Page 67 of Highlander's Battle of Hearts

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Blair

Blair climbed the steps towards Aindreas’s rooms. She tried to push the guilt she felt for Daniel away, hoping one day he would understand. Her heart belonged to Aindreas. She couldn’t lie to herself, nor could she lie to Daniel for the rest of their lives together.

It was better this way, no matter how painful it was. She knew there had to be someone for Daniel out there. Someone who would find his gentle and kind ways endearing. Someone who would love him just as much as she loved Aindreas.

She smiled, thinking of Aindreas and the way he held her in the stream. He had treated her gently, treated her as if he truly and deeply loved her. She had never felt so precious, and she wanted to be back in his arms.

A part of her worried about what Laird Cambel had to say. It was strange for him to be returning to the Castle Lachlan this late at night. She hoped whatever Laird Cambel had to say, it wasn’t anything Aindreas couldn’t handle. Blair assumed it had something to do with the MacAlisters but couldn’t fathom what. Grimacing, she wondered if there had been another attack. Her heart went out to Aindreas, knowing his one duty in life was to protect his clan. If there was an attack, she knew he would take it to heart and do everything within his power to right it.

She turned the corner, the torch’s glow offering very little lightning to the corridors. In the distance she saw someone cloaked in black, looking around themselves before rapping lightly at Aindreas’s door. Blair stopped, her eyes widening as she recognized the woman standing outside Aindreas’s rooms. A woman with fiery red hair and glimmering blue eyes. The girl looked like she had been crying.

Sorcha, Blair thought while she stared at the girl, watching her knock on the laird’s door. Surely, Aindreas would send her away, Blair thought while she watched the door open.

“Are ye alone?” she heard Sorcha whisper before glancing over her shoulder.

Blair followed the movement, finding no one in the vicinity other than herself. A part of her wanted to stride towards them, interrupt this rendezvous, and demand what was going on, but she found herself watching intently, wondering what Aindreas would do.

She couldn’t see him from where she stood. She could only hear him say in surprise, “Sorcha?”

“Are ye alone?” Sorcha pressed, her voice demanding.

Please, tell her to go away, Blair begged as she watched them, her hand gripping the stone while the other clutched her basket of herbs to her. She didn’t know what she would do if Sorcha entered his quarters. However, she didn’t hear Aindreas say anything.

Her heart twinged as she watched Sorcha rush inside, the door clicking closed behind her. Blair blinked. The world felt as if it was spinning. Her ears rang as she watched the door intently, wondering why Sorcha had need of Aindreas this late at night.

What in the heavens was she doing? Blair thought while pressing her body against the wall, watching intently, waiting for Aindreas to send the girl out. Had Laird Cambel sent his daughter to seduce Aindreas? He had noticed Blair with Aindreas, even commented on how late he had been out. Surely, the laird wasn’t so foolish to know where Aindreas’s heart truly belonged to. It made sense for him to attempt to seal the alliance and send his daughter. However, why would Aindreas permit her to enter? He had told Blair he loved her. He had asked her to believe in him. Or had their time together in the woods all been a trick?

Her fingernails dug into the cracks of the wall as she waited for the door to open. Time ticked by, and her heart swelled, her insides twisting. Tears prickled her eyes, and she didn’t know how much longer she could wait, worried what she would see next. She didn’t think she could bear seeing Sorcha with her hair messed, her lips swollen. The thought of it made tears stream down Blair’s cheeks.

Blair tried to tell herself to leave, knowing the sight of it would ruin her, shatter her heart. Her body betrayed her, remaining where it stood, her eyes staring unblinkingly at the door. Silence seeped through her, making her hands tremble. Her basket dropped from her grasp, the herbs spilling out into the hall. She gasped, bending over to retrieve the petals and roots but stopped as she heard the door creak open.

She lifted her gaze, her body bent over the herbs. Her eyes widened as Aindreas was the first to leave, a large smile on his face. He grabbed a torch from the sconce in the hall and held out his hand to Sorcha. Blair watched the red-haired lass place her small hand in his, her heart shattering as she watched them stride away from her, hand-in-hand.

Blair slowly rose from her hiding place. The basket and herbs remained forgotten on the floor as she stepped out of the darkness, her whole body quivering. She swallowed the sob threatening to escape, knowing crying would not help her at this moment. Yet, she felt as if she was breaking into pieces. She felt as if she would never be whole again while watching them turn the corner, taking with them her heart.

It had all been a lie.

He hadn’t cared for her at all. It was exactly as Daniel said it would be. Aindreas used her for her body. He never wanted to marry her. He only wanted to satisfy his lust for her. Blair whimpered, unable to keep her cries at bay. Turning on her heel, she ran down the long corridor, not knowing where to go. Daniel was gone. The laird was dead. She had no one to turn to.

She was alone.

All alone once more.

Her feet took her up to the tallest tower, to Tavis’s tower, and she knocked on the door, inhaling a shuddering breath while she waited for the old man to answer. He was the only one she could go to in her time of need. The only one who would wrap his weary arms around her shoulders and tell her everything would be alright.

The door didn’t open.

She knocked again, louder this time. “Tavis?” she sobbed.

There was no answer.

She fidgeted from foot to foot, wondering what she should do. Return to her rooms? However, she didn’t think she could go back there, knowing she would only think of Aindreas and how he had broken her heart.

Again.

If she stayed in Tavis’s tower, at least she could pretend to study, focus her mind on something else other than the laird who had stolen her heart, leaving her empty inside. She grabbed the door handle, pushing it open and peeking inside the dark room. Herbs and books were scattered on the long table. She stepped inside, searching the darkness for his hunched over form, but he wasn’t there.

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