Highlander's Revenge (Highlanders 0f The McCall Clan Book 3)

by Barbara Bard

  Chapter 32

  Their cloaks flapped in the wind as they rode. Rebecca had been quite emotional upon hearing the cheers of the Highlanders for the Blue Thistle. She knew that Alastar was a hero, but she also knew that he didn't quite see it himself. He was always lost in his father's shadow, and she hoped now he could finally begin to escape it.

  Her heart beat frantically as she clung to Alastar. There was no turning back now, and although she had pleaded with Alastar to go with him, she had to admit that she was feeling trepidation. In her life so far, she had always been taught to run from danger, not to face it, but Alastar and the circumstances of their meeting had had a dramatic effect on her.

  First, she had seen how far Catherine and the other English women were willing to go for their freedom and their happiness. The Highlanders had a reputation for being fierce warriors, but in Rebecca's eyes the English girls were just as fierce when they were given the opportunity to fight. And then, with what Lord Flynn tried to do to her, she realized that she needed to know how to defend herself. Alastar wasn't always going to be there to save her.

  The thought of seeing that cruel man again filled her with dread, but she wasn't going along for that. She was going along for Elayne, the friend who had betrayed her. If Elayne hadn't entered Lord Flynn's chambers when she did Alastar would have killed Lord Flynn, and none of this would be happening, and she and Alastar could live in peace.

  They had been riding for a few hours and still there was no sign of the English army, so Alastar suggested they take some rest. They had some food. It was early in the evening, and Rebecca's stomach had started to rumble.

  “Dae ye ken what ye are gonnae dae when ye see Elayne?” Alastar asked.

  Rebecca considered her response, for she had not settled on one course of action yet.

  “The only thing I know for sure is what I won't do. I will not kill her,” she said.

  “Ye dinnae think I should kill Flynn, dae ye?”

  Rebecca pressed her lips together. “I don't think it's the only way, as you seem to believe. But I understand why you would want to kill him.”

  “It is nae just for my father. It is for the good of all the Highlands. Lord Flynn has been a plague tae us all his life. We are always in danger. Men like him should nae be allowed tae live. He hae killed and punished innocent men without any remorse. The world will be a better place without him in it,” he said.

  Rebecca didn't say anything in response. She had been taught to be a good moral girl, but the Highlanders had a different way about them. Death was not the taboo subject it was for her, and as far as Alastar saw it, he was doing the world a favor.

  Perhaps he was right, she thought. It wasn't as though Lord Flynn could be taken prisoner. If he was captured by the Highlanders his army would come to rescue him. There could be no end to the fighting while Lord Flynn was alive, and there was nothing Rebecca could do to change that.

  Their respite was only brief, and they quickly got underway again. The trusty horse showed no sign of fatigue as the branches whipped by, for they were moving through the cover of forest, unwilling to travel straight down the road in case they ran into Lord Flynn's army.

  Rebecca didn't know how Alastar was going to know where he was supposed to meet the army. It seemed to her it was blind luck, but he had a sense about these things that she couldn't comprehend, like with the plant that saved the boy from fever. She would never have known to look for that plant, and she was truly amazed at all Alastar could do.

  She looked forward to him teaching her when this was all over.

  They rode as fast and hard as they could for some time, until Alastar suddenly brought the horse to a trot. Breath caught in Rebecca's throat as she scanned the surrounding area, looking for Lord Flynn's army.

  “I can't see them,” Rebecca said in a whisper.

  “They will be near. If Lord Flynn hae been driving them as hard as I think then we should run intae them soon,” he said. Rebecca's body went rigid with tension and a cold chill traveled down her back.

  The time for their personal war had almost arrived.

  “Of course, they may hae been delayed by things such as a broken wagon wheel,” Alastar said, thinking out loud. They moved forward slowly, peering through the gaps in the trees for sign of any scouts. They kept their ears peeled for the sound of an army, but all was still and quiet. Then, suddenly, Rebecca heard what sounded like the rumbling of distant thunder.

  “There they are,” Alastar said with glee. He turned the horse and rode back the way they came. “I know where they are gonnae camp for the night,” he added.

  Rebecca wasn't of a military mind, so she did not know the importance of resting and keeping supply lines together. Alastar explained to her that a force the size of Lord Flynn's army couldn't afford to hide in the woods. They would need a large area to keep everything together, and there were only a few suitable spots.

  The two of them remained hidden as they watched the scouts ride past. Rebecca stifled a gasp, sure that they would be seen, but the scouts were riding so fast they failed to take proper care in searching the surrounding area, and only gave it a cursory glance. Rebecca and Alastar, with their dark cloaks, blended into the shadows of the forest.

  The scouts stopped when they reached the field and sounded a horn. The rest of the army trundled along the road in a seemingly endless procession of wagons and carts. The sheer number of men in the army boggled Rebecca's mind, and she knew that if they failed, the Highlanders stood no chance.

  They had to wait an age for the army to finally stop. The wagons and carts were led onto the fields, and the men began erecting tents. It felt strange for Rebecca to sit there and watch them go about their business, none of them having any knowledge that there were two hunters waiting to prey on them.

