Nessa looked up at Pitt, his arms still firm around her. “I do not understand.” She shook her head, growing more confused when she heard Rhys issue orders to his warriors that circled Fife’s body.
“Let no one, not even animals get near them. The poison will dissipate shortly, and then the bodies can be seen to.”
Pitt walked Nessa away from the scene as Rhys continued to talk with the guards.
“I do not understand,” Nessa said again when Pitt brought them to a stop away from the crowd that had gathered and was now being dispersed.
Pitt released her, though kept a supportive arm lightly around her. “Fife was a traitor. He was loyal to the man who is after the Dragon.”
All color drained from her face and her legs got so weak that she reached out to grab hold of Pitt, but he had already tightened his arm around her and she leaned against him. “He used me, cared nothing for me, and like a fool I believed him.”
“Why would you doubt him?” Pitt asked, tucking her closer to him. “None of us did. He played his role well.”
Nessa stared at Pitt a moment and as she did tears began to fall once again until she was sobbing uncontrollably. Pitt gathered her up against him and placed his hand to her head, gently resting it on his chest. Then he held her tight and let her cry, feeling her pain far more deeply than he ever felt for any woman.
~~~
“Did I hurt you?” Rhys asked as he distanced them from the crowd that was dispersing and set her feet on the ground, easing his arm from around her.
Heather stood staring at him a moment, then simply threw her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder. His arms circled her and held her tight. Her heart thudded in her chest and her stomach roiled not only for what had just happened but for what was to come.
She finally lifted her head and looked at her husband. “I do not want to lose you.” She did not say again, though she thought it.
“Nor I you,” he said.
His words sent her heart beating faster and she looked in his eyes and felt her stomach catch, for just a brief moment she had thought she had seen Quinn in them. Good God, there was no way she could lose him again, never ever again. Fear gripped her as she said, “There is no stopping him. He will come for you.”
“He is hungry for revenge. Pitt and I had discovered only a short time ago that Fife was the one spying for Haidar. Plans were being made to watch Fife at all times to see what we could learn. Pitt was keeping an eye on him while waiting for the warrior assigned the first watch.”
Heather shook her head. “Why did Fife jump in front of the attacker and save me?”
“You were not the target.”
Heather tilted her head in question. “Who was the target?”
“Fife,” Rhys said and went on to explain. “It was a suicide mission for both men, though it was probably planned to look as if Fife tried to save Nessa from an attack. Haidar meant for all to be aware that the Dragon could not protect them from a superior foe. He also knows I am no fool and it was only a matter of time before I realized he had planted a spy amongst my warriors and discovered his identity.”
“That was why Fife looked so angry with Nessa when he saw me with her.”
“Aye, he would be very angry, for he could not let you die. If he did, he would have failed Haidar.”
“I do not understand.”
“Haidar will not come for me. He will come for you.”
Chapter Twenty-three
Heather could feel herself pale, though his words made perfect sense. She should have realized it sooner herself. Of course, Haidar would want to take from Rhys what he had taken from Haidar. And with all that had been happening lately she had to admit there was a chance he might succeed.
She could not help but smile as an unlikely response tumbled from her lips. “I guess I should stay put when you tell me to.”
He tugged her up against him. “He will never get his hands on you.”
“I want to believe that, but I have learned in life that never is a word never to trust.”
Thunder rumbled as if in agreement and a splatter of rain hit her cheek.
Rhys’s arm dropped off her, though he quickly took hold of her hand. He walked over to the warriors guarding the bodies. “Let the rain soak them, then tie rope around their ankles and drag them into the barn. The poison should be gone by then, but just to be certain, try not to touch their skin.”
More rain fell as Rhys hurried his wife along to the keep. He walked her over by the large fireplace in the Great Hall where a fire was burning, the rain having brought a chill with it.
She sat on a bench facing the hearth eager for the heat from the flames, cold having suddenly settled deep in her bones.
Rhys sat beside her after summoning a servant and instructing her to bring wine and ale. He took her hands and feeling the sudden chill, rubbed them between his two. “You are cold.”
She turned her head and said, “My family should be notified of all that is happening.”
“At the moment, they hold no interest for Haidar and I would prefer it remain that way.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because he has seen that I care not what happens to your family. So he will not waste his time and resources on something that serves no purpose.”
This time when she looked into his eyes, she saw the cold, heartless Dragon staring back at her.
“Your family also does not need to be worrying about you when their concern should be with Greer McLaud. He will soon be upon them, demanding to know of his wife and Saundra. And I have yet to hear if he is aware of his brother’s death, though when he learns of it, I am sure he will blame the Macinnes.” Rhys poured wine for each of them, handing her a tankard. “Drink, it will chase the chill.”
Heather drank, wanting it to also chase her worries.
“You need to trust me, Heather,” he said.
“I do,” she said, placing the tankard on the table and turned toward him. “I truly do trust you, Rhys, but I fear that sometimes fate has a way of stepping in and changing things no matter how often we say never.”
