With one last deep breath to firm her resolve, she stepped into the passageway and with as much force as she could muster, thrust inside the guard’s mind. “I wish to leave, along with Fiona, and you will offer us your aid, immediately. Am. I. Understood?”
“Aye, my lady.” A haze clouded the guard’s dark blue eyes through the slits in his helm.
“I—I—” Fiona stared at her in astonishment. “Demand something more. Ask him his name.”
Within the guard’s mind, she issued, “Give me your name.”
“Cedric,” he mumbled, his gaze still cloudy.
“Oh, that’s perfect.” Fiona clapped. “Keep doing what you’re doing.”
“Cedric, listen to me well. What is the best route for us to get outside, without anyone being any the wiser?”
“The servants’ stairwell winds down to the kitchens.” Eyes still hazed. “There is a back door in one of the storage rooms that leads to a small rear courtyard.”
“Show me the way.”
“Of course.” He tramped down the darkened passageway then opened a door within a shadowed nook, one she hadn’t even noticed on her way up.
“I should have considered the servants’ stairwell myself.” Fiona hurried through the door Cedric had opened, her forest-green skirts swishing about her.
“Follow me, as quietly and quickly as you can,” she issued to Cedric as she rushed after Fiona. Oh goodness. The servants’ stairwell was so cramped and dark, lit only by a single candle on the landing just below them. Hands bunched in her skirts, she negotiated the tight turn of stairs with Cedric stooped over behind her. His shoulders brushed the gritty stone walls and his head scraped the low beamed ceiling. Musty air clogged her airways and she fought to drag in each breath.
“We’re almost there,” Fiona whispered from below as she hurried down the last few steps then halted next to a heavy wooden door and touched the knob. “The kitchens lie right beyond this door.”
“Allow me to see.” She shuffled past Fiona and creaked the door open an inch. A serving maid bustled about the steamy kitchens and another lass scrubbed pots at the basin. A fire burned in the ovens and the aroma of fruit tarts wafted through the air.
Another maid hustled in, her hands stained red by some kind of berry. She removed the fruit tarts from the ovens, set them on two trays, handed one to the closest maid and picked up the other tray herself before the two of them walked out the door with the pastries in hand.
She closed the door with a snick and caught Fiona’s hand. “There’s one maid remaining, whom we need to get past. Do you think you can get her to leave without raising any questions?”
“I could.”
“Or I could.” Raspy words from Cedric. He removed his helm and scrubbed a hand through his short black hair lying hot and slick against his scalp, his blue gaze now clear.
Damn it. She no longer held any control over him, had somehow allowed it to slip free.
She nabbed ahold of his mind again and he held up a staying hand, his gaze narrowed. “Nay,” he uttered. “You dinnae need to make any more demands of me, or force me to your will. I am of more use to you with my thoughts as my own.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Coll has my allegiance, given to him during his recent visit. I remain in Jeremiah’s stronghold for one reason only, to keep an eye on Coll’s wayward brother. I listened in at the door while you both spoke. I too hold a touch of fae blood and Coll has always known that. I am at your service, will always remain loyal to our clan’s next chief.” He removed his wrist dagger and handed it to her hilt first. “’Tis time for the fae to live.”
“You’re truly loyal to Coll and Duncan?”
“Aye, the fae blood I hold is four generations removed, and although I hold no skill, my younger sister does. The path I’ve chosen in joining your brothers’ cause is to ensure my sister’s future. She shouldnae have to live in fear of Colin or Jeremiah and their devious desires.”
“I believe you, and call me Kyla. All my friends do.” She pushed Cedric’s offered dagger back toward him. “Please, you must help Fiona and I get safely away. That is all I ask of you.”
“Once I dispense with the maid, I’ll see you directly to the sea-gate entrance myself. Few are aware of it, but there’s a deep underwater tunnel that flows from the sea-gate into the keep, one a solitary man can swim through, provided he know where it lies. I do.”
“What are you suggesting?” She brushed a cobweb from her arm.
“You both need to be prepared for a swim. I’ll sneak you out of here myself through that tunnel.”
