Bhaltair's Pledge: Highlander Fate, Lairds of the Isles Book Two

by Knight, Stella

“What did she say?” he asked.

  “Not much. Just that my family knows where I am. She couldn’t tell me anything about the aingidh. I’m worried that I’m still not strong enough to fight him.”

  "I have faith in ye, Avery," he said, offering her a reassuring smile. “I ken ’tis nae the same thing, but when I was a lad, I struggled tae ride a horse. My brother and all the nobles’ sons could, but nae me. My father pulled me aside and told me I was the one holding myself back with my self-doubt. Once I let go of that, I was able tae ride.”

  Avery took in his words for a long moment before returning his smile.

  "You're good at that," she said.

  “At what?”

  "Cheering people up. You’ll make a good father to Cadha—and to your own children."

  The words slipped past her lips unbidden, and a sudden, searing pain seized her at the thought of Bhaltair fathering children with some faceless woman.

  "I have no intention of fathering any children,” Bhaltair said, his expression shuttering.

  His words didn’t ease the jealousy that now roiled throughout her belly. He may not want children of his own now, but he wouldn’t be alone forever. The man was gorgeous. Even if he never married, he’d always have a bevy of mistresses to choose from.

  "And ye?" he asked, his eyes suddenly darkening.

  "What?" she asked absently, struggling to ignore her lingering jealousy.

  "Ye've done well with Cadha. Ye mentioned before that ye donnae want bairns. Is that still true?”

  “I don’t know,” she hedged, avoiding his probing gaze. “But I adore Cadha."

  "'It would be a shame for ye tae nae have bairns," he murmured after a brief pause, his voice becoming husky as he stepped forward. "Tae have such beauty go tae waste . . ."

  He reached out to touch the side of her face, and Avery’s pulse began to race. She swallowed hard, unable to muster a reply, her heart leaping into her throat as he leaned forward and claimed his lips with hers.

  Hot arousal seized her, and she moaned into his mouth, hungrily returning his kiss. Her heart was now slamming against her ribcage, her entire body humming with fierce desire. Through her haze of lust, she realized that he was maneuvering her until her back hit the tree. He tore his lips from hers, his gray eyes a storm as he caged her in with his arms.

  “Avery,” he whispered. “My bewitching Avery . . . ”

  He reached out a finger, tracing it along her lips, the act alone so erotic that another strangled moan erupted from her lips.

  “Aye,” he whispered, his eyes darkening with desire. “That’s it. Moan for me, sweet Avery.”

  He again seized his lips with hers. Avery arched against him, luxuriating in the feel of his hard, muscular body, how very right he felt against her. His mouth was firm and demanding against hers, stealing her very breath, her heartbeat. She ached, hungered, needed.

  Avery gasped against his mouth as he reached down to hike up her gown. Her breath caught, but his demanding mouth forced her to keep responding to his kiss even as his fingers drifted to the heated center between her thighs.

  “Oh God . . . Bhaltair,” she gasped, as he began to stroke in and out of her core.

  He kept her mouth prisoner as tendrils of pleasure coiled around her, sending shock waves of ecstasy careening throughout her body. She quaked, crying out against his mouth as her orgasm tore through her.

  Only then did he remove his lips from hers, keeping his gaze trained on her as he lifted his fingers to his lips and closed his eyes, as if savoring the taste of her. More ripples of pleasure coursed through her at the sight, and she let out a soft whimper.

  “I ken what ye said about this nae happening again, but I cannae control my need for ye, lass. I cannae promise I willnae do that again.”

  “Maybe I want you to,” Avery whispered, casting all her previous reservations aside. She may be a stiuireadh here in this time on a mission, but she was still a woman, and she was tired of fighting her desire for Bhaltair.

  Bhaltair let out a soft groan at her words, leaning in to press his lips to hers in another searing kiss.

  They broke apart only when they heard the distant sound of Fenella calling Cadha in for supper; it would only be a matter of time before Cadha came looking for them.

  They headed toward the cottage hand in hand, and Avery tried not to feel bothered when Bhaltair released her hand as they exited the forest. He clearly didn’t want the others to know what had transpired. It’s just desire, she told herself, ignoring the sharp stab of disappointment. Nothing more.

