"Where is he?"
"He ran." Neacal needed to chase him down and kill him but Anna was far more important to him. He hoped Blackburn's boat would capsize in the loch. "What did he do to you?" Neacal asked.
"We fought. He knocked me down and I hit my head on a stone."
"Whoreson," Neacal said through clenched teeth. "Are you going to be all right?"
"I think so… but it hurts."
"I'll be right back. Stay hidden. I'm going to see where he went."
"Nay!"
"I have to."
"Please be careful! Promise me."
"Aye. I'll be back in a few minutes." Neacal rushed to the doorway. Outside, the bushes shifting in the wind blocked his view of the shore, the loch and the castle. He ran out, headed for the shore, when a sword blade arched at him. He dove to the ground and stabbed Blackburn in the thigh with his dirk. Rising again, Neacal withdrew his broadsword from the scabbard.
The severe wind and rain slamming him, he whipped around and lashed out at Blackburn. Their swords clanged. Neacal blocked several of his strikes, giving Blackburn time to tire himself. He sent a feinted slash toward Blackburn's injured thigh. When he lowered his blade to block it, Neacal stabbed the man's upper chest with the dirk. Though the studded leather armor absorbed some of the force, the blade slid into muscle. Blackburn roared in pain and staggered back. He turned and ran back toward the byre.
"Nay, you bastard!" Neacal chased after and dove for him, barely catching the other man's plaid as he entered the doorway. Both of them fell. Neacal stabbed his dirk into the man's calf. Blackburn kicked, connecting with Neacal's jaw, jarring his head and sending him rolling.
Muttering curses, his head dazed, Neacal pushed to his feet, but Blackburn had disappeared. He picked up the sword he'd dropped and rushed into the byre. He made out the gleam of a sword blade and halted.
Blackburn squalled and growled like a wild animal, then dropped his sword. "I'll kill you, bitch!"
What the hell was going on? Neacal rushed forward, running Blackburn through. But he saw this was unnecessary as Blackburn fell to the ground. The man's throat had been cut and blood gushed from the wound. Neacal watched him for a moment to make sure he would not move again.
"Anna?" Neacal glanced around to find her kneeling upon the dirt floor, a small bloody knife lying in front of her. He knelt beside her and drew her into his arms.
"He was going to kill you," she sobbed, her body shaking. "I wasn't going to let him kill anyone else I love."
"Och, my sweet Anna. You did the right thing."
She nodded against him. "For you, I will do anything."
"You amaze me. I didn't ken you were such a fierce warrior."
He held her many long minutes, until she stopped shaking. She was so dear to him he could not even comprehend the depth of his feelings. He'd not known it was possible to feel such intensity for someone.
By slow degrees, the wind and rain quieted outside.
"I need to get you back to the castle," he said. "But first, we'll look across the loch to see if the fighting has ceased. Come." He lifted her into his arms, stepped over Blackburn's body and left the byre.
"Where is Kristina?" Anna asked. "Did you see her?"
"Nay, I think Colin snatched her from Blackburn's guards."
"But you don't know for certain?"
"I would trust the man with my life. If he says he's going to do something, he'll do it."
Her worried frown eased a bit and he kissed her forehead.
The wind was only a mild breeze now, and the rain a slight mist. He carried her along the trail through the bushes a few yards until they reached the other side of the tiny island.
He set her to her feet, examining her reddened eyes and mud-streaked face. "How do you feel?"