“Well, ’tis a lovely night for a swim.” She grinned at Fiona. “Wouldnae you say?”
“Absolutely.”
“Then wait right here while I see to the maid.” Cedric eased past them in the cramped space, flung the door open and closed it to within an inch.
Nose to the inch gap, Kyla held her breath.
Cedric strode to the lass and ordered, “The laird’s betrothed needs more clothing. Find the seamstress and have her take bolts of cloth to the blue chamber.”
“Aye, right away.” The lass rushed out the door.
Kyla bounded into the kitchens and hurried to Cedric’s side, Fiona one step behind her. “How quickly will she find the seamstress?”
“The seamstress left earlier this eve for the village five miles to the south. The lass will take some time to run that errand. Follow me. I’ll no’ lead you astray.” He walked into the storage room set to the side, opened a tiny door that creaked terribly then closed it after them as they all snuck outside.
In the dark of the night, the fresh sea air swirling all around, they flattened themselves to the keep’s stony wall, just out of the sight of the guardsmen patrolling the battlements high above. Cedric edged along until they reached a small nook where stones surrounded a fish pond sloshing with water and the odd lily pad floating on top. He knelt, removed several rocks from around the edge and murmured, “This is where the sea-gate’s underwater tunnel begins. It leads directly outside to the rocks near the landing.”
“Oh, how clever.” She never would have guessed a tunnel lay directly below them.
“I’ll go through first, discover Duncan’s exact position on the other side of the wall then return for both of you.” He rose to his feet. “I overheard you say you hold a merged link with your chosen one. Reach for him along it. Tell him I’m coming.”
“Of course.” In the future she’d need to take great care if a guard stood outside her door, that he couldn’t overhear her, although Coll had already told Cedric the truth, which meant her brother trusted this man implicitly. Since Coll did, so too would she. She opened her link, followed the pathway to Ronan’s mind and sank into sheer mayhem when she did, his thoughts a tangled and frustrated mess. “I have good news.”
“Speak it.”
“Fiona and I have found a guard who gave his allegiance to Coll during his visit here two months past. Cedric holds a touch of fae blood, even has a sister with a skill. He aids us now.”
“Are you certain of his loyalty? This could be a trap set by Jeremiah in the hope of capturing us and bringing your rescue to an end.”
“I’m certain, and we’ve made our way outside via the servants’ stairs and are standing within a quiet nook where few tread. Where are you?”
“Along the rocks near the sea-gate, discussing exactly how Duncan and I will make our way in. Hamish has seen naught yet, unfortunately.” A sliver of moonlight streaked through the stormy, darkened clouds above and she looked through his eyes and found him crouched with Duncan, the sea crashing in and spraying over them, a coiled rope and grappling hook in his hands.
“The guards will be able to see you should you scale the curtain wall, whether ’tis dark or no’. Jeremiah will be awaiting just such a move so he can attack without any recrimination.”
“We’re well aware, but we have little choice. I’m no’ leaving here without you. You’re my wife and where you are, is whe
re I need to be.”
“I will never allow any harm to come to you because of me.” She grasped Cedric’s mail-clad arm. “Ronan and Duncan are on the rocks next to the sea-gate landing. They’re close.”
“Tell them to stay right there. I’ll come to them.” He laid his helm on the ground then removed his chainmail, weapons, and chunky boots. Standing in only his leather pants and black tunic, he snuck his dagger from his wrist sheath and murmured, “I need to ensure the tunnel is clear of any seaweed and debris afore I allow either of you any entry. Disrobe as you can. The current will be strong so the less you’re wearing, the better.”
“That we can do.” She loosened the front stays of her gown and shoved the velvet down before slinking back farther into the darkened shadows in her white shift. “You must stay where you are, Ronan. Cedric is coming to you through an underwater tunnel that leads directly outside.”
Beside her, Fiona removed her forest-green gown and rolled it into a tight bundle, her brown shift blending in well with the dark.
“Here, you’ll need this.” Cedric hauled his black tunic off and handed it to her. “Your shift will be a bright beacon out on the rocks. Don my tunic instead. It should reach to your knees.”