  Later, as they ate supper with the others, Avery struggled to focus on the amusing stories Cadha entertained them with as she told them how she’d successfully scared away a rodent who was trying to steal food from Fenella’s garden. But it was difficult with Bhaltair’s presence, her aching need for him pulsating from within her center. She’d never experienced a climax like the one Bhaltair had given her, and that was merely from his lips, his fingers. What would making love to him be like? The thought caused heat to rise to her cheeks, and she lifted her eyes to meet Bhaltair’s. His eyes were locked on hers, stormy with desire, as if he’d known exactly what she was thinking.

  “What is that sound?” Cadha asked innocently, forcing Avery’s gaze away from Bhaltair. The young girl had the uncanny ability to hear people or horses approaching before everyone else, putting Avery’s heightened senses as a witch to shame.

  Avery paused, listening, and then she heard it. The sound of pounding horse hooves.

  At once, Bhaltair and Daileas were on their feet. Bhaltair’s hand went to the hilt of his sword.

  “Stay here,” Bhaltair barked to Avery, Cadha and Fenella, hurrying outside with Daileas.

  Avery glowered after him, getting to her feet. She was just as capable—if not more so—than Bhaltair was at facing whoever was approaching. She gave Fenella and Cadha a reassuring smile before heading out after them.

  She froze when she saw the pale-faced man who pulled up to the cottage on his horse; she recognized him as the messenger Hamish usually sent from the castle.

  “What is it?” Bhaltair demanded, his own face going pale as the man dismounted.

  “Hamish sent me before he was imprisoned,” the messenger said. “Yer cousin Odhran is a traitor—he’s working with Clan Roideach. He told everyone ye kidnapped yer niece and fled. Hamish and every noble loyal tae ye has been imprisoned or fled.”

  Horror tore through Avery while Bhaltair went paler with shock. Daileas let out an angry curse.

  But the messenger wasn’t finished. He stepped forward, urgency in his eyes.

  “Odhran and Cormag ride here now tae take ye prisoner and yer niece intae their keeping. Ye must flee.”

  Chapter 13

  As he watched the messenger ride away moments later, both panic and anger gripped Bhaltair.

  But there was no time for such emotions. He needed to get Cadha, Avery, and the others to safety. He turned to face Daileas and Avery, thinking quickly.

  “Ye all need tae leave,” he said. “I’ll stay behind.”

  “No!” Avery protested.

  “We willnae be able tae fight them off; we’re nae prepared—I donnae have my men. But ye can get tae safety.”

  “Are you crazy? They’ll kill you!” Avery hissed.

  “No, they willnae.” At least not yet, but he chose not to tell her that. “They’ll likely take me prisoner, aye, but they want Cadha. Until they have her—and they never will—they’ll keep me alive. I need ye tae do what ye remained here tae do, Avery. I need ye tae protect my niece.”

  Avery still looked mutinous, as if she were on the verge of another protest. But Daileas stepped forward, giving her a firm look.

  “He’s right. The important thing is getting young Cadha tae safety. There’s an old friend of mine, Alpin MacGabhann. He lives on the outskirts of Clan Caithan’s lands; we can go there. Bhaltair’s plan is wise; they will focus on getting him tae the castle and question
ing him. While they’re doing that, we can get Cadha far from here. It will give us time.”

  “And the aingidh?” Avery demanded. “What if he’s with them? If I stay behind, I can fight him. You won’t—”

  “This is about Cadha, nae me. I pledged tae protect her,” Bhaltair interrupted.

  And now, he was determined to keep Avery safe as well. He didn’t doubt the strength of her magic, but they were grossly outnumbered. If the aingidh was with them, he could harm her again. He wouldn’t risk anything happening to her.

  Uncertainty still lingered in her eyes, but Avery gave him a jerky nod.

  “We need tae move quickly,” Daileas said. “I’ve no time tae alert Alpin that we’re coming, but he’s a good man. I ken he’ll take us in, especially when he learns a wee lass is in danger.”

  They headed back inside, where a shaken Fenella and Cadha were waiting. As Daileas pulled Fenella aside, Avery hovered, watching as Bhaltair knelt down before his niece. He could tell his niece was frightened, but like always, she was trying to appear brave.

