Page 68 of Highland Prince of Darkness

“Well, I would be lying if I said that I was fully recovered.”

May couldn’t help as her smile grew for one of the first times since the passing of her father. She hadn’t been able to genuinely smile since, but that was the first time that she was feeling as though she could.

“I will go and see him later today, I think,” Iain said.

“Be careful,” May’s smile quickly faded.

“I will.”

* * *

Iain stalked through the castle with a heart filled with anger. He was heading for the dungeons for the first time since they had arrived back from the croft. May was recovering slowly, and although the physical scars of the experience were healing, she was going to hold the mental scars for many years to come.

The guards let him down without question as he was now their commander and had their respect. Iain kept a stony gaze as he turned the corner and passed the rows of cells. It reminded him of when he had spent a few days down there all those years ago; May had come to rescue him and he had thought that they would run away together, but how wrong he had been. It was that setting that had set so much of his life in motion and pushed him onto a course that he never could have imagined.

The cells were now filled with Athol’s men, and they glared at him as he passed by through the darkness. The torches on the wall did little to provide any light to the dungeons, and the slithers of light through the slits in stones only brought slight shards into the space.

Iain walked all the way down the corridor until he finally reached the dark cell that he was looking for.

“I was wondering when ye would venture down here to visit.”

The remark was spoken in such a cold tone, and although he couldn’t see where Athol was, Iain knew exactly who it was.

“Well, here I am,” Iain spoke with just as much conviction in his voice. He didn’t know what he wanted to say to the man, but he felt as though it was time to face the man who had once been his closest friend.

“Ye’re the new laird then?” Athol remarked, and even though he still couldn’t see him, Iain could tell that he was smirking.

“Aye, we have started the transition already.”

“Well, ye’re welcome for speeding up that process a little,” Athol chuckled darkly. Iain was filled with nothing but hate when he thought of the man behind the bars in front of him.

“Ye’ll rot in here,” Iain spoke in a much darker voice.

“I wouldnae be so sure of that.”

“Ye’ll never get out from behind bars again, I will see to that. I will write to the king myself and make sure that ye’ll never be free from a dungeon like this. I dinnae ken if it will be this one, or one in the capital, but ye’ll nay ever be free again.”

Athol only looked amused at Iain’s words. It was the first time in his life that he was properly wishing death on someone, and as somebody who had administered the bidding of many people who wanted others dead, he felt that this was somebody he wanted dead.

His fists and jaw were clenched as he tried to control his anger, not wanting it to come out as a shake in his voice. Iain knew that he had nothing to fear from the man anymore though because he was in custody, but he was still nervous about the chance of Athol escaping.

“Ye think that ye have me.”

Athol’s voice echoed around the dungeon, it came out as a chuckle that sounded as though it could have come from any direction.

Iain was suddenly filled with dread as he thought about where the man was. He squinted and peered into the cell, but it was impossible to make out if anyone was actually inside.

“Ye think that I’m scared of threats that ye make when there are metal bars separating us?” Iain managed to add a layer of amusement to his voice to show that he wasn’t bothered. “Dinnae forget how well I ken ye, we spent so long together that I ken all of yer tricks.”

Athol’s voice came from behind him though, through the darkness and caught him off guard.

“But there is nae bars between us.”

Suddenly, someone was lunging at Iain’s back. He twisted and felt his fist connect with the man that he had thought was in the cell in front of him. Iain grunted and bent his knees to try and shrug him off. He wanted to get to his weapon, but Athol was pinning his arms at his side. Iain finally managed to twist enough to get him off and threw him to the side. Athol grunted and stepped back into the shadows, chuckling as he moved.

“Do ye nae regret turning me in? Look at all of the trouble it has caused ye. I want ye to be an example that ye’ll nae get away with betraying me so easily.”

Iain stared into the darkness and held his sword in his hand properly.