Page 54 of Confessions of a Highland Assassin

“Please, call me Ava.”

“Only if ye call me Angus, lass. And I apologize for Anne, sometimes she’s a little harsh.”

Ava smiled politely as she used an empty mortar and pestle to quickly work the petals of the flowers into a useable paste. “Nae need tae apologize. If ye can hold him still, I’ll apply the paste and we can place a pressure bandage over the wound, by the looks of his skin, he’s lost tae much blood already.”

Angus steadied the man as Ava quickly lathered the wound with the sweet-smelling paste, causing the blood to slow, but not stop entirely. The man winced with pain as Ava worked on the area.

“Here,” Angus handed her a large bandage when the wound was covered.

Accepting the bandage, Ava quickly wrapped it around the man’s thigh with expert precision before tying a complicated node at the ends that resembled a rose.

Angus tugged at the node a few times and waited to see of anymore blood seeped through the fabric. “I’ll be asking ye in future tae teach me how tae tie that node,” he said, praising Ava for her skills.

“There’s another injured man coming in, they say his wound is very bad,” one of the younger women rushed forward and addressed Angus.

“Right,” Angus nodded to Ava. “I’ll be asking for yer help with this one as well then, if ye have a mind for it?”

“Of course,” Ava quickly stood and wiped her bloodied hands on her dress.

“What is it then, lass? Say something or get a move on,” the healer snapped at the girl when she stood in place, wringing her hands in front of her.

“They say it’s the laird that was injured, and he disnae look good.”

Ava could feel the blood draining from her face as the world suddenly slowed around her. She could see the women rushing around in panic. She felt dizzy as they prepared the room, making space for their laird beside the rest of the injured men. All sounds ceased to exist as Ava saw the double doors at the end of the room burst open, letting a gust of wind swoop into the room.

Four men carrying a stretcher that held the limp body of Boyd Cameron came hurrying into the chambers. One of his arms hung of the side as his body was jostled about. He was covered from head to toe with splatters of blood and his face with caked in mud.

“Ava!” Angus’ voice suddenly broke through the cloud of fog that had formed around her. “Ava! Snap out of it, lass! I need yer help!”

Shaking her head and fighting back the tears of panic, Ava quickly washed her hands in basin of water and rushed to his side. “Where is the wound?”

“On his lower back,” one of the men carrying the stretcher said quickly as they lowered him to the ground as gently as they could.

Angus examined his back as Ava used her hands to stop the bleeding. “It’s nae too serious. But he has lost a lot of blood. The shock and pain probably made him pass out,” she quickly handed Ava the paste of yarrow as he fetched more bandages.

Working as steadily as she could, Ava fought her own trembling hands and lathered the wound with the paste.

“We will need ye men tae lift him so that we can wrap the bandages around his waist,” Angus barked orders at the men.

Doing as he said, two of the men lifted the unconscious Boyd and held him in a sitting position with his arms hanging over their shoulders.

Ava almost burst into tears when his head flopped to the side, but she bit her lip and focused on the task at hand. Angus held pressure on the wound as Ava wrapped the bandages around his waist and tied her complex node at his side. “That should do it,” she said as the men lowered him back down.

“He will be right as rain in a few days’ time,” Angus said. “Ye men better carry him up tae his room, there’s nae more room down here. I’ll send one of the lassies tae clean him up and get him resting with a potion for the pain.”

“I’ll dae that,” Ava interjected and stood with the men as they lifted the stretcher.

“I think we should rather have one of the castle lasses see tae the laird, Ava. I dinnae ken ye that well tae let ye see tae our laird,’’ he gave her a suspicious look.

“She’s the future mistress of the castle, Angus,” Hamish suddenly said as he hobbled down the stairs with his cane. “And I have been looking for her. But I see her skills were well put tae use,” he nodded to Boyd lying on the stretcher. “Let her see tae him upstairs while ye carry on with the rest of the men. The battle is over, and Callum’s men have retreated. Ye will have yer hands full down here with the remaining soldiers.”

“Very well,” Angus said gruffly before giving Ava a scornful look. “My Lady,” he nodded in respect and hurried to see to the other men.

Ava knew she probably should have clarified who she was. But there were more important matters to worry about at present. Like the fact that Boyd was being carried upstairs still completely unconscious.

* * *

The men discarded Boyd’s ruined shirt and threw it aside as they placed the stretcher beside the bed.