  “When do we move?” Rebecca asked, still whispering even though there was little chance they would be discovered. The army was intent on making camp and were making a great deal of noise. Lord Flynn was evidently confident that they were not going to be attacked here.

  “We wait until nightfall, when they are sleeping,” Alastar said.

  The wait was excruciating for Rebecca. With each moment that passed she was sure that something was going to give them away. Alastar was the picture of calm though, and nothing seemed to faze him. He had been taught well and would not do anything to jeopardize their position.

  Rebecca watched the English soldiers share food, and it reminded her of the scenes outside the castle of the McCalls. The two sides had much in common, and it broke her heart to think that so many of them could be marching to their death, and why? All because a petty Lord wanted to indulge his hatred for the Highlanders.

  So far, she hadn't seen any sign of Elayne or Lord Flynn, and she presumed that the two of them were in a wagon somewhere, enjoying the benefits of privacy while the common soldiers did all the hard work. The thought of the two of them together sickened her. Elayne had spent her life trying to reclaim her position of privilege, and now she had finally achieved her goal, but at such a cost.

  “Are ye well, lass?” Alastar asked, evidently noting her distress. She shook her head.

  “I am annoyed at myself for ever thinking that I could have been friends with Elayne. She has deceived me so awfully, and I know that it was because of my bad judgment. I should have known that she would do something like this. I should have been more careful.”

  “Ye should nae blame yerself, lass. Ye are a kind, trusting soul, and the world needs more people like ye. Sadly, there are those like Elayne who would take advantage of ye. Ye cannae let her have her way.”

  “I won't, and I will make her regret her actions. What are we going to do? How are we going to get inside the camp?”

  “We wait until most of them are sleeping. We sneak past the guards. It will nae be hard tae find Flynn-”

  “-And where Flynn is, I'm sure we'll find Elayne as well.”

  Alastar nodded. “I shall challenge him ta
e a duel, and ye can dae what ye like with Elayne. I shall kill him, and then the English will know that they cannae meet the might of the Highlanders. Without their leader they will flee back tae England, and we can return tae the McCalls with good news.”

  “Do you really think he will agree to duel you?”

  “His honor will make him. If we find ourselves in trouble ye must promise me that ye will flee tae safety. Get tae the horse and make ye way back tae the McCalls if ye can.”

  “Where will you be? I am not going to leave you,” Rebecca said desperately.

  “I dinnae want tae see ye die lass. I will fight the English off tae give ye a chance tae escape,” Alastar said. From his tone it was clear that he meant every word, and as much as he wasn't able to argue against her coming, she was unable to argue against this. She bowed her head submissively, then placed her hand on his, squeezing it tightly.

  “Then we shall make sure that nothing separates us. Remember, you are the Blue Thistle, and you can do the impossible.”

  Alastar smirked and pressed his lips together, then their gazes turned back to the English army, waiting and watching like hawks, readying themselves for the moment in which they would strike and take their destinies into their own hands.

  Chapter 33

  To see the English having gathered an army of this size was somewhat daunting to Alastar. He had no doubt that, if they met in the heat of battle, the Highlanders could emerge triumphant, now that they had been warned to expect the enemy. But he was just one man, and if things didn't go the way he planned he would be meeting his certain death. The Blue Thistle was capable of many things, but he could not take on that many men.

  He was pinning his hopes on the fact that Lord Flynn would be eager to duel him and would not simply throw him to his men for punishment. The closer he grew to the time of judgment the more doubt he felt, but he was not going to rid himself of his convictions now. He thought of the way the Highlanders had cheered for him, and he wanted to prove them right.

  The wait was interminable, but slowly and surely the sun drifted across the sky and relinquished its celestial throne to the silver moon. The stars came out and twinkled above, a glittering patchwork of sparkles against an inky black sky. A few dark clouds drifted across, blotting out stars here and there, but the moon was bright, and campfires were peppered across the field, providing light.

  The noise caused by the army had dwindled as many of them were getting well-earned rest. Alastar imagined that their legs would be aching after all the marching, and most of them would be sound asleep within minutes. But he had to wait until he had a clear path. The shadowy forms were still murmuring together, sharing food and ale before they turned in for the night.

  Soon enough, only the watchmen were on guard, still awake. Alastar tugged at Rebecca's sleeve and handed her a knife he had been carrying in his boot. He wasn't going to let her go in without a way to defend herself.

  His blood pumped through his body and his heart beat frantically. This was what he lived for. This is why he thrived. He moved through the forest, slipping through the gaps between the trees. His movements were careful. He whispered for Rebecca to follow his footsteps so that she wouldn't alert them by breaking sticks and branches that had fallen to the floor.

  They kept crouched down and moved as one, swift and deadly, coming up behind the man on patrol. He was standing still, head bowed. Alastar could tell that he was just as tired as the rest of them, and he was unable to do his duty well. Before the man could make a sound Alastar wrapped his thick arms around the man's neck and squeezed tightly. The guard slapped his hands against Alastar's arms, but they did not relent. Alastar held him tightly until the Highlander felt the strength seep out of the Englishman. Alastar choked the air out of him, and then gently lowered the body to the floor.

