Highlander's Bride: Medieval Romance (The Fae Book 1) (13 page)

“It appears our laird’s betrothed has arrived without her belongings so I’ll need you to fetch some gowns from my ambry for her, slippers and a nightgown too.”

“Of course.” The maid breezed through the door and closed it behind her, the guard standing tall and strong in his position across the darkened passageway.

“Thank heavens we’re finally alone.” Fiona grasped her hands, tugged her toward the bed and plopped down. “Now, tell me all.”

“’Tis so good to see you, although I’d rather that had never been here.” She sat, took a steadying breath. “Obviously I’ve no wish to wed Jeremiah. He snuck into Carron Castle then stole me away, cited his father’s permission as acceptance in doing so, although Duncan sails to these shores as we speak, my chosen one with him.”

“You’re mated?” Fiona clasped a hand to her mouth. “Are you certain?”

“Aye, and ’twas a shock to discover a bond had formed between us. His name is Ronan Matheson and he’s a warrior from the fae village. Afore Jeremiah abducted me, Ronan and I spoke handfast vows and since my arrival, he and I have spoken along our merged link. He’ll be here soon, intends to find a way inside to free me.”

“Jeremiah still has no knowledge of your mind-walker skill?”

“Nay, although Colin told him the truth about my fae heritage, that he’d abducted me as a child from the village.”

“Jeremiah has always hungered to have fae blood running within his line, has become fixated on it even more of late.” Fiona leaned closer. “I’m aware of Coll’s mission, that he travels the length and breadth of MacKenzie land in search of more warriors who’ll give him his loyalty. Coll sought Jeremiah’s hospitality two months past and stayed with us. Coll and I spoke, privately of course, and he told me of Muirin and Hamish, that they now reside at Ardan House. I’ll never forget that first night you and I met, when you arrived at the chief’s keep with your mama and I snuck into the solar and hid under the table. I’d already sensed something special about Coll and Duncan through my ability, and when I learnt of their fae blood that night, all made so much more sense.”

“Where is Matthew?” Fiona’s husband too might offer her his aid should she need it, all dependent on how deeply his loyalty to Jeremiah was over Coll and Duncan.

“Mathew is—” Her friend’s eyes suddenly filled with tears. “You have no’ heard?”

“Heard what?” More dread filled her.

“M-Matthew suffered a nick to his arm during a training session in the yard, the smallest wound, but it festered and he took a fever. He passed away nigh on two months ago, only a few days after Coll left.”

“I’m so sorry. I’ve been at Carron that long and had no’ heard. Is your father aware you’re without a husband?” Gregor’s allegiance to his chief overrode all, but he loved his daughter, wouldn’t wish for her to be suffering unnecessarily. She pulled Fiona into her arms, her heart heaving for her dearest friend.

“I asked Jeremiah to send my father a message, of which he did, but then he told my father I had no desire to return. He’s such a scoundrel. He has a great interest in my skill even though ’tis a weakened one, far more than our chief ever did. He has even alluded to making me his leman, of which I’ll never agree to.” Fiona sniffed and wiped her cheeks. “I fear remaining here now Matthew is gone, but I’ve had no other choice. I do all I can to be pleasant to Jeremiah, even though I detest doing so.”

“Then you’ll come with me when I escape.” Never would she allow her friend to remain here with Jeremiah, not now. “Ronan and Duncan will be here soon and if you no longer have the protection of a husband, then you’ll be safe with me at Carron. Duncan will send word to your father from there should you still wish it, and if no’ then you’ll stay with me.”

“I wouldnae wish to be a burden.” Such hope bloomed in Fiona’s eyes. “Are you certain I can remain with you?”

“You would never be a burden, and all is settled. You’re coming with me, whether I must drag you along or no’.”

A knock sounded.

“That’ll be the maid.” Fiona hugged her, a smile lifting her lips. “I’ll come, as well as try to find a way out of here for us.” She walked to the door and opened it, bid the servants who’d returned to enter.