“Thank you.”
“Give me a few minutes. Wait right here for my return.” Hunkered down, he removed an iron grate from under the lily pads and carefully propped it against the wall, rolled his pants to his knees and sat on the edge of the hole. Water sloshed as he maneuvered himself down, the rim barely wide enough to allow him to fit through. “Keep to the shadows and dinnae draw any attention to yourselves.”
“Of course and there is something I must tell you.” She knelt next to him. “Ronan looks eerily like Coll, so you should find him with ease. Take care as you swim.”
“I shall.” Shoulders scrunched, he sank and disappeared within the murky dark. Bubbles rose to the surface then nothing.
She pulled his tunic on and underneath it, shimmered out of her shift and tucked it within her gown and set her bundle next to Fiona’s clothing behind the grate.
“This is probably no’ the best time for me to remind you of this”—Fiona clasped her shaking hands together, her bottom lip wobbling—“but I’m still no’ overly fond of tight spaces clogged with water, no’ since that time we went swimming in the loch and I dove down deep and my foot got trapped between two rocks. You remember that day, dinnae you?”
“Aye, but ’twas so long ago. You must set that fear aside.” She scanned the courtyard and shrank back even farther into the shadows against the wall. “Coll and Duncan freed you without any issue that day, and I’ll be with you in the tunnel.”
“I had to hold my breath for a very long time afore they did.” One deep frown.
“I can take ahold of your mind and force you to my will if you wish.” She squeezed Fiona’s fingers. “Is that permissible?”
“Nay, dinnae do that.” Fiona blew out an unsteady breath. “You’re right. I must set this fear aside.”
“Cedric is here.” Ronan’s reassuring words resounded in her mind.
“Cedric is with Ronan.” She hugged Fiona. While within Ronan’s mind, she followed his movements. He shucked his boots, war coat and fur vest, dumped them into Duncan’s waiting hands then in his black leather pants and billowy blue tunic, dove into the choppy waves and joined Cedric bobbing in the near dark.
The two sank down, groped for the tunnel’s entrance in the murky black then pushed through the tight hole and swam toward them.
“They’re both coming.” She dropped to her knees, grasped the edge of the rim and searched the watery depths.
Seawater poured over her feet then Cedric emerged, clambered out, his dagger pinched between his blue lips and water sluicing to his feet.
“Ronan?” More water gushed.
“I’m right here.” He surged out of the tunnel, hoisted himself to his feet and wrapped her up in his chilly embrace.
“I cannae believe you’re truly here.” She cupped his face in her hands, touched the dark circles rimming his eyes. “I’m sorry. I never meant to cause you such fear and worry.”
“Now I’ve got you back, I’m never letting you go again.”
“I shall hold you to that promise.” She drew his face to hers and—
“Fiona and I will go first.” Cedric sheathed his weapon at his wrist, picked Fiona up and lowered her into the hole then dropped down after her. The two disappeared.
“Kyla.” Ronan scooped her up and dangled her feet over the watery hole. “Are you ready to go?”
“As ready as I’ve ever be.”
“I’ll be behind you every step of the way.” He touched his lips to hers and oh, sweet heaven. One taste of the warm recesses of his mouth was all it took to cloud her senses. She swept her fingers into his hair, clutched him closer, her heartbeat a pounding mess as she kissed him with all the desperate desire she’d held at bay since their parting.
“Sorry, love.” He broke their kiss, anguish flaring in his gaze before he dropped her into the hole and icy water closed in over her head.
“I’ll get you back for that.” She sank into the darkened depths and once her feet touched the stony base, she maneuvered around in the rounded basin then kicked off toward the sea-gate.
* * * *
Releasing Kyla had nearly killed Ronan. With a splash, she’d gone down then he’d given her long enough to turn around within the basin below then feet first, jumped in after her and sank. Holding and kissing his mate was all he desired, not a torturously cold swim through the murky depths of an underwater tunnel on enemy soil.
In fast pursuit, his mind connected with hers, he kicked after her, the high tide swelling and pushing against him. Not much farther. Seaweed swirled all about and he brushed Kyla’s bare feet. She too struggled to move forward against the incoming tide and he pushed against her soles and propelled her through.
