Page 47 of Confessions of a Highland Assassin

She got up and dusted herself off after carefully tucking the parcel into her dress. Ava clutched her waist as she walked the short distance from the clearing to the moor beyond the woods. The wind was picking up and blowing her hair in her face.

The castle loomed on the horizon with its mighty buttresses and high walls. Somewhere in the confines of that mighty building was the man whom she had to kill. The man she loved. At this very moment, he was going about his day, blissfully unaware of the fate that would soon befall him.

She felt the tears streaming down her cheeks as she used the back corner of the shawl to wipe her face. “Boyd... I am so sorry...” Ava whispered to the air as she stepped out of the woods and headed back to the castle. She wished with all her heart that things could be different. In another life with different circumstances, she would have fallen in love with Boyd Cameron, and all would be well.

They’d go ahead with the wedding and live in bliss for a while before having children. Instead, she would continue to lie to him for another two days before taking his life in the middle of the village.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Ava paced back and forth in her room as she waited for Skye to return. The day had dragged on and her mind was mentally exhausted from searching for another way out of the situation she currently found herself in. Even if she decided to back out now, Boyd would die, as well as her brother.

She stopped her pacing when the door eventually opened, revealing her friend huffing out of breath.

“I’m sorry I took so long,” Skye said as she entered the room without looking up. “There was quite a mess in the cabin. We left one of the windows open and a wee critter or two found their way in. I cleaned most of the mess. But there was just too much. I went intae the village in the hopes that Sophie would be there. Luckily, she was, and she promised tae go and see tae the rest when she gets a chance. The storm blew in quite a few things as well.”

Ava waited patiently for Skye to finish talking as she shook out her cloak and hung it on one of the hooks next to the dresser.

“What in God’s name happened tae ye again?” Skye asked when she turned around to see the disheveled state Ava was in. Her eyes fell on the dirt on Ava’s dress and the messy disarray of her hair. “I feel like I should never leave ye alone. Every time I turn me back, something happens tae ye,” she exclaimed with a tired sigh.

“Skye…” Ava said heavily and began to cry again. “Something terrible happened after ye left.”

Skye came forward and placed her hands on either side of her friend’s dirty face. “Calm yersel’ Ava. Stop crying and ye can tell me what happened. Take a deep breath, whatever it was, it’s over now.”

“That’s just the thing,” Ava said when she’d taken a breath. “It’s nae over. The worst part is still tae come.”

Skye took her hand and led her to the edge of the bed, motioning for her to sit. “Is this about Boyd? I was afraid o’ this when ye confessed yer feelings for him.”

Ava sat beside her friend and took another breath. “Aye, but it’s worse now. After ye left tae go and check on things at the cabin, I was attacked by men who dragged me intae the woods. They placed a bag over me head so I could nae scream nor see.”

Skye swore under her breath. “Nae again, damn all these men in Scotland. Did they hurt ye?” she asked with concern in her eyes, checking Ava’s dress, presumably to see if she’d been taken against her will.

“Only the bruises on my arms and legs where they held me fast,” Ava explained as she saw the way her friend was looking at her. “They didnae tak’ me against my will.”

“Thank heavens,” Skye breathed a sigh of relief. “What did they want with ye then?”

“The man who hired me tae kill Boyd was waiting in the forest with a group of other men.”

Skye drew her hands to her face and covered her mouth. “Heavens, what did he say?” she sounded panicked.

“There’s something funny about that man,” Ava said as she shook her head. “He has a grudge against Boyd and seems tae ken all the goings on of the castle. I dinnae think I’ve seen or heard him anywhere ‘afore. But there’s something familiar about him nonetheless.”

“Aye, but what did he want?” Skye hurried her along. “It’s nae passed the time he set, why would he want tae see ye now?”

“He wanted tae tell me that he knew Boyd had chosen me as his bride because the other families had been sent away.”

“How would he ken that?” she asked and furrowed her brows.

“That’s what I dinnae quite understand. He also said that he cannae wait any longer, that Boyd will have tae die ‘afore the wedding, preferably in two days’ time, but the sooner the better. He wants me tae drug the laird and drag him tae the center of the village where he will kill Boyd himsel’.”

Skye sat listening in shock, her mouth slightly agape.

“He also said that if I dinnae go ahead with the plan, bad things will happen,” she continued to explain.

“What bad things? Did he threaten yer life?”

“Nae mine,” Ava reached into her dress and pulled the package out for Skye to see. She opened it up and held it out in the palm of her hand.

Skye’s face turned the whitest shade of pale as she looked at the locks of hair in Ava’s hand. “That cannae be…” she breathed as her eyes shot back to Ava’s face.