“Right above you.”
The old crone looked up in time to see Gavin plunging the dagger into a crack in the rocks above the cave entrance, pushing down with all his might. There was a rumble and at once the boulders began to fall straight toward the old crone’s head. She lunged for the key, screaming with rage.
Heather felt bony fingers brushing her palm but then in the blink of an eye they were gone. The entrance of the cave was no longer there, it was buried behind a pile of rubble.
“Where did she go?” she asked, coughing as a plume of dust rose from the ground.
“Under there,” Gavin replied, emerging from the dust cloud, brushing himself down as he came.
“She tried to reach the key.”
“Aye and that was what killed her. If she’d moved the other way, she would have survived.”
“Do you think she’s really dead. You heard the stories about her.”
“She’s dead. Look.”
Heather looked where Gavin was pointing. A foot was sticking out from under one of the boulders. It twitched three times and then fell still.
“Talk about the wicked witch of the west,” Heather said. “Or was it the east?” Gavin frowned at her. “Never mind. Is she really dead do you think?”
Gavin nudged the foot. It didn’t move. “Aye. She’s dead.”
“Then let’s get out of here. This place gives me the creeps.”
Gavin whistled. Lairdkiller appeared at the top of the glen, neighing loudly and tossing his head from side to side.
“Can we ride him in the dark?” Heather asked.
“He kens the way back to his stable. He’ll get the finest oats tonight. He’s earned them.”
As they rode back down the mountainside, the light died. The moon emerged from a cloudless sky, illuminating the way in shades of gray and black. Heather leaned back, Gavin’s arm around her. She nestled into his chest, hardly able to believe it was all over.
“Happy?” he asked as she looked up at him.
“Very,” she replied.
“Then perhaps you might answer my question.”
“I just did, didn’t I?”
“Not that question. The other one.”
“Refresh my memory.”
He smiled down at her. “Will you marry me?”
“Of course I will, you great oaf.”
He kissed her then, the noises of the night fading away around them. Only the moon bore witness to their first kiss as husband and wife to be.
They made it back to the castle in time for breakfast. Already the Frazers and MacGregors were working together, clearing the rubble from ruined buildings, clearing the courtyard of the remains of the siege.
A cheer went up as Gavin and Heather rode in through the open gate. Tanya and Bruce were standing outside the chapel, watching as they dismounted. Lairdkiller was led to the stable as Tanya came over, throwing her arms around Heather. “You’re alive.”
“You thought I might not be?”
“I had my doubts.”
