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Yanking the man off Maisie, he noticed three things at once.

The man was MacBrannigan.

His clansmen’s swords were already drawn.

And there was blood on the corner of Maisie’s lip.

For that, this day would be MacBrannigan’s last. “I’ll not kill an unarmed man,” he said, standing back, waiting for him to unsheathe his own sword. “But I am going to kill you for this.”

The others came toward him, Kieran now outnumbered three to one. He vaguely heard Maisie screaming his name when another voice, a very familiar voice, rang out from behind him.

“Do not,” his brother said to MacBrannigan’s clansmen. “Unless you wish to join your man in hell.”

By now MacBrannigan’s sword was drawn and at the ready. A quick glance back told Kieran what he already knew. Niall, Dougal, and Hamish were at the ready. ‘Twould be a slaughter if MacBrannigan allowed it.

MacBrannigan squared off against him, sword in hand, and it seemed his men were no longer considering interfering. And though the man was strong, Kieran fought like he never had in his life. Not giving MacBrannigan any quarter, he ignored Maisie’s calls. Ignored everything save the rage that found the edge of his sword more than once come close to his opponent’s neck. He did not aim to disarm him, as Kieran had done during their first fight.

He aimed to kill him.

And would have if he didn’t see the flash of Maisie’s gown just as Kieran lifted his arm to deliver a death blow, one even his men knew was coming by the sounds they made. She attempted to come to him, Niall grabbing her at the last moment.

He did something then that Kieran never, ever did in a fight. Lost his concentration. Instead of watching his opponent, he looked toward his brother and Maisie. Seeing that blood on her lip, thinking of what might have happened if he’d not gotten to her sooner . . .

“Kieran!” Niall yelled.

But it was too late. The sword sliced his arm at the same time he heard his brother scream and saw the terror in Maisie’s eyes. Without hesitation, Kieran turned and delivered what he knew instantly would be a blow to end the miserable bastard’s life. He wore no armor, and Kieran’s sword found its mark in his opponent’s chest. If he had any thoughts of preserving his life, as Maisie clearly wanted him to do, the gash in Kieran’s arm prevented any further such thoughts.

Everything happened at once.

“Whore,” MacBrannigan uttered, his last word on this earth a disparaging one, unsurprisingly.

Sheathing his sword and taking Maisie from his brother, he and Niall exchanged a quick glance and Kieran knew he would take care of MacBrannigan’s men. Though he could hear the chaos behind him, he cared only for Maisie.

Wiping the blood from her mouth, he held her to him as she cried.

“Shhh,” he said, smoothing her hair. “‘Twill all be well. You are safe.”

She continued to cry on his shoulder, Kieran murmuring words of comfort until she stopped. He glanced back to see MacBrannigan’s men carrying his body away.

“He . . . he nearly killed you,” she said finally, lifting her head. Though her face was wet and splotched with red, to him, Maisie was the most beautiful thing in the world at this moment. She was alive, and naught else mattered.

“This?” he asked, nodding to his arm. “A scratch, ‘tis all. I was in no danger of dying this day,” he lied. Becoming distracted in a swordfight could, indeed, have been the death of him.

“It’s bleeding,” she said.

His brother seemed to notice the same thing. Tearing off a portion of his plaid, Niall wrapped Kieran’s arm. “Does your village have a healer?” Niall asked Maisie.

“Aye,” she said. “We shall send for her.”

“Indeed,” Niall agreed, waiting.

Pulling back even farther from Maisie, Kieran grabbed one of her hands and squeezed. “Tell us, lass, what happened.” Before she began, he noticed their men were missing. He was about to ask Niall, but his brother seemed to anticipate the question.

“Ensuring MacBrannigan’s men leave the premises, as they were instructed.”

“Mmm.” He turned back to Maisie and waited.

“I was looking for Fergus,” she said. “He and his men were just arriving. I told him he was not welcome at my inn, and he dinnae take kindly me saying so.”