A Scot's Pledge (The MacLomain Series: End of an Era, #1)

by Purington, Sky

  She tried not to think about her ominous, possibly prophetic words to Tiernan the night before. Her gut-wrenching sensation that he was at the root of her growing dread. If that weren’t bad enough, Adlin had finally made contact with them telepathically, fearing for his son’s safety. Though he said it was just a father’s natural concern, she knew there was more to it.

  “He sensed something was going to happen to you,” she’d said to Tiernan as they cuddled in bed. “I’d bet my life on it.”

  Naturally, Tiernan kept assuring her it would be all right, but they both knew something awful loomed.

  “My magic’s growing by the second, and you know it,” she had argued. “Just look at how I removed our clothing without even chanting!” She’d frowned at him. “So you know damn well I’m right. My magic is trying to warn us about something.”

  “Or,” he had countered softly. “Prepare us for the inevitable.” He’d shaken his head. “You know as well as I that your magic is following the path your ancestors have laid for it. That means ‘tis leading you in a direction, showing you the way.” He had shrugged a shoulder. “Is there a warning in that? Verra likely. But we both know ‘twas not given so that we would cower in fear and not continue our journey.”

  “I hate when you’re right,” she’d whispered because he was. They were supposed to keep moving forward. They were supposed to follow the light into the darkness. She knew it like she knew nothing else.

  So though tempted to now say, “We could use our magic to keep David here,” she knew better.

  She offered the boy a comforting smile as Aidan and Tiernan conversed with Thomas about travel plans. Unfortunately, David was surrounded by guardsmen so she couldn’t get any closer, but when the boy’s eyes met hers, she knew her smile was welcome. Though he tried to be brave, bone-deep, he was terrified.

  “I swear I felt his emotions,” she said into Tiernan’s mind later that day as they traveled. “He senses something off about Thomas too, and he’s really scared. Yet he refuses to show it and appear weak. Poor kid. What a life he's been thrust into.” She frowned and sighed, hunkering down against the blustery wind and rain, thankful for Tiernan’s warmth at her back. “No child should be going through this. Especially on such a crappy day.”

  “Aye,” Tiernan agreed. “But there is naught we can do about it, but stay close and protect him the best we can.”

  Yet Thomas, despite her protecting the king before, kept them at a distance, which only fed into the theory he was possessed.

  “I know,” she mumbled aloud, noting Aidan’s watchful eyes and grim expression. “Why do I get the feeling your cousin is on alert for more than just the enemy?”

  “Because he is,” Tiernan replied. “He feels as though Chloe is just around every corner. ‘Tis a growing unease he cannae shake.”

  “Unease?” She frowned at him over her shoulder. “That doesn’t sound promising.”

  “Nay, but ‘tis hard to know with him if the unease comes from being destined for a lass other than Maeve,” he said, “or if ‘tis related to something more.”

  “I’d guess a bit of both.” She looked ahead again, taking in the endless woods. “Where do you think we’re heading anyway? Where do you think Balliol is?”

  “I dinnae know, lass,” he said. “He could be anywhere.”

  “Right,” she murmured, thinking about it. “Where does Thomas supposedly die again?”

  “Musselburgh.”

  “Do you anticipate us getting that far today?”

  “Aye,” he replied. “By nightfall.”

  She met his eyes again, fresh dread kicking her pulse up a notch. “So today’s the day then?”

  “Mayhap.” Tender strength lit his eyes as he went into chieftain-mode. Something he’d been doing more and more as the day wore on. “’Twill be all right. Things will go as your ancestors have directed, and we will defeat whomever we are meant to defeat.”

  Though she knew he was right, that he had to be if they hoped to help everyone, she feared it because she knew it would come at a high cost. She dreaded to think what that might be, though.

  “You must put that from your mind, lass,” he whispered in her ear, reminding her of their shared words. “You face what you have to, no matter how fearful you might be. No matter how much you worry about letting others down.” Then he added to it. “You follow your light and do what you must. Do the right thing.”

  “How will I know what that is?” she whispered back, her dread only growing.

