Hurriedly dressing, Mary followed Rinalda into the dark night. Even from where she was, she could see plumes of blacker smoke merge into the dark night. Red-orange sparks shot up in the air from the blazing inferno that was the town beyond.
She hurried into the castle while men were rushing out. She did not see Leith at all and supposed he had gone to the village already. When she got to the great hall, the place was packed with anxious-looking women and sleepy children resting in their arms.
Taking a corner, she sat, knowing that there was nothing she could do in this situation. Looking at the grim faces around her, she prayed, be safe Leith.
* * *
A ferocious fire crackled and the fighting men roared. The clash of swords and the screams of terrified women resounded in Leith’s ears as he buried a dagger into the gut of a raider.
With a hairsbreadth to spare, he ducked under as the swing of a wooden branch, blazing with fire, flew over his head. He spun and rammed his foot into the middle of his attacker. He hated these bastards with a passion.
The village in the hollow of the valley had a natural defense as it was hemmed in by the impressive mountains around it so he was shocked to know that a band of raiders had suddenly invaded it without the watchmen from the castle knowing it. There were three roads to the village and if none of the watchmen had reported it, these villains had entered somewhere else. Where?
He did not have time to think over it as his sword was viciously cutting from left to right, felling every one of the raiders who came at him.
The moon shone as deep red, the color as scarlet as the blood that poured out of those he killed. With no mercy he moved, his sword swift and his aim true. Arrows were whistling above his head and his soldiers were moving through the raiders like deadly shadows.
A double team came upon him and he suddenly felt someone at his back. “They willnae touch us, Sir.”
Grinning that Dugald was at his back, he lashed out and struck. His sword was a silver blur as it met the first man’s blade, locking at the hilt before he kicked out and sent the man flying. He did not hesitate to run him through and as he yanked the weapon out, he heard the sickening crunch of bones.
Smirking, he spun to see Duglad had twisted his attacker’s hand so far back he could see the arm had been ripped out of the socket. The man’s left leg had been stomped on at the knee and by the way, his leg was twisted, his bone was shattered.
All these he took in within seconds, and with no time to delay, he ran off to another opponent. He was in the heart of the battle now and he had to move quickly. He swung his sword low, slashed one man’s gut, running another through the hilt to knock the man in the head hard enough that he collapsed.
He had to find the leader and run him up the pole. Perhaps cut him in five pieces and send it to the ends of Scotland to tell other would-be attackers to beware. His ruthless mood came from knowing his own man was against him.
Speaking of the devil, he spotted Cooper’s silver head just before he disappeared. His inattention gave an attacker the chance to land a fist on his cheek, his fist grazing his cheekbone before he could react and push him off and cut him down. He fought while keeping an eye out for the leader of the raiders. He grabbed a raider and growled into his face, “Where is yer master?”
Hateful dark eyes glared at him. “I’ll never tell. Kill me if ye must.”
“Wish granted,” Leith growled before slaying him with one blow. He moved on to others and asked them the same question, until one stammered his name and his description.
Leith had mercy on the boy and just knocked him unconscious. He fought through the ranks until he came upon the man he was seeking. He knocked the man’s feet from under him, grabbed him by the lapel, leveled his throat and bellowed, “We have men fallen from both sides, Watson. Order yer men to stand down and live or be prepared to die. What do ye say?”
The leader of the raiders tilted his head back and hawked a glob of spit into his face; a hundred foul curses filled his mind and some even slipped from his mouth, “So be it then, Addair, ye will die.”
He jammed the blade though the man until the hilt met Addair’s ribcage. Blood, acidic and hot, washed over his hand as he dragged the sword out , he chucked the dying body away from him.
“Raiders, yer leader is dead!” he roared spinning around in the darkness. “Stand down or meet the same fate! I will nay offer leniency again!”
He stood still as one-by-one, the rest of the raiders dropped their weapons and sank to the ground in defeat. A victory call rose up from his men that resounded in the air. They had won the battle but his stomach still felt sour.
He needed to have Cooper take control but when he did not see him, he looked at Dugald. “Make sure all who are alive are put in stocks tonight. Tomorrow, they will be whipped and branded.”
Spinning, he went to search amongst the troops where the raiders were being hogtied. Cooper was nowhere to be seen. Angry, he went to where he had left his horse and rode back to the clan’s castle. Nicolas had not been there earlier that day, but he was going to find him that night and make him admit to
