Page 3 of Confessions of a Highland Assassin

“They…” she struggled to speak over her sobs. The lass looked as if she’d been roughed up a little. Tiny bruises covered her arms.

Skye took a deep breath and tried to calm them both. She brushed strands of Sophie’s long blond hair over her shoulder and wiped away her tears with her sleeve. “What happened here?”

Sophie took a deep breath and stared at Ava with her dark brown eyes filled with tears. Her body shook uncontrollably. “Four men came intae the cabin soon after ye left, Ava. I tried tae stop them, but…”

Ava shook her gently by the shoulders when she started to sob again. “Did they take Neil? Where is he?” she asked more gently. “I need tae know what happened.” Ava stayed close to Sophie while Skye boiled water for tea to calm their nerves.

Sophie nodded as even more tears fell into her lap. “They left a note for ye on the table over there,” She raised a frail arm and pointed to the table in the center of the room, which stored all of the herbs used to help Neil.

Ava left the lass immediately, hurriedly making her way across the room to pick up the single sheet of paper that lay amidst the herbs and potions. She quickly glanced at the slanted writing on the page before rushing back over to Sophie. “Please, read it! Ye ken, I cannae, please,” she asked frantically.

The lass took the note with a shaking hand before finding enough strength to read it aloud.

Ava Rose

We have come tae collect what is owed tae us. Ye have failed tae deliver yer late parents’ debt, leaving us with nae choice but tae forcefully remind you of how serious the matter is.

Ye have two weeks to repay the money before we put an end tae yer brother’s life the same way we killed yer family. Should ye repay the money on time, yer brother will be returned tae you.

Should ye fail, the consequences will be regrettable.

Two weeks.

Ava could feel the blood draining from her face as she slumped down in the nearest chair. The letter was not signed but she didn’t need anyone to tell her who had written it.

Skye rushed over once she had seen to Sophie and gripped Ava’s shoulders. Her face was paler than usual. The mischief in her gaze vanished. “Ava, what are we going tae dae?”

“I will have tae get the money before the two weeks are up. There is naething else tae dae,” Ava said as she stood, regaining her composure, trying to think logically again once the shock left her body.

“How will we dae that, Ava? We would have tae dae hundreds o’ jobs tae make that kind o’ money. With those smaller, more ‘honorable’ missions that we take on, we cannae make enough in two weeks’ time.”

“I will have tae go tae The Dark Horseman, Skye, ye ken that,” Ava said quietly as she began to pick up the furniture that had been knocked over.

Skye gasped and stared at her friend with her jaw hanging open. “Ava… ye swore that ye would never go there,” she shook her head lightly in disbelief.

“What else can I dae, Skye? Tell me, and I’ll do it, I swear,” she turned around with tears in her eyes, her voice high with panic and frustration. “Neil has been taken and I dinnae have the money they are asking for. I have tae dae what’s necessary right now. The Dark Horseman is the only place that will bring in that kind o’ money in such a short time.” Her palms felt sweaty from worry. “Or dae ye suddenly have buckets o’ money ye are willing tae give? Last time I checked, ye were just as poor as I am.”

Without sparing a word, Skye rushed over and threw her arms around her best friend’s neck. “I ken lass, I ken…” She buried her face in Ava’s hair. “We will get Neil back in one piece.”

Ava cried softly as she held onto her friend, immediately regretting her harsh outburst. Skye was all she had, except for Neil. She gave Sophie a quick glance, only to see the girl was sitting on the edge of her brother’s bed with her head resting in her hands, her elbows propped up on her thin legs. Her hair hung about her face like a waterfall of gold. The hem of her dress was tattered and torn, presumably from putting up a fight with the men who had taken him.

“I will go with ye,” Skye whispered through tears of her own.

“Nae, ye willnae, The Dark Horseman is nae place for a lass as fine as ye. But I ken that I can count on ye for help when I need it,” she shut her eyes against the burden of what she knew she had to do. “And I ken that I will need all the help that I can get.”

In the space of a moment, the world around Ava got darker. She would do anything to get her brother back alive and well. Even if it meant breaking her own oath, and visiting The Dark Horseman alone, praying to find someone to kill.

CHAPTER TWO

Steel clashed together with deafening metallic clinks as the full moon peeked through the clouds overhanging the quiet castle.

“We cannae keep doing this, Boyd!” Rory called to his friend as he gasped for breath. His dark hair hung over his deep blue eyes, matted in sections from sweat. “It’s the middle o’ the night.” He doubled over, placing his hands on his knees to support himself while catching his breath. Though exhausted, a slight smirk spread across his face.

“Dinnae tell me ye are giving up already,” Boyd wielded his sword again, forcing his best friend to straighten and block his attack with his own sword. Boyd’s long blond hair was tied back in a ponytail to keep it from falling into his light green eyes. He was a formidable highlander with a fierce reputation. Taller than most men, his muscular build and bulging muscle only added to the effect.

Their swords clashed together for the hundredth time that night as they both leaned in with effort, attempting to push the other back.

“It’s nae that I mind sparring with ye Boyd,” Rory grimaced, looking up at his opponent. “I just feel that there are other ways tae tire ye out at night and spend yer energy before bed.”