  “You’ll know.” He kissed her cheek softly. “Because you’ll do what I would do.”

  “I don’t know if you’re the best example.” She turned her cheek enough to meet his eyes, her heart in her throat, referring to him breaking the rules at the beginning of their adventure. “You didn’t do what you were supposed to do.”

  “I did exactly what I was supposed to do,” he reminded. “I just didn’t know it yet.” He searched her eyes. “But my gut did, Jules. My verra heart and soul.” He put his hand over her heart. “That’s what you have to follow when the time comes. Where this tells you to go. What this tells you to do.”

  “Okay,” she managed dutifully, trying to be strong. “But only because you’re pulling your inner chieftain on me, and it’s damn effective.”

  “Good.” He offered a small smile. “’Tis helpful when the chieftain’s lass listens to him.” A twinkle lit his eyes. “’Tis not always a sure thing, as seen with several Brouns of the past.”

  “I can just imagine.” She chuckled, referring to one of the most recent ones. “I bet your mom led your clan as readily as your father if not more so sometimes.”

  “Aye.” He met her chuckle. “She’s a strong-minded woman.”

  “Good thing.” She winked at him. “Best to keep you MacLomains in line.”

  “A few of Thomas’ scouts have returned,” Aidan commented into their minds, pulling them from their conversation. “Two that I can tell.” His eyes went to Tiernan. “Their expressions arenae reassuring.”

  “Nay.” Tiernan frowned. “I think ‘tis only a matter of time before—”

  When someone roared, “Defend the King,” ahead, her blood turned cold.

  “Let’s go, Cousin!” Tiernan roared. She held on tight when he unsheathed his blade and spurred his horse alongside Aidan.

  “Och, ‘tis bloody hard to see in all this fog,” Aidan said into their minds. “Where the bloody hell is it coming from all of a sudden?”

  “It’s them,” Julie murmured, sure of it. “It’s my ancestors at work...or me.” She shook her head. “I’m not sure. All I know is it’s trying to hide David and—”

  “You,” Tiernan exclaimed, figuring it out a second before she did, just as men came out of nowhere and attacked. “They didn’t just want the king destroyed but to take you!”

  Something that would have been far more difficult to accomplish back at the castle. Why did they want to take her, though? If anything, she would think they’d want to kill her.

  “Sonofabitch,” she muttered, whipping a dagger at a warrior who rushed her from the left. Meanwhile, Tiernan ran his sword through a man to their right then spurred the horse on.

  “We need to get to David,” she exclaimed. “You need to, Tiernan.”

  “I will,” he assured, punching another guy that rushed them. “We both will.”

  Suddenly, everything seemed to go into slow motion as they raced through the fog. It was almost as if she were suspended in time though everything was still chaotic around her. A sense of peace and certainty settled over her. Certainty she knew was born of her magic.

  It gave her a sense of direction.

  “I can get us to him,” she whispered, narrowing in on the fog. More so, the ley-lines that appeared through the fog overhead, lit by sunlight even through the cloud cover. “I’ll get us to him.”

  She looked from her ring to the lines, then closed her eyes and centered herself, tuning out the warriors Tiernan an
d Aidan fought. Instead, she followed David’s fear, his sheer terror, as they were attacked. She followed it until it was a trail of light in her mind that attached to the ley-lines.

  “We’re coming,” she whispered. “And we’ll save you no matter what.”

  She sensed the Claddagh ring igniting the path of light in her mind.

  “That way,” she exclaimed before light flashed around them.

  When she opened her eyes, they appeared mere feet from the king.

  “We’re here, David!” She and Tiernan leapt off the horse and took up arms in front of the child cowering beside his horse. “Just stay there! We won’t let anyone near you!”

  Yet they were severely outnumbered with no sign of Aidan.

  “I’m calling to him telepathically,” Tiernan said into her mind, “but he’s having trouble locating us.”

  “I know,” she replied, fighting the best she could. “Pretty sure it’s the Disinherited interrupting my magic.”

  “Aye.” He cut down three warriors at once. “Just stand guard in front of the wee king. I will fight whatever comes at us.”

