Highland Fortitude (The Band of Cousins Book 5)

by Keira Montclair

  “Damien here wants to earn more coin. He wants into the channel.”

  The man spun around and Daniel nearly choked. Blair Lamont stood in front of him. He’d grown his hair longer, but there was no mistaking him. Blair and his brother had killed Cairstine’s clan and stolen her castle—and the brother had claimed her as his wife, although no vows had ever been exchanged. The black-hearted bastard who’d fathered Steenie was now dead, but his brother had survived and escaped. They’d suspected he would return to the Channel of Dubh, and so he had. Daniel was on the cusp of learning very important information. He could not risk any mistakes.

  Lamont stared at him, and for a moment, Daniel feared he would recognize him, but then he realized that was foolish. Why would Blair remember him? The man had moved away from Drummond land years ago, when Daniel was but a child. He might remember his parents, but he wouldn’t remember him.

  “He has to prove himself to get into the channel.” Blair dropped his gaze back to his task, sorting coins into bags.

  “I’ll do whatever it takes,” Daniel said at once. “I want coin.”

  “Why?”

  Daniel thought quickly. “Because I wish to travel east. I want to go to France.”

  “You have two tasks to complete before you can work in the channel. The first is to win two fights in the large chamber. And you’ll be up against some powerful men. They’ll not be easy fights.”

  “No problem. I can do that.”

  “Once you do, I’ll send you on another verra lucrative mission. The first two groups I sent failed to do the job. If you fail me too, I may have to cut your throat.”

  Daniel said, “I’ll not fail you. What is it?”

  “Find the red-haired lass with the red gemstone. I’ll tell you where she is once you’ve finished your fights.”

  Daniel nearly choked.

  ***

  Constance ran as hard as she could, but to no avail. She screamed when one of the men grabbed her hood and yanked her backward. She landed on her back, the wind knocked out of her.

  Two faces loomed over her, only to be attacked by an owl.

  “What the hell? Get that bird away from me!” The bird swooped down three times before one of the men caught it with the flat of his sword, sending it fluttering away.

  “Do ye think she’s the one they want?”

  “Aye, she has to be. We’ll get her to Lamont and collect our coin.”

  “Or we market her to the highest bidder. I heard she’s of a noble blood and her sire’s guards are searching for her. Mayhap the nobleman would pay more than Lamont.”

  “Nay, we take her to Lamont. There’s another group of bastards looking for her, too. I know not who they work for, but they’ll skin us alive just for their fun before they take her. Nay, we’ll go to Lamont.”

  Constance coughed when her breath finally returned. “Please, I’m sure the Grants will pay you coin if you take me to them.” She pushed herself to a sitting position, eyeing her assailants. There was no point in fighting until she knew what she was up against.

  Know thine enemy.

  That had been one of the morals of the stories her sire used to tell them, stories of the fae that ran in the forests and other mystical creatures.

  Papa, forgive me.

  What else had her sire told them? She could remember her brothers asking him questions about war.

  He’d said the best weapon a person had was his mind.

  She’d do him proud and pay attention. Up until her transgression, her sire had always treated her with approval and even affection. A sharp feeling of longing pulled at her, but he would never accept her as his daughter again. Her sire was a fierce warrior, and everyone in the family knew not to trifle with him when he had his “warrior look” on.

  He’d given her that warrior look in his solar as he threatened punishment after punishment.

  But the hot shame she felt whenever she remembered his censure would not help her escape this situation. Her mind was the only thing that could do that. She may not be able to outrun these fools, but she could outthink them, could she not? Daniel would believe in her, and she knew Rose would, too. Wiping the dirt from her hands, she rose to her feet and took two steps back until she leaned against a tree, hoping it would support her trembling legs.

  One man was much larger than the other, but the small one kept barking orders at him. They both wore old plaids, their pattern now unrecognizable because of wear and dirt. The men’s unkempt appearance suggested they were reivers who lived the land, robbing from others. Each horse had two heavy saddlebags, probably full of stolen items they would sell later. Their faces looked as though they hadn’t see a wet linen square in years, dirt etched deep into wrinkles from the sun.