Two maids in brown kirtles and two lads hustled forward, each carrying a steaming pail of water. Meg swept inside too, garments draped over her arm. The maid bustled across to the ambry and hung the gowns and a lacy white shawl before setting a folded white shift on the end of the bed next to her. Another lass entered with a tray and placed it on the side table, while Fiona busied herself overseeing the filling of the tub. Her friend added a few drops of scented oil and the sweet aroma of vanilla swirled through the steamy air and filled the chamber with its familiar scent.

Once the servants had filed out, Fiona shut the door and patted the chair in front of the table. “You must be hungry after your journey and this meal is warm and hearty, will fill your belly well. Eat, replenish your strength, for we have quite the night ahead of us.”

“I am famished.” She’d eaten naught in well over a day and her hunger and thirst beat at her. A meal and a hot bath would be most welcome, particularly while she considered her next move. She sat and poked her nose over the bowl of chunky beef stew, breathed deep of the rich scent of the steaming meat and hearty vegetables. “This smells heavenly, no matter I’m currently in the least heavenly place of all. Finding you here though, proves I was meant to come, even under the circumstances in which I did.”

“Aye, your arrival is a blessing in disguise.”

“More than blessing, no’ that my chosen one will see that as the truth right now.” With a slice of crusty bread in hand, she dipped it into the stew and took a hearty bite. The flavors danced across her tongue and warmth raced to her belly.

“Honestly, you are the hope I’ve been praying for since I lost Matthew.” Fiona perched on the dark blue and white padded corner chair. “Tell me more about Ronan, your mate. What’s he like?”

“Ronan holds the battle skill as Coll and Duncan do, even sensed the bond forming between us twenty years ago, afore I was abducted from the fae village.” She dunked her spoon into the stew and sipped from it. “A month ago when Ronan and I first met, ’twas unfortunately no’ under the best of circumstances. Duncan had captured him and his father, Niall, imprisoned Ronan within Carron’s dungeons and taken Niall onto Ardan House. ’Tis a long story, and one I will surely spill all the details about another time, but while Ronan was chained within Carron’s cells, I tended him and that was when I first touched his mind and he sensed my presence. I should have known better than to do so. Mama had warned me never to touch the mind of another holding fae blood, that they could so easily sense my presence if I did, but I just couldnae help myself with Ronan.”

“Never could you have turned your chosen one away.”

“Aye, and thankfully he saw through my stubborn stand against him, only no’ long after his arrival he escaped and after healing from his injuries, returned to claim me. I’ve never been so happy as I have since he did.”

“As a wee lass, I always dreamed of holding such a soul bound connection, had hoped since I held a fae skill that I might. Of course, ’twas never to be.” Another tear trickled down Fiona’s cheek as she plucked a thin strip of black leather free from under her bodice and rubbed a ring swinging from the center between her thumb and forefinger. “I loved Matthew, but we didnae have long together.”

“You’ve barely been given time to grieve and that isnae good for you.” She sipped wine from her goblet. “You’ll be able to do so at Carron.”

“One cannae show too much weakness here.” Fiona crossed to the tub, knelt and swirled her hand through the water. “This is the perfect heat. Come and bathe afore the water gets cold.”

“One moment.” She finished her stew then on her feet, unlaced the front stays of her burgundy gown, wriggled her hips and allowed the velvet to slither to her feet. With the cream under-tunic hauled over her head and damp slippers kicked off, she stepped into the tub and sank into the water. Down, she dunked, head and all then emerged and picked up the bar of soap the maid had left beside the tub. She worked the soap into a lather and with vanilla scented suds in hand, washed her hair while Fiona paced before the crackling fire. “How goes your empath ability, Fiona?”

“Since Matthew and I arrived here I’ve sensed naught but evilness in this place. Certainly a deep bitterness brews within Jeremiah, which became even more obvious when Coll arrived and sought his hospitality. At times I could barely breathe through the resentment bubbling from him. Jeremiah detests the way Colin sent him to his mother’s MacLennan clan to be fostered, all while favoring Coll and Duncan and allowing them to remain at Loch Alsh with him. ’Tis why he sailed to see his father this week, to confront him about it all.”

“He did, that confrontation ending in his discovery about me. I fear one day Jeremiah will learn the truth about Coll and Duncan’s birth as well, then all hell will surely break loose.” She more than feared it.

