She and Broden pushed through the gathered crowds and ignored the buzzing chatter until they reached Ciaran’s room. Ciaran had been on the mend, but after hearing this news he looked as though he had taken a few steps back in his recovery. Freya looked worried, and Malie was there too, sitting sullenly in the corner.
“Broden, what is the meaning of this?” Ciaran asked, shocked.
“My apologies that ye had tae find out like this,” Broden began. “But there is nae doubt that ye son was working with the bandits.”
“Nay…nay it cannae be! There must be some mistake. Maybe he was captured by them. Maybe he was—”
“Da, it’s true,” Iona said. “I knew. Brice gambled away all the money. The only way he thought tae get it back was tae work with the bandits and steal what he needed. I tried tae reason with him, but he didnae show any sign of stopping.”
Ciaran closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.
“I cannae believe it…” he wheezed. “Why would he dae this? Why would he nae come tae me?” he asked, but of course nobody had an answer for him.
Iona glanced at Broden. They weren’t holding hands any longer, feeling as though it wouldn’t have been appropriate, but they were still standing together, and beside him was where she felt she belonged.
Freya tried stroking and caressing Ciaran’s head and shoulders in an effort to calm him down, but it did not work. He continued muttering to himself in a state of disbelief that Brice could have acted in this manner.
“As ye are his father I am willing tae let ye decide the fate of his punishment.” Broden glanced at Iona. “Usually the sentence for bandits is death, but perhaps a lifetime of imprisonment is more suitable in this instance.”
“Nay…I couldnae kill him and I couldnae leave him tae rot in some cell. He is my son, and he is a good man.”
“I think his actions speak otherwise,” Broden said. Ciaran narrowed his eyes. Iona wanted to tell Broden to stop, as any enmity between Broden and Ciaran might hurt any chance she had of marrying Broden. Exposing her brother was one thing, but actively going against her father’s wishes to marry a man he didn’t approve of was quite another.
“Ye dinnae ken what he has been through,” Ciaran said. “I will exile him. Let him find his own place in the world. Maybe then he will learn how tae take care of himself. It would pain me tae say goodbye tae him…but it is the only thing.”
“It’s nae the only thing!” Broden thundered. “He’s a criminal! He’s stolen, he’s killed, he’s burned down buildings. Are ye sae blind that ye would defend him?”
“That was the bandits, nae him!”
“He is a bandit!” Broden shouted. Stunned silence met his words.
“I think it’s best if ye leave,” Ciaran growled. Iona looked at the two men and wondered if she should say something. She had hoped that at the end of this meeting they would have requested the marriage, but now there seemed no chance of that. She tugged Broden’s hand, pulling him away, afraid that anything else he said might reflect poorly on him.
“I cannae believe he would just let Brice gae,” Broden said in disbelief.
“Da has always had a soft spot for him,” Iona said.
“I cannae let this stand,” Broden said. “I cannae let Brice get away with this.”
“It would be a punishment. Brice would have no money, no security.”
“Aye, and one day he would come crawling back here begging for mercy, and dae ye think ye da will refuse him? He’ll gae on living, being given chance after chance because naebody is strong enough tae dae anything about him. I’m sorry Iona, but I cannae let him be given freedom. I’m gaeing tae have tae talk tae my da and see if he can talk some sense intae Ciaran.”
Iona was afraid that this might escalate into full-blown hostility between the two houses.
“Are ye sure ye know what ye are daeing Broden? What about the other matter? What about us?”
“We’ll be fine.” Broden cupped Iona’s face in his hands and kissed her tenderly. “There’s naething gaeing tae stop us from being apart.”
Iona felt relieved at this and smiled warmly. They walked away, but neither of them noticed another presence that had slyly stepped out of the door with them, for Malie had followed them and then moved away in the opposite direction, having heard everything they said.