  Unfortunately, what came at him next was the last person they wanted to see.

  “Take the lass,” Thomas roared, referring to Julie. His gaze was off, his eyes lecherous as he went at Tiernan. “I will deal with the enemy.”

  “Bloody hell, I am nae the enemy,” Tiernan roared, trying to get through to Thomas, trying to break through his possession to the man beneath. He kept pleading with the regent to see the truth of things as the two went at each other, but it made no difference.

  In the meantime, she cushioned David between her and the horse, surprised by how calm the animal was with all the mayhem around it. They must be trained for it in this era.

  “Snap out of it, friend,” Tiernan roared at Thomas, growing desperate.

  It did no good, though.

  The regent was too far gone to the evil inside him.

  “I havenae any choice,” Tiernan said sadly into her mind, his brogue thickening with his emotions. “My magic isnae working, and I cannae let him near ye and the wee king.”

  He would have to end Thomas before the regent ended David.

  “Do what you must,” she replied gently, trying to offer comfort and strength. “No matter what others think of you, do what’s right, Tiernan. Your country has to come first. That means David has to come first.”

  “Aye, lass.” His internal voice suddenly sounded far away.

  A bizarre wave of panic blew through her.

  What the hell? What was that?

  A split second later, she knew.

  It had been a dreadful premonition.

  Things seemed to go in slow motion again, except this time, it wasn’t her magic igniting. Rather her world was about to come to a screeching halt. Someone got ahold of her and yanked her away from the king. Terrified for David, she kneed the guy, dropping him long enough to turn back.

  Yet she had taken one second too long.

  Her worst nightmare unfolded before her eyes.

  Thomas ran his sword through both Tiernan and the king when Tiernan leapt in front of David. A blink of an eye later, Aidan appeared out of the fog and ended Thomas Randolph in turn.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “OH MY GOD,” Julie cried, sheer terror in her wet eyes. She fell to her knees in front of him and the wee king. “Please don’t leave me, Tiernan.”

  He blinked, trying to understand what had happened. One moment he had been fighting Thomas, the next defending the king. Seconds later, he felt the sting of a blade.

  Yet when he looked down, there was nothing there.

  “Oh, thank God,” she whispered over and over, blinking several times, evidently seeing the same thing. “I must’ve...” She shook her head, tears pouring down her face when David peeked his head around Tiernan. “You’re both all right.” She kept shaking her head. “It didn’t happen. Just like before, it didn’t really happen.”

  Tiernan inspected the king, relieved to see she was right. “You saved us, lass.” He embraced her, grinning. “You did it.”

  “Where are we?” David whispered, his eyes wide as saucers. “And what happened to my horse?”

  That's when it occurred to him they weren’t in the foggy forest anymore but at the Calanais Stones. Fog still drifted around the standing stones only now the rocks almost appeared ignited by sunlight.

  David’s white horse, however, was by far the most startling sight to behold as it grazed nearby.

  “Tell me I’m seeing things,” Julie whispered, chuckling nervously. “Because that horse looks like it’s got a damn horn attached to its forehead.”

  “It does appear that way,” Tiernan concurred softly.

  It couldn't be what it appeared to be...could it?

  Yet it had to be with its slender golden chains.

  They approached carefully.

  The mystical beastie never moved but chomped the grass as though it didn’t have a care in the world. He studied the horn from every angle, even touching it with the horse’s permission.

  “’Tis indeed a horn,” he murmured in awe. His magic flared to life. “And this beastie is indeed verra much a unicorn.”

  Julie chuckled again and shook her head. “Yeah, right.” She winked at David. “Tiernan’s being silly.”

  “I dinnae think so,” David murmured, resting his hand against it. “’Tis Scotland’s animal.” His trembling subsided, and warmth lit his eyes. “’Tis our verra power.”

  “’Tis many things, lad.” Tiernan patted the unicorn affectionately. It continued munching away. By all appearances, it wasn't magical, just plain old hungry. Though Tiernan looked at David, he subliminally pointed out to Julie one of the reasons it might be here now. “In Celtic mythology, it symbolizes innocence and purity.” He met her eyes. “Also, healing powers, joy, and even life itself.” He shrugged a shoulder. “’Tis also seen as a symbol of masculinity and power.”