  “The bad men I told ye about are coming here,” he said, holding her gaze. “Ye and the others are going somewhere safe. I’m staying behind. I need ye tae be strong, niece. Remember what I promised—that I’ll never willingly leave ye.”

  Cadha’s lips quivered and her eyes filled with tears, but she murmured her assent. She threw her arms around him, and he held her tight. He would give his life to keep Cadha out of the hands of Clan Roideach. And, he realized with a lurch of his heart, he would do the same for Avery.

  They all moved quickly, with Bhaltair helping them pack the belongings they would need and loading them onto their horses.

  He bid farewell to Daileas and Fenella first. Daileas reached out to clamp him on the shoulder.

  “If they take ye prisoner, I’ll mount a rescue and come for ye,” he said.

  “I ken,” Bhaltair said, smiling at the man who was like his second father. “But only after Cadha and Avery are safe.”

  Daileas gave him a nod of understanding as Bhaltair moved to the horse that Avery and Cadha shared. Avery was staring straight ahead, her face stoic, but her hands that gripped the reins of her horse were white with strain.

  He murmured a farewell to his niece before his eyes lifted to meet Avery’s. She still didn’t look at him, so he reached up to take her hand, gripping it until she looked down at him. He said nothing, merely keeping his gaze locked on hers as he pressed his lips to her palm.

  How could he communicate how much she’d come to mean to him? He didn’t have the words, so he simply murmured, “Stay safe.”

  “You too,” she returned, pain flaring in her eyes.

  He forced himself to step back, and they all rode off into the darkening countryside, making their way south. He watched them until they disappeared from view, conflicting emotions seizing him, before his resolve hardened and he turned back to the cottage where he would await his treacherous cousin.

  * * *

  They arrived just after nightfall.

  As soon as Bhaltair heard the thunder of horse hooves, he emerged from the cottage, sword in hand, his heart hammering in his chest as he waited. He knew he couldn’t possibly fight off a group of men on his own, but he would be damned if he let them take him without a fight.

  A man always fights, no matter what, his father had told both him and Boyd when they were still lads; it was an adage he still heeded.

  He kept his stance as the men approached. He counted roughly twenty, with Odhran riding at the head, and Cormag, the chief of Clan Roideach, at his side. Anger seared his chest at the sight of his cousin with his enemy; he’d prayed up until this moment that the messenger had been mistaken, that his cousin had not betrayed him, but there was no denying it now.

  Odhran gave him a look of blatant hostility as he dismounted from his horse, narrowing his eyes at Bhaltair’s sword with disdain.

  “Ye’re outnumbered, cousin,” Odhran said coolly.

  “Ye can never call me cousin again,” Bhaltair growled, fury simmering within his belly. “How could ye do this? My brother trusted ye. We all trusted ye. I was going tae allow ye and Erskina tae raise my niece as yer own. I was even going tae allow ye tae be laird in my stead. There was no need tae—”

  “Ye may have given me the lairdship, but the clan will never see me as a leader. Even though they ken I’m tae be the laird, the nobles still look tae ye for leadership. I should have been laird and chief all along, nae Boyd. I’ve burned for it since I was a lad. I thought that after yer brother died, the nobles would finally see me for the leader I am. But they still see me as yer wee cousin. Chief Roideach sees me as a leader; he’s agreed tae ally with my clan and join our power together. All he asks is for Cadha tae marry his son.”

  Disbelief flowed through Bhaltair. Boyd would have never allowed Cadha to marry into Clan Roideach; he knew how they treated their women. Odhran didn’t want what was best for the clan. This was all about his petty jealousy.

  He’d been a fool. A blind, naïve fool. Now he understood why the nobles never respected Odhran. He recalled Hamish’s words from weeks before. They see him as a spoiled lad.

  “Ye’re nothing but a jealous, sniveling bairn—like ye’ve always been. I tried tae see the best in ye, but I was wrong. Ye’re no better than a snake.”

  Bhaltair’s fury spiked, and he charged forward before Odhran had a chance to react, landing a satisfying blow to his cousin’s face, sending him flying backward.

  “There’s no need for violence, Laird MacAidh,” Cormag said, dismounting from his horse as Odhran scrambled to his feet, his face red with fury. “Ye ken ye’re outnumbered. We just want yer niece. Hand her over, and there will be no bloodshed.”