Later that evening, Iona was in her room reflecting on the events of the day. She felt guilty that Brice had been captured, but in the end she thought it was for the best. After thinking about it, she thought that Broden was right in that being exiled wasn’t much of a punishment for Brice. It certainly wouldn’t help the people he had hurt and it didn’t seem right that he should just be forgiven. As much as she loved her father it was clear that he was lacking judgment when it came to Brice and couldn’t quite see the truth of the matter: that Brice was a bad seed.
She felt better for having resolved the issue with Broden and was hopeful that when things settled down she would be able to have the life she wanted. She intended to speak to her father again and hopefully gently nudge him towards an enlightened way of thinking. He was likely shocked by the truth and wasn’t thinking straight at the moment, but she was sure that given a day or two he would calm down and look at things in a more reasonable manner.
To distract herself from the sadness she thought about the future with Broden, assuming that she could have a future with him. The relief she felt at being forgiven by him was palpable. Her heart was filled with joy and whenever she thought of Broden a smile appeared on her face. The feeling was so powerful, in fact, that it spread all over her body, as though her entire being was smiling. The taste and force of his kiss lingered on her lips and the heat that bloomed within her body was pleasing. Her lips parted and fervent desire began to rise within her. It was so thrilling and so intense that it almost scared her. Without Broden’s presence and steady hand calming her nerves she was almost afraid to explore, and she wished desperately that Broden would come to her and they could indulge their desire.
It was wrong to imagine doing that with Broden before they were married, but she knew in her heart that she wasn’t going to end up with anyone else. She would rather spend a life alone if she couldn’t be with Broden. There was no other man for her, and her body ached to be with him again.
While she was thinking these things she heard movement outside her chambers. A sly smile appeared on her face and rolled across the bed, lying on her stomach, looking towards the door in expectation of Broden’s appearance. The door creaked open and she widened her eyes in anticipation of another stolen moment. It felt as though they had missed out on a few opportunities to explore their attraction for one another given the strife that had plagued them, so they had to make up for some things.
But it wasn’t Broden who was coming into her chamber at all. It was Brice. Upon seeing her brother Iona gasped and rose from the bed, pushing herself up to the head of the bed. Brice wore a malevolent smile.
“Brice, what are ye daeing here?” she asked.
“It turns out I have one sister who still loves me,” he said. “I cannae believe ye betrayed me Iona. After everything ye promised.”
“I had tae Brice! Ye were never gaeing tae change.”
“Aye, well ye have made sure of that now,” he groaned. “Ye are coming with me. I dinnae want anyone coming after me. I’m gaeing tae make ye pay for ye part in all this Iona. Ye could have been a good sister, but instead ye chose Broden over ye own flesh and blood.”
Brice strode into the room. Iona jumped off the bed and the two were on opposite sides. Brice’s eyes were filled with rage. Iona’s gaze darted towards the door and suspected that she might be able to make a run for it. If she was able to flee she might well find Broden or at least someone else to help. But Brice saw her looking, and while her movements were swift, his were swifter. She yelped as she felt him tug at her shoulder, pulling her back. He dug his fingers in so hard that pain flared, and then he whispered in her ear, “Ye make
one sound and I’ll cut off ye ear, and then we’ll see if he still loves ye then,” he growled. He walked her through the shadows of the estate into the darkness, and Iona was left to gaze back in the hope that Broden would come after her.
13
Broden was disappointed with the way things had gone in his conversation with Ciaran. He had never expected the man to be so protective of his son when faced with such incontrovertible evidence that Brice was nothing but a criminal. Broden burned with an intense anger and it had probably been for the best that Iona had pulled him away before he said something he regretted. It seemed as though he was going to have to wait a little longer before he asked for Iona’s hand in marriage, but this matter with Brice might have even more lasting effects.
Broden spoke with Niall and Connor and told them how they were going to have to return home to get their father to overrule Ciaran’s decision.
“There’s nae way I’m letting Brice get away with this,” Broden said. Connor and Niall agreed.
