Page 66 of Highland Spirit

“I’m with ye, Murdock,” said Ethan, lunging forward and taking out one of Diarmad’s guards who had meant to kill him. With the clashing of swords, Alana’s world once again felt as if it were crashing down around her. Murdock and Ethan could not fight off Diarmad and his men by themselves. They were going to be killed in the end.

“Nay! Stop the fightin’,” she cried, but no one listened.

“Alana, take cover,” shouted Ethan. “Protect yerself, lass.”

“Nay. I want to help ye,” she cried out, not even having a weapon.

“There is nothin’ ye can do,” he called out to her as four more guards entered the room and fought with Ethan and Murdock.

“Kill them. Kill them all,” said Diarmad. “I’ll get the treasure.”

He came for the scrolls, but Alana couldn’t let him have them. She picked up the metal box and backed away from him.

“Hand them over, Alana,” snarled Diarmad. “Ye canna win. It’s too late.”

“Save the treasure,” shouted Murdock.

“Enough out of ye,” spat Diarmad, turning and shoving his sword into Murdock’s chest. The man’s eyes opened wide and his sword fell from his hand and clattered to the ground. Alana screamed. Now it was just Ethan to fight off everyone and the room was filling up with Diarmad’s men quickly.

“Alana, I’m sorry,” Ethan shouted. “I never meant for this to happen.”

“I love ye, Ethan,” she cried, knowing this would be their demise.

“I love ye, too. I never stopped lovin’ ye, even when I thought ye left me.”

“Enough of this doitit chatter,” snarled Diarmad, giving Alana a push, sending her to the ground. “I’ll take that now,” he said, bending over to pick up the chest.

Right as he did, a secret door in the wall opened and in ran Alana’s father, and Caleb, Graeme and Albert and even Finn, all armed with weapons. Behind them followed the servants carrying pots, pans, pokers and eating knives, rushing forward into the room to help them fight.

Diarmad saw this and, holding the box under his arm, he pulled Alana to a standing position. He yanked her over to him and held his sword to her throat. Alana was so shocked that she couldn’t move.

“Release her,” spat Gil, moving forward with a dagger in one hand and his chain and shackle in the other. He limped since he was weak and ill.

“Alana!” shouted Ethan from across the room, fighting like a madman, making his way to her.

“Diarmad, ye have been a boil on my neck long enough,” growled Gil. “Ye are responsible for the death of my wife and her brother, and for makin’ my family live in hell all these years. I canna allow ye to live. Ye will die by my hand now, because I will gladly kill ye and have no remorse.”

Diarmad chuckled. “Ye think ye can kill me, auld man, with just a dagger and a chain? Well think again.”

Alana had to do something to help. So she stuck out her foot and tripped Diarmad, at the same time grabbing the treasure and diving to the floor. She looked up to see her father lunging at Diarmad. Diarmad raised his sword and Alana screamed as he stabbed her father. But her father did not give up. He hung on to Diarmad, pulling him to the tower window with him as he stumbled. Then in one motion, he pulled Diarmad with him out the window and they disappeared as they plummeted to the ground.

“Nay! Faither!” Alana screamed, dropping the treasure and running to the window to look out.

“Diarmad’s dead,” Caleb called out, fighting with the rest of them.

“End this, now!” shouted Ethan. “Diarmad’s men, listen to me. Ye are outnumbered. Surrender, and yer lives will be spared.”

“Put down yer weapons,” commanded one of Diarmad’s men. They didn’t do it, and continued fighting. Then Alana spun around when she heard the scream of a woman.

“It’s the ghost!” shouted Finn.

Alana looked up to see a woman in white standing in the entrance of the secret passageway. Her head was covered and her arms waved wildly as she released a bloodcurdling scream once again.

“It’s no’ Alana,” yelled one of Diarmad’s men. “She’s standin’ right there.”

“It really is the ghost,” shouted another and, one by one, their swords hit the floor.

“We surrender,” one of them called out and all the servants cheered.