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“First my boy, and now my nephew. Why is this clan cursed?” he bemoaned.

“Perhaps it is time for someone of the right strength tae take over the clan,” Wyl said. “As ye said tae Kevan, the right leader will rise up and take the position of laird. Clearly, he wasnae strong enough.”

Wallace clenched his jaw and shook his head. “And who would that be? I taught him everything. He should hae known better…”

Wyl pinched his lips and rose from his chair, walking towards the men, nodding at them.

“Wallace, are ye blind? I am the man who can lead this clan.” Wyl stretched out his arms and spoke in a booming voice that rang around the chamber. Wallce looked up and peered at Wyl through his hard eyes.

“Ye?” Wallace asked in disbelief. He leaned forward and cackled with laughter. “Ye are nothing but an advisor. What dae ye know of bending men tae yer will? Yer history is nothing.”

“I am nae concerned with history,” Wyl hissed. “I may have risen from muck, but that isnae where I’ll end up. Can ye nae see that I was behind all of this?” Wyl asked.

Wallace frowned. “What dae ye mean? Ye attacked the carriage?”

“Nay, that is just a happy accident and gets rid of the problem without me having tae dae anything. I suppose fate haes always favored the bold. But I hae been stirring rumors and discontent about yer nephew. It was bad enough that John was gaeing tae take over from ye. Oh, Wallace, ye should hae heard what they were saying. Ye would nae hae been happy about the way they were gaeing tae run the clan. Yer son wanted tae help people without asking for anything in return. Can ye believe that? Ye needed someone who would carry on yer legacy, who would stay true tae the ideals that ye obey. That person is me! I haed tae get Kevan out of the way, and it was easy enough once he started tae treat that Calbraith wench with respect. And now that he’s out of the way, only one remains.” A wicked smile crossed Wyl’s face, and suddenly Wallace realized that he was sitting in his chambers surrounded by enemies.

“What…what are ye daeing, Wyl? Ye say that ye want tae be the laird and yet ye are willing tae kill me?”

“I’m nae gaeing tae show any mercy, Wallace. Just like ye never did with yer da. The McGrory clan is built on strength, but ye gave up that strength when yer son died. Yer time is over. Change is afoot. I am the future of this clan. But dinnae worry, yer legacy is safe. I will storm the lands with our strength. I hae already made deals with bandits and mercenaries. I can easily pin this attack on the Calbraiths. I’ll simply say that they attacked the carriage in an ill-fated attempt tae rescue the bride. It wilnae be difficult for people tae believe.”

“And what are ye gaeing tae tell them about me?” Wallace challenged. His sly eyes darted about the room. He had been cornered before, but he had never imagined it happening here. His body twitched. Old instincts flowed through him, and his eyes glanced towards the weapons that hung all over the walls.

“Well, I suppose it’s natural for a grieving father tae suffer terribly. Nae only hae ye lost yer son, but yer nephew as well—the last hope for an heir. I cannae keep ye around in case ye cause me trouble, but ye see the lengths I am willing tae gae tae in order tae ensure my position? Ye should be proud, Wallace. Ye can die knowing that the clan will be in safe hands.” Wyl put his hands together and then gestured to his men. “See that he doesnae escape this room. An extra pouch of gold tae the man who makes the killing blow,” Wyl added as he receded into the shadows.

Wallace may have been older, but he was still spry, and the days of being the Phantom Knight were not completely behind him. As the men encroached upon him, he leaped up and over the side of the throne and the dais, scampering towards the wall. The enemies had not been prepared for such a show of agility and had to turn their feet to offer pursuit. Wallace took advantage of the confusion to pluck a sword from the wall. His fingers curled naturally around the hilt, and the blade was still sharp. He slashed through the air, leaving a trail of dust. Suddenly, the men paused.

They glanced at each other before they attacked as one, roaring like lions. Wallace sprung to the side and deflected their blows, twisting around. He knew he couldn’t win the fight, but that wasn’t his goal. He needed to make it to the door. Wyl was furious that the man hadn’t been killed already, and he yelled at the top of his lungs to get him. Wallace swiped and slashed. Steel sang as he lamented the leaden weight of his old legs. In his youth, he would have been able to dispatch them with no problem, but even so, he was still a man of vigor, and he wasn’t going to let some upstart like Wyl take his clan from him easily.

