by Vella, Wendy
“Take this.”
A gold chalice was thrust at him. There were huge rubies twinkling in the sides, and it had to be hundreds of years old and worth a large sum of money.
“Hurry,” Rory urged them on.
“We have enough now. You go first, and remember I’ll be watching you,” Manton said, motioning with his gun.
Rory walked down and prayed no one saw him. Hoped the family that had embraced him did not appear. He realized as he faced the prospect of death once more that not seeing them again would be painful, but the thought of not seeing Kate… now that was excruciating.
He cursed himself for his doubts and his need to be alone. He should have taken what they offered him, held it tight and not let go. Instead he’d needed time and solitude to think… however, now he was thinking with clarity. He wanted what was here in Raven Castle, he just wasn’t sure he’d survive long enough to grab it. At least his family was safe.
Please stay that way.
Chapter Fifteen
“Kate, go and find Rory. The meal is being served.”
“What? Why me?”
Beautiful in a velvet gown of deep ruby, Rose looked tired but happy. “Everyone else is busy, and we don’t want to start until he is here with us.”
Looking around the table, she saw they were all chatting or discussing their gifts.
“Please, I worry that he will leave.” Rose’s sniff had Kate quickly getting to her feet.
“Don’t cry, I’ll find him.” Kate hurried from the room.
She couldn’t believe Rory had selected her gift, and after she’d all but declared her feelings for him. No wonder he’d looked panicked and run from the hall.
After checking the floor she was on, something made her go down the stairs. She felt suddenly uneasy. Something wasn’t right, Kate could feel it and believed it involved Rory. Had he fallen? Even now, was he lying unconscious on the cold floor? The man was a fool for coming into such a place. The air was frigid down here.
Reaching the dungeon, she peered into each cell. They were empty. The door at the end stood open. Slipping through, she found another set of stairs. Reaching the bottom, she heard voices beyond the wall and huddled against it.
“It’s handy when you stay the night with someone who knows the castle, worked here for a few years. Told us about this entrance out of the dungeons. He said it was put here years ago so they could smuggle goods in and out and hold prisoners for the village, and the occupants of the castle need not be disturbed.”
“Plus, it was an escape route should they be invaded,” another voice Kate did not recognize said.
“We need to hurry.”
That was Rory talking. What was he doing with those men?
“This’ll fetch us a tidy sum, may even get us a new boat.”
“You’ll get nothing it they find us, now hurry.”
Kate sagged against the stone wall. Rory was stealing from James. She couldn’t believe it… couldn’t believe she’d been so wrong about him. Rage had her feet moving. In seconds, she’d confronted him.
“You are betraying your family, Rory! How could you after everything they’ve done for you!” He stood between two men holding treasures from the castle, his guilt obvious for her to see.
“Run, Kate!”
“I won’t—”
“Run, you little fool!” He dropped the chalice, the sound loud in the enclosed space, and ran toward her. Turning, she started to retreat, but the bullet hit her, slamming her into the wall, then she knew nothing.
“No!” Rory watched Kate fall.
“Move any closer and I’ll shoot you again, Huntington.”
Anger so fierce it took his breath had him turning. With a roar, he ran at Manton, punching him before he could react, knocking him backward. His head hit the wall, and he crumpled to the floor. Ignoring Berger, he ran to Kate. Blood poured from the wound in her side.
“Kate, dear God, no.” He turned her gently onto her back and then lifted her into his arms. Her blood soon covered his hands, draining the life from her body.
The sound of footsteps was followed by the arrival of her family. Wolf was first.
“Help her!”
“What happened?”
“She’s been shot, no time to explain, just help her! Hurry, we must hurry!” Rory started back up the stairs before anyone could speak, Wolf, Dev, and James at his side. Cam was in the lead. He knew others were there but could only focus on Kate.
“Kate.” There was so much agony in her brother’s voice.
