A weight lifted from Cormac, his breath light in his chest. He’d made the right choice then, even though he’d been so young. And he’d make it again every chance he got. He needn’t feel guilty over robbing his brothers of a father. He should be proud that he found them a better one.
“Enough of this,” Cahill snarled. “Brian, you must make your decision. Will you take your oath or will you take your son’s life?”
Brian hesitated, and for good reason. They’d stalled nearly as long as they could, but Astrid had yet to give the signal that they were ready. If the sails weren’t in place, he and Duncan would hit the rocks when they went over the edge.
“What is your plan?” Cormac called, trying to bait his father and distract him longer. “Whatever happens, you’re surrounded and you’ve threatened the life of the Prince of Mumhain. How do you imagine this will end?”
Cahill narrowed his eyes, but held his tongue.
“Brian,” Cahill hissed, “this is between you and me. Answer me. Your oath or your son. No more of this nonsense.”
“Let us duel,” Conan offered. “You may choose any of us to fight any of your men. We’ll solve it without endangering a boy.”
Cormac allowed himself a small smile when Duncan rolled his eyes, scowling. Hehatedbeing called a child, and apparently his life being threatened didn’t change his reaction to it. His smile lasted only a moment, though, for his worries far outshadowed his amusement.
Astrid still hadn’t given the signal.
And they were just about out of time.
“Something’s going on here,” Cahill grumbled. He took a step backward.
One of Brian’s guards gasped behind them.
Cahill glanced over the cliff’s edge, and Cormac knew it was over. A catlike grin spread across his father’s face as he walked farther from the edge. “I see,” he cooed. “You thought I would push him, did you?”
The blood rushed through Cormac’s ears, a pulsing whoosh that blocked out all thought. He watched as Cahill motioned Teague over.
As Teague pulled his dagger.
And hesitated.
Cormac did the only thing he could—he charged. He reached Duncan a moment before Teague, who grabbed hold of Cormac to try to stop him. But Cormac wasn’t trying to steal Duncan. Instead of battling Teague, Cormac kept running until he nolonger felt the earth beneath his feet, holding Duncan to his chest as they fell from the cliff.
Chapter Thirty-One
They nearly hadit. They’d needed more ropes than they thought, and those had been a devil to attach to the rocks without causing them to fall. With a few well-placed knots and several of their strongest men there to act as leverage, almost eighty feet of good woolen sailcloth would provide a safe landing from the cliff. Two corners were stretched across the cliff. Two more were tethered to longships sailing out to pull the cloth flat. When they were in place, Astrid could give the signal.
She watched from the shore, bow nocked and waiting for the last men to take position. She’d already considered simply shooting Cahill, but unfortunately her shortbow didn’t have the range to make the shot safely. Otherwise, she’d not have hesitated. No one threatened her brother and left with his life.
The longships cut across the choppy sea, the oars bringing the ships to life as they forded wave after crashing wave. They were so close.
A scream tore through the silence. A heartwrenching cry.
Astrid looked up to see three men falling from the cliff—Teague, Duncan, and Cormac. Too early. They were too early.
“Row!” Astrid screamed at the oarsmen. “Row!”
She knew it was no use. She knew they wouldn’t make it, for the sea fought their every stroke.
The men hit the sails in a mess of limbs and glittering weapons. And the sails held.
Astrid let out a breath, rushing down the length of the beach to follow the men’s progress. They hadn’t broken through the sails, but that was the only good news. The ships weren’t in position, and the men rolled down the loose cloths and into the raging sea.
She couldn’t see them. Had they hit any of the rocks hidden beneath the surface? Were the ships able to get them aboard? A thousand worries flooded her as she searched for any signs of the men. Between the sails and the ships and the rocks, Astrid couldn’t see a thing.
She heard another yell and a splash, but it must have been on the far side of the cliff and out of her sight completely.
Commotion broke out on the ships. She saw men running across the deck on the nearest one. The rowers stopped. They must be taking the men aboard. They must be.
