Page 68 of The Cursed Highland Bride

Katarina had to admit that she did not actually have a plan. She shook her head. “I do not know. I thought if no one saw me I could kill one of them before they knew I was there. They do not know that we have escaped. That is to our advantage.”

“That might help you to kill one of them, but then the others could turn around and kill you where you stand,” Leonor pointed out.

“I have no better plan. I have been training, but I am not skilled enough to take these men without some advantage.”

Idalia turned back to examine the battle before them. “Which one is his brother?”

“That one,” Katarina pointed to Tor.

He was on the ground now. If they did not act soon, it would be too late. Running forward, she flung herself on top of the man about to impale Tor through the stomach with his sword. She sank her knife into his neck and dropped him where he stood. She fell on top of him, unable to disengage herself from his falling body in time. The two other men turned toward her with their swords raised. All she could do was raise her hands to protect her head. Katarina’s sisters ran forward, but they were unarmed and could do nothing to help her.

“Katarina!” Tor shouted, rolling up onto his feet. One of his arms hung at an awkward angle. It looked dislocated. Taking up his sword, he threw himself in front of Katarina’s prone body and blocked the closest blow.

Katarina was not certain where he had come from, but before she knew what was happening, Ewan was standing over her and helping her up onto her feet. The other man had been killed as well and now lay on the ground behind him. “My lady,” he greeted her with a smile. “We have been looking for ye.”

“Tor is hurt,” she informed him, turning to help him, but he was already engaged in battle with another of Morgan’s men. Ewan took her by the arm and led her away from the battle. Her sisters followed.

“Where have ye been?” Ewan asked as he hid her from the sight of the enemy.

“Alistair Morgan had us held in an underground cell not far from here. We just managed to escape a moment ago. What is happening here?”

“Morgan attacked us on Orkney just as Ian returned tae tell our laird that yer horse had returned without ye.”

“Morgan attacked Orkney? Is Adamina…?” She could not bring herself to finish the question. “Dunn?” she whispered, terrified of the answer.

“Alive and well,” Ewan reassured her. “Dunn is inside the Morgan stronghold, looking for Alistair Morgan and for ye.”

“Please tell me that he did not go in there alone.”

Ewan shook his head. “Andrew is with him. His brother Bran never returned.”

Katarina’s heart fell at the mention of Bran. “I saw Bran. He was alive when I last saw him, but the Morgan soldiers were all around him. I fear they may have killed him. I fear that he gave his life to save me.”

Ewan nodded soberly. “If he did, then there is nae nobler way tae die. He would have been proud tae serve ye, my lady.” Turning to look at the other girls that surrounded him, he asked, “Yer sisters?”

Katarina nodded with a smile. “I found them.”

Ewan grinned with joy on her behalf. “Praise be tae God and all the saints. Now, we must inform Dunn that ye are alive and well. If he has captured Morgan, then we can return tae Orkney and bring this battle tae a close.”

“How do you plan to speak with him if he is in the castle?”

“We will have tae go in after him,” Ewan answered. “We need tae tell Tor.”

“Tor was nearly killed. His arm is dislocated. He needs to leave the field of battle and return home to Orkney.”

“We cannae leave until Dunn and Andrew have returned. This battle is tae cover their escape, and if they dinnae escape, then it is tae do what he could nae.”

“And what is that?”

“Tae save ye and bring Alistair Morgan tae justice, nae matter the cost.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

“Ye lie,” Dunn growled, pressing his blade to Alistair Morgan’s throat. “My wife is nae dead.”

Alistair raised his chin in defiance. “She is. I saw tae it myself.”

“Faither, nae,” the Lady Katharine breathed in disbelief. “Ye swore that nae harm would come tae her. How could ye do such a thing?” Tears streamed down her cheeks as she backed away in shock. She sank to the floor weeping.