  Bhaltair turned to face Cormag, giving him a mirthless smile.

  “I’ll never betray my family the way this bastard has,” he hissed. “I’ll never tell ye where she is.”

  Cormag expelled a sigh, though he didn’t look surprised. He turned to Odhran.

  “Very well, Laird MacAidh.”

  He nodded to Odhran, who approached him with a sneer, lifting the hilt of his sword to strike him, and Bhaltair’s world went black.

  Chapter 14

  Avery and Cadha rode with Daileas and Fenella for most of the night, stopping only once for a break. During the entire journey, panic hovered in Avery’s mind like a looming shadow. She tried to appear calm for Cadha’s sake. She knew the little girl feared for her uncle, but inside, a storm of worry raged. What if Odhran and his men killed Bhaltair on sight? What if they tortured and then killed him? Why had she agreed to leave him behind?

  The panicked questions kept swirling about in her mind even after they arrived at the large manor home of Daileas’ friend, Alpin MacGabhann. Despite the late hour of their arrival, they were immediately allowed entry by Alpin, a large blond man who reminded Avery of a kindly Viking. He had a servant put them up in two guest chambers while he and Daileas went to talk in his study.

  Avery helped Cadha dress for bed, trying not to show her lingering worry as she helped her out of her gown.

  “Will they kill Uncle Bhaltair because of me?” Cadha whispered as she crawled into bed. “These bad men? Because—because I—”

  Avery waited as Cadha swallowed hard, her expression tumultuous. She was on the verge of telling her something, Avery could tell.

  “Cadha?” she pressed gently.

  “I—I just donnae want my uncle hurt because of me,” Cadha said finally.

  Avery studied her for a long moment. She was convinced that there was something else Cadha wanted to say; she could see it in her eyes. But she decided not to press; Cadha would tell her whatever it was when she was ready.

  “No,” Avery said swiftly. “None of this is your fault, do you understand me? Never think that.”

  Cadha said nothing, not looking convinced. Avery sat down at her side, tenderness filling her as she stroked her hair back from her face, staying at her side u
ntil she drifted off to sleep.

  Only then did Avery move to the window, looking out at the moonlit-bathed grounds of the manor. Where was Bhaltair now? Had Odhran transported him to the lands of Clan Roideach? Was he back at his old castle, but being held in the dungeons? Had he somehow escaped and was on his way to them now?

  Or was it none of the above and he was already dead?

  Tears sprang to her eyes at the thought, and she had to take a deep, shuddering breath.

  As she turned to slip into bed next to Cadha, her eyes caught on a rolled-up piece of parchment in her bag. Lila’s letter. After Lioslaith’s visit, events had transpired so quickly that she’d forgotten about it.

  She reached for it, carefully unfurling the parchment, using the moonlight for illumination. Her breath hitched with emotion at the sight of her sister’s familiar scrawl.

  Dear Avery,

  I know you must be terrified, but you must know how powerful you are. It’s the reason I’ve always envied and admired you.

  I was just where you are not long ago, struggling to fight a powerful dark witch. It was only when I let go of my doubts and embraced the feelings I had for Gawen that I was able to defeat her. Our magic is only as strong as our faith in ourselves. I know you can do this, but trust me, if I weren’t pregnant and my husband not so protective, I’d be right there at your side to help you. Mom and Dad wanted to come help as well, but Lioslaith wouldn’t allow them to. They’re scared, but they believe in you.

  One thing to keep in mind—the aingidh often have a weakness, one which pushed them to go dark.

  Find it and exploit it: it will help you defeat him.

  * * *

  “We need tae get men still loyal tae Bhaltair in spite of Odhran’s lies,” Daileas said.

  It was early the next morning. Invigorated by her sister’s letter, Avery was gathered with Daileas, Alpin, and a handful of men from Daileas and Alpin’s battle days, in the main parlor.

  Avery had learned that Alpin was loosely affiliated with the third clan on the island, Clan Caithan, who tended to stay out of conflicts between the MacAidh and Roideach clans. But they’d butted heads with the Roideachs before, and many nobles of the clan considered Clan Roideach enemies.