Page 81 of Highland Sky

Chapter Twenty-Three

Nash walked with his brother and friends out to the stable to see them off. He had made his choice, but still didn’t feel good about it. He’d chosen to stay with his wife, even if his heart was breaking that he would no longer be living with the MacKeefes. He especially regretted leaving his brother, since he was the only true family Nash had.

“Are ye sure ye willna change yer mind, Nash?” North asked for the tenth time since they left the cottage.

Nash thought he heard someone shouting, and looked around, but didn’t see anything amiss. “Shhhh,” he told his brother. “I thought I heard somethin’.”

“That’s probably Gavin,” said Cam. “He ate a lot of beans last night.” Cam started chuckling.

“Nay, I hear it, too,” said Gavin, looking up and pointing at the hill. “Isna that Kellina?”

“What is she yellin’ about?” asked North.

“Kellina,” whispered Nash, taking off at a run toward her. He could tell something was wrong, but he didn’t know what.

“Nash, Nash,” she cried, running toward him.

“Lass, what is the matter?” He grabbed her in his arms, seeing how upset she was. She was out of breath and could barely breathe. “Did somethin’ happen? Is someone hurt?”

“Sutherlands,” was all she managed to get out, but that was all he needed to hear.

“Draw yer weapons,” Nash called out at the top of his lungs. “We’re about to be attacked.”

“What?” Gavin pulled his sword from the sheath, holding it with two hands as he turned in a full circle.

“I’ve got ye covered,” said Cam, doing the same.

“Someone get Tomas and the others,” North shouted out, running for the stable. “We’ll be able to fight them better on horseback.”

Nash drew his sword and was about to run to the stable, but turned back to Kellina. “Get yerself to safety,” he told her. “Watch over Caitlin and Jamie and that little kitten.” He grabbed her and kissed her hard, just in case this was the last chance he ever had to do it.

“I will tellTomas,” Kellina told Nash, turning and running to the chieftain’s hut. She saw Caitlin and Jamie on the way.

“What’s happenin’?” asked Caitlin.

“Why are ye shoutin’?” asked Jamie.

“Get yerselves to safety,” said Kellina. “The Sutherlands are about to attack. Go fast, and tell the rest of the clan. Hurry.”

“What about ye?” asked Caitlin, as her brother tried to drag her away. “Kellina, come with us to hide in safety.”

“Nay,” she said. “This time, I will kill any Sutherland who even tries to hurt a member of my clan.”

“Did someone say Sutherlands?” Tomas rushed from the cottage before she could even get him.

“They’re approachin’ and there are twice as many as before. I saw them from the top of the hill,” she reported.

“Get the women and children to safety,” Tomas called out to one of his men. “The rest of ye, with me.” He drew his blade. “Kellina, it would be wise if ye took cover.”

“I willna!” she spat. “I am goin’ back to my hut for my sword, and then I will fight with the others to bring down each and every Sutherland, until they are all dead. They will pay for takin’ the lives of so many from our clan.”

Kellina turned and ran, her hatred and anger for the Sutherlands so strong right now that she could think of nothing else.

*

Sure enough, justas Kellina had told them, the Sutherlands arrived in droves. Nash and his brother and friends fought them on horseback, while Tomas and the rest of the men of the MacKenzie Clan fought them on the ground.

“God’s eyes, they just dinna stop,” said Nash, stabbing a crazed Sutherland who fell from his horse.