Arthur shook his head. "Is that how you got in?"
MacRuairi helped secure the rope around his waist and between his legs. Arthur's legs trembled like those of a newborn foal, but he managed to stay upright.
"Nay, but it's good for a distraction." MacRuairi grabbed hold of a second rope and quickly climbed up. Then he hoisted Arthur up with the rope, which wasn't easy as he was virtual dead weight on the other end. But MacRuairi, in addition to being as mean as a snake, was as strong as a bloody ox.
The sense of relief that hit Arthur to be out of that hellhole was nearly overwhelming. He felt like bawling like a babe. MacRuairi unwrapped the plaid he was wearing and handed it to him. Arthur had forgotten he was naked. He accepted it gratefully, securing it around his waist and shoulders as best as he could with his mangled hand.
"The stench of rat shite will eventually wash away."
Arthur was surprised to see the hint of compassion in the other man's gaze. Suddenly, he realized why MacRuairi had looked so close to panic down there. He'd known what it was like. He must have been through something similar. "And the rest?" Arthur asked.
MacRuairi turned sharply away, as if the chip in his icy armor annoyed him. "The rest takes longer."
Or never. Arthur heard the unspoken words.
"How did you find me?"
"The lass told us you'd been taken prisoner. I figured out the rest."
The lass ...
"Anna?" he asked, his voice sharp with disbelief.
"Aye, it was fortunate we caught sight of her." MacRuairi explained how they'd been scouting the area and checking the burial cairn in the woods to make sure he hadn't left any messages when they heard a group of riders nearby. They'd glimpsed Anna and had followed her when she gave her brother and his men the slip.
Arthur was shocked. "She tried to escape?"
"Apparently she wanted to make sure you were all right."
He muttered an oath. Thank God she hadn't been the one to find him. He never wanted her to know what her father had done to him. It was too much reality. Let her hold on to some illusions.
But knowing that she cared enough to come find him meant a lot. More than a lot. He owed her his life. It also gave him hope.
"Ah hell," MacRuairi muttered with disgust. "You've got the same silly-arse look in your eye as MacSorley. We don't have time for this. I'll tell you the rest later." MacRuairi wrapped one arm around Arthur's waist, careful to avoid his injured shoulder, and helped him walk to the door. He knocked twice in quick succession, then once slowly. The door opened.
"Damn, Viper. I was about to go in after you." Magnus "Saint" MacKay took one look at Arthur and winced. "You all right, Ranger?"
Arthur tried to smile but faltered at the sting of pain. "I've been better, but I'm damned glad to see you. How did--"
A loud boom thundered through the night air, cutting off his question.Nightair. Jesus, the attack! "What time is it?"
"A little after midnight," MacKay said.
"I have information for the king--"
"Later," MacRuairi said. "We don't have time. That was our distraction. If we want to get out of here, we'll have to hurry."
With MacKay on one side and MacRuairi on the other, they carried Arthur from the antechamber and into the guard room. A quick glance down told him what had become of the guardsmen. Unfortunately, none of the three bodies was that of his torturer. The henchman had marched with Lorn.
Yet one more reason he hoped to hell they got there in time--and another debt to pay.
They exited the tower housing the guard room into the cover of darkness. The courtyard was deserted, though he could hear a commotion coming from near the gate. Instead of heading in that direction, however, they started up the rampart.
Arthur realized what MacRuairi had planned. On the far side of the rampart opposite the gate and overlooking the loch, they secured three long ropes to the parapet. Normally a guard would be walking the perimeter, but the blast had diverted him to the gate.
Arthur glanced down into the darkness and grimaced.
"We'll have to fix your shoulder first," MacRuairi said. He turned him around, grabbing hold of the top of his arm. He handed Arthur his dagger. "Ready?"
