The excitement of the chase had gotten his heart pumping faster than it had in many years. He knew Wallace was having second thoughts about the deal.
That could be the only reason why he wasn’t bringing Natalie and the key straight back to the castle. He wasn’t sure where they were planning to hide but they should have known better. As if anyone could hide from him. The very idea was ridiculous.
The first time he set eyes on them both in thevalley, he had to resist laughing. They had genuinely thought they could escape him.
“I must thank you,” he said, calling across to Wallace. “She will take your place in the chains as we agreed. You brought her all the way back to me and I am grateful. Now, girl. Give me the key.”
The men all watched him as he looked at her. She was pretty enough. Maybe he’d take her as his bride, have a child of his own. Imagine that. Three generations.
The entire known world would tremble at his feet. He could hardly wait.
She looked afraid. He liked that. “Where is the key? Give it to me.”
“I do not have it,” she replied before screaming, “Run Wallace!”
He hadn’t expected her to do anything but cower before him. Then she went and called out? The audacity! He would make her pay for that.
“The key,” he said, his eyes narrowing. “Hand it over and you shall see I’m not a bad person. I only want what is best for all of us.”
“I told you, I don’t have the key.”
“I know you’re lying to me. It brought you back from your time. It carried you to the island. You must have it.”
“I don’t have it.”
“Last chance.”
“I told you, I haven’t got it.”
“Search her.”
He stood back while his men ran their hands over her. He tapped his foot, waiting for the answer he knew was coming. She squirmed in place, trying to get away from the prying hands of his men. He enjoyed the sight.
“She hasn’t got it,” one of them said at last, turning to him and shrugging.
“Hasn’t got it?” he repeated, grabbing the nearest sword and thrusting it through the man’s gut. “You would bring me such news?”
The man slumped to the ground, holding his stomach, groaning as he took his last breaths. He looked at Natalie closely, watching the fear grow in her eyes as she kept glancing at the corpse by her feet.
“Wallace has it,” he said, turning to his men. “Don’t just stand there. Find him!”
They scattered across the valley. Where was he going with the key? He must know he couldn’t get away.
The men roamed far and wide, working their way up the surrounding mountainside as he stoodand waited in the valley.
He paced up and down, waiting for news. “He must be somewhere,” he shouted at one of his personal guards. “He can’t have vanished into thin air. He has the key. He was right here. He can’t have gotten far. Find him or I will have your skull for a tankard.”
He turned back to question Natalie further. She wasn’t there. “Where is she?” he shouted, looking left and right. “Where is she?” The sound echoed off the mountainside. He roared with anger. “Find them!”
They had caught the two of them at last. It had all been in his grasp. And then what? They had slipped through his fingers. He cursed the name MacGregor, spitting on the ground and vowing that, when they were finally caught, he would make Wallace watch while he cut Natalie to shreds .
Something caught his eye high in the sky and he looked up in time to see a pigeon swooping down toward him, a note attached to its leg.
It landed on his outstretched hand, waited while he untied the note, and then flew off again.
Unrolling the slip of parchment, he read the contents quickly.
Return to MacCallister Castle. I slaughtered a pig. He meant for you to go hunting to get you out while W and N return to the door.
