Page 28 of Scottish Rose: Coira

“Take hold of your thoughts and have faith,” Zara commanded. “Lance will save you. But you’ve got to believe.”

“I believe,” said Coira, squeezing her eyes closed tight, thinking about Lance and the intimate times they’d shared together. He told her he wanted the castle for her and so that she’d be happy. He didn’t know about her past at the time. “I believe,” she said again as the cold rain pelted against her skin. Her body shook. “I b-believe,” she repeated, thinking about Effie and how badly she wanted to see her sister again. Coira didn’t want to die before she had the chance to be an aunt to Effie’s baby. This couldn’t be the end. She refused to believe it. Then she thought