Page 85 of In Bed with her Highland Foe

“Nay!?” she spluttered, pushing hard into his chest. “This isnae up fer negotiation, Michael.”

Michael…

It was one of the rare times he had naturally responded to the name.

His arguments died on his lips as a gunshot struck the window frame of their chamber. Gilchrist dove over Kyven, crouching down with her close to the floor and masking her with his body. Stones crumbled and clattered to the floor, but no more shots followed. That particular bullet had to have been fired wildly.

“Michael,” she whispered, looking up at him, his eyes on hers as she placed her hands warmly on his chest. “Trust me. We cannae hide in here.”

“I ken that. I’m tired of hiding. I’ve done it fer far too long.” He wished to protect her, to keep her hidden still, but he knew he couldn’t persuade her.

It’s time tae stop this.

“Let’s go.” He stood again, his hand in hers, leading the way out of the chamber. He hurried with his pistol outstretched in front of him, ready to fire in the event one of Shay’s men had breached the walls and broken into the castle.

The only men they met on route thought were guards and soldiers, running to their posts. On the staircase, they came across two soldiers carrying a third one between them. He had been shot in the shoulder but was alive and breathing.

Michael’s eyes darted across the form of the man, seeing the pain in his eyes.

This is me doing. If I had stopped Shay all those years ago, this wouldnae be happening.

He ran all the way to the great hall, realizing something strange when he came across Brayden and Tynan. Brayden was issuing orders to the guards and soldiers on how to outflank their enemy, as Tynan told the injured where to go in the hall to get help.

“Michael, are ye ready?” Tynan called to him.

“Aye, I am.” Somewhere, in the midst of his thoughts, he’d stopped thinking of himself as Gilchrist.

I am Michael again.

He turned to Kyven and kissed her, as quickly as he could.

“Stay safe,” he begged. “I love ye too much tae lose ye.”

“Same,” she nodded, the flicker of a smile in her cheek, then her hand left his. She ran to the back of the great hall to help with the others.

Michael shared a nod with Tynan, then Brayden came to join them.

“Like old times, eh?” Tynan said with a single laugh. Michael and Brayden both chuckled, though the sound was somewhat hollow.

“Like old times.” Brayden nodded. “This time, we fight tae the end. Nay one is running away. Aye?” He looked at Michael, who nodded firmly back.

“I’m nae going anywhere.”

Brayden clapped him on the shoulder.

Together, as one, they turned toward the door of the keep and stepped out. The heat was instant from the many burning torches. Michael fought against it, marching across the cobbled courtyard and watching as the portcullis was breached. The guards and soldiers could not hold it in place. Like a sudden flood, men poured in.

Shay’s men, lethal and quick, tore into the courtyard. They ran at Brayden’s men, trying to cut them down, but Brayden’s soldiers were too well trained. Like Michael, they knew exactly how to hold their ground.

Then Michael saw him. In the group, Shay stepped into the fray. He was clad head to toe in armor, clearly not willing to risk an injury, his white hair tied back across his head. His eyes flashed in the firelight, and he raised a pistol, pointing it straight at Michael through the crowd.

Michael fired first.

“Nay, nay,” Kyven whispered repeatedly as she tried to staunch the wound of a soldier in front of her. She’d done some healing training when her sister had been lady of the clan, and that training was kicking in now as she moved between the wounded men, helping them as best as she could.

They willnae die because of me.

She fixed a bandage, turned and applied a salve to some cuts before she was called away by the healer.