Dear lord, she was going to die, and it was Rory’s fault. This beautiful, spirited woman he loved.
Love?
Yes, he realized, love.
They hurried up the stairs to the first floor, and up again to the first bedroom they came to. He climbed onto the bed, still holding her. He heard people arrive, watched as they hurried to her side.
“Hold her to your chest, Rory,” Essie said, coming to the bed. Taking the knife Dev handed her she, removed the clothes in her way, and looked at the ugly wound. Blood poured from the jagged hole.
“We cannot stop the bleeding. The bullet has hit an artery, and she will be dead soon if we don’t heal her.”
“No!” Rory shook his head. “You have to save her…. You have to.”
“Get everyone, even Warwick, Dorrie, and Somer!” Cam roared. “Alice too.”
“Lilly, this will be hard on you,” Dev said. “But—”
“The bullet has gone through, so it will not be as hard as it was with you. Plus, she still breathes.”
How could they be so calm? Kate was dying in his arms, Essie had said as much. Why weren’t they doing something?
“Help her!”
“We will, brother. You must lay her on the bed and let go now. Let us help her,” Max said.
“I-I cannot.”
“You must trust them, Rory. Come now, let them heal her, I promise you they can.”
Wolf took his sister from Rory, and he climbed off the bed, his clothes stained with her blood.
“Stand back, brother.” Max took his arm and pulled him away. Then between him and James, they urged him to where Rose stood with Emily. “Hold him here.”
Rose wrapped an arm around his waist, as did Emily. James went to stand behind Eden, Max behind Essie.
Suddenly the room was full of Sinclairs, all of them circling the bed. Faces solemn, eyes focused on Kate.
“Kate!” Alice cried as she gripped her sister’s pale, lifeless hand.
“Be strong for her, love.” Nicholas stood at her back. “I am here with you.”
“Kate needs our strength now,” Dev said. “Everyone take a hand, and let us help Lilly heal her.”
Lilly had taken off her gloves and moved to stand over Kate, who was still lying silent and unmoving.
“We must move quickly, her breathing is growing weak,” Essie said.
“Her color is almost white,” Dev added.
“Dear Lord, Kate, my sweet little sister.” Wolf, his face clenched in fear, held her in his arms.
Rory didn’t understand what was happening. Where was a doctor? Why weren’t they putting pressure on the wound? Kate was so pale, her face the color of snow. Her lashes lay still on her cheeks as the life drained out of her.
“We need—”
“What you are about to see is a miracle, and we will explain, but for now you must watch and be silent,” Emily said. “Trust them to heal Kate now, Rory.”
Dev put his hand on the back of Lilly’s neck. Then each of them held the other. Skin to skin, Rory realized. All connected in some way while the three men, Nicholas, James, and Max, stood at their backs.
“Watch her color, Dev,” Lilly said.
“I will, love, and I’m here for you when it is done.”
Lilly nodded, looking grim.
Rory felt something in the air suddenly, a charge of energy. Lilly then touched Kate’s wound. Until that moment, she hadn’t moved.
“Her leg, it twitched.”
“Just watch now, Rory,” Rose whispered.
“Don’t let go.” Dev looked at Dorrie, Somer, and Warwick. “Stay connected until I tell you otherwise.”
“We will,” they said as one.
Rory watched Dev’s and Wolf’s eyes change color, now almost unnaturally bright. They were focused on Kate.
He didn’t know what he was seeing, had no concept, but Rory knew they were in some way healing Kate. He stood there, flanked by his sisters, helpless, hopeful, with a chest so tight it was a wonder he breathed.
“Her color is strengthening,” Wolf rasped.
“Yes,” Dev said. “Just a bit more, Lilly.”
Lilly was healing Kate. Her face was pale, and sweat beaded her forehead.
“It’s done now, love, her color is normal.” Dev reached for Lilly’s hands, lifting them; she turned and slumped against him.