  “Grants? Hellfire, I’m not going near them. They’ll cut me to pieces and feed me to the vultures first. I don’t bother with the Grants.”

  “I say we take her to her sire’s guards,” the big man suggested.

  The smaller one shook his head in apparent annoyance. “I told you. She goes to Lamont. He’s the easiest and we’ll get paid well. No risk involved. We’ll have her there in two days. Now get over here, missy, and get on that horse.” He pointed to the closer beast.

  “Let her ride with me,” the other one said, his eyes pointing in two different directions. One eye glanced up and down before he reached for her. “What kind of titties have you under that monk’s outfit?”

  Fear trailed a path up Constance’s spine, but the big man’s friend slapped his hand away. “Nay, do not touch her. She’s of noble blood.”

  “Not no more. Now she’s a peasant just like the rest of us, and I want to bed her before we take her back. Please, Malcolm?”

  “I said nay. She rides with me. And when we get there, she’ll not be telling Lamont we touched her or he’ll cut off your shaft and mine, too.”

  “Hellfire, Malcolm. You never let me have any fun.” He wiped the snot running from his nose with his sleeve. “I like her. She’s pretty.”

  “If we get her to Lamont in two days, I’ll give you enough coin for a whore in Edinburgh.”

  His face lit up. “All right. I can wait. Then I can do anything I want.”

  Constance hoped she’d gained a friend in Malcolm, but his expression didn’t look promising. His beady eyes seemed to be constantly assessing her.

  At least he didn’t intend to force himself on her. And at least there were only two of them. If luck was on her side, she’d be able to escape.

  The beady-eyed one lifted her up onto his horse, letting his hand linger on her backside. She swung at him, but he climbed up behind her in one swift movement and easily stilled her fist. “Touching never hurt nobody,” he said with a sneer. Then he chuckled and squeezed one of her breasts.

  “Malcolm, why do you get to touch her if I can’t?” his partner shouted at him.

  “Never mind. There’s no’ much there, so dinnae worry yourself. I’ll stop.”

  “But can I not sleep next to her when we stop?” The big one gave her an odd smile that looked more like a sneer, his two missing teeth quite obvious.

  “Nay. She stays with me so you don’t ruin this for us. This could be the most coin we’ve ever earned. “’Tis as I said. I’ll find you another in Edinburgh.”

  Constance wanted to gag.

  How would she get away from these two louts?

  She didn’t know how, but she vowed she would.

  ***

  Daniel took another fist to the face, groaned and fell back onto the ground. The judge stepped in and said, “Pause for a drink.”

  The patrons were rowdier in the back chamber, and they did their share of shouting and hollering at the two combatants. All Daniel could do was force himself up and into the corner, where his stool was perched next to a bucket of water. He wiped the blood from his mouth with the linen lying across the stool.

  The announcer said, “Devil’s Hand against Evil King will continue in five minutes. Place your be
ts for the second round of fighting.”

  Daniel took a swig of water and spat it out. A lad of about twelve summers scuttled up to him and said, “I’ve been assigned to help you, Devil’s Hand.” He used a piece of linen to wipe the blood out of Daniel’s eye. “Here, we put this on to stop the bleeding.” He put some concoction on the injured eye with his right hand, which was when something else caught Daniel’s attention.

  “Call me Damien. What happened to your left hand, lad?” Just like Daniel, he didn’t have one, although his arm ended in a clean stump that lacked any scar tissue.

  “I was born this way. Where’d you get your hand? Who made it? I want one.”

  “’Twas made by a friend. Not in Edinburgh. What’s your name?”

  “My name’s Terric. You should put something on the end of that. Then you’d beat them all since the judge has allowed you to have it.”

  “What?”

  Terric held up a small cup of water for Daniel. “Put a blade in it and you’ll kill all of them.”

