came for you?”

“B-Because—” She blinked at him. “You’re a good man—” She took a deep breath. “You’re a good man,” Elizabeth repeated. “And I’m glad I was able to see you one more time. To thank you for making me a wife and mother—”

“Was I all alone in that, then? I don’t owe you anything for making me a husband or father?” he bit out. “You’re giving up on our son and marriage that easily?”

“No—” Stunned, her eyes widened. “No! I’m trying to protect you! I love you, Jason! I don’t want you to lose your lands and the clan—”

“What good is any of that if I lose you?” he retorted.

Her lip trembled, and she closed her eyes again, flinching. His anger subsided. She’d been threatened and terrorized into leaving their home, and he’d not been there to stop it. And he couldn’t imagine what she’d been through in the days since Albany had taken her away. Were their bruises he couldn’t see?

“Elizabeth,” he tried again, softening his voice. “Please. I’m sorry. I—I know you’re trying to protect us all. I might do the same in your place.” He paused, and forced himself to admit, “In fact, if I thought I could send you home to Cameron and give up myself, I’d do it.”

“So you understand why you have to go and why I have to stay.”

“No, I just understand why you think that’s true.” Jason reached out, put his finger tip under her chin turn to turn her face towards him. “Can you look at me? Please.”

She opened her eyes. “I know you will take care of Cameron. A-And Tracy will do a wonderful job—”

“Aye, she’ll be a fierce aunt. But the boy needs us both. I need you.” He hesitated. “I love you, too, Elizabeth. Enough to know that as long as I have you and Cameron, we can face anything.”

“You—” Her eyes searched his. “Do you—you’re not—you wouldn’t just say that because I did. That’s—that’s not who you are.”

He leaned down to kiss her gently, and she trembled against him. “Did you think you were the only one who fell in love?” he murmured into her ear.

“I just never believed anyone might—” Elizabeth touched his chest. “I want to go home, Jason. I’m just so scared. I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

“Trust me to see to it—”

“I wondered if you’d be stupid enough to come after her—”

They turned to find Albany in the open door way, and Jason grimaced, tucking Elizabeth behind him. “You may regret demanding that I marry her,” he told the regent evenly, “but we both know that the law says she’s my property now.”

“The law says what I want it to,” the regent said with a lift of a brow. “And if I have my men arrest you for treason?”

“Then I’ll call up the Camerons and Frasiers. Half of the Highlands will be at your gates,” Jason said flatly. “But you must know how many men I have outside the city.” He paused. “That’s what I could get together with an hour’s notice. You think it won’t grow?”

“I think you overestimate how important you are—”

“And you underestimate how much the Highlands hate you,” Jason retorted. “They know that today it might be my wife you come after, but it might be their land or their people tomorrow.” He fisted his hands at his side. “You’re not in Edinburgh, Albany. The people of Stirling aren’t that fond of you. How do you think I got inside?”

Albany’s lips thinned as he pressed them together. He glared at Elizabeth. “You think if I let you walk out of here now that this is over?”

“I think you would be advised to forget you ever knew me,” she said softly. She tilted her head the side. “Aye, it might be for the best. You’ll have your hands full in the next few years. Not that you have many left.”

Albany stared at her, his face paling slightly. “You’re lying.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. Would you like to know for sure—” Elizabeth stepped forward, her hand held out and Albany stumbled back.

“Get out,” the regent said flatly. “But this won’t be the last time we meet.”

“No—” Jason stopped as they passed the man, and his jaw clenched. “It won’t be. But if you step foot on my lands again without permission, I’ll kill you and deal with the consequences.”

—

Elizabeth honestly couldn’t believe that Jason had been able to talk their way out of the castle so easily — but as he hurried her down the stairs and to the entrance, she knew that he still expected trouble.

“Do you think they’ll stop us on our way out of town?”

“They might and try to claim an accident,” Jason said as they came to the courtyard where his horse was still tied—and he saw that Johnny and Francis had caught up to him. They were waiting next to their horses.

“You found her? Good,” Johnny grunted, nodding at her. “Let’s get out of here—did you have to kill anyone?”

“No,” Jason said as he lifted Elizabeth onto the horse, then mounted in front of her. “But we need to get out of here now.”

“Aye, best decision I’ve heard all day,” Francis said.

It was the last word any of them spoke as the trio of horses galloped hard out of Stirling, putting as much distance between the castle and Elizabeth as possible. She clung to her husband, stunned that she was going home—that the regent had let them go—

Until they reached the city gates and she saw the men Jason had mentioned. She blinked. “There must be more than—”

“We managed a hundred of our own,” Jason said, frowning. “And we had fifty more from the Camerons—” He turned to Francis. “When did the rest arrive?”

“They were a day behind us on the trail,” Francis said. “Cameron sent another fifty, and, well the Frasiers sent at least seventy warriors. We might not have taken the castle, but we’d have done some damage.” He and Johnny went over to talk to the other men, to tell them what had happened

“You didn’t know there this many? Were you bluffing?” Elizabeth asked Jason as he lifted her down from his horse and walked her over to one of the extra horses. They’d cover more ground if she were on her own mount.

“I was hoping, but I didn’t expect more than twenty. This—this explains why he let us go.” Jason paused, seeing her confusion. “He only holds the power of the regency through the council. They could take it away. And a Highlander rebellion over his theft of a wife—” Jason shrugged. “He gambled that I’d let you go.”

“He underestimated you again.” Elizabeth leaned up to press her lips against his gently. “And I did as well. I’m sorry. You came all this way and then I argued with you.”

“You were trying to protect us.” Jason tucked her hair behind her ear. “I can’t be angry for that.”

“Cameron’s okay? Did he take to the nurse from the village?” Elizabeth demanded. “I worried—”

Jason hesitated. “Aye, he’s eating. But Tracy says he’s cried for you since you left. I couldn’t stay, so I don’t know.”

“How quickly can we be home?” Elizabeth demanded. Now that she was free, all she wanted was to be with her son.

“We’ll go as quickly as we can,” Jason promised. He helped her to mount, then went to his own horse.

Elizabeth took up the reins, and fell into line next to her husband’s horse, glancing over her shoulder once more that the turrets of Stirling Castle. She’d worry for the little boy king around all those people who only wanted his power, but she wanted to be at home with her son.

She needed to know if f she been wrong. If that dream had been a vision—if there was another child in her future—

Which meant that she still wasn’t out of danger. Maybe the duke of Albany had been just a minor villain, and the worst was yet to come.

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