The Highlander’s Witch (31 page)

“Well what?”

“Ye gonna allow her to push us out like that?”

Aiden snorted and turned away.

“Now ye ken why I brought me wife here instead of keepin her in me keep when yer mother found out about this pregnancy.” Collin huffed as he followed along.

They sent a messenger to have Keir meet them in the enclosed chamber off the great hall that he used when conducting private affairs of business, such as the one he intended to have soon.

When Keir entered, Aiden motioned for him to sit at the small table while Collin poured another goblet of mead before sitting down as well.

“The lass be in her chambers, her guard standin watch outside the door.” Keir enjoyed the soothing liquid before continuing. “When Finley heard that some of the Reivers had escaped, he became angry. He took some of his men an went after them vowin to kill them all.”

“Why does that sound strange to me?” Collin pondered.

“Because Finley isna the kind of man to act rashly nor the kind to rush into the fray.” Aiden answered.

“He be the kind to stay an watch the castle.” Collin snorted in agreement.

Aiden nodded and turned back to Keir. “Did anyone of our men go with Finley?”

“Aye.” Keir nodded firmly, a wicked smile in place. “Me cousin, Ranald.”

“Good. Have ye chatted with Riona?”

“Nay m’Laird. The guard of hers wilna allow anyone to pass.”

“I bet he has orders to let ye pass.” Collin snickered.

Aiden growled at the thought, running his hands through his hair in aggravation. “I doona have the patience for that woman right now.”

“Tis true. Ye need to have a good night’s sleep before dealin with the wench.” Collin chuckled.

*     *     *

For the first time in days, her body finally stopped shaking and Skye was feeling full and warm. Even the thought of not being able to get a hold of her sister could not keep her from almost falling asleep in the large barrel.

“Och, ye had best no drown.” Anna yawned as she curled up on the couch, wrapping her chemise and wrapper closer as she snuggled in after putting down her cider.

Sighing, Skye struggled tiredly to her feet, unconcerned at her nudity as she took the towel from Mairi and stepped out of the tub, holding onto the edge when she almost lost her balance.

Too weary to help, she stood staring at the flames as the maid took the towel and a nightgown was placed over her head, arms slipping through the sleeves without thought, before a heavier wrap was put around Skye’s shoulders and tied with a cord about her waist.

“Come, lass, have a seat. I shall send for the men so ye can get a proper nights rest.” Elizabeth’s brogue warred with her English accent as her concern deepened over the girl’s silence.

Idle chatter had produced little response from Skye and Elizabeth was concerned. Only Anna seemed to accept her silence without worry as she handed her one honey cake after another, insisting Glenys would not be happy if they were not all eaten.

Elizabeth saw Skye looking blankly into the flames and wrapped her arms around the younger woman.

“In the morn, ye shall come to my chambers and we shall speak to yer sister. I promise.” Elizabeth assured her before guiding her to a large chair and easing her into it. “Now sit and relax, Mairi is off to find Aiden.”

Skye fell asleep to Elizabeth’s soft touch on her hair, soothingly combing out the tangles.

It wasn’t long before the men returned, smiles plastered on their concerned faces as they entered the study, both smiles easing as they saw the women curled up and sleeping.

Silently, they gently picked them up and carried them out.

Aiden looked down on the woman in his arms as he worked on hardening his melting heart. Smudges showed under her eyes and he blamed himself for not being able to deny her or his body’s needs when she came to him at night.

Knowing she needed her sleep more than he needed her body, he settled her into the bed in the small chamber that had been hers in the beginning of her stay. He kept her wrap on and tucked the furs around her body, not bothering to chastise Seelie when she took her place at the girl’s feet.

Leaning over, he kissed her on the forehead, the side of her temple, her cheek, and when she sighed his name, he swallowed and stood.

Ignoring the hardness of his swelling cock, he took one final look before leaving.

Nodding to the man standing guard outside her door, he went down to his now empty study. The tub had been removed and the fire was dying. He threw in a couple of logs and got the fire to come back to life before sitting behind his desk and rubbing his face with his hands.

“I am glad you got the fire going, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to see my sister.”

Aiden stiffened, his head shooting up to look around the empty room.

“Where is she?”

Standing, Aiden looked into the flames and saw the image of Sarah. Still uncomfortable with this kind of magic, he made his way around the desk and pulled a chair closer before sinking into it.

“She be in bed.” He said tiredly. “Very angry with ye I might add.”

“I knew she would be.” The image grinned then frowned in concern. “How is she?”

He searched for the right words. “She be . . . quiet.”

“My poor baby sister.”

“Yer ‘poor baby sister’ has been very concerned over no reply from ye these past days.”

“I had a baby.”

The image grew clearer and Aiden saw Sarah patting and rubbing the back of a baby over her shoulder.

Before he could say anything, the baby let out a belch and his eyebrows raised as the woman cooed her happiness over the sound.

Sarah returned her attention to the flames.

