Page 73 of Highland Storm

“Ye are his son. I’m sure ye will follow in his footsteps. Do it. Rid us of these traitors.”

“But wouldna that cause more problems between the clans?”

“We have an alliance,” said the man. “Ye are married to a MacNab.”

“Aye, but it seems Euan has claimed Osla for his wife. Besides, I dinna want her. I would rather be married to Phoebe.”

“Do ye really mean that, Hawke?” came a voice from the door.

Hawke jumped up with his sword drawn, spinning around to find Phoebe standing in the doorway.

“Phoebe! Bid the devil, what are ye doin’ here? Ye are supposed to be back at the MacKeefe camp bein’ guarded by Caleb, Logan, and Ethan. I should have kent I couldna rely on them.”

“Och, that,” she said with a giggle. “Dinna be angry with yer friends. I snuck out when they were busy chasin’ some critter up a tree.”

“Phoebe, it’s no’ safe. Ye shouldna be here,” Hawke warned her.

“This is my home, Hawke. I need to be here because I want to heal my faither.”

“Intruders!” shouted someone from out in the courtyard.

“Now what?” mumbled Hawke, running to look out the window. “God’s eyes, nay,” he said, seeing Osla and Orrick riding in on horses over the drawbridge.

“Who is it?” asked Phoebe, coming up behind him. “Oh, nay,” she said.

“Ye didna by any chance tell Osla where ye were goin’, did ye?” asked Hawke.

“I might have mentioned it,” she answered shyly. “I’m sorry, I didna think she’d even remember how to get here since her memories seem to be gone.”

“That’s probably why she brought Orrick. Now stay here with yer faither because all hell is about to break loose and I dinna want ye around when I’m fightin’.”

“Hawke, nay!” cried Phoebe as he hurried to the door. “Ye canna fight them all by yerself. Ye’ll be slaughtered.”

“Where is my grandda?” Hawke asked Angus.

“I believe they are keepin’ him in the solar next to the great hall,” said the man, closing his eyes partially. “Come here, Daughter, so I can say guidbye.”

“I willna let ye die, Da,” said Phoebe, pulling the herbs out of her travel bag. Hawke wanted to stay there now and help Phoebe cure her father. If the man died, Hawke didn’t want Phoebe there alone. But now he had no choice. He had to find his grandfather and, hopefully, the two of them could fight their way out of there.

He turned around and ran down the corridor, heading for the solar by the great hall. Breaking into the room, he found his grandfather tied up on the bed.

“Grandda,” he said, rushing to the man’s side and slashing the ropes to set him free. “Are ye hurt?”

“I’ve been better,” said Ian, rubbing his wrists. “What took ye so long to get me, Hawke? And where the hell is Storm?”

“The English are invadin’ and Da and some of the others went to fight with the Scots,” he told him. “But right now, we have to fight Euan and his men if we’re goin’ to get out of here alive.”

“Get my sword, Hawke. They put it in the trunk by the window.”

Hawke quickly got Ian’s sword and helped him from the bed. The man was weak and tired and had been mistreated. It was hard for him even to stand.

“On second thought, ye’d better stay here, Grandda. I dinna think ye are in any shape to fight. I’ll be back.” Hawke turned and ran from the room. When he approached the courtyard, he saw Euan holding his sword up to Orrick.

“Let him go,” cried Hawke, making his presence known.

“MacKeefe!” Euan kept his blade at Orrick’s chest and turned enough to talk to Hawke. “Ye must want to die if ye came here by yerself.”

“Who said he’s here by himself?” Ethan appeared from the shadows with his wolfhound at his side. The hound growled and showed its teeth, keeping its head low. Hawke heard Apollo’s screech and looked up to see his bird landing on the merlon of the battlement.