“I fear such a thing too.” Fiona shuddered, her hands twisting together. “Jeremiah certainly detests being the third-born son, and even though Coll and Duncan were born from a handfast marriage, Jeremiah would still take every advantage of that and attempt to overthrow them.”

A chilling horn shrilled outside and Fiona hurried to the window, her red locks streaming behind her as she flung the shutters open and wedged sideways out to get a better look.

“What is it?” Out of the tub, she splashed, wrapped a drying cloth around her and dashed to her friend’s side. Beyond the window, the darkened night skies churned and thunder rumbled somewhere out at sea.

“The point watchman has raised the alert, the signal that a vessel approaches Rhue. One blast means ’tis only a passerby, two blasts for the enemy.”

“Then let us hope for a second blast, for my chosen one will never be my enemy, only my very salvation.”

* * * *

Ronan joined Duncan where he sat at the stern, the stormy black clouds high above obliterating the stars and allowing only a sliver of the moon to peek through. Thunder boomed and lightning slashed the skies while up ahead, the entrance to Loch Broom rose as they cruised toward Jeremiah’s stronghold on the headland overlooking the western coastline of the mainland. Their sea crossing had taken far longer than he wished and as they rounded the point, a horn sounded with one long and eerie blast, then a second shrilled even louder.

“Our arrival has been noted, no’ that I expected otherwise.” Duncan adjusted the rudder, his gaze narrowed on the stretch of rugged shoreline and the boulders surrounding the sea-gate landing. “Rhue Castle is impenetrable, has never fallen to another. It might be best if we begin by asking Jeremiah to honor the Highland code of hospitality, to request lodging for the night and pray he takes the bait.”

“What if he does no’?” Ronan plucked his satchel out from under the bench seat and removed his steel-studded war coat, shrugged it on and lifted the collar higher over his neck. “Are you prepared for a battle?”

“Always, yet I am still his elder brother and if Jeremiah has laid even one finger on my sister, I’ll skewer him where he stands.”

“Then you’ll need to get in line behind me since I intend to skewer him first.”

“
Ronan?
”

“
I’m here. Duncan and I have arrived.
” He straightened on the seat, Kyla’s presence in his mind easing a touch of his anxiety. The castle’s massive stone walls rose out of the misty dark with forbidding height into the night sky, the windows lit by candlelight and his chosen one ensconced somewhere deep within that stronghold. “
How did your conversation with Fiona go?
”

“
Fiona wishes to leave with me. She’s widowed now, has been these past two months and has no desire to remain behind.
”

“
Then we’ll take her with us.
” To Duncan, he muttered, “Kyla speaks to me along our merged link. Fiona wishes to leave too, is now widowed.”

“Fiona and Kyla used to follow Coll and I around constantly as children. Fiona’s a spritely lass and due to her empath ability, has a great deal of love to give. Certainly never a day passed that I didnae catch her sneaking food from the kitchens for a hungry child. She also tended the wounds of our injured kinsmen, right alongside Kyla.” Duncan searched the rocky entrance where the waves splashed in hard against the boulders and sprayed high. “We willnae leave either of them behind when we leave.”

“
Duncan is in agreement with me. Fiona comes.
”

“
Wonderful. I’ll speak to you again soon. I must tell her the good news.
” Their connection dropped away and he sighed with frustration.

“Jeremiah and his guards come!” Hamish bellowed from the bow.

“Have you ‘seen’ aught more?” Ronan stormed down the center aisle, Duncan right behind him.

“Naught, and ’tis most frustrating.” Fisting one hand over the hilt of his belted sword, Hamish growled under his breath. “The moment I have a vision, I shall inform you both.”

“How do we explain my close resemblance to Coll?” He eyed the procession of heavily armed warriors marching down the grassy trail toward the sea-gate, Jeremiah at the head. His adversary halted on the stone landing in his rawhide pants and steel-studded black coat, his legs planted wide and his claymore strapped within a baldric across his back. Jeremiah’s men took their positions at his flank, all except for two who jumped into the water as their galley crested a wave and sailed in.