“I will take her to our room. She will need sleep and sustenance. The rest of you go back to the hall,” he said, looking at his siblings. “We will join you when we are able.”
The twins and Warwick left the room with Eden and James. Cam next, holding out a hand to Emily, who, after kissing Rory’s cheek, followed.
“You go too, love, you need to sit down,” Wolf said to Rose. Nicholas kissed Alice, then took Rose from the room. Seconds later, it was just Rory, Wolf, Max, Alice, and Essie. He knew he should leave, but his feet didn’t seem capable of the act.
Essie was busy checking the wound, which now looked no more than a small cut. No blood seeped from it. What had he just witnessed?
Rory held his breath as Kate stirred, moving in her brother’s arms. He wanted to go to her, tell her what was in his heart, but the look Wolf sent him held him where he was.
“Tell me why my sister was shot. Why you were down there with those men, Rory?” Cold with rage, the green depths were not the vibrant color they’d just been.
“I will explain, but not now—”
“Wolf.” Kate’s eyes opened. She struggled to rise, her eyes going from her brother to Rory.
“You betrayed us.” She whispered the words, but they all heard them.
“No, never that.” Rory moved closer, but she turned away, pressing her face into Wolf’s chest.
“You need to leave now. I won’t have her upset. We can talk later, and you can explain yourself.”
Rory looked from Wolf to Max, the brother he knew he’d never stopped loving, and then lastly Kate. He’d begun to believe that just maybe this was to be his family. A small trickle of hope only, but now… well, now he knew he’d been fooling himself.
With a final look at the woman he loved, he backed to the door and walked away. Running down the stairs, he was soon out of the castle and headed down the mountain, covered in Kate’s blood. He did not look back. What lay behind him was no longer his and never had been.
Chapter Sixteen
Kate made Wolf help her downstairs as soon as she felt able. Her body was sore, but not unbearably, and she wanted to show everyone she was well.
“Did those men get away with James’s things?”
“No, they are in the dungeons.” Wolf had an arm around her waist. “The staff captured them, and Max and James are speaking with them now.”
“I want to speak to them.”
“What? Don’t be ridiculous.”
“They shot me, and I want to hear what they have to say about Rory.”
“I thought you said he betrayed us, that you wanted nothing to do with him.”
“I-I… yes, I know what I heard, but maybe I was wrong about that.” Kate had thought about the pain she saw in Rory’s face when she’d said he’d betrayed her. It had been real, but at the time her pain had been greater. The thought of him turning on her, on their family, had made her irrational.
Wolf stopped walking and pulled her down onto a long, narrow seat. He then took her hands.
“I need you to answer me truthfully now, Kate.”
“I’ll try.”
“Do you love Rory?”
She looked up into those magical green eyes, at the face that was so dear to her, and couldn’t lie.
“I do, yes.”
“How is that possible when you barely know each other?”
“How long did it take you to love Rose?”
He exhaled. “Longer than a couple of days.”
“Only because you wouldn’t acknowledge it.”
“We are not speaking of me, but you. Surely you can’t love him, Kate. We know nothing about him or why he was trussed up and left for dead before you found him.”
“He is of their blood, Wolf. Those you hold dear and respect. Yes, he may have done wrong, but I doubt he is a bad person. Perhaps circumstance has played a part in who he is. And you have seen how he is with the children. How gentle he is with his sisters. He’s not used to us… this, Wolf, but he’s a good man.”
“Well I guess there is only one way to find out.” Standing, Wolf held out a hand to Kate. She took it, and they were soon walking down to the dungeons.
“What is my brother to you?”
They heard these words from James as they entered the room. Cam, James, and Nicholas were standing inside a cell. Kate could just see the man who had shot her between shoulders. His hands and feet were bound. Wolf moved her to stand beside the door, then held a finger to his lips before he entered the room.
“Brother?”
“That’s right, Rory Huntington is my brother.”
“I-I did not know, your G-Grace.”
