“Good. There is only one clan who dares attack our keep and he comes for one thing.”
“MacDonald.” Her voice was ice.
“Aye. Ye need to get to safety, lass.” He took her by the hand and started for the keep.
“I don’t want to leave you.” There was a note of desperation in her words.
While he didn’t want to be parted from her, either, he knew the safest place for her was inside the keep. He granted her a reassuring smile, hoping it would give her a sense of calm.
“I’ll be fine. Ye need to be with yer sisters.”
Jamie tried to hurry, but his limp seemed worse this morning. The pain shot up his leg, making his knee throb. When he reached the great hall door, he shoved it open.
“I leave ye here, lass.”
He started to turn away but she grasped him by the arm.
“Jamie, I—” She sucked in a breath. He saw the rapid beat of her pulse in the long column of her neck. Her mind worked as she tried to find the words she wanted to say.
He brushed the back of his hand over her cheek. “Stay safe.”
Worry creased her lovely features. “But—”
“Dinnae fash yerself, lass. Ye’ll be safe here with yer sisters.”
He brushed her lips with a quick kiss before dashing off, leaving her standing in the doorway. He had to leave her now. His place was at the side of his brothers, fighting with them to protect the women they loved.
Jamie’s first stop was at the armory where he found Malcolm handing out armor and weapons to the men. He stepped around his brother and reached for his favorite claymore.
“Where do ye think yer going?” Malcolm asked before he could slip out of the room.
“To fight.” Jamie met his brother’s gaze in a look of defiance.
He was aware the injury to his leg hadn’t healed well. He was also aware it would make him a liability in battle. But he could not, in good conscience, let his brothers fight without him. He had to make a stand, too. He had a woman to protect as well as the two of them.
Malcolm looked as though he wanted to object. After a moment’s pause, he finally nodded.
“Are the women safe?”
“I sent Brianna into the keep to find them,” Jamie said.
“Good.” When he handed out the last of the armor, he reached for his own claymore. “Let’s go fight this blackhearted bane!”
*
The door tothe great hall banged closed behind Brianna, sealing her inside silence. Moments later, Chloe led Evie as they stepped off thecurved staircase. Relief flooded Evie’s face when she saw her standing there.
“There you are!” she exclaimed.
“We have to go.” With her free hand, Chloe motioned for Brianna to follow her.
“Do you have your piece of the stone?” her other sister asked.
“Yes.”
Everyone was so concerned with her piece of the stone. Perhaps they were right to be since she tended to leave it lying about. But today, she’d remembered to place it in her pocket.
Roslyn hurried into the great hall, her face white. “My lady, the castle—”
