Highland Retribution

by Keira Montclair

Greer glared at her, his arms still crossed. “Convince me.”

  Braden had walked over to the door, ready to leave and summon all the force of the Grants, when Greer called out to him. “Hold, Grant.”

  Braden turned around and waited. He was so pissed at the power the arsehole had over Cairstine that he just wanted to do something about it, but he understood. He wished she could trust him, but they barely knew each other. How he wanted to walk away, but his training as a Grant warrior forced him to lift his chin with pride. There was still a slim possibility she could change her mind, and he refused to give up on her. How he admired her with all she’d dealt with. A lesser woman would have crumpled to the ground in defeat long ago.

  Greer said, “Convince me, Cairstine. Spit on him.”

  “Nay, Greer,” Cairstine said. “I’ll not do it.”

  “Do it. Spit on him or I’ll have him killed.”

  “Bastart,” she cried out.

  Greer grinned.

  She strode over to stand in front of Braden and mouthed two words out of Greer’s view. “I’m sorry.”

  Then she spat on him.

  Greer nodded to his men. “Take him outside and rough him up. Then give him his sword and drop him in the middle of the forest without his horse. Send the Grants a message that the Lamonts will not be easily toyed with.”

  Braden fought with every bit of strength he possessed, and though he took fist after fist in the courtyard, he gave back as many hits as were landed on his flesh.

  He never felt a single blow. The pain of knowing Cairstine was still in that man’s custody hurt more than any fist ever could.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Steenie stared in shock at all the lassies. Many were about his age. An old woman was busy preparing food for them in another chamber. He’d only seen her from behind because he couldn’t take his gaze off the mean men in charge, but they’d just left in a hurry, telling the woman they’d be moving again by nightfall.

  He leaned over to whisper to Kenzie. “Who are all these bairns? Where are they taking us?” He heard one of the lassies cry for her mother.

  He was about ready to cry with her. He wanted his mama, too.

  Kenzie said, “I think we’re in the channel my papa told me about. His cousins know all about it.”

  “A channel to where?”

  Kenzie sighed and locked gazes on him, holding his finger to his lips to urge him to keep quiet. “The river.”

  Steenie almost yelled, but Kenzie grabbed his shoulders. Steenie asked, “They’re going to throw us in the firth?”

  “Nay, they’ll put us on a boat. We have to find a way out of this. All the Grant warriors will be searching for us, but we’re hidden. There are no windows. ‘Tis so dark I don’t know what time of day ‘tis.”

  Steenie said, “We’re the warriors here. We must do something. We must hurt the mean one who’s keeping us here.”

  Kenzie frowned at him. “We cannot hit her. She’s a woman. Grants do not hit women,” Kenzie said. “Even bad ones.”

  One of the men walked inside and spoke to her.

  “But we could hit him. Then she’d be scared of us,” Steenie whispered. “Besides, we have to save all those lassies over there.”

  Kenzie said, “Mayhap we can try. I’ll distract her when she comes back in, and you can hit him in the head.”

  “I’m not big enough.” He swung his arm in imitation of what Kenzie needed to do. “You’re bigger than me. You must be the one to strike him. And do it hard.” He nodded for emphasis.

  “Not a bad idea. You distract her and I’ll take care of him.” Kenzie glanced around the chamber. “I don’t see anything I can use.”

  “I’ll look.”

  Steenie moved around the small chamber. The four lassies around his age sat on a pallet on the floor, and they all looked as though they had been crying. One had just stopped as he approached them. Another had her thumb in her mouth. An older lassie sat on either side of the young ones, as if they’d decided to protect them.

  “Who are you?” the one on the left asked.

  “Steenie. We’re going to save everyone. We need to find something to hit someone on the head with. Have you seen anything?”

  “Here.” After glancing about to ensure they weren’t being watched, she moved over to a nearby stool and pulled one leg off. “This one was loose. Will it work?”

  He nodded, grabbed it, and said, “Aye.” He raced back over to Kenzie and said, “Here. When you hear her coming, hit him over the head with this.”

  Kenzie took the wooden leg and turned it over in his hand. “This could work.”