“Explain his connection to you, and before you contemplate lying, I would remind you that there are men in this room who love the woman you shot very much, as they do my brother.”
“The woman, she… I did not mean—”
“Luckily for you, she will live.”
“H-he worked with me. W-we brought him here.”
“It was you who shot and left Rory for dead?”
Kate was surprised how calm James sounded. Were she in there facing those men, she would not be that way.
“He didn’t know we was smuggling.” That was the voice of the other man who’d been in that room with Rory.
“Shut up, Berger!”
“They need to know the truth.”
“Yes, we do,” James agreed. “So continue.”
“When he realized, he said he didn’t want a part of it, and Manton shot him.”
Silence had Kate holding her breath.
“And why was he down here with you?” James asked.
“And why did you shoot my sister?” Wolf snarled.
She heard the sound of a fist connecting with flesh.
“Someone grab him!” James roared. “We need answers before you do that, Wolf.”
“I-I was upstairs, he, Rory found us. I told him he h-had to help me get the stuff out! The g-girl, she would have told.” The words were high-pitched with fear.
“One more, Wolf,” Cam said, and there was another sound of fist meeting flesh, then James came out the door first.
“You should be resting.”
“Where is Rory?”
“He left. Max is trying to find him.”
“I need to—”
“You are not leaving this castle.” James grabbed her as she started to run. “Wolf!” he bellowed. “Come and get your sister.”
“No! I must find Rory.”
She was lifted off her feet and carried up the stairs. Once there, Wolf grabbed her shoulders.
“You cannot find him. You are still weak, and therefore not leaving. Max will bring him back.”
“B-but what if he doesn’t?” Kate let the tears fall as Wolf held her. “I need him to come back to me.”
He had no possessions, only the clothes on his back. The journey down the mountain had been taxing on his strength. The icy wind chafed his cheeks, and his shoulder ached viciously, but it simply spurred him on.
Kate believed he’d betrayed them… as did th
ey all. And why wouldn’t they?
Because I am family, the small voice inside his head said. They should have believed him. The thought was ridiculous, and yet it was there just the same.
“You’re an idiot if you think that,” he muttered, walking down the main street of Crunston Cliff.
“You’ll catch your death out here, young man. What’s the matter with a body, walking about on Christmas Eve when you should be tucked up warm with your family?”
Mrs. Radcliff stood on the small front step of a house, glaring at him.
“Please go inside, Mrs. Radcliff, it’s cold out here.”
Darkness closed around him. Wind sliced down the street and with it sleet. Cold and unwelcoming, Rory thought, just like his mood.
He’d tried to make sense of what he’d seen in that room. One minute Kate had been nearing death, and the next… not. He’d felt the power coming from the Sinclairs as he’d stood there with his sisters pressed to his sides.
It hurt thinking about them, he couldn’t lie. James and Max also. Plus, his nieces and nephews, in fact every bloody Raven and Sinclair, had come to mean something to him. Especially her.
No, he shut Kate out of his head. He was good at that, closing the pain away inside him.
“Curse them all,” he muttered.
“Come in, you can haul some wood for me. My back, you know, it’s not up for much, and I’ll likely freeze to death if you don’t.”
Rory looked longingly down the street to the stables that he knew stood about halfway. He could be on a horse and out of town in under twenty minutes.
“I’ll need tea also. Nourishment in this weather is important for a woman of my advancing years.”
He exhaled.
“That middle Sinclair came and chopped it,” Mrs. Radcliff said, waving him through and out the back door.
“Middle Sinclair?” Rory avoided looking at the castle looming above them.
“Cambridge. He’s a wild one and always will be, even though that sweet young girl tamed him.”
“Right. I’ll just get that wood then.”
“How bad is your shoulder? Perhaps you should sit here and have tea instead.”
“My shoulder can manage a few logs.” In fact, it burned like hell, but that was a good thing and gave him something else to focus on.
