Page 49 of Highland Queen

“Corbie, will he be all right?” Madelaine asked through a mask of tears.

I rose and washed my hands.

“Corbie?”

“I must ride out at once. Either Druanne will come, or I will tie her to a horse and make her come.”

“But Corbie…”

“Madelaine, we need Druanne,” I said, forcing myself to be strong, but in spite of myself, my voice cracked. The truth of the matter was, Tavis was dying. Unless I got Druanne there in time, he would not live.

Madelaine caught the sound in my voice. A sob escaped her. “All right,” she whispered. “Then go. Quickly.”

I turned to Ute.

“I’ll go get help. Please, watch over them both,” I said, motioning to Madelaine and Tavis.

Once more, I turned to Tavis and set my hand on his forehead. “Old friend,” I whispered. “Please hold on. Help is coming.”

Tavis let out a soft groan but did not open his eyes.

Without another word, I turned and left the chamber.

Moving quickly, I returned to the stables where the blood bay was getting his fill of oats and water. I pulled my saddle from the wall and began readying him to ride once more.

“Queen Gruoch?” a voice called.

I turned to find Killian there.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“To fetch a healer.”

“It’s dark,” he said in confused alarm. “Can’t you send someone?”

“No. I cannot. I must go.”

Without another word, Killian fetched his own horse and began saddling him.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Coming with you.”

“No, you may not.”

“Forgive me, my queen, but Standish made me promise that no harm would come to you. I don’t intend to falter on my promise.”

Frowning, I nudged the bay away from the oats then finished saddling him.

“Then you must learn to keep secrets.”

“Secrets? I… Of course, my queen.”

“And you need to start calling me Gruoch, or I may lose my patience with you. Come. We must hurry,” I said then slid onto my horse.

“As you wish…Gruoch.”

We rode off into the night. Part of me wanted to let the bay run the way I knew he could, but the other part of me remembered how fragile my womb was. I had lost Macbeth’s child. Banquo’s child was more precious to me than anything on Earth save Lulach and Crearwy. Yet Tavis’s life was at stake. I had to hurry.

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