“We always are, Me Laird. Flynn is crafty, but ye’re far more deadly.”
CHAPTER 17
The sky was just beginningto brighten with the first hints of dawn as Aiden and Malcolm slipped through the castle’s side door, their footsteps whispering across the stone floor.
The castle residents were still slumbering, and the distant chirping of early morning birds gently interrupted the quiet. Aiden felt the weight of the morning, his wedding day, pressing down on him, and yet here he was, preparing to confront a man he had hoped he would never cross paths with again.
As they walked, the cool air of the early morning wrapped around them. Aiden’s mind was racing with a mix of emotions—the joy he had felt with Katie only hours ago, the dread of the confrontation ahead, and the grim determination to protect what was his. The plan they had devised was simple, but the stakes were high, and Aiden couldn’t shake the unease that clung to him.
“Ye ken we dinnae have to do this alone,” Malcolm murmured, his voice low and cautious as they reached the bottom of the stairs. “We could have brought a few more men, just in case.”
Aiden shook his head, his jaw clenched. “Nay, Malcolm. Flynn’s nay fool. He’ll ken if we’ve got more men hidden nearby, and he’ll bolt. I want this done with, clean and quick. We take care of Flynn and that’s the end of it.”
Malcolm glanced at him, worry etched on his features. “And if he’s brought others? We have nay idea what he’s planned.”
Aiden sighed, running a hand through his hair as they slipped through the kitchen and out into the chilly morning air. “He’ll nae bring more than he can control. Flynn’s always been about himself, thinkin’ he’s smarter than everyone else. He’ll think he can handle us on his own.”
The two men walked in silence for a few moments, the crunch of gravel under their boots the only sound. The loch was just ahead, the waters dark and still under the early morning sky. Aiden could see the faint outlines of the hills in the distance, their shapes slowly becoming more defined as the sun rose.
“Aiden,” Malcolm began, hesitating slightly before he continued. “I need ye to ken somethin’. Flynn’s… all of this, ‘tis on me. If I’d handled things differently back then, maybe…”
Aiden stopped walking and turned to face Malcolm, his expression hard. “Malcolm, stop. This isnae yer fault. Flynn made his choices, the same as we all did. Ye did what was right,what was needed, and that’s why I chose ye to stand by me. I trust ye with me life, with Katie’s life. Flynn… he’ll have to accept that he’s lost.”
Malcolm looked away, his guilt still evident in his eyes despite Aiden’s reassuring words. “’Tis nae just about ye, though, Aiden. ‘Tis also about yer Katie. She’s part of this now, and I cannae shake the feelin’ that I’ve brought danger to her.”
Aiden’s chest tightened at the thought of Katie being in harm’s way, but he forced himself to stay calm. “We’ll keep her safe, Malcolm. Flynn’s nae gettin’ anywhere near her or anyone else in this clan. This ends today.”
Malcolm nodded, although the tension between them remained. “Aye, I’ll nae let anythin’ happen to her. But I’ll nae forgive meself if it does.”
They resumed walking as the loch came into full view. The water was like a dark mirror, reflecting the slowly brightening sky. Aiden’s thoughts drifted to Katie, to the way she had looked at him last night, her eyes full of questions and hope.
He wanted to believe that they could have a meaningful future as a couple, that their marriage could be more than just an arrangement, but Flynn’s unexpected return had cast a shadow over everything.
“This weddin’,” Malcolm said quietly as they reached the edge of the loch. “Do ye really want it, Aiden? Or is it just somethin’ ye feel ye have to do?”
Aiden didn’t answer immediately, his gaze fixed on the water. He hadn’t allowed himself to think too deeply about his feelings for Katie or about what their marriage would bring.
It had started as a necessity to protect her and himself from their conundrums, but after holding her in his arms last night, he’d felt something more than just a sense of duty. He was no longer convinced that he wanted her solely for the purpose of fulfilling an obligation to his clan.
“I want it,” Aiden said finally, his voice firm. “But I want it to be right, Malcolm. I dinnae want her to live in fear, wonderin’ if Flynn’s prowlin’ in the shadows. Today… today must be the end of that.”
Malcolm nodded, a grim smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Then we’ll make sure ‘tis the result ye desire. We’ll deal with Flynn, and ye’ll marry that lass with nay ghosts between ye.”
Aiden appreciated Malcolm’s support, though the task ahead still weighed heavily on him. They stood in silence for a few moments longer, the chilly air nipping their faces.
The loch stretched out before them, its surface rippling slightly with the breeze. It was a peaceful place that should have been a refuge but was now tainted by the presence of a man who had no right to be there.
“Flynn,” Aiden muttered under his breath, the name leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. “He always had a knack for ruinin’ good things.”
Malcolm chuckled softly, though there was no humor in the sound. “Aye, he did. But this time, we’re ready for him.”
Aiden’s hand tightened around the hilt of his sword, his body already itching to fight. He had fought men like Flynn before—men who were driven by greed, jealousy, and the belief that they were untouchable. But Flynn knew him and knew how he thought, and that made him an extremely dangerous adversary.
“If he shows up,” Malcolm said, his voice breaking through Aiden’s thoughts, “we give him nay quarter. We end him, and we end himquickly.”
Aiden nodded, his jaw clenched. “Agreed. Flynn’s had too many chances. He willnae get another.”
They fell silent again, the weight of what they were about to do hanging between them. The loch was a vast expanse of darkness that mirrored Aiden’s heart. He knew what he had to do, but that didn’t make it any easier to carry out.
