“Give us the vows,” Laird Grant ordered.
As he repeated the vows given to him by the priest, Kai looked away.
Through the nearest stained-glass windows, he saw a figure move. Was that a child peering in through the glass to watch the laird’s ceremony?
Nay. Nay child is tall enough tae look through that glass.
Yet Kai didn’t know who else would be foolish enough to come to this church when there were clearly guards outside warning all to keep clear.
“Me lady, it is yer turn,” the priest said delicately. “Repeat after me.”
“Of course, she takes me,” Laird Grant cut in.
“We have tae hear her say it.”
“I dinnae–”
“She does take me. She takes me in sickness and in health, all of it. She takes me, now move on.”
“That is nae what she said.”
“Give me the rings!” Laird Grant snapped to one of the guards nearby, grabbing it from his hand and turning back to face Ava.
There was movement once again beyond the stained-glass window. The sunlight flickered off something metal, shining like a bright star. Was that a sword?
It cannae be…
Then Kai heard it. Someone dropped to the ground. There was an almighty slap of skin, someone being thumped before the heavy thud of the body falling.
Peters clearly heard it too, for he flinched at Kai’s side. He clearly didn’t want to risk interrupting his laird though at such an important time, so he just silently turned to face the closed church door.
“I now pronounce ye… husband and wife,” the priest said miserably.
“Nay,” the word broke free of Kai as Ava sniffed loudly, not bothering to hold back her tears.
Kai looked toward the pair of them, no longer interested in what was happening outside that church door as Laird Grant took hold of Ava’s face and tried to force her to kiss him. She bent down, pushing her hands in his chest and trying to force him off her.
“Ye’re mine now,” he hissed.
Then the doors burst open. Kai’s head whipped around as Peters turned with the blade, unsure now where to point that weapon.
“I thought I told ye nae tae force a kiss from me daughter, demon.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Ava pushed hard into Laird Grant’s chest. In the shock of her father’s entry, he released her, allowing her to back up fast. She kept on walking backward, not knowing where she was going when she felt a pair of hands catch her.
“Shh,” the sound was ordered in her ear.
She looked up to see it was Laird Domhnall. He had crept in through the vestry entrance and he was not alone. Behind him, there were five other MacLeod soldiers.
Peters stood in the way of Finley, intending to defend his master.
“Out of the way, boy,” Finley declared. “I have come tae kill him. Ye apologize fer what ye have done, and ye will get away from this church with yer life.”
Yet Peters had made his decision. He stepped forward.
“Now!” Finley ordered.