Once clear of the tunnel, he clutched ahold of her around the waist and heaved them upward through the twisting current. He broke the surface, the waves crashing over them and tossing them about, the sky a welcoming blanket of black with not even a glimmer of the moon in sight.
Hands cinched on her hips, he held her above the water as she gulped in air. “Are you all right?”
“I am now that I have you c-close again.” She shivered, her teeth chattering and her long golden tresses snagged around his shoulders. He wanted to wrap the rest of her around him, only he was out of time.
“Let’s get you to the galley and warmed up.” He kicked toward the slick rocks, hoisted her up into Duncan’s waiting arms then seized the hand of one of the other warriors and got pulled out. Water sluiced to his feet as the waves batted the rocks. One of Duncan’s men bundled Fiona in a plaid and the warrior bounded across the rocks with her toward their moored vessel.
“I’ll do my best to hide your leaving.” Cedric bobbed in the rushing surf. “Travel safely.”
“Jeremiah will know they had help getting out.” He held out his hand to the man who’d brought his chosen one safely back to him. “Neither of the ladies could’ve lifted that grate propped against the wall. Should you return, it’d be to a certain death. Come with us.”
“Please, Cedric.” Kyla scrambled out of Duncan’s hold and tried to reach for Cedric too. “You must come, and that’s an order.”
“An order I wholeheartedly agree with.” Duncan swamped Kyla in a tartan and covered her from head to toe. “’Tis time for the fae to live, which includes you, Cedric.”
“Then I’ll come.” Cedric gripped Ronan’s offered hand and he heaved the warrior out.
“Glad you could join us.” He clapped the man’s shoulder, scooped Kyla from Duncan’s hold and with her bundled up in his arms, rushed across the rocks just as the moon broke free of the stormy clouds.
A horn trumpeted and the blast echoed across the bay. An arrow whizzed through the air and thunked into the slick stone at his feet. He bounded into the ga
lley and dashed to the stern.
“Raise your shields and all oars!” Duncan bellowed as he leapt aboard, his men piling in around them.
“Put me down. You need to take cover too.” Kyla squirmed in his arms as he rolled her underneath the bench seat where Fiona had already been stashed then covered both their bodies with his.
“Stay still, both of you.” More arrows slammed into the hull, one grazing his leg as the vessel heaved over the cresting waves.
“Hamish, take out the archers!” Duncan grabbed the ropes and hoisted the sail. It caught the wind and sent them flying out of the bay.
“What’s going on?” Kyla fisted his tunic from behind.
“Wait a moment.” He plucked an arrow that had pinned his leather pant leg to the hull, snapped it in two and tossed it before heaving out from under the bench and onto his haunches. At the sea-gate, two birlinns loaded with men sunk lower into the water and shouts echoed. Chaos reigned and Jeremiah’s warriors bounded back onto the landing.
“I cannae wait any longer.” Kyla scrambled out and peered around him. “Why isn’t Jeremiah making chase?”
“Duncan had a couple of our men loosen a few very importantly placed planks on their birlinns just afore I dove into the tunnel to come to you, at Hamish’s insistence. ’Twas all Hamish had ‘seen,’ so we acted on it.” He chuckled, his relief immense, the seer’s aid exactly what they’d needed. “Jeremiah will have to effect repairs otherwise sink to the bottom of the bay. Chasing us now is impossible.”
“Oh, that’s so very clever.” She bounced about and laughed. “Come out, Fiona. All is clear.”
The lass with red hair plastered to her head beamed as she crawled out and skipped in a circle around them. “I cannae believe we’re free.”
“Aye, and never to return to Rhue again.” Kyla grasped Fiona’s hands and danced with her.
“I must thank Duncan as well.” Fiona giggled and dashed down the aisle.
“As I must thank you.” Cheeks pink and blue eyes bubbling with life, his chosen one wrapped her arms around his neck and swayed against him. “Of which there are so many ways I wish to do so.”
Highlander's Bride: Medieval Romance (The Fae Book 1) Page 13