“I wonder if Da would dae the same for us,” Connor said.
Broden scoffed. “He’d be the first one tae throw us in chains.”
What he really wanted was to see Iona. He knew seeing her would calm his mind and prevent him from descending into errant madness. However, he knew it would be improper to visit her at night, especially when there were so many servants to spread scandalous rumors. It certainly wouldn’t improve his standing in the eyes of Ciaran and, above all else, Broden was an honorable man who wanted to earn the respect and trust of the father of the woman he wanted to marry.
So it was that he stayed in his room during the night, suffering restless sleep until he awoke bright and early in the morning to terrible news.
Connor came hammering at his door. Broden awoke and yawned, stumbled to the door to let his brother in, but was quickly brought to his senses by what Connor had to say.
“Brice has escaped and he’s taken Iona with him!” Connor said. Broden growled.
“I knew we should have insisted that we watch over him,” he said, and then immediately marched to Ciaran’s room. With Iona in danger there was no shackling his rage and he burst into the Laird’s chamber, his face full of thunder.
“How could ye let him escape? Ye had nae right!” Broden said.
“How dare ye come here and tell me I had nae right. In my own home, with my own son! I had every right! But ye are directing ye anger in the wrong direction. I didnae let him flee. I wanted tae say goodbye tae him first.”
“Then who is responsible?” Broden asked. His gaze swept around the room. He curled his fist into tight balls and looked to where he could focus his anger.
“I did,” Malie said, looking proud.
“Dae ye know what ye have done?”
“Aye, I heard ye talking with Iona outside, about how ye wanted tae make Brice pay. I dinnae agree with what he’s done, but I cannae let him die. I…I didnae think he would take Iona with him. I just wanted him tae gae, tae find a place in the world where he doesnae have tae be chased or hounded.”
She dipped her head and while initially she had shown pride, she now looked ashamed. Broden simmered. He had hoped that some man had been responsible so he could have swung a fist at him and released some of his anger, but as it was he continued to seethe and glowered at everyone in the room, including the Laird.
“I hope that ye have seen his true nature. I hope that ye realize now what kind of man Brice is. He has taken Iona, and I will nae stop until I find him and, if I have tae, I will kill him.”
“No…” Ciaran said in a choking breath. The old Laird was still trying to cling to the idea that Brice was a noble man.
“Would ye rather ye daughter come tae harm?” Broden challenged.
“Ye…ye cannae ask a man tae choose between his son and his daughter,” Ciaran said, shaking his head. He groaned and tilted his head back, closing his eyes, trying to shut away the world. Even though he had been through a lot, Broden found it difficult to have pity for him. He knew there would be nothing more of use to come of speaking with Ciaran. Any time they spent there was time not spent looking for Iona. He left them with a withering glance and then stormed out of the room.
He was stopped by the sound of the door opening and closing behind him, and Freya’s soft voice calling to him.
“Broden, please wait,” she said. He turned, offering her a few moments because he knew how much she meant to Iona. “I’m not going to make any excuses for my husband. I’ve known for a long time about this blindspot for his son, and I’m angry that Brice has done this. I knew he was capable of a lot but I never thought…” She pressed her lips together and composed herself. “I know that you care deeply for my daughter, and she cares for you a lot as well. Please, do everything you can to find her. Everything.” She laced the final word with more urgency than Ciaran had shown. Broden was thankful that at least one person other than he was putting Iona’s wellbeing ahead of Brice’s.
“I’ll make sure tae bring her back,” Broden vowed. It was a promise he intended to keep.
After gathering Niall and Connor he told them that they were going to have to get Brice by themselves as Ciaran wasn’t going to lend them any support.
“Where dae ye think he’s gone?” Connor asked.
“Back to Crow Forest with his bandit friends. He’s a coward, and he’ll nae want tae be by himself. He knows I’m coming for him, especially because he took Iona. He wants a fight. I’m gaeing tae give him one.”
