Highland Blood

Chapter 23

We started our slow trek south. Kelpie seemed to know he had an important task and rode as gently as if he were a lady’s palfrey, not the charger Boite had bought as a gift for his daughter. We rode late into the night, stopping in a thick glen. The canopy of trees overhead kept out the light snow that fell.

“How are you, Lady?” Standish asked me as he helped me dismount.

My heart had been struck numb the moment I rode from Cawdor. I felt like everything inside me was frozen. I felt nothing. My body, however, told a different tale. I was exhausted. When I slid off Kelpie, all I wanted was to close my eyes and rest. “Just a bit tired,” I said.

Tavis had already gotten to work laying a bear skin on the ground at the base of a wide old oak tree.

“Will you rest?” he asked.

I stretched my back. It ached terribly. I nodded.

“Here, My Lady,” Ute said as she and Tavis gently lowered me to the ground.

Tavis set about lighting a fire while Ute dug through her things and handed me a sweet cake.

“Will you eat, My Lady?”

I shook my head. “I’ll sleep a bit,” I told her, then tried to settle in. Soon, the fire was crackling. Thora came and lay down beside me, setting her head on my leg.

Tavis sat beside me as Gillacoemgain’s men rested. “How many nights I camped by that stream, waiting for Madelaine to return. That old bear kept me warm more times than I can count,” he said as he warmed his hands by the fire.

“You’ve always been so good to us,” I whispered, feeling my eyes drift closed.

“She is the love of my life,” he told me. “I would do anything for her…or those she loves.”

I reached out and patted Tavis on the arm. I didn’t want to hear more. His words made the ice around my heart crack. I didn’t want to feel.

My eyes closed, and I slept.

That night, I dreamed of Gillacoemgain. We were standing in the sunny field, his falcons flying overhead. He was laughing as he carried a dark-haired girl on his shoulders. I looked down to see the same child I’d had a vision of once before was holding my hand.

I smiled at him, leaning down to kiss him on his brow.

“What is it, Mother?” he asked.

I shook my head. “Nothing.”

“What’s that?” the little girl called.

I turned to look at a strange orange light rolling across the horizon. Slowly, Gillacoemgain lowered the girl off his shoulders and handed her to me. He pulled his sword and stepped in front of us just as a wave of fire crashed across the field, burning everything in its path.

“Get back,” he told me.

I took the little ones then turned and ran from the flames. I stopped just a moment to look back, long enough to see my husband stand before the fire, sword drawn. And like a wave, the flames washed over him.

Gasping, I woke with a start.

Ute and Thora both slept soundly beside me.

“Are you all right, My Lady?” one of the soldiers asked. I realized he’d been standing guard.

“Just a dream,” I said, trying to shake the horrible image.

He nodded. “Almost morning. Time to get going anyway.”

He roused the others. In near silence, we ate a meager breakfast then departed once more. Kelpie carried me safely through the forest and across the fields, and at the end of the second day, we rode into the familiar valley of Madelaine’s keep.

“Welcome home,” Tavis told me.

My back ached. Cold and hungry as I was, never had such a hated place been a more welcomed sight.

We rode into the yard and there we dismounted. At once, Thora disappeared into the main hall. There was a flurry of excitement as servants rushed to meet us. Tavis instructed them to provision the Moray men for the return home.

“Thank the Mother Goddess you’ve arrived,” Madeline said, rushing across the yard to greet us as she pulled a cloth around her. As soon as she caught sight of Tavis, Madelaine sighed in relief. She pulled me into the embrace. “Oh, my dear sweet thing, how are you?”

“As well as can be expected.”

“Come,” Madelaine said, interrupting my thoughts. “You must be weary. Corbie…you’re huge!”

“Twins,” I whispered to her under my breath.

“These are dangerous hours,” she said, a worried expression crossing her pretty features. “We need to get you to Epona. Fife left for Edinburgh yesterday. He didn’t want to be here when you arrived. The more he didn’t know, the better. We can leave for the coven first thing in the morning.”

I nodded, and we all headed into the great hall. The servants moved about busily gathering supplies and no sooner had we arrived than Standish came to take my leave.

“Won’t you stay the night?” I asked. “It’s bitter cold.”

“No, My Lady. We need to get back to his lordship.”

I nodded. The desperation of the situation was painfully apparent. Moray would be won or lost in this battle. Gillacoemgain needed every man he had. And even that would not be enough. I had to try to do something. After all, if he died…no, I would not think of it.

“May the Great Mother see you safely returned,” I told him.

“And you safely delivered,” he replied with a smile. “Be safe, Lady Gruoch,” he said, a serious expression on his face.

“Thank you. And you.”

He nodded.

With that, the Moray men headed out of the castle and back to Gillacoemgain.

“What can I get for you?” Madelaine asked me as she rubbed my back and shoulders. “Do you want a bath? Something to eat?”

“All I want is sleep.”

“I have a room prepared for you,” she replied, motioning to a serving girl.

“You’ll see to Ute and Thora?”

Madelaine nodded, lent me her arm, then we headed upstairs. I exhaled deeply. It felt good to be back in Madelaine’s care.

Upstairs, I entered a chamber already warmed by a cheery fire. Madelaine helped me re-dress then lowered me into bed, covering me.

“No fever,” she said, checking my forehead.

“No, I’m only tired.”

“Sleep, little raven,” she whispered, gently kissing my forehead. A moment later, I heard the chamber door close behind her.

I closed my eyes. My thoughts sprang at once to Gillacoemgain.

“Dark lady, protect him,” I whispered as I fell asleep.

Just as I drifted off, I heard a reply come in a whisper. No.