“You tell Skye that I and the baby are alright, that the effort it took to do what I had to do the other day caused me to go into labor, but that the baby is perfect in every way.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “I am going to put the tyke down and get some sleep. Would you tell Skye that I am okay, that we are
all
okay and I will get a hold of her as soon as possible?”

Aiden nodded his head in amazement as the image shimmered out.

“Wait! I need a spell to send her back home.”

Nothing.

“M
ac
an
donais
!” Aiden harshly cursed as he slammed a fist into his palm.

Slumping in the chair, he ran a hand over his features, trying to clear his head.

Chapter Twelve
 

I
t was cold and dark but there had to be a light somewhere.

Skye squinted, trying to focus in the gloom.

She was outside in the woods and there were noises; scratching noises.

Afraid of what it might be, she still strained to make out what the noises were.

Then someone began crying. Skye tried to find who it was but no matter how fast or where she walked, the noise never got closer. She called out asking who was crying and where they were.

“Please, I can’t get to you! You have to tell me where you are!”

Something jumped on her leg and she tried to scream but nothing came out. When she tripped and fell, the clitter-clatter of tiny feet took off in all directions.

Rats!

“Please, not again.” She cried as she kicked and flailed her arms trying to knock the rats off.

Skye stumbled to her knees, something heavy weighed her down and then a hand reached out to her.

“Anna!”

She held on to the woman’s arms, thankful she was no longer alone when a chill raced across her spine.

“You’re not pregnant anymore. Where’s the baby?”

Blood started forming on the girl’s stomach and tears fell from Anna’s face and Skye instantly remembered the threat of Will cutting the baby from her.

“What’s the matter, Anna? Where’s the baby?”

Anna struggled in the darkness and all Skye could think about is if the baby died so too did Sarah’s baby and husband.

“Talk to me!” She shook the girl.

Anna started screaming and tried to break free and she knew the girl blamed her for the loss of the baby.

“No! No, the baby was never taken from you! We got out before, before—”

Her memory went blank and she could not remember anything she wanted to say.

Icy cold tendrils seeped through her limps and she immediately tried to let go of Anna but she couldn’t. She watched as the bleeding girl fell to her knees screaming in pain, her flesh singed under Skye’s hands.

Suddenly, her grip loosened and she stumbled back into something else.

She swung around, lost her balance, and grabbed onto . . . Rory!

He held her by the upper arms, his face scorched from the torture, puss and blood oozing from numerous cuts. He was trying to say something but couldn’t, he opened his mouth as a rat forced its way out.

She screamed but nothing came out. Struggling, she pushed him away and saw burnt tissue from where her hands had been.

Skye ran. There was a light ahead and she knew it came from her house.

Hurrying towards the light while holding her hands together in front of her chest, fear coursed through her veins and frost tinted her lashes. She could hardly move, it was so hard, her body feeling weighed down with burning ice.

When she finally got to the door, she saw Sarah standing behind her aunt but Aiden blocked her entrance. She stumbled to a halt, unsure of what to do.

They stared at her, frowns creasing their faces. She looked at Aiden and he shook his head in disappointment.

“I didn’t mean to hurt them! Please.” She begged them to understand but all they did was look at her with condemning eyes.

She turned at the scratching noise behind her and saw the men whom she had killed coming towards her, blood oozing everywhere on their bodies. One of them held a dead newborn baby callously in his hand.

Suddenly, she was looking down on the scene watching the men approach her from in front while Aiden showed his disgust just before closing the door on her.

Skye screamed at last as the dead men surrounded her, dragging her down as they tossed the dead baby onto her belly, their saliva dripping onto her face and arms.

Aiden jerked to his feet, sleep instantly vanishing as screams had him running out of his study and up the stairs.

He saw Skye’s bedroom door open and crashed through, Keir standing there unsure what to do when Skye struggled out of her covering and fell onto the floor on the other side of her bed, Seelie barking from the foot of the bed after jumping down.

“Tis alright, Keir, just hold the door open fer me.” Aiden reassured him as he went over to Skye and scooped her struggling body into his arms.

“No, no! Let me go!” Skye fought the arms holding her, still lost in her nightmare.

Aiden held her tighter, whispering words to her in Gaelic and English, telling her it was he and that she was going to be fine.

It wasn’t until he was nearing his chambers that she relaxed, her eyes opening as she looked at him.

“It was only a nightmare?” She whispered with a hoarse voice.

“Aye, lass, twas only a bad dream.” He reassured her quietly as he stepped into his own room and closed the door behind them, Seelie joining her brother at the hearth.

When he eased her to her feet, she clutched his arms and looked up to him. “But it’s been days, why didn’t I have a nightmare before?”

“I doona ken, lass.” Aiden gritted his teeth, damming himself for thinking he needed to distance himself and place her in her own chambers.

Skye almost whimpered when she saw the same face on Aiden as in her dreams.

She pushed away, wrapping her arms around herself.

“I’m okay now.” She looked away from him and his stern features. “I should go b-back to my bed.”

“Ye will stay put.” Aiden frowned at the way she seemed to cower.