Page 55 of The Highlander’s Gypsy Temptation

Bran felt his entire world shatter as he tore through the battlefield with renewed vigor. Fear squeezed his throat shut, and he could hear his heart thundering in his chest. Bran got to Dunn and pulled him away from the fighting, his eyes wide with fear.

“August has her!” Bran yelled at Dunn, pointing towards the slope. Dunn followed his eyes, then pulled two men from the fighting. Together, they ran towards the base of the hill, where they found Andrew. Bran glared at Andrew, and Andrew looked away, clearly ashamed.

“August!” Bran yelled, climbing the hill. “Hurt her at the risk of losing yer life.”

“That’s as far as you come, McLeod,” August replied, grinning. “All of this… just for one woman? If only her father had given me what I wanted all those years ago, we would all have been saved from a world of problems.” August turned to Idalia. “Your parents would have still been alive, for one.”

“But no. They chose instead to flee to their deaths. All this death… just for one woman?” August spat out the words bitterly. He held Idalia’s face roughly and turned her to face him. “I’m going to make sure I use you to make up for all the lives that have been lost so far for your sake. I do hope you are worth it. You’re going to spend the rest of your life as my property. You should have come to me when I was being nice about it.”

Idalia spat in August’s face, and he raised a hand to strike her in annoyance.

“Dinnae ye dare!” Bran shouted, rushing up the hill.

August pulled Idalia close again and pressed the knife to her neck, a bright red line of blood flowing out from the tip of the blade on her skin. Idalia whimpered quietly, and Bran froze in his tracks. The sight of the blood filled him with fear, and it occurred to him that he could lose Idalia in a moment.

“There, there,” August said. “Come now. You really don’t want to do anything rash, Bran. I won’t hesitate to take her life. So, you stay right where you are. All of you. Take your men and leave. Or I will murder her, your daughter, and everyone else you have ever loved.”

August continued backwards, picking his steps carefully up the hill towards escape, and Bran watched him go, helplessly. Was this how it ended? Was he to start another search for Idalia after he had come so close to being with her? He doubted August was going to be as patient with Idalia as he had been in the past.

As Bran watched them, all of a sudden, he saw August cough up a mouthful of blood. Bran, confused, walked towards the pair. August’s eyes bulged with shock and confusion. He turned around, and Bran saw Tor standing behind him, with his sword buried in August’s back.

The sight filled Bran with a joy so overwhelming, he sank to his knees. Idalia jumped out of August’s slackened grip and ran down the hill towards Bran, who opened his arms to catch her. He held her tight and fought back the tears that threatened to burst out of his eyes. “Oh Idalia. I was so scared.”

August grabbed the sword blade poking out of his chest and staggered as he turned to face Tor fully. “You would injure a man from behind? Where lies your honor?”

Tor stepped towards August. “I have nae honor for a man as shameless and evil as ye. But seeing how ye have requested an honorable death…” Tor slid his dagger from his belt, and without preamble, slashed August’s throat. August fell to his knees, clutching his throat, then fell sideways to the floor.

Bran turned towards the battle and saw that the fighting had paused, and all eyes watched silently. “Yer leader is dead! Would ye continue fightin’ and die for nothin’?”

The gypsy soldiers backed off, one by one, and then took off towards the far hills en masse. The Scotsmen cheered wildly and made to chase the fleeing enemies.

“Nay!” Bran bellowed to the soldiers. “Let them go. We have lost enough good men today. We will nae lose any more.”

He looked around the battlefield, feeling worn, and then sat on the ground. “We will nae lose any more,” he whispered to himself.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Idalia turned her attention towards Bran, running her fingers gently through his hair. He looked like all his strength had left him completely, leaving him looking half dead. He had managed to hold on the entire battle, and now it had ended, he had nothing left to give. Idalia hugged him tightly, ignoring his grimaces. Dunn and Andrew walked up to Bran to help him, while Tor sent for the horses and prepared the soldiers for exit.

“I’m so glad you are all right,” Idalia said. “I was so worried when we couldn’t find you in the castle.”

“It’s fine, I’m fine,” Bran replied, smiling weakly. “I have tae admit, yer face was the last one I thought I would see here at August’s camp. I was surprised tae see that ye came along for the rescue. Thank ye.”

“You have nothing to thank me for, Bran,” Idalia countered. “I’m sure you would have done the same for me a hundred times over. Besides, I really needed to come along to help them find the camp.” Idalia looked over her shoulder at Andrew and Dunn, who were talking quietly behind them, then turned back to Bran and whispered. “I couldn’t stop thinking about the time we had, and it would have driven me mad if I had stayed back home, not knowing if you were alive or not.”

Bran raised a battered brow at Idalia. “Now the truth comes forth.”

Idalia laughed and shrugged. Andrew cleared his throat from behind them, extending an arm towards Bran to help him up. Bran grabbed Andrew’s arm and winced in pain, and Idalia rushed to his side, placing his other arm over her shoulder.

“Thank ye, Andrew,” Bran said as he locked hands with his brother.

“Ye have nothing tae thank me for,” Andrew responded. “It was Dunn and Tor who…”

“For taking care of’ Idalia and keeping her safe,” Bran added, cutting Andrew off. “I kenned I could count on ye.”

Andrew smiled. “Well, now ye owe me a favor, and I expect I shall collect in due time.”

Idalia heard the sound of horses and turned to see that Mahala had been brought along with the remaining soldiers. Idalia turned to Bran and saw his eyes shimmer with tears as he beheld his daughter. She stepped out of the way, not wanting to come between Bran and his child.