I went into shock because of the way she was telling sordid details of her plan.
- Aila's dead? - Annabel screamed in an anguished voice. - It can't be! How much for the letters we received from the mother superior of the convent? The lady read all the ones that came in.
Ravenna stood up and walked to where Annabel was being taken prisoner.
- All forged! - she confessed. - I was the one who wrote the letters to disguise it. Aila never wrote them.
- You witch! - Annabel screamed. - Let me go now!
Ravenna laughed even harder and then squeezed Annabel's chin.
- Luckily I can fix all that. - she said. - You go to Edinburgh, where you marry the Duke of Kent, Phillipe's cousin. This will ensure me a good passage to court and an army for your father.
- What's that? What's that? You can't do that! - Annabel screamed. - I don't want to marry any disgusting duke!
- Edward is not disgusting! - Ravenna said. - He's very handsome if you ask me. He is eager to secure heirs who will help him jump to various positions in the succession line to the crown. Maybe we can even kill Phillipe so he can take power in his place.
- That's enough! - Loch's voice echoed from the darkness. - I won't let you hurt Annabel. My cowardice didn't let me protect Aila and Aideen, but I won't let Annabel have the same fate as the sisters.
Ravenna looked at Loch with coldness and nodded to one of the nearby soldiers. She ignored the fact that he was carrying a beast and drew dangerously close to Loch.
- Stop or I'll shoot! - he threatened.
- Is that so? - she challenged him. - Why do I think you're such a coward that you won't do anything you say?
- Stop it, Ravenna! - he screamed again.
Loch walked on his back until he was met by one of the guards who crossed him with his sword. Ravenna went to him and removed the beast from Loch's hands. Then she pulled the trigger, hitting an arrow in her husband's heart.
- I don't need you anymore. - she said before she saw him drop dead on the floor. - Until that idiot served me for a long time.
Ravenna turned to the guard delivering the beast and then raised the skirt of the dress.
- Take her to the boat! - Ravenna ordered it. Turning towards me she smiled coldly. - As for him, kill him and throw the body in the water. By the time they find out, we'll be long gone.
- No! Annabel screamed her head off. - Let go of me!
Ravenna turned her back on me and followed the soldier who was dragging Annabel to the boat. I tried to let go, but I was hit again, falling to my knees. The soldier who had been ordered to kill me approached me stopping in front of me. He pulled the sword out of the hem and raised it. I kept my eyes on his, and as the man was about to hit me with a fatal blow, I saw him being hit by a dagger. The other two soldiers were hit by arrows and fell by my side. I looked confused at the hill and widened my eyes. Arriving almost at the entrance of the castle, Aideen appeared mounted in Quimera. Bruce was right behind some other soldiers who started a battle.
- Ravenna! - Aideen screamed. - Let go of my sister, you bastard!
Chapter 20
Aideen
My dagger went through the chest of the guard who was trying to kill Alistair. Bruce's arrows knocked down the other two who tried, in vain, to react in some way. My eyes were watching the movements on the pier. I had led Bruce there with surprising mastery. Thanks to the instructions that Alistair had given me, I followed the shortest, but most dangerous path. Bruce was convinced that we were lost, until we saw the castle towers. He decided to take the lead when he saw that everything was too quiet. I didn't think twice when I picked up one of the daggers when I saw Alistair, helpless, almost killed by such a small soldier. I couldn't imagine a situation like that where Alistair was being held hostage. He took the sword and started a fight against the other guards. Bruce joined him. I took the opportunity to run towards the pier. My head was at a thousand and my despair grew when I heard Annabel scream. She was dragged into one of the little boats that were anchored. Next to them, there was a guard riding a horse.
- Stop it! - I screamed a horse jump. - Let her go!
I ran with the sword I got from Alistair and prepared a dagger. My mother was getting ready to get on the boat and turned to face me.
- Look who got brave in such a short time! - my mother said.
- Ravenna MacBride, in the name of Brice MacCalister, is under arrest for conspiracy and treason! - said pointing the sword as Alistair had taught me.
- You don't know how to use this thing. - she laughed as she mocked me.
- We'll see! - I said before I went in and attacked her.
Before I did anything, a soldier intercepted the blow preventing me from hitting Ravenna. The blow caused the sword to fly away, so he punched me and I fell to the ground. Without thinking I was dragging myself back scared. The soldier smiled coldly raising his
