Alex’s hand tightened on MacLachor’s throat, a rush of fear and fury filling up inside. “Adaira?”
“No. My daughter, Iliana. Harkirk has your child,” the chief said.
Alex didn’t know whether to be thankful Adaira was still alive or furious that she was now Harkirk’s prisoner. “Where is she?”
Finian’s eyes raised up to the tower, where a lone window overlooked the fortress. “Lady Harkirk has her.” Alex hadn’t known that Harkirk had brought a woman here. It meant that the English intended to settle in Scotland, not as an outpost, but as a permanent location.
The window was shuttered tight and Alex could see no parapets or battlements nearby to reach the tower. The only way was through the keep or by climbing up. He dismissed the latter idea, for it would only make him an easy, visible target.
Alex walked past MacLachor, leaving him there. When he reached the tower, he listened hard, but there came no sound. He knew the other clansmen had surrounded the fortress, but he didn’t dare go inside the tower. Not unless an opportunity presented itself.
Alexspentthenextfew hours patrolling the fortress with the other soldiers, listening and hoping to catch a glimpse of Adaira. It occurred to him that, without seeing her for himself, he didn’t know if she was truly here. The chief might have been lying, trying to lure him into staying. But then, if that were true, he would have alerted Harkirk’s men to Alex’s presence. Instead, he’d held his silence.
Alex stared back at the man and, in Finian’s broken posture, he saw the mirrored grief he’d felt at David’s death. The chief looked as though he had no desire to live, nor did he care any more.,
Although he was going to regret this, Alex crossed the fortress and unsheathed his knife. “You may want to die, but I’ll not grant that wish yet. You’re going to help me get Adaira back.” He sawed at MacLachor’s ropes, but the man didn’t move, his head hanging down.
“You took an innocent child away from her family and it was all for nothing.” Alex gripped the man’s wrist, dragging him up. “Your daughter may be dead, but mine isn’t. Honor Iliana’s memory by righting the wrong you committed.”
Finian’s gaze was empty. “There’s nothing I can do.”
“Find her. And bring her back to me,” Alex ordered.
The chief stared up at the tower, as if trying to form a decision. “There’s one staircase. You’d have a better chance of getting inside than me, with your armor.”
Before Alex could say another word, one of the captains in the distance barked out a command. “Get away from the prisoner and attend your duties!”
With his face averted, Alex obeyed. MacLachor had fallen to his knees, pretending to still be bound. It was too soon to make a move, not until he’d learned more about his surroundings and the layout of the fortress. But the longer he waited, the greater his chance of being caught.
Larenretreatedintotheforest, hardly able to see at all. The moon cast a faint glow, but the clouds veiled it from time to time. She’d ordered Lord Locharr’s men to remain behind until she learned what Alex’s plans were. Using her glass and the silver pieces as payment, she’d hired over three dozen soldiers to help them. She took a single escort with her, Sion MacKinnon, one of Lord Locharr’s most trusted men.
Laren lowered her hood, for her red hair might help Alex’s men recognize her from a distance. They used no torch as they climbed up the hillside.
“How do you know where we’ll find them?” she’d asked Sion.
He nodded toward the top of the hill. “They’ll be using the high ground to scout out Harkirk’s defenses.”
They climbed in silence and, as the incline grew steeper, Laren struggled. Though she was only a few months’ pregnant, the physical walk was starting to hurt. Sion helped her, and when they reached the clearing, an arrow struck the ground at her feet.
Sion pulled her back, reaching for the arrow. “That was a warning.” When he studied it, Laren saw the familiar black feathers.
“Callum?” she called out.
Within seconds, the young man emerged from the trees, his bow gripped in his palm. Laren crossed the space, embracing him. He appeared startled by her appearance and pointed to Sion, a question in his eyes.
“We brought reinforcements,” she told him. “Lord Locharr has several of his men, and I’ve recruited more fighters.” She introduced him to Sion and asked, “Where is Alex?”
Callum pointed to the fortress below and her nerves tightened. “What about the others?”
He spread out his hands, gesturing that they had surrounded the fortress.
“Will you lead the other soldiers to join with Alex?” she whispered. “He’ll need them.”
Callum hesitated, reaching out and pointing to her.
“I’ll be all right,” she whispered. “It’s dark and no one will see me here. I’ll stay out of the way.”
He brought her to sit down and built a low fire behind a small pile of stones. Her heart softened at his kindness. When the flames offered a warmth, she removed her gloves and held out her hands before the heat.