  “Here they come!” Steenie crept over to the doorway, pointing to the other side of the door where Kenzie could hide.

  He was so nervous he thought his eyes would pop out of his head and roll onto the floor. He started to giggle at the idea of seeing such a thing when Kenzie said, “Pay attention, Steenie. You’re supposed to distract the woman.”

  She was almost to the door so he stood up straight. He planned to fall down to draw her attention, and if that didn’t work, he’d simply scream. He almost laughed at that, but then the door opened.

  He took one look and said to Kenzie, “Nay! I know her and the bad man went back out.”

  Kenzie gave him a strange look, but he dropped the piece of wood as Steenie rushed forward and hugged the woman carrying a loaf of bread.

  “Hilda. ‘Tis you.” He turned to Kenzie with a smile of relief on his face and said, “Don’t worry. We’re safe now.

  ***

  When Braden opened his eyes, he had no idea where he was or what had happened. The sun was nearly up, so he knew a few hours had passed. He’d just pushed his hand against the cold ground when a boot nudged his shoulder.

  “Got your arse kicked, brother?”

  It had to be Loki. He groaned as he sat up, feeling as though he’d been tossed over a cliff and then dragged back up again. “What the hell?” Three sets of boots met his gaze, and he looked up just as Maggie Ramsay knelt down in front of him.

  “What happened? The Lamonts?” She held out a skin for a drink.

  “How’d you two get here so quickly? Uncle Alex just sent a missive to your sire.”

  Maggie said, “We met up with him. We were on our way because of ramblings we heard in Edinburgh about part of the Channel of Dubh that had been operating in the Highlands. We wanted to talk to your sire and uncles about deserted land. See if we could uncover anything, but it seems you’ve done much of our work for us, nay?”

  Braden rubbed the blood crusted in his eyebrow, hoping the movement would brush the remaining cobwebs out of his brain. Cairstine. And Greer Lamont.

  “Aye, you could say that.” He took a swig, coughed a bit, then took another before he handed it back to her. Loki grabbed one of his arms and nodded to the pair of boots on Maggie’s other side. Will. The two of them hoisted Braden to his feet.

  “My thanks,” Braden said. Glancing around the area and rubbing his head, he tried to place himself but finally decided it wasn’t worth it. It was just too painful.

  “They have Kenzie and Steenie. Where did they go?” Loki asked. “We have to find them fast.”

  “And Cairstine. That brute threatened her. Said he sold Kenzie and Steenie and other bairns. Somewhere they’d never find them. Tell me again what you heard in Edinburgh?” He glanced from Maggie to Will.

  “We found out the Channel of Dubh operates a route running from this area to the Firth of Clyde. Seems to me these Lamonts must have gotten wrapped up in it,” Will said. “We’ve heard they have no way of making income, so that would explain how they’ve been surviving all this time, and it doesn’t seem they have any morals to speak of.”

  Braden said, “Aye, the same thought occurred to me, and after what I just heard, there’s no doubt they are involved. Greer said he was sending the bairns away, along with Kenzie, that they’d never be seen again, but I think there’s more to it. He said something to Cairsti
ne about bairns crying in the cellars when she was locked up.” He pulled all the twigs out of his hair that he could find. “He must have been holding them for some reason. What else but the Channel?”

  Loki said, “If they know something, then we have to go after them first. Since you were inside, any suggestions for how we should go in?”

  “Where are the fifty warriors my sire promised? And Connor and Roddy?”

  “Their group is coming behind us. I couldn’t wait with Kenzie missing,” Loki said. “I ran into these two and decided to bring them along.”

  Braden found a log to sit on before he continued. “I think we need to split up. I’ll take a few back to the Lamonts with me, and the rest can look for the bairns. Where are Keith and Moray? They didn’t come along?”

  “Nay, said they’d prefer to stay back.”

  Braden closed his eyes. He’d have to worry about that situation later. He opened them and said, “If you wish to wait for the warriors, you may, but I’m not wasting any time. We need Cairstine’s help. We need to stop Greer from doing away with the lads.”

