Hiding Katherine by GG Shalton (most difficult books to read txt) 📕

The ride was long, but Katherine grew stronger with each day that passed. Her thoughts of Daniel made her brave. She would beg Ian for his life and hopefully, there was something small left of the man she once knew.

After the fifth day, the riding party went slower as they approached the rebel strongholds. She could see their castle in the background surrounded by fog and heavy air. Dorian camped outside of the enemy lines formulating a plan to get her inside without harm. All his plans involved putting his men in danger and Katherine would not hear of it. She told Dorian, she would walk right up to their camp and ask to see Ian.

Dorian laughed at her simplicity but had no better ideas. He refused to allow Katherine to go alone, but she snuck off shortly after everyone went to sleep avoiding the guard he had as the lookout. It didn’t take her long going through the trails in the forest to come across two guards outside of the gates of the castle.

“My lord, I wish to speak to your commander.” Katherine kept her cloak over her hair trying to avoid too much attention.

The men laughed at her. “A wench to satisfy the troops? Where are your friends? We are many men.”

Katherine wanted to wretch at the sight of his rotten teeth. “I am here to see Ian Travis.”

They laughed even harder. “Is that so? No one sees Cold-Heart. But we will satisfy your needs.”

Katherine straightened her shoulders and spoke confidently, “I am a relative of his. He will want to see me. Tell him it’s Katherine.”

They studied her for a moment and one of the guards sneered. “Look wench, even if he were here, he would not see you. He holds court once a month, but that’s weeks away. Even then, he usually has one of his commanders reside over it. Now come inside and let us warm you.”

She raised her brow at the ridiculousness of his statement. “He holds court? For his own atrocities no doubt.”

They scowled at her statement but was interrupted by a bigger guard who appeared. “Bring the wench to the men and keep on your guard. Enough talking.”

Katherine yelled, “I demand to see Ian Travis! He will punish you if he finds out you have treated me like this. I promise you he is a relative and will want to see me. Tell him Katherine waits to see him.”

All three of them looked at each other questioning her claims. The bigger one rubbed his jaw. “I will make some inquiries. You hold her at the gatehouse. If she is lying, we will give her to the men to do as they please.”

Her heart beat rapidly in her chest, and she prayed that Ian would see her.

They walked her to the gatehouse and gave her a seat by the door. Two of the guards left while one waited with her. She took deep breaths trying to keep her nerves intact. Her thoughts took her to Daniel who she could feel was nearby. Trying to think clearly, she realized there was no backup plan. If Ian refused to see her, she wasn’t sure if Dorian could save her from being given to the men. The time crept by so slowly. She shifted in her seat watching the door.

Finally, after what seemed for hours, three guards appeared at the door. “Miss?”

Katherine lifted her chin up to meet his eyes.

“It must be your lucky day. He has agreed to see you. Although, you must be searched before entering. We have a female guard that will do that. He also said you have only two minutes of his time.”

Katherine stood and followed the men through a maze of walls and guards. Finally reaching a large room, she noticed a dais with a table and five chairs around it. A female guard stood on the floor near a single chair. She searched Katherine and removed her covering. The guards twitched at the sight of her but remained at their place. The female guard spoke. “She has no weapons.”

They nodded to another guard near the door and he opened it speaking to someone on the other side. Katherine’s heart fell into her stomach when she saw Ian enter the room walking up the dais. His boots hit the ground causing the room to echo with each step he took. His hair was long and pulled back away from his face with a band. His beard was trimmed close to his face. Scraping the chair across the floor, he sat down and looked around the room before resting his eyes on Katherine. His eyes were hardened, and his face no longer showed youthfulness but displayed a weathered look from years of battle.

The men bowed, and no one spoke for a long minute before she heard the rumble of his voice, “Leave us.”

The men looked at each other and backed away. She could hear them closing the door, but she kept her eyes on Ian up on the dais.

“I haven’t much time. What is it that you want?”

“I have come to beg you for my son’s life.” She looked down at the ground fidgeting with her hands.

“If your son is a prisoner, then death is a part of life. He will meet the same fate as your husband. Until the king agrees to our demands, I will spare no one.”

“Please, Ian. He is only sixteen and is my only son.”

“Many sons have died for Scotland. Why should yours be different? I owe you nothing but will give you safe passage back outside of the gates. I believe you have other children. Let them be a comfort to you. You are dismissed.”

A sob came out of Katherine as she fell to her knees. “Ian, you can’t kill him. He is your son too.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You lie!”

Tears fell from her eyes as she exclaimed, “Nay! I do not. They told me you were dead, and I was with child. No one