Ailis smiled. “Ye are a great deal more important to this clan than any horse.”
Kirsty glowered at her feet for a moment. “I feel as if I’ve done something wrong.”
Ailis sat beside the woman on her bed. “Ye did yer job, and there was an injury. How could that be yer fault? I am gladsomeone came for me so quickly.” She carefully patted the other woman’s hand. “The stew is ready for supper. If ye need me to cook other meals for yer children, send someone to me. I am always willing to help.”
“Me mother is next door. She will cook for us. All will be well.”
Ailis nodded. “I’m willing to help if ye need it.” She stood and walked to the door, frowning when she saw that Lachlan was no longer standing guard. Where had he gone?
It made no sense that he’d left in the space of an hour when he’d spent days and days waiting as she’d healed Doirin.
There was a great commotion she hadn’t noticed until that moment. She called to a child who was standing not far from her. “What has happened?”
“Clanless men are attacking again!” a boy called to her.
Ailis frowned. She had heard of no other clans being attacked by these men, but they seemed to plague the McAfees. “Thank ye!” She was certain Lachlan had gone to help with the battle, and she set out for the keep alone.
When two soldiers in McAfee plaids came up on either side of Ailis, she frowned. She didn’t recognize these men, and she knew most of the soldiers. “Is the battle over?” she asked.
Each of the soldiers took one of her arms and changed her direction. With everyone distracted by the battle they knew was taking place, no one noticed when she was forced over the border to Sinclair land.
Ailis’s heart pounded as thoughts of her family and Lachlan raced through her mind. Would they know of her plight or believe she vanished like mist over the moors?
As the soldiers quickened their pace, Ailis knew this was another betrayal by the Sinclairs. She turned cold with dread, wondering what the Sinclairs intended. Now they hadkidnapped two daughters of the laird of Clan McAfee, and they would be brought to justice. There was no doubt in her mind.
A spark of defiance ignited within her. She would not submit without contest. Though they had caught her by surprise, Ailis was a strong woman, and she would find a way back to the people she loved. And the Sinclairs would pay a price for their treachery.
For now, she was a captive on an uncertain path, her destiny intertwined with men who saw her as nothing more than a means to an end—a jewel in pursuit of power.
*
“Let us facewhat comes,” Lachlan called, his voice commanding as they braced for battle. While Alisdair led the McAfee men, Lachlan led the McClain men who were still with Clan McAfee.
As foes descended upon them, blades clashed in a frenzied dance of steel and valor.
Grunts and shouts of battle cries filled the air as fighters engaged in fierce combat.
Lachlan led his comrades into the fray with unwavering resolve—each swing of his sword driven by duty and loyalty.
In the chaos of battle, their unity strengthened—a bond forged in blood and sweat that transcended mere alliances.
With unyielding determination, Lachlan fought on despite exhaustion looming over him. He fought not just for victory but for those who depended on him for protection and guidance.
The fight continued for more than an hour, every clash of steel echoing through the moors—a testament to their unbreakable resolve as they faced their enemies head-on.
Finally, the few soldiers of the clanless men who still stood turned and ran, and Lachlan called to let them go. There wasno use chasing after them. Soon they would be back for another fight, as that’s all they seemed to do.
The clamor of battle subsided, leaving only the echo of steel and the panting of exhausted men. Lachlan moved purposefully through the remnants of the fray, his thoughts on Ailis.
He broke into a run and approached the cottage where he had left her. As he neared the threshold, he knew something was wrong. The door swung lightly in the breeze—an ominous invitation.
“Where is she?” His voice emerged barely above a whisper but heavy with dread.
Kirsty lay sleeping on the bed, but there was nothing else to see. He didn’t wake the woman and instead, went to talk to anyone close, hoping they had seen what was happening.
He asked several people if they knew where Ailis had gone, but everyone claimed she had gone toward the keep. He raced there, hoping she’d made it safely, but something in the pit of his stomach told him otherwise.
Back at the keep, she was nowhere to be found. She hadn’t been seen since morning.