  “I cannot kill them. ’Tis not what the fight is about.” He sighed. “I may not last through this one.” He wasn’t faring well, but somehow he had to stick it out. He had to be the one to find Constance. He couldn’t allow anyone else to touch her. Constance was his.

  “If not a blade, how about some piece like this? I have to use this sometimes when I’m sleeping on the streets.” He pulled out a curved piece of metal with odd protruding shapes at the four edges. “Hits harder than a fist does. Stops them all.”

  “Where’d you get that?”

  “My sire had it made for me before he died. He wanted me to always be able to protect myself.”

  “One minute left to wager!” the announcer called out.

  Daniel’s gaze swept the large chamber, amazed by the number of men who’d come to watch him fight. He noticed Connor toward the back, sitting quietly with his arms crossed in front of him.

  “Here, try it,” Terric said.

  The two worked furiously to tuck it into the leather on the end of Daniel’s hand. Probably not ethical, but what the hell was ethical in the underground world of gambling? He’d do whatever it took to save Constance from the channel.

  Terric stepped back and said, “Get him.”

  Daniel made it to his feet just in time for the start of the next round of fighting. Evil King came at him and knocked him back on his arse with a stiff fist under his jaw. Daniel saw a few stars, but he wouldn’t give up. He took one kick to his belly, barely dodging a blow to his groin, but that did it. If the bastard was going to fight dirty, then so would he.

  Daniel roared to life from the ground and became Damien with a sudden burst of energy.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Daniel got up, bending at the waist to make his opponent think he was stumbling to get up. He knew the fool would only expect a swing from his right arm. At the last second, he came at him with his left, taking him completely by surprise. Daniel heard the crunch of bone in the man’s jaw. He fell backward but stayed up. The crowd roared, screaming “Devil, Devil, Devil…” Daniel used the lad’s tool and his own fist to pummel his opponent’s belly. As soon as the other man bent at the waist, Daniel swung his fist into a power strike under the man’s chin, sending him to the ground.

  The crowd screamed when the judge called the win in his favor. He glanced over at Terric, who grinned and jumped up and down, clapping.

  The men ran to collect their coin and the crowd thinned. Connor joined him while Gavin and Gregor moved with the crowd, hoping to hear something about the channel.

  The judge came over and patted his shoulder. “Well done, Damien. I thought you were done. Nice comeback.”

  Daniel asked, “My part?”

  The man tossed him a few coins, then said, “You’ll get the rest when you talk to the man in charge on the morrow. He’d like to see you in the morn.”

  “Who’s the lad?” Connor asked, motioning to Terric with his chin.

  Despite Connor’s height, the lad seemed undaunted. “I’m Terric. I help the fighters. They pay me in food. Keeps me from starving.”

  Daniel handed a coin to the lad. “Here. You’ve earned it.”

  “My thanks for your generosity,” he said as he pocketed it. “Can I tend ye on the morrow? But I do need my weapon back.”

  “Aye.” He watched Terric leave but then was bothered by something. He thought of his cousins Loki and Kenzie, who had lived on the streets before being taken into Clan Grant. It was a hard life, likely even more so for a lad with one hand.

  “Where do you sleep, Terric?”

  The lad turned around and said, “They allow me to sleep in the stables if I clean them out. I only have to sleep outside when ’tis really busy.”

  Connor glanced at Daniel, who offered, “Here’s your weapon though you won’t need it this night. Come to the inn with the Ram’s head and I’ll buy you a real bed for the night. Get yourself some food and meet me there later.”

  Connor waved to Terric. Excitement had eaten away at his world weariness, making him look like a bairn again. “Why are there so many lads without homes in Edinburgh?”

  “’Tis unfortunate. He loaned me something I think I’ll have made for myself.” He explained the new weapon to Connor, who said naught until he finished.

  Finally, his cousin said, “You look like hell, Damien. Let’s go back to our inn.”

  Daniel stood and leaned toward Connor, only realizing his balance was out of alignment when he nearly fell. His cousin wrapped an arm around his shoulder to steady him and guided him out of the nearly empty establishment.

