Page 63 of Highland Prince of Darkness

Blood was running from his nose like a river that had recently burst its banks. Iain could feel the pain exploding all over his body, but it still wasn’t enough to stop him from getting back up.

However, Athol had turned his attention away from Iain and was now walking toward his terrified wife. Iain groaned as he tried to use his legs to get back up, but Athol’s men were looking at him and ready to push him back down again.

Iain glanced to his left and noticed a piece of wood that had rotten in places, but it had a sharp end. An idea suddenly came into his head as he glanced to where Athol was and where his men had dumped his weapons. He slowly moved across the floor until the wood was behind him.

“Stop!” he shouted again in an effort to get Athol to leave May alone.

“Iain!” May was shouting through her tears as she tried to cower further away from Athol,

“It’s all right! Ye’ll be all right!”

Iain gripped the wood in his hand and started to try and cut through the ropes that bound his wrists. May was squirming and wriggling away from Athol as much as she could, but it was proving useless.

It was at that moment that Iain realized what Athol was trying to do. He stopped his actions for a moment as he watched the man whose hands were moving toward his wife’s skirts.

“Get away from her!” Iain roared as his anger overtook him.

May was fighting against him, but with her hands bound, she wouldn’t stand a chance. Iain suddenly started moving his hand faster to cut through the rope, but it was proving harder than he had first thought.

“Get away from me you monster!” May shouted as she managed to wriggle out of her bounds.

However, Athol only laughed in response as he moved to push her skirts out of the way. The thought of him so much as touching her in any way was enough to propel Iain’s hand to keep sawing the rope.

The wood was cutting into Iain’s hand, and he could feel the blood running through his fingers, but he continued, nonetheless.

May had managed to slip through the ropes that had been tying her hands behind her back, and Iain watched as she reached for a nearby rock. There was a dull thud that echoed through the stable as the rock collided with the side of Athol’s head, causing him to stagger and fall back. Just as that happened, Iain felt the rope finally give and snap due to the sharp wood. He breathed out in relief and quickly pulled himself up despite the many places that his body was hurting.

Iain lunged straight at the men who were now springing into action. A loud cry left Iain’s lips as he dodged the men’s cocked guns and cringed as they fired them into the walls behind him.

“Get back here, ye filthy bitch! Ye'll nae get away with that!” Athol shouted as he grabbed May’s ankle as she tried to run. She cried out and was pulled to the ground before she could get away from him.

“Let me go!”

Iain fought off one of the men, slamming his head into the wall, but two more were already entering the stable.