“I hate tae be the one tae point this out,” Niall said, “but we saw how many bandits there were. We’re a wee bit outnumbered.”
“I know, which is why we’re gaeing home first tae rouse some allies. The MacCraes are gaeing tae show we rule this land, and bandits should beware.”
His words were met with grins. They mounted their stallions and road quickly around the perimeter of Crow Forest back to their home and the tall fortress that rose on the horizon. People were quick to greet them when they returned, and Broden was glad to be in familiar surroundings. The castle was steeped in history and he had a profound sense of belonging as he thought about all his ancestors who had ridden across the land dispensing justice, protecting the people they loved from evil.
Broden marched into the castle and found his father sitting up in the feasting hall. His wounds from the bandits were still yet to heal, but in contrast to Ciaran he was not content to stay in bed. Rather, he was propped up beside a table. Food and wine were placed before him and he seemed in good spirits.
“Ah my son! How fare ye? Have ye returned with the scalps of the bandits?” he asked. Broden stood before him, with Connor and Niall flanking him.
“We killed a few, but there has been a…complication,” Broden said, and explained what happened with Brice and Iona. Artair listened intently and then, when Broden had finished with his tale, shook his head.
“Such a shame when a father cannae keep his lad on a leash. Tae think that noble blood could turn sae sour…” He shuddered.
“I want tae take men intae Crow Forest tae the lair of the bandits. I want tae attack them and end this once and for all, and tae get Iona back.”
“This lass is nae of ye concern Broden. She’s Ciaran’s daughter, and Brice is his boy. Maybe it is best if we let him sort it out.”
Broden’s cheeks flushed and he almost went apoplectic with rage. “How can ye say that? If he has his way he’ll let Brice gae without any punishment. Have ye lost ye mind Da? I cannae let him get away with this. I cannae leave Iona tae suffer.”
“Crow Forest is a cursed place Broden. The bandits must have made some kind of pact with the spirits. Evil always finds evil. We will wait for them tae strike again and then we will catch them. I will nae send good men intae such an evil place.”
“But by the time we wait Iona might be killed!” Broden said. When it was clear that Artair was not going to change his mind, Broden turned to those present. “I am nae gaeing tae let these bandits play on ou
r superstitions and hide out in Crow Forest. They have taken tae much from us already and the longer we leave them tae fester, the stronger they will be. I’m gaeing, now who is with me?” His cry was rousing and his words were impassioned. Artair remained resolute, folding his arms across his broad chest. It was a daring man who defied the orders of the Laird, but Broden didn’t care, not when Iona’s life was at stake. Connor and Niall allied themselves with him quickly, as did a few other men until there were nine of them. Broden would have preferred more, but he’d take nine hardened Highland warriors against a group of bandits any day.
They prepared quickly and within the hour were galloping away to the forest like fiends. Broden didn’t know what had happened to his father. That certainly wasn’t the man Broden had been used to growing up. Perhaps the injury had caused deeper wounds than Artair was letting on, but that would have to wait until Broden returned.
They made their way to Crow Forest. Some of the men who volunteered were hesitant to enter, but Broden reassured them that if the bandits could stay in Crow Forest, so could they. Broden, Connor, and Niall remembered how to get to the bandit’s camp. They moved stealthily through the forest, abandoning their horses when they drew near to make as little noise as possible.
But something was wrong.
When they approached the bandit camp Broden realized that it should have been louder. He whispered for his men to be prepared. They reached the camp and instead of seeing a bunch of bandits idly lazing around he just saw one person, Iona, tied to a tree in the middle of the camp. Broden couldn’t stop himself from rushing forward, even as she was shaking her head. As soon as he was exposed he heard the twang of a string and an arrow slammed into the ground, right between him and Iona. He stopped in his tracks, annoyed that he was so close to the woman he loved, yet prevented from seeing her.
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