Page 66 of Edge of Yesterday

The man’s gaze met Cailean’s and he yanked his sword free. Fear rammed through Cailean. Julianna could be injured in a swordfight. The man abruptly cried out. Julianna twisted in his grasp, reared up, and rammed something into the side of his head.

He dropped her. She hit the ground, shoulder first, and Cailean feared she’d banged her head. But in the determined fashion he was quickly becoming accustomed to, she yanked up her skirts and scrambled to her feet. That was all he needed. Cailean sprinted toward the guard. He would reach the man before Lennox and his men did. Combined shouts went up behind him.

Cailean glanced back and cursed. Riders raced through the courtyard gate. He wheeled about and pumped his legs faster. Julianna was running toward her brother, but the riders would be on her before Lennox and his men could grab her. Cailean needed to get to her first. He neared the guard who’d grabbed her and read in his eyes an intention to stop Cailean at any cost.

The man’s weight shift onto his right leg and Cailean anticipated the swing of his sword. Cailean feinted right then dodged left. The guard’s sword sliced through air and he stumbled with the momentum of the swing. Cailean brought the hilt of his sword down on the back of the man’s head. He fell to the ground and Cailean dashed after Julianna.

The thunder of hooves behind him grew louder. His heart pounded while his lungs neared the point of explosion. Julianna glanced back and her eyes fixed on something behind him. Cailean whirled as one rider bore down upon him. He bounded forward three long strides, then swung Triumph in an arc that sliced across the rider’s arm as he shot past.

Two more riders neared and he dove to the ground as one man’s sword sang past his ear and the other jabbed. The men flew past as he rolled to his feet. He cut down the nearest rider as others raced to join the fight. A clash of swords rang out as the castle guards collided with Lennox’s warriors.

Cailean whirled, scanning for Julianna. She was nowhere in sight. He hoped like hell she’d made it to the trees. Half of Hugh’s men turned and galloped toward the keep. The gate started to swing shut before the last rider entered the courtyard. The remaining dozen were left to the mercy of Lennox and his men. Cailean skirted the edge of the fray and plunged into the trees.

“Julianna,” he called.

“Cailean?”

He spun about at the sound of her voice. She stood ten feet away, near the edge of the woods, peering out onto the road.

“For God’s sake, Julianna, get deeper into the trees before anyone sees you.”

She kept her attention on the road and shook her head. “Nae. The fighting is almost over. See.”

Before he could stop her, she hurried out onto the road. Cailean chased after her to find Lennox riding toward her. He halted at the sight of bodies on the road. For an instant, he thought he would be sick.