  “What’s with the golden chains around it?” she asked.

  “The Scottish unicorn is always depicted bound by a golden chain wrapped around its neck and body.” He was relieved to find the glittering chain lightweight and delicate, not cumbersome. “Believed to be the strongest of all animals, wild and untamed, the unicorn is only humbled by a virgin maiden. Her purity strikes a chord with its equally pure spirit. Therefore it allows her reins of gold.” He shrugged. “’Tis also said the rope symbolizes the power of Scottish kings, entrapment if you will, seeing how they were strong enough to tame even a unicorn.”

  “Interesting.” She spoke within his mind. “What’s with yet another reference to virgins on our journey? Because it seems sort of coincidental, don’t you think?”

  “’Tis a wee bit bizarre,” he conceded, not convinced it had anything to do with them. Mayhap someone to come? “Are any of your friend's virgins?”

  “God, no,” she replied, then seemed a little unsure. “Or so I assume...do you think that’s what this is about?”

  “Time will tell,” he replied. “Or mayhap it willnae because ‘tis really only a coincidence.” He shrugged, yet he got the sudden sense he was onto something. “Then, there is always the distinct possibility that the purity of the unicorn somehow fulfilled the old requirements of Guardian Witches in all this.” He shook his head. “So, you did not need to be virginal, to begin with.”

  “Do you really think so?”

  “’Tis as good a theory as any, aye?”

  “It is,” she murmured, clearly sensing something. “Why do I suddenly get the feeling I owe this unicorn a great deal of gratitude?” She ran her hand along it, sounding convinced. “Because eliminating my virginal requirements changed the rules.” Her eyes met his. “That's why I was able to sleep with you and not lose my magic.” A small smile curled her lips. “Once that happened, the Claddagh ring’s magic took over, and we found added power the old fashioned Broun, MacLomain way despite my lack of lineage.”

  “
Aye,” he agreed. “I believe you have the right o' it, lass.”

  Never so grateful, he continued patting the unicorn.

  “Do ye think the unicorn helped save us?” David said, pulling them from their internal conversation. His eyes were hopeful, at last showing some of the whimsical joy a bairn his age should feel. “Do ye think it helped save me because it thinks I should be king?”

  “Aye, I think Scotland’s national animal would have done precisely that.” He crouched in front of the boy and met his eyes, quite serious. “Because ye are verra much my king. One who I know loves this country every bit as much as yer ma and da ever did.”

  “Aye, I do,” he confirmed, puffing up a little, saying what he thought he should say. “I only hope I dinnae let my good da down.”

  “Och, ye couldnae.” Tiernan shook his head and rested his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Remember that, King David. Remember that ye are strong, brave, and honorable. Ye will always be such, no matter what happens.”

  Fresh hope lit his eyes. “Ye really think so?”

  “I do,” Tiernan confirmed. “Now we best get ye back to yer keepers, aye?”

  “Aye.” David eyed the stones curiously. “But where are we? Where did everyone go?” His lower lip trembled. “And what happened to Sir Thomas? I was too afraid to look.”

  Thank God for small favors because if Tiernan knew nothing else, it was that Aidan had definitely ended the regent’s life. Something he suspected would weigh heavily on his cousin’s shoulders but had to be. It was also something had David seen it, might have made things difficult for Aidan down the line.

  “Something that’s got to be making life difficult for him right now, Tiernan,” Julie said into his mind. “Especially if others saw him kill the regent.”

  “Verra true,” he replied. “But best not to worry about that until we get back and find out what’s going on.”

  First, he had to prepare David despite how hard it might be. Babying the boy would not do him any favors. Not with what he likely faced when he returned.

  After all, Scotland without a regent was not good.

  So he told David as gently as he could that Sir Thomas would not be with them anymore. He had lost his life. Therefore, David had to be especially brave now. Yet he should always keep in mind that he wasn't alone. Tiernan and his fellow MacLomains would stand by him during the difficult transition.