Family did not steal family. But monsters did.
Before his horse had even stopped, William jumped down. He landed hard, his boots leaving a dent in the dirt.
He left his mount behind, sprinting up the hill with the single-minded focus of a man who knew he was running out of time.
Soon, he burst through the chapel doors, and the sound that greeted him made him freeze. It was not just any sound. It was feminine, high-pitched, and familiar.
“I’ll do it!” her voice cried. “Fine! I will marry ye! Just daenae hurt anyone again, please. Ye’ve killed enough people already!”
Sorcha?
His eyebrows knitted together.
Marriage?
His breath grew shallow as he rushed deeper into the chapel, his boots echoing loudly, his heart thumping hard. Candlelight flickered, causing shadows that made the place feel more eerie.
Until he finally saw her.
In the distance, Sorcha stood pale and shaking. Her face was drained of color, her eyes glassy with fear. Somehow, she looked even smaller, broken in a way that made something animalistic rise in his chest.
Right beside her stood Caelan.
At the sight of him, William balled his fists, itching to strike.
Caelan noticed him at the same moment. Instantly, his lips curled into a smile. The kind of smile that didn’t convey surprise. The kind of smile that said,Ah, here ye are.
It only infuriated William further. He did not think before moving.
In a breath, he closed the distance between them and grabbed Sorcha’s hand. She gasped, turning around sharply. When she realized it was him, her face crumpled. She seemed relieved to see him, but then fear overtook her expression.
She looked at him as though he wasn’t supposed to be there.
“Nay,” she whispered, shaking her head violently. “William, daenae…”
But he was already pulling her toward him. He had no time to negotiate. He was too impatient.
This was where he belonged. Here. Between her and danger. Protecting her, even if it cost him his life.
“Let her go!” Caelan roared, reaching for the dagger beneath his coat. “She’s mine! She will never be yers!” He flashed his blade with unmasked cruelty.
William pushed Sorcha backward and stepped in front of her, drawing his sword from its sheath.
“Stay there,” he ordered, without looking back. “Daenae move.”
Soon, steel met steel. The sound rang through the chapel.
The men circled each other, their blades clashing. William drove Caelan back again and again.
Caelan fought like a man possessed. He was wild, fueled by obsession rather than skill. William read him easily, ducking, forcing him to retreat step by step.
Eventually, Caelan’s breathing grew labored, his movement becoming slower and sloppier. He was getting tired, unable to keep up. Panic flashed across his face; he knew he was losing. He broke into a run. Not toward the door, but toward Sorcha.
“Nay!” William shouted, lunging after him.
But Caelan had already grabbed Sorcha with brutal force. She screamed at him, her teeth sinking deep into his arm.
“Let me go!” she cried.
