Page 94 of His Forgotten Highland Bride

Chapter Thirty-Four

Ewan continued to pace and spew his ramblings of how he would rule the clan. The demented fool aspired to rule all of Scotland. He planned to go to war clan by clan, acquiring land and more soldiers until he had an army at his command.

“And then we will descend upon England while they are still caught up in their war with France, and I can make my move.”

Ronan wanted to point out all the ways in which his plan would likely fail, but he didn’t have the energy to argue with a lunatic. His leg was causing him a great deal of pain now, and he knew even if he had the chance to escape the chains, he’d not make it very far.

“Why have you not acknowledged how perfect my plan is?” Ewan came closer and nudged Ronan’s bad leg with his foot.

“Is that why you delay? Because you’re waiting for me to tell you how brilliant you are? I’m sorry, but if I’m to face my death, I can’t do so with a lie upon my lips. Telling you this farce of a plan will work would be the biggest lie ever to come out of my mouth. So, if it be all the same to ye, I’ll just sit here while you ramble on with your hideously flawed strategy.”

This infuriated Ewan to the point of murderous rage.

Mayhap Ronan had grown tired of waiting for Ewan to kill him and wanted it done, or perhaps he’d just been foolish in the grips of hunger and exhaustion, but Ronan was surprised by how calm he was in the face of death.

In France, he’d always thought it would be the worst thing, but in the hours he’d been sitting here with his fate becoming clearer by the minute, he’d had time to prepare.

He closed his eyes, picturing Brenna’s face and waited for the death blow. But instead of the sounds he expected—the grunt of effort it would take for Ewan to raise his dagger and strike him through the heart, or the rush of air escaping his throat from the shock of it—he heard a strangely soft whoosh and then gurgling.

Opening his eyes, he saw Ewan stagger as blood escaped the corners of his mouth. His eyes were wide in shock, and his hands came up to the arrow sticking through both sides of his neck.

The arrow, fletched with white swan’s feathers, tipped blue with woad.

Brenna.

***

Brenna watched as Ewan slumped to the ground in an unmoving heap and pulled in a shaky breath.

It was over. All the fear and constant danger were finally over. Ewan was gone. He’d never threaten her or the people she cared for ever again. The knowledge was nearly dizzying.

“Nice shot, my lady,” Gabe praised her. “Did ye see it?” He turned to the other men who had obviously seen the shot as well.

Will patted her on the back. “Aye, we saw.” As the other men cheered, he leaned closer to whisper. “Are ye well?”

She searched for an answer, and while it had been different shooting a rabbit to feed her people than shooting a man only to end him, she was sure it had been the right thing—nay, the only thing—to be done.

“I am well,” she said.

He patted her shoulder again and smiled approvingly. “Ye are a fierce warrior, Brenna Grant.”

“Let’s see to the laird,” Hugh said, shaking them all from their short celebration.

As they scrabbled down the rubble to get to Ronan, it was clear they never would have made it in time to save him. The arrow had been the only option. She only hoped it had been loosed in time. If Ronan had been mortally wounded, it would all be for naught.

Lighter on her feet than the other men, Brenna arrived first. His eyes were closed, and his stillness sent a chill through her as her gaze scoured Ronan for blood. She saw nothing severe, but she knew some wounds bled deep in the body and were just as deadly.

“Are you injured?” she asked. “Ronan?”

The only movement came from his lips. They pulled up in a slight smile. “You saved me, wife.”

“We are all here,” she said, lest he think she had foolishly come alone.

“Good. I’ll need them to help me stand. My leg has grown stiff.”

“Is that the only thing that hurts? Your leg?”

He hesitated as if thinking to say something else, but then he finally opened his eyes to look at her. “My leg is my only physical pain.”