  “’Tis time to stop this madness,” Connor said in an undertone as they reached the street. “Do you not agree? You took a hell of a beating this time. Your face may never be the same.”

  Daniel whispered, “Nay. I must return.” His gaze moved from one side of the building to the other, but then he said, “I’ll explain, but wait until we’re free of this place.”

  The two left and found their way to their inn, where they met up with Gavin and Gregor in the main room. Gregor stared at him and said, “God’s teeth, but you look awful. What have you decided? Are you ready to give it up?”

  They found a table in the corner where no one paid them any mind. Daniel whispered, “I met one of the owners. Blair Lamont.” He held up his hand to keep anyone from commenting. “Keep it quiet. We know not who might be listening.”

  The three nodded, then leaned forward, anxious to hear more. “I have to continue. If I win one more fight, they’ll let me in on the channel…”

  “Shite, you finally got inside, did you not?” Gavin asked with an excited grin.

  “Aye, ’tis why I cannot quit now.”

  Gavin hit the table with the palm of his hand. “I knew it. We are in the right place. You have to stay.”

  Daniel held his hand up to stop him from finishing. Though he could remind Gavin of how he’d urged them to return home just the day before, there was no point. That was Gavin. “There’s more,” he said instead.

  Gregor screeched, “There is?”

  “Keep your voice down,” Connor said, listening raptly. “Go on.”

  “Lamont wishes to send me on a special mission to locate a red-haired lass with a red gemstone.” He sat back and waited for their reaction.

  “Constance? Are you sure ’tis her?” Connor asked.

  “Does she have a gemstone?” Gavin placed both hands on the table and leaned toward Daniel.

  “Aye, she showed it to me at Castle Muir. ’Twas her mother’s. She calls it her lucky stone. Someone must have seen it, but I don’t understand why Lamont’s people would be searching for her in particular.”

  Connor pursed his lips and said, “I knew she was hiding from something. What if her sire’s a noble?”

  “He must be,” Gavin said, “or his wife wouldn’t have gems. Constance must have run away and grabbed the gemstone before she left.”

  Gregor added, “And her si
re is searching for her. But why would she run away?”

  Connor scratched his head. “There’s still something missing here. The men who came looking for a lass at Braden’s did not look like nobleman’s guards…and I doubt Constance’s sire hired Lamont.”

  “Aye,” said Daniel. “Those reivers asked if we had any lasses we didn’t want. I suspect they were collecting lasses for the channel. I know not if they had any knowledge about Constance at all.” He paused, then added, “Something else Constance said to me makes me wonder what happened.”

  “What is it?” Connor asked.

  “She said her sire hates her. It sounded as if she never wished to see him again.”

  Connor said, “Ah, that explains it.”

  “What? That tells me naught,” Gavin said, looking exasperated.

  Connor shrugged one shoulder. “’Tis about a lad. At her age, it had to be about marriage.”

  Daniel couldn’t disagree with Connor’s reasoning. “Whatever caused her to run away, I cannot leave until I find a way to help her. I have to stay and fight. Will you stay?”

  Connor sighed. “I think we need some assistance. A nobleman’s guards, Blair Lamont, a big gemstone. All could add up to big trouble. I’ll stay with you. You two,” he nodded toward Gavin and Gregor, “return and update Will and Maggie.”

  Daniel added, “And when you return, we may not be here. If I win, I’ll be off in search of Constance if I have my way.”

  Finally, he felt worthy of her love. Now he could protect his bluebell.

  He was a champion, if only in the underworld, and he had two hands.

  ***

  Constance feigned her own sleep, waiting for the two reivers to start snoring. They’d stolen some ale from a hut they’d passed, then drank heavily until they both passed out. She waited another fifteen minutes before she got up from her spot and crept over to one of the horses, choosing the one she’d ridden earlier.

  Unfortunately, just as she was about to mount the beast, he whinnied loud enough to awaken Malcolm.