  “If he sold them into the Channel of Dubh, then there may not be a way to find them,” Maggie said. “Greer must be bluffing. Did he need to lie in order to convince Cairstine to stay?”

  Braden nodded, working his shoulder because of a blow he took there. He needed to be in top form, and though he wasn’t at present, he wouldn’t let it stop him.

  Loki whispered, “You going to be hale enough to go with us? Mayhap you should head back to Grant land and leave the rest to us.”

  “Hellfire, nay!” he glared at his brother, who grinned.

  “Still works, doesn’t it? Is that what got you beat up?”

  Maggie asked, “What are you talking about?”

  “Braden has a wee temper…”

  “And I controlled it quite well, or I would be worse off and some of the Lamont guards would be dead. I controlled myself, but ‘twas the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” he barked at his brother.

  “Can you keep that temper under control for the rest of the journey?” Will asked.

  “I’ll be fine,” he said with a sigh. “I have enough of a headache to keep me from yelling. But I can’t do this alone so I’m asking for a few to go along with me to the Lamonts.”

  Maggie added, “We’ll go with you. Loki, why don’t you wait for the rest of the guards, then take your men and head straight for the waterways to the west. We’ll join you when we’re done.”

  The sound of horse hooves greeted them. They unsheathed their weapons to ready themselves for the newcomers, but the bird whistle in the early morning air quickly informed them it was Gavin and Gregor.

  To their surprise, Connor and Roddy rode directly behind them with about forty more Grant guards, but the man in the middle of the group wore an unfamiliar plaid.

  Loki tipped his head toward the gray-haired man on the horse. “Name? Never seen you before.”

  “You’ll be pleased,” Connor said with a grin. “Someone from inside the Lamonts.”

  Braden moved closer. “Why would we trust you?” He spat out a stream of spit and blood. “The Lamonts are no friend of the Grants or any clan in the Highlands.”

  “Nay, but I’m not a Lamont. My name’s Corc from Clan Muir. I stayed on after the Lamonts slayed the Muirs. I was the stablemaster. Still am. But I saw them send the lads away. They’d always threatened to hurt Cairstine if I ever left, but the Lamonts have gone daft.” He pointed to Braden. “After I saw what they did to you and saw them escort the lads from the keep, I decided to head to the Grants and hope you could find the bairns and get to Cairstine before they hurt her.”

  Braden couldn’t believe their good fortune. This was another witness to the Lamonts’ evil deeds.

  “Don’t know why the Lamonts spared me, but I stayed for Cairstine. Her sire would have wanted me to keep an eye on her. I couldn’t do much to help her, but I’ve done aught I could. I cannot stand by any longer. I’m here to tell you I know where they took the bairns.”

  All faces turned toward him. Maggie asked, “Why would we trust you?”

  “I promised Cairstine I’d keep an eye on Steenie. When they went out searching for the lad, I volunteered to help, and they allowed it. They sold the two lads to a small group who are taking a bunch of lassies to a boat in a loch in the west. That boat will bring them to the firth to put them on a larger boat headed across the waters. Steenie and another lad were added late, brought along on horseback.”

  “You can lead us there? Loki asked. “You’re sure of the directions?”

  “Aye. I paid close attention and tracked the path most of the way. A word of warning. We cannot wait long. If we miss the holding spot, we’ll have to head west to the loch.”

  “How many men?”

  “I saw four plus a woman to care for them. But she’s been with the Lamonts for years and has a soft spot for the lad. She’ll help the bairns if she can.”

  Braden asked, “Corc, you are willing to tell our king you witnessed both the Lamont brothers kill the Muirs?”

  “Aye, I’ll be glad to repeat all that I’ve witnessed.”

  “Tell us aught you can about where they left them,” Maggie said. “You can lead Loki’s group, and we’ll follow. But Loki? I would head straight for the loch. Don’t bother to stop at the holding spot. They will have been moved by now and they usually transport the bairns in slow carts. You’ll be able to catch them.”

  Will said, “Terrific. We’ll take the Band of Cousins with us to the castle. We’ll finish here as quickly as we can and meet you at the loch.”

  “I’ll give you two dozen guards if you want them,” Loki said.

  Maggie shook her head. “You may need them. I know not how many they may have at the loading dock. There could be others escorting bairns there.”

  “We have nearly fifty with all of us,” Loki said. “I’m sending two dozen guards to join you whether you want them or not. Order them to search the periphery, catch those who’ll run before they fight, whatever, but I’m sending them. I’ll not be able to leave if I know that your numbers are less than ten against Lamonts’ fifty plus.” He moved away to speak to his men, giving directions.

  The two groups separated, but before their group rode off toward the castle, Maggie gave orders to the extra guards then pulled the rest of them together. “The situation, Braden. Fill everyone in.”

  “Greer and Blair Lamont slaughtered the Muirs six years ago,” Braden said. “Kept the daughter, Cairstine, captive, and you can imagine how her life has been. They have possibly fifty to sixty guards. I want Greer.”

  Will said, “He’s all yours. Is he the one who claims he knew how the channel operated?”

  “Aye, but I think he’s likely bluffing.”

  Will gave instructions. “We’re going in through the front. No sense in trying to hide. Maggie has the others to take out anyone who gets past us. Direct is best because time is of the essence if we’re to find the lads before the crossing. I don’t think the Lamonts will have any information as I’d guess they’ve sent them to the loading station a while ago. But there could be other bairns here besides the two lads. We don’t know anything for sure. Even they could possibly still be here.”

  Connor said, “Will, I might add that my sire wanted us on patrol, not a full-scale attack unless we knew that the Lamonts killed the Muirs or that they were holding bairns hostage. Do we all agree this mission has met both those criteria? Are we sure the king will see it that way?”

  Will said, “Aye, without a doubt. Corc said he would speak as a witness, and he and Braden both spoke about the Channel. If the Lamonts are still here, once we find out what we can, a full-scale attack is warranted to end this blight on the Highlands.”

  Maggie nodded emphatically.

  Braden said, “Rather than a direct attack, I have a better idea. Why not allow me to approach the gates alone? They all know me there, and I think I can lure Greer and Blair to come
out and greet me. They won’t perceive me as a threat. Especially in the sorry state they put me in. This way the two of them will be easily accessible and I can get the answers to our questions before we encounter the other guards. The rest of our men can hold back out of sight until the battle starts and the rest of Lamont’s men come out of the gates. If I can go ahead of you, I may be able to determine exactly where Cairstine is, also. I’d like to get her to safety before the fighting begins in earnest.”

  Will rubbed his chin for a moment, considering his suggestion.

  Maggie turned to him and said, “We can send Gavin and Gregor in ahead of Braden to position themselves. I’ll go with them. That’ll be three archers who can assist Braden if anything goes awry.”

  “Agreed. The full-scale attack ensues after we’ve drawn the Lamonts out?”

  Maggie nodded. “Aye. Allow Braden to question them first, he can take on Greer if he wishes, then we can follow. Let’s move.”

  Braden waited until she left before he moved into the bushes to take a pish.

  Roddy teased him, “That’s what you’ve been concentrating so hard on all this time?”

  Braden came back with a smirk on his face. “Nay, but if I don’t keep myself busy, I’ll have a hard time holding back before battle.”

  He glanced up at the trees overhead. “And I have a strange feeling we won’t be stopping once the Lamonts step outside their gates. You can be sure that I won’t stop until Cairstine is safe.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Cairstine had begged Greer not to kill Braden, but he’d only laughed, forcing her to watch, screaming and crying, as the men beat him until he was unconscious. The only bit of compassion they’d exercised was to leave him breathing.

  She wondered if he would live. Greer had admitted the only reason he hadn’t ordered his men to kill Braden was because he wanted him to remember it was Greer Lamont who’d humbled him. He wanted all the Grants to know what he was capable of doing to them.

  She’d asked to be taken to Steenie, but Greer must have lied to her, because he’d given her no indication that he knew where her son was being held. Clearly, she had chosen the wrong man to trust. Time and experience should have taught her better, but she was blinded by the desperation to be reunited with her sweet boy.