He ran a finger slowly down the side of her face. “Know this now, wife, for I give you my word on it. If anyone was ever to take you away from me, nothing—absolutely nothing—would stop me from getting you back.”
Heather smiled. “Then I have nothing to fear, for I know you will keep your word.” Just as you did all those years ago. Perhaps one day she would finally be able to say it aloud to him.
“I am reluctant to leave you, but I must see to this,” Rhys said and took hold of her chin. “I will have your word that you will stay in the keep.” Rhys scowled when Heather hesitated to answer. “What is it?”
“I would like to see how Nessa is faring.”
Before Rhys could tell her that he would have Pitt bring Nessa to her, Pitt entered the Great Hall, Nessa wrapped around him as if she would never let go.
Pitt approached them. “I cannot leave her alone while I see to my duties.”
Heather hurried off the bench, slipping her arm around Nessa to ease her out of Pitt’s arms.
Nessa looked at Pitt with such fright that he was leaving her, it tore at his heart.
“Come Nessa,” Heather coaxed, “we will have some wine and talk.”
Nessa looked at Heather and latched onto her. “I thought Fife cared for me.”
Rhys had to grab Pitt by the arm and almost drag him out of the room, he was so reluctant to leave.
Heather sat Nessa on the bench beside her so that the fire’s heat could warm her. She was more chilled than Heather had been and she remained much too pale.
“Drink,” Heather urged, placing a tankard of wine to her lips and Nessa obeyed without question.
Nessa finally wrapped her hands around the tankard and raised it repeatedly to her own lips. She turned to Heather, tears clouding her eyes. “Forgive me, my lady, I foolishly gave my heart and trust to Fife because I believed he loved
me. He followed me around the keep, claiming he missed me and had to be with me as much as possible and being blindly in love I believed him.” A tear slipped down her pale cheek. “The Dragon will surely punish me for this.”
“The Dragon will not punish you, Nessa. You have my word on that.”
After Nessa finished her tankard of wine, she stood. “I must return to my chores.”
Heather stood as well. “Not today, Nessa.”
“I must,” Nessa insisted, “or I will think of nothing else and only grow more upset with myself.”
“I have an idea that will help us both, since it is impossible for me to sit and do nothing myself. I will have a couple of Rhys’ warriors help us clean out the room on the upper floor stuffed with furniture. They should be only too glad to help since they must watch over me anyway. I can also have the latch repaired so that no one can get locked inside like I did.”
“But the Dragon forbids anyone to go up there.”
Heather smiled. “The Dragon will be pleased that I am keeping myself occupied in the keep. And I have no doubt that he will quickly be made aware of my intentions and I will learn fast enough if he objects. Besides, I am the lady of the keep and you must follow my order.”
“As you say, my lady,” Nessa said with a bob of her head and a slight smile.
Heather called out to the two warriors sitting nearby. “I require your help.”
They both looked at each other and stood with some reluctance.
“I am not going to run off on you and cause you trouble with the Dragon. Since you both have been tasked with guarding me, I am going to put you to work. I want you to assist me in cleaning out the one room on the upper floor.”
They both looked at each other again, before the one turned and spoke. “No one is permitted up there.”
“I think the Dragon will permit it since it will keep me tucked safely away in the keep. One of you, go and ask him, while the other will come along with me and Nessa?”
They both shook their heads and the one who spoke before, spoke again. “The Dragon will have our heads if we leave our post.”
With a pleasant smile and a gentle tone, she said, “Then I would suggest that you send another warrior to deliver the message, since I am going up there with or without you.”
The one warrior went running and the other followed behind Heather and Nessa as they walked to the stairs. The other warrior returned shortly and by the time they reached the upper floor a third warrior appeared.
“My lady,” he said with a nod and turned to the two warriors. “The Dragon gives Lady Heather permission to do as she wishes in the room and you are both to help her with whatever tasks she sets for you. I am to stand guard over you all.”
“Wonderful,” Heather said and grabbed the torch from the sconce and stepped just inside the room. “Your names?” she asked the two warriors who followed her.
“Duff,” the shorter of the two said.
“Tam,” the other said.
“Well, Duff and Tam, I think we will start with that heavy tapestry on the window.” She raised the torch some so they could see it. “I need you both to take it down off the window so that we have some light.”
The two men set to the task and with a few sharp tugs the tapestry fell to the floor, flooding the room with what light the stormy sky allowed.
Heather continued instructing the warriors and Nessa, and joined in to help as well, though the three protested. After a while they stopped, realizing their protests were useless, Lady Heather would do as she wished.
Pieces of furniture that were rotting from age were used to start a fire, in the small fireplace and chase the damp chill from the room.
Heather was making her way toward the corner of the room, having spotted a planked coffer chest she thought she could put to use when she saw Nessa pick up the cradle that had caught Heather’s eye when she had first gazed upon this space. “Place the cradle aside, Nessa. I think it will serve as a good gift for Bea and Douglas for when their babe is born.”
“That is generous of you, Lady Heather,” Nessa said and handed it over to Duff.
