Page 58 of Highlander’s Lesser Evil

Or it was a trick. Theo gritted this teeth. “Look after the prisoner. If he attempts to escape, kill him and anyone who attempts to help him.”

“This is what ye call leadership?” Patrick coughed hoarsely. Theo had found him in his room, still pretending to be innocent. “Ye let someone else order yer commands? Someone who is not yer kin?”

Ignoring him, Theo shouted out his orders and spurned his stallion onward. A dozen men followed him, along with Oliver. By the time they reached the woods, their numbers had tripled with the villagers taking up arms and joining them.

By now, news of Gemma and the other lasses’ disappearance would have reached them, and as Loch Moran had already proven, they would do whatever it took to protect their own.

Today, Theo was grateful. He would have his wife back, safe and sound, at any cost.

Just as they reached the edge, the woods exploded with mercenaries.

Without hesitation, Theo cut them down. He was far too desperate to find his wife to stop now. Oliver stayed by his side, proving himself to be an excellent warrior, and they fought their way through. Glancing back, he spared only a moment to make sure his men could handle the mercenaries and protect the villagers before he plowed through the woods, following the smoke.

The sounds of battle died down, and Theo reached the mercenaries’ encampment. It was empty except for one man pinned to the ground by the end of Graeme’s sword.

Thomas.

“He’s mine!” Theo snarled as he stood over Thomas and stared down at him. For a moment, he could see the regret in his friend’s gaze, but it did nothing to deter him. “Where is my wife?”

“He was a father to me when my own had abandoned me,” Thomas said softly, regret written on every inch of his face. But still, Theo did not back down.

“I doonae care why ye betrayed me. I care about my wife.”

“I had no intention of harming her or the child. Or ye. Patrick promised me that if everything went accordingly, ye wouldnae be hurt. I didnae want the power. It belonged to my laird.”

A chilling numbness spread through him as Theo pressed the tip of the sword to his chest. “Ye tell me where Gemma is right now, and I will kill ye quick and clean. Refuse, and I will drag you to the king’s court where he will execute ye in front of hundreds. Patrick wilnae live to see the evening for what he has done. Ye have failed. Give yerself a chance at redemption, and tell me where my wife is.”

Thomas closed his eyes. “They burned the camp. They ran. I doonae know where they are, but I doubt they got far.”

The impact of what Thomas was telling him hit hard and fast, and he nearly groaned. Alone in the middle of the woods that were crawling with the most ruthless men in the Highlands? Gemma was likely already dead, but he couldn’t think like that.

“As heir to the MacSeaver clan, will ye act as my witness to the treachery of this man and the treachery of my father?” Theo asked.

“Aye,” Graeme said with malice in his eyes.

The execution was swift and quiet. Theo waited for the light to leave the man’s eyes before he turned to the ground, following a blood trail. Graeme and Oliver stood next to him, and their fear rolled off them all in waves.

“We wilnae rest until they are found,” Theo said quietly as he looked up at the setting sun. They would search all night, and he would not give up hope.

If Gemma died, she would take his heart with him, and he would never survive a life without her.

27

“I thought you said you knew these woods?” Gemma sighed as they stopped to rest again.

“We escaped from the mercenaries, didn’t we?” Elizabeth pulled the rag down to study Gemma’s wound and frowned. “It’s still bleeding.”

“I think the mixture Jillian poured on it made it bleed a little more.” The first part of their diversion plan still stung after Jillian had scrounged up a strange paste that would bubble and smell on the wound. She couldn’t tell Elizabeth that the pain was worse than ever, and that she was starting to feel faint.

They had to get home.

“‘Tis not bleeding much, but I would feel better if we could get it cleaned as soon as possible.” Chewing on her bottom lip, Elizabeth looked around uncertainly.

Gemma didn’t berate her any longer. The truth was, they had used Elizabeth’s knowledge to move from hiding spot to hiding spot, and it had been hours with no sign of the enemy. With night fallen, she knew her friend was finding it more difficult to navigate the woods. They were both exhausted and running on fear and adrenaline. Had Jillian made it in time to warn the patrols?

Was she still alive?

“Doonae even think about it. She is beyond clever, and I am certain she is just fine,” Elizabeth said as she squeezed Gemma’s hand. “I think we should go back to one of the caves and make camp for the night.”