Page 14 of Highlander’s Quest of Desire

“Shall we?” Bruce said to his companions and pushed away from Drew and wadded into the water. "Is it very far out?"

"Nae." Drew pointed to a black hulk Bruce had taken for a rocky outcropping. "There's Big Nate and Jeremy."

An arrow whizzed past Bruce’s head.

"Good lads!" Bruce went forward and thrust himself into the sea. Sea salt found his cuts and wounds, and he hissed as they added another layer of discomfort to his pain. But he blanked it all from his mind. Arrows dropped into the water, slicing past him as he swam out. The Honors were not for the faint-hearted, nor were they easy to come by. If he wanted to go on this quest, he should prepare himself for more pain.

He was swimming in the inky water until he could not tell where the sky ended and the sea began. Lungs on fire, limbs losing strength, Bruce lost all sense of direction. He was about to give in and drown an ignoble death when strong hands grabbed him and lifted him into a boat.

Big Nate and Jeremy stared down at him.

"It's good to see ye, Nate. Jeremy."

Big Nate grinned. Jeremy pulled bearskin over him. "Glad to have ye back, Laird."

Leo and Drew pulled up into the boat minutes after, and they were on their way to the mainland. Jeremy handed him an apple. Bruce savored a sweet bite before devouring it all within minutes.

Jeremy spat into the water. "God damn those English scum."

"We have nae time to waste," Leo said. "We need to send ye on yer way as soon as we land ashore."

"Aye," Bruce said, accepting another apple from Jeremy. "I have a mission."

"What mission?" Leo asked.

"I'm afraid I cannae say."

"This is nae time for jests, Bruce. I've written to Arseneau. You can find refuge in his home in Lorraine."

"I'm nae leaving Scotland." Bruce spat seeds out into the water.

"This is madness, Bruce," Leo said. "Yer in danger. Do ye think the English will let ye escape their prison and nae pursue ye like the hounds of hell? Yer life is in danger!”

"The Bishop left me a mission. I gave him my word."

"And what of yer word to clan Grant?" Leo asked. "What of yer duty to Dunnottar? The English only left after I convinced them I support their cause. They've left Dunnottar in my charge, but if I donnae make it back home by nightfall tomorrow they’ll suspect I had a hand in yer escape and take the castle completely. Is that what ye desire? Listen to reason. Go to France, let their anger die down, then we'll bring ye back home."

"What of Laird Labert's English connections?" Bruce asked. "He can help."

"How do ye think ye got caught?" Leo asked.

Bruce stopped chewing.

"Laird Labert betrayed ye. He had spies watching yer every move. He will nae intercede for ye with his English connections, especially now that ye've escaped their clutches."

Betrayal from their clan's oldest allies was a blow Bruce had not expected. He would have understood if both clan Labert and Buchan had refused to help. No one was safe from English scrutiny, and Domnhall always avoided conflict where he could. But to sell another Laird to save one's own property and standing was an act of lowly cowards.

They reached shore and left the boat tied to a makeshift moor. The wound on his back began to itch. He felt weak even though he had eaten three apples on the way. Walking was an ordeal, and his vision doubled.

A pack of horses were waiting nearby. Bruce recognized Emory and Sean but did not recognize the third figure. When they got closer his vision corrected, and he saw a young woman staring at him as if she'd seen a ghost.

Elspeth Buchan.

"What's she doing here?" he asked, none too pleased.

“She's here to help.”

“Are ye insane!” Bruce yelled. “What possessed ye to bring her along?” Elspeth flinched as if he had struck her. That irked him more. This was no place for a woman and her sensitive sensibilities. “We're on the run from the English, Laird Buchan is nae lover of conflict, yet, ye thought it was a grand idea to bring his little sister and put their entire clan in danger?”

“She volunteered,” Leo said.

"Ach, and so what?" Bruce shouted. His vision doubled again and darkness crept in at the edges, but he fought it. "Ye'll be bringing the weak and infirm next?"

"I'm nae weak, nor am I infirm, Bruce Grant!" Elspeth said. "And ye look like ye need all the help ye can get, so I'll nae have you look down yer nose at me."

“We donnae have time to argue. They’ll be following us soon. We need to get as far away as possible!” Leo pulled on a horse’s reins.

Bruce was so furious he was lost for words. The darkness came in suddenly. He tried to fight it, but he was just too weak. "Ye have nae-"

He couldn't finish the rest of his sentence because he had fainted clean away.