  “Come on,” he whispered, and led Rebecca into the camp.

  They kept their footsteps light and quick, for they needed to get to Lord Flynn before they were discovered. If anyone else saw them, the alarm would be raised, and they wouldn't stand a chance of getting out of there alive.

  They tiptoed past tents, hearing soft snores coming from the narrow gaps. Alastar didn't want to risk whispering anything, so he hoped that Rebecca was keeping calm. Fires crackled all around the field, each of them of a different strength than the last. The place smelled of mead and cooked meat, and when Alastar looked into the fires he saw the charred bones of what they had eaten.

  Alastar was heading to the middle of the camp, which was where Lord Flynn would be. He would think it the safest place in case of a raid, protected on all sides, but he would never think that Alastar would come to him alone, in the middle of an entire army. In many ways it was an insane plan, but in all the important ways it was a genius one.

  Alastar was keeping his eyes on the path ahead when suddenly he felt some resistance meeting his boot. He looked down with horror to see that a leg stuck out of the tent he walked past. Evidently the man inside was too long for the tent. Alastar froze, afraid that this moment of carelessness would cost them their lives. The man moved around in the tent. His leg bent and then stretched out again. Alastar was sure that the impact was enough to wake the soldier up, but after a few moments had passed, the sound of blessed snoring greeted his ears.

  Alastar breathed a huge sigh of relief, but inwardly he was cursing himself. He had to remain focused. There was no sense getting ahead of himself yet. There was still much treacherous terrain to traverse.

  However, after that one mistake his attention was focused once again, and he was able to move through the field without causing any more disturbances. Everything was quiet and serene, and everyone was asleep. Nobody knew they were there.

  The camp was large though, and it took them some time to get to the middle. It was difficult to keep his bearings in the darkness, but he had tried to study the camp as best he could from his vantage point in the forest and used the stars to align his path so that he did not waver.

  Soon enough, the middle of the camp presented itself. A wide tent that was unmistakably meant for a man with the ego the size of Lord Flynn's stood erect, dwarfing the small tents and wagons that were scattered all around it. There were lights flickering inside from candles, indicating that perhaps Lord Flynn was still awake. That made his job better, for Alastar did not want to kill a man in his sleep.

  The steps he took towards that tent were heavy with tension. This was the moment he had been waiting for ever since that horrible day that was etched into his soul, the day that his father had been taken from him. All through his imprisonment that day had haunted him, and he had thought of this moment endlessly, of finally confronting Lord Flynn.

  The first battle they had had in his chambers didn't count as far as Alastar was concerned, and it had ended far too swiftly, interrupted by Elayne. There would be no interruptions this time. The two of them would see this until the bitter end, and only one of them would remain standing.

  He put more focus on making sure he was breathing steadily, and his hand came to his sword, ready for action. He led Rebecca around to the entrance of the tent, unsure of what he would find inside. He hoped that Lord Flynn was alone and not holding a meeting with any of his general. Alastar was confident of his skills, but he only wanted to test them against Lord Flynn this night.

  He carefully held the flap of the tent open and crept in. They heard a low giggle and looked up to see Lord Flynn sitting at a table, bathed in candlelight. Elayne was at his knees, kissing his hand, looking up at him admiringly. Lord Flynn barely paid any attention to her, and the sight of it disgusted Alastar. No woman should debase herself by submitting to Lord Flynn.

  He was looking at maps and seemed to be working hard. As yet he hadn't noticed Alastar's entrance, but then Elayne glanced towards them and her eyes widened in fear. Her hand came to her mouth and she went to scream, but before she could Rebecca had pulled out her knife and warned Elayne not to make a sound.

  Alastar smiled w
ith pride.

  Elayne pushed herself against the table, stricken with fear. Lord Flynn looked up from his desk wearily, and was the picture of calm, almost as though he had expected this.

  He arched an eyebrow as Alastar shrugged off his cloak and drew his sword.

  “I had a feeling I would meet you again,” Lord Flynn said, rising from his chair. He began to get dressed. Alastar let him. “I suppose you would do me the courtesy of fighting me in proper dress,” he continued, then seemed to look at Alastar more closely. “Those clothes are familiar...it seems you have mended the holes I made.” He bared his teeth in a wolfish grin.

  “I hae come tae collect the debt ye owe me,” Alastar said, pointing his sword directly at Lord Flynn. Rebecca was moving closer to Elayne, but she wasn't moving too far from Alastar.

  “You speak of debts? I am here to collect the biggest debt of all. You cannot claim that you are here for a righteous purpose. I killed your father, but he was just one soldier. I was taken from my wife hunting your father, and I missed her death. I never had a chance to say the final goodbye. My son's life was taken, and now my daughter has been abducted as well. The Highlanders have waged war on my family, and now I am going to see an end to it.”