Page 41 of Highlander of Steel
At Murdock’s gesture, the other four riders dismounted and rested their hands on the pommels of their swords.
Killian had faced worse odds, for certain, but he had never had anything so precious to defend before. He didn’t know if tryingto keep Ailis safe would hamper his own attack, should it come to it.
“There will benay weddin’,” Murdock snarled, as if it would make a difference. “I’m here to take me sister back.”
Killian raised an amused eyebrow. “Did ye bring me braither back?”
“Nay,” Murdock replied, his lip curling. “But we might release him if ye hand me sister back right this moment and vow to give us half yer lands.”
Killian burst out laughing, a mirthless, bitter sound that disturbed a flock of rooks from their oak-tree homes. “Then I’m afraid ye’ve wasted a journey.” He paused, realizing that only half of what Murdock had said was up to him. “Ailis?”
He turned to her, his heart sore to see her cowering and pale after the progress and courage she had shown not so long ago. Indeed, he despised Murdock all the more for frightening her. If it were one-on-one, her brother would be on the ground already, with his head caved in.
“Do ye want to return with him, lass?” Killian asked.
He was aware of Murdock’s men creeping closer; their attempt at stealth was almost laughable. Their boots crunched the fallen autumn leaves, their breathing too loud. But Killian wouldn’texecute an evasive maneuver while Ailis was still standing there, vulnerable despite the inadequacy of the Ainsley men.
One man lunged too soon, his arm shooting out to try and grab her hand. Instead, his arm stopped a few inches away, Killian’s fingers clamping around his wrist.
Applying enough pressure to let the man know that hewasgoing to break his bones if he moved a muscle, Killian looked intently at Ailis. “Do ye want to go with them?” he repeated.
Conflict contorted her beautiful face. Her brow creased in consternation, her teeth gnawing at her lip, her jaw clenched in fear, her entire body rigid with the strain of answering such a question.
It was obvious enough to Killian that returning to Castle Ainsley was the very last thing she wanted to do, but there was one sticking point: Skye.
She’d sacrifice herself a thousand times for that lass, I ken it.
“Me promise stands,” he said. “Everythin’ I said to ye.”
Two more guards rushed forward, and Killian couldn’t wait any longer. With one firm yank, he snapped the first guard’s wrist like a twig and whirled around to face the other two with nothing but a warrior’s intuition and a dagger.
First, I have to get a sword.
He snatched one from the sheath of the man whose wrist he had broken, while the guard wailed and hissed over his floppy hand. The moment Killian gripped the handle, confidence soared through him, years of training and war sending a current of strange peace through his veins.
The two approaching guards backed off, eyeing the sword warily.
In that brief window, Killian looked back once more. “That doesnae look like an ‘aye’ to me.” He paused. “Close yer eyes and daenae open them until I say so.”
Hands clenched into white-knuckled fists, Ailis did as he asked. She squeezed her eyes shut, confirming without words that she did not want to return with her brother and his idiot vanguard.
To make an example and to buy himself more time, Killian ran his blade straight through the middle of the man with the broken wrist. Blood bubbled up, spilling out of the corner of his mouth, as his legs gave way and he hit the ground with a dull thud. His groans filled the air—not dead yet, but he soon would be.
“That’s for tryin’ to touch me bride,” Killian snarled at the others, who at least had the decency to look a little unnerved.
“What are ye waitin’ for?” Murdock bellowed.
At that, the same two guards who had backed off began to move forward again. Swords drawn, it was clear that they often foughttogether, walking as one, their postures identical. Even their scowls were the same.
Ye’ll die as one, too.
Killian waited for the double strike, the first guard swinging his sword down from the left, while his comrade’s blade swept in from the right.
Given his size, they likely hadn’t expected him to be agile.
He ducked under the predictable swing and darted between the two men, whirling around at speed and bringing his sword with him. The blade bit deep into the backs of the two men, so slow to notice what had happened that they hadn’t even turned to face him.
Grunts of pain accompanied the fading groans of the man already on the ground, but a slash to the back wasn’t enough to kill the duo. They swung around clumsily, agony etched across their sweaty faces, but Killian was more than ready for them.