Heavy chairs scarred with age seemed to stand as sentinels, keeping her from getting to the coffer. Tam was quick to come to her aid and began clearing the way.
Heather was relieved to see Nessa’s cheeks full of color and tears no longer clouding her eyes. This task kept her too busy to think of Fife and how he had shattered her heart and trust. She knew it would take time for Nessa to recover from this horrible ordeal.
As soon as Tam moved the last chair out of her way, Heather approached the coffer with a smile. It was just what she needed to hold the many garments that overflowed the small chest in her bedchamber.
She reached out as she took another step closer and the next thing she knew the floor gave way beneath her and she plummeted down with it.
“Oh my God, Lady Heather,” Nessa screamed as she disappeared before Nessa’s eyes.
The two warriors ran to the hole in the floor and when the warrior who stood guard outside the door ran in, Duff shouted, “Get the Dragon!”
“Lady Heather, are you all right? Can you hear me?” Tam called down into the hole.
“I can hear you,” Heather called back. “I am fine.” At least she thought she was, since she felt no true pain.
“I am coming down there to get you out,” Tam yelled.
“No,” she yelled back. “Get me the torch.” She almost shouted with excitement, believing she discovered the secret passage, but bit her tongue. Rhys did not want anyone to know about it.
“I will bring the torch down to you,” Tam said.
“No, that is not advisable. The boards are soft beneath my feet and if you drop down onto them, I fear we may go straight through.”
“The Dragon will see that Duff and I suffer more than a fall if we leave you down there alone, and he will be here soon.”
“Nessa,” she shouted and the next thing she knew the torch was falling down the hole, and Heather was quick to snatch it up.
“Are you a fool, woman?” Duff shouted.
“Lady Heather gave an order and I obeyed.”
“You better have had good reason to do so,” Rhys said sharply as he entered the room with the force of a swirling storm. When he saw Tam and Duff bent over the hole in the floor, his stomach clenched and he shouted, “Heather!”
“I am down here, Rhys,” she called out.
Rhys rushed to the hole, the sight of him in all black, his brow narrowed, and his eyes blazing, caused the two warriors to hurry out of his way.
Rhys peered over the edge and relief ran through him when he saw her standing there, with the torch held over her head. Her face was smudged with dirt as were her garments, but she looked to be unharmed.
“Stand back. I am coming down to fetch you out of there.”
“Lady Heather says the boards are too soft beneath her feet or we would have had her fetched out already,” Tam explained.
“It is good you explained that. Now I will not have to punish you for leaving my wife down in a dark hole.”
“Tam and Duff have been very helpful and quick to want to get me out of here. Please do not be angry with them.”
Rhys looked down at his wife again and ignoring her plea, said, “Move to the side.”
“So you can fall through the boards? I think not.”
“What did you say to me?”
Duff and Tam stepped further away from the Dragon and Nessa stepped closer to the door.
“I am not moving,” Heather shouted the glare from the torch making it difficult to see his face clearly, but that did not matter. She was familiar with the look of the fire-breathing Dragon.
“Move! Now!” Rhys’s voice rumbled with anger.
“I will not see you hurt,” she shouted back.
Rhys was about to let her know that was not for her to decide when he heard a noise. “What was that?” he called down to her.
Before his
wife could answer him, he heard it again and knew. It was the sound of the boards cracking. “Move, Heather!” he yelled.
The boards gave out before she could flee and suddenly his wife was gone and all he saw was the torch flickering as it spiraled downward in the dark and her scream raced up at him.
“RHYS!”
The Dragon did not hesitate. He dropped down in the hole after his wife.
Chapter Twenty-four
Rhys twisted so that his body would take the impact of the fall rather than his legs and he was surprised when he landed on something softer than he expected. Though there was a jolt to his body, it did not stop him from hurrying to his feet and looking around for his wife.
He spotted the torch a short distance away and was grateful it still held its flame. He hurried over and snatched it off the floor, seeing that he stood on thick wood planking. He swung the torch up above his head to cast a wider light so that he could find his wife and when he spotted her prone body face down, fear gripped at his heart and he let out a slew of curses as he hurried over to her.
His arm brushed across something in the stone wall as he reached her. It was a metal sconce and he rested the torch in it before dropping down beside his wife. He had stopped praying a long time ago, so it was not a prayer that rushed to his lips but a warning that if anything happened to her, he would rage war on the heavens.
With a gentle touch, he turned her over on her back and was relieved to see her stir. “Heather,” he said forcefully, and then more sternly, “Heather, open your eyes.” For once, she listened to him and opened her eyes.
A smile slowly surfaced, seeing Quinn staring at her, his dark eyes full of concern and anger. Anger? Quinn rarely grew angry. She was about to ask him what was wrong, when he snapped at her.
“Do not dare move until I see if you suffered any harm.”
“Rhys,” she said softly, recalling what had happened and not surprised to see him there. “You followed me down the hole.”
He leaned closer to her. “I would follow you to hell if necessary, though I do not believe they would want you there, since you would not obey the devil himself.”
Highlander The Dark Dragon Page 20