Her every muscle screaming, Alesone nocked another arrow, aimed at the closest warrior as he climbed up the rungs of the ladder, released.
The invader screamed as he tumbled to the earth.
She loaded the next arrow and scanned the distant trees looking for any sign of the Bruce’s knights.
Naught.
A boom sounded to her left.
Beneath her the wall walk shook. She whirled.
Shattered stone tumbled to the ground, and a gaping hole lay at the top of the curtain wall.
Oh God, they’d moved the fourth trebuchet into position!
The duke shouted orders for reinforcement where his men had been injured or killed.
Sickened, Alesone focused on the next target, praying for Thomas to arrive.
Hurled stone slammed nearby.
She stumbled back.
“Move to the right,” the duke yelled. “The curtain wall is—”
An explosion of rock shattered paces away. Shards bit into her skin, driving Alesone to her knees. The mill of bodies around her blurred.
Donnchadh’s strong arms caught her, hauled her back.
Beneath the next volley, the wall walk where she’d been standing collapsed.
A tremor rolled through her. “Y-you saved my life.”
Donnchadh’s eyes dark with concern narrowed as he released her. “Are you hurt?”
Hurt? She gasped for breath, then another. She’d almost died.
Another round shook the castle wall to her right.
She jumped. “Oh God, all four siege engines are in place!”
The earl ran over, caught her arm. “Come. For your safety we must reach the keep.”
Furious, she jerked free. Snow whipped past, the icy shards driving against her skin as Alesone met the duke’s gaze. “I will fight, teach the bastard that he canna always have what he wants.”
As she started to nock her bow, Comyn’s command to halt rang out.
She glanced east, searched for signs of Thomas. The euphoria pouring through her faded as naught but her father’s men surrounding the castle came into view.
“Westwyck,” her father yelled.
The duke glared at his enemy. “Aye.”
“Send my daughter out, and I willna destroy Dair Castle.”
The bloody bastard, the duke hissed. “Rot in Hades!”
Comyn’s face darkened with fury. “If I order my men to attack, ’twill be your bones buried in the earth.”