He tossed benches and saucers at his pursuers as he made it to the door. He cut through a rope and a banner fell down, delaying them even further. Wallace’s eyes were wild as he stormed through his castle. There was no telling who he could trust, so he didn’t cry out for help. Still wielding his sword, he made his way to the stables and got on the first horse he saw, riding away immediately. His sword gleamed as it caught the sunlight, and before he left, he knocked over a torch, which landed on hay and caught fire. The horses were driven into a frenzy as they bucked and whinnied, and he hoped they were so frightened that they would not be of any use for riding for a while. The men who were chasing him rushed out of the castle looking red-faced and chastened. They watched him ride away, but Wallace felt no sense of triumph because he knew that he had not really escaped them. He chastised himself for not being able to see this coming. Wyl had sat by him for so many nights, plotting and scheming. In his heyday, Wallace would never have let an enemy so close. How had he been so blind?

And now, without his son or his nephew to rely on, he was swiftly running out of allies. There was no telling how deep Wyl’s betrayal had run. Wallace had curried many favors over the years, but deals could always be altered. If he was in Wyl’s position, he would have made sure to consolidate his strength before making a move like this. Wyl must have been confident that he had the strength to succeed, which meant he must have swayed old allies to his favor, likely promising them riches that would be plundered from a new war. Any one of them might have betrayed Wallace, and he couldn’t take the chance on any of them. He was a man alone again, just as he had been when he had left his clan for the first time. And, just like then, he intended to return and reclaim it.

But for now, he had to find shelter and safety. He had to lick his pride and form a new plan to wipe that smug grin from Wyl’s face. But sadly, the only place that seemed safe to go was that of his enemy. Would Laird Calbraith actually take him in? With Maura and Kevan dead, their marriage pact did not apply any longer, but Wallace couldn’t think of anywhere else to go where he might be safe. Even though he didn’t have a high opinion of Niall Calbraith, he at least knew that the laird was an honest man, and would not cast Wallace in shackles or kill him on sight. At least he could bide himself time for his next move, and Wyl would soon see that the Phantom Knight still had some life left in him.

18

Wallace stopped short of the Calbraith estate, wanting to scout the area to make sure that he wasn’t walking into a trap. It was highly unlikely that Wyl had made an arrangement with the Calbraiths, but nothing was ever certain in this world. He alighted from his horse and crouched down. Hunger ached in his stomach, but it was second to his rage. He still carried the sword, and he vowed that it would be drenched in Wyl’s blood before too long, and in the blood of anyone who dared to oppose him. Using shrubbery, haystacks, wagons, and other obstacles to obscure him, Wallace made his way to the main estate. Excitement flickered within him as he remembered his days of old when he used to do this kind of thing daily. It was a simpler time then, when he didn’t have to worry about the hopes of an entire clan.

Whenever he heard noises or saw that someone was coming close to him, he paused and held his breath, trying to be as quiet as possible. In this manner, he managed to make it all the way to a window, where he overheard voices. When he looked inside, he could barely believe his eyes. Suddenly he lost all pretence of stealth and battered on the window, for Kevan was standing there.

Maura was enjoying a comfortable moment with her parents and Kevan. Their plan had worked perfectly, but it had only delayed the inevitable. There was still much to decide. Kevan wasn’t of the mind to hide away with the Calbraiths and pretend that he was dead. He was too filled with honor for that. He had a home to fight for and a legacy to protect, but none of them were sure how to proceed. The more time that passed, the more it seemed as though war was unavoidable, and this made Maura sick to her stomach. But for now, she was just glad to have Kevan alive and well with her.

As they were talking, they were suddenly startled by a loud banging against the window. When Maura cast her gaze that way, she thought she saw a ghost before she realized that it was the visage of Wallace McGrory staring at her. Maura was filled with fear. It seemed as though their plan had been uncovered. Was this the beginning of an attack? Color drained from her face as her heart beat frantically. Niall scowled, and it was Kevan who walked to the door and let his uncle in.

“Lad…what are ye daeing here?” Wallace asked in disbelief.

“I could ask ye the same question,” Kevan said.

“Aye,” Niall added with a pointed look, glaring at the leader of the enemy clan. He looked fearsome with his sword by his side, his body tensed and rigid, ready for battle. But the look of shock on his face made him seem more human than he ever had before. After a moment, he seemed to realize the impression his appearance gave, and placed the sword on a table. He walked up to Kevan and gripped his arm, as though his vision was not enough to prove that Kevan was real.

“Ye arenae dead…” Wallace said.

Kevan smirked and looked at Maura. “Actually, it was a ploy by Maura here. We distracted the men and loaded a couple of dead bodies into the carriage. It wasnae an entirely pleasant experience tae share a carriage with two dead bodies, but when her brother attacked us, we slipped away in the confusion, leaving the bodies behind for them tae find, burned beyond all recognition.”

Wallace let out a small laugh and gave Maura a nod of approval. “Very clever, lass,” Wallce said, wagging a finger. “Perhaps I underestimated ye. Ye hae some McGrory in ye after all.”

Maura wasn’t sure whether she should take that as a compliment or not.