“That’s far enough,” Keir said, pushing the knife into Heather’s dress. “Unless you want to see her skewered.”
Gavin froze, hand still on his sword, ready to move at the first opportunity. The others had stopped fighting, all of them watching. Gavin noticed Keith nodding at him. He couldn’t work out why at first, then he smiled, giving a slight nod back.
Keir was backing toward the cave entrance, dragging Heather with him. “You ruined this,” he spat. “Why couldn’t you have let them execute you? Was that too much to ask? I was supposed to intercept her when she came back, get the key, become the crone’s favorite. Not Jimmy, me!”
“Calm down,” Gavin said. “Let’s talk about this.”
“You dead. She comes back and I take the key from her. But no, you had to spoil things by escaping and causing all this bloodshed. No one would have died if you’d just let me do things my way.”
“Susanne died, Keir.”
“That was your fault. I wouldn’t have had to do it if you’d not lived. But I get the last laugh now. I take her with me to the old crone and we give her the key together. She might even let me take Heather as my bride. Wouldn’t that be nice? Can’t you see us as a happy couple together?”
Gavin took a furious step toward him. “That’ll never happen.”
“Kill yourself.”
“What?”
“Take your sword and run yourself through.”
“Never.”
“Do it or I kill her.”
Heather squirmed in Keir’s grip. “Don’t do it, Gavin.”
Gavin looked at the sword. “And if I do this, you’ll let her go?”
“You have my word.”
“Don’t do it!” Heather cried out. “Gavin, don’t you listen to him.”
“Do it,” Keir snapped. “Either you die or she does.”
“Heather,” Gavin said, looking her straight in the eye. “I want you to ken that I love you.”
“Don’t do it,” she said again. “Please!”
“I love you with all my heart and before this ends I need you to do one thing for me.” He glanced at the ground in front of him, taking a deep breath, steadying himself.
“Get on with it,” Keir snapped.
“Do me one thing. Promise me you’ll do this for me.”
“What is it?” Heather asked.
“Duck.” As he said it, he dipped into a forward roll, grabbing the arrow Keith threw over to him. By the time he straightened up he had the arrow notched on his bow. He didn’t pause to aim, firing so fast Keir barely had time to work out what was happening.
Heather stamped on Keir’s foot in the same instant, loosening his grip on her enough to drop to the ground. The arrow flew through the air, brushing the top of her head, throwing Keir backward as it struck him in the chest. He looked down at the arrow sticking out of him, unable to believe what had happened.
Gavin ran forward, grabbing Heather as Keir fell to the ground face first. “Are you all right?” he asked, running his hands over her dress. “Did he hurt you?”
“I’m fine,” she replied, throwing her arms around him. “Thank you.”
He kissed her, holding her face in his hands, hardly able to believe it was over. Around him the outlaws were running, chased off by the Frazers. The battle was over.
The men began cheering. From the cave, people emerged looking bewildered then happy. They smiled as they saw Gavin standing with Heather. Behind them Mungo was climbing up the hill, cheering as loudly as the rest. “You did it,” Mungo said, slapping Gavin on the back. “The fight is done.”
