Highland Vengeance

Chapter 1

Macbeth.

Hover through the fog, the snow, the filthy air. There to meet with Macbeth.

Darkness wrapped around me as Ute took her torch and disappeared back into the castle.

“I’ll take you myself. Let me refresh the horses,” Tavis said, heading toward the stables.

I stood with Madelaine and Lulach in the dark. A swirl of light snowflakes fell all around us, dusting the ground.

“Corbie?” Madelaine whispered. I could hear the confusion in her voice.

I shook my head.

“I’ll…I’ll go get provisions ready?” she asked.

I nodded. “Yes. I’m coming in a moment.”

Madelaine left me standing outside the keep. I stared up at the starry sky. Snowflakes fell on my face.

“Gillacoemgain,” I whispered into the darkness.

I closed my eyes. A tear trickled down my cheek.

A raven flew overhead and landed on the castle ledge. It turned and cawed loudly at me.

Gently moving my cloak, I looked down at Lulach who was, much to my surprise, looking back at me. His eyes twinkled in the dark of night.

“See here, child,” I whispered, motioning to the raven. “Hear now, sweet babe, hear how the raven calls.”

Lulach pursed his lips and raised his brows at me.

I smiled at him and gently stroked the little red dart on his brow, a blessing from the faerie world.

The raven cawed loudly at me.

“Lulach the loved. Lulach the light. Remember that you are a child of Kenneth MacAlpin’s line. Be strong, and drive your own destiny. You belong to no one. No man. No woman. No god. No goddess. You alone will choose what is right. Live with a free heart.”

I glared at the raven. “He is a free spirit, not beholden to you or anyone else.”

The raven flew from the ledge and landed on the ground before me, shifting into the red-robed Morrigu. Her eyes were stormy as she approached me, a fierce expression on her face.

I clutched Lulach tighter, stiffened my spine, and met her steely gaze. In my heart, I heard the wings of the raven and felt that dark presence fall over me, hooding my features. I was Gruoch, but I was more. I was Cerridwen, and with a stern expression, I met the gaze of the dark goddess advancing on me.

Then, something unexpected happened. She stopped. “Be careful what you wish for…Cerridwen.”

We stood there under the dim light of the moon glaring at one another.

The Morrigu sneered. “Get you hence before Duncan finds you,” she said, and with a swirl of cloaks, she disappeared back into the night.

I looked down at Lulach and leaned down to kiss him on his brow before safely concealing him under the warmth of my cloak once more.

I closed my eyes and listened to the beating of my heart, which thundered in time to the sound of raven’s wings. Together, the raven and the woman, we would survive whatever came next.