“The MacColls and the MacCrimmons will string ye up themselves when they learn what ye have done. Fergus, it was him. He was the one who stole Skye away.”
Fergus sucked in a breath. “That cannae be true.”
“It’s nae true!” Mason yelped. “I want to speak to Lady Skye.”
“She remembers, ye fool!” Evander snarled. “She remembers yer voice. Aye, ye idiot, ye spoke to her, and I imagine that ye spoke to her again afterwards. She kens yervoice. She kens it was ye.”
Mason made a choked sound at that.
Fergus sucked in a breath. “I gave ye advice on how to woo Leah,” he hissed, taking a step forward and jabbing a finger at him. “What have ye done?”
“Why did ye do it? Who commanded ye to take her?” Evander pressed.
Questions were queuing up in his mind, and he was determined to ask them. Red-hot fury singed his insides, but enough logic remained to remind him to ask questions first. Beheaded men couldn’t offer insight on anything.
I need to ken if he worked alone.
“I want to speak to her,” Mason repeated, fear flashing in his eyes once more. “This is all a big misunderstanding.”
“Ye bloody liar,” Evander snarled. “From whom did ye take yer orders? Or did ye work alone? Did ye take her because ye wanted her for yerself? Come on, lad, answer me!”
“I’m saying nothing,” Mason growled, pushing himself up on his elbows. “I daenae trust ye. Ye are mad. There’s no plot; I am innocent.”
“Sheremembersye. Ye took her from her room! It was ye!”
“She’s lying.”
The last of Evander’s restraint snapped. He threw away his sword in one clean motion.
“Then I will kill ye with me bare hands,” he bellowed.
Fergus cried out, but Evander barely heard him. Mason made a feeble attempt to scramble away, but Evander seized him, hauling him back. The two men grappled, but Evander had the advantage of size, strength, and rage.
Fergus shouted in the background, but Evander barely heard him. He wrapped his hands around Mason’s throat and squeezed. The man’s eyes bulged in panic. He clawed at Evander’s forearms, his nails digging in. Evander barely noticed.
“There was a nasty scratch on yer arm in the days after Skye’s disappearance,” Evander hissed. “I noticed it. Did ye, Fergus?”
“I did,” Fergus replied reluctantly. “But, me Laird…”
Evander ignored him. “Blackberry did that. She attacked ye after ye drugged her mistress, to try and stop ye from carrying her off. Ye always had a soft spot for that cat, did ye nae? Because Skye loved her so much. It’s just as well, because if yehadkilled that cat, ye would be dead already. Although it may only be a matter of minutes.”
He slackened his grip on Mason’s throat, just enough to let him draw in a mouthful of air.
“Tell me who sent ye,” he hissed.
“N-Nobody. Ye have misunderstood!”
“Explain to me how I have misunderstood.”
Mason’s eyes bulged again, his mouth opening and closing as he scrambled for an excuse. Clearly, none were coming to mind.
Evander closed his jaw with aclick.
So be it, then.
“This is the end for ye, Mason,” he growled. “Ye should have told me when ye had the chance.”
“Evander, wait.Stop!” Skye’s voice echoed across the quiet field, shocking him out of his fury.
