Page 55 of A Rogue and a Noble Lass

He might have meant the words to make Logan feel dispirited, but the opposite happened.

Logan was reminded why he fought.

He thought of Abigail’s embraces, her kind, comforting words, and the stories she read to him.

He thought about all of her goodness and how he had found a reflection of it in Beitris. This radiance spread through his soul and dispelled the gloom of Warnock’s words.

“Ye are the one who failed her, and I think deep down ye ken it. Ye hae punished the Highlands because ye need tae lash out. Ye cannae comprehend it yerself, but ye are the only one who should suffer and now I shall punish ye. It’s over, Da. Finally, Abigail shall be avenged,” he said. His voice was calmer now, and while his heartbeat still thrummed in his ears, it was steady and confident.

Warnock’s face twisted. He looked as though he was about to attack Logan with his sword again, but at the last second he threw himself at Logan. Warnock was a mass of billowing cloak and Logan was taken by surprise as the weight was thrown to him. As he staggered back, Warnock bent down and picked up a handful of dust and debris, throwing them into Logan’s eyes. Logan clamped his eyelids shut and quickly clawed at them, trying to free himself of the grit. When he opened them, he saw Warnock rushing towards the door.

“Stay and fight like a man! Ye are a coward!” Logan yelled, his words echoing through the hall. He heaved his sword like a javelin and hurled it through the air. It pierced the back of Warnock’s leg and he faltered. His leg gave way and he fell to one knee.

“Nae! Nae! Ye will nae kill me,” Warnock hissed.

Logan strode towards him, lightning flashing in his eyes. He picked up the sword from one of the guards he had killed earlier and used it to bat away Warnock’s wayward strike. He then pulled his own sword out of Warnock’s leg. It made a sickening sound as it was drawn free, and a river of blood followed. Warnock cried out in pain. It was a sound that Logan had never heard before.

Logan crossed both swords around Warnock’s neck, giving him no inch to escape.

“This is where ye meet yer end, Da. I will make sure yer name is scorched from this earth. Ye hae accomplished naething. Ye are a failure,” he rasped.

Warnock looked as though he was about to speak, but then loud cries greeted their ears as the army arrived—not only those who had accompanied Logan to the Keep, but the others who had fought back the army in the scorched forest as well.

Keith, Allan, Elliot, Rohan, Duncan, Angus, Nessa, Ramsay and of course Ryan Knox himself. They came to a stop, each of them suffering from battle in one way or another. Logan exhaled deeply, but for all these people there was only one he cared about.

He turned and looked at Beitris.

Beitris had torn off part of her sleeve and held it against her jaw in an effort to stem the flow of blood. The pain was like nothing she had ever experienced before. When she touched the wound it was sticky and hot, but she assumed it would heal. It was still better than death, though.

As everything fell silent she rose and the only person she saw was Logan. He twisted his head. All this time she had been ready to hate him and berate him upon seeing him again, but then she saw his tattered clothes, bruised face, and the soulful look he gave her.

“Beitris,” he whispered.

The word stirred something in her soul. She limped forward, thinking to herself that she must have appeared to be a wreck, but at least Warnock had been captured.

“Finally, we hae captured the bane of the Highlands,” Ryan said.

“Ye dare talk about a bane? Ye are—” Warnock began.

“Silence!” Ryan bellowed, clenching his fist. “It is time for ye tae pay for all the lives ye hae ruined, for all the land and villages ye hae burned. Blood hae been spilled in yer name and too many innocent people hae died. Look around, Warnock. This is yer legacy. Ye hae created an alliance that shall never be broken.”

“Then take me. Toss me in a dungeon and humiliate me,” Warnock said.

“Och nae, that’s too good for ye. I think there’s only one person who can decide what tae dae with ye,” Ryan said, and then looked towards Logan.

Logan furrowed his brow.

“Bring me a bow,” Logan said.

He tossed aside one of his swords, keeping the other held at Warnock’s throat, and took hold of a bow. Then he looked at Beitris.

“This is for ye. If ye want, ye can kill me with the same arrow. I deserve nae less. My life is yers,” he said.

Beitris stared at him in silence. When she curled her hand around the bow she met his eyes and something shifted within her.

“Aye, I hae seen a glimpse of what ye must hae endured, Logan. There is much we must speak of, but for now, let us end this taegether.”

She turned the bow and took his hand, placing it upon the string. Together they pulled the arrow back and then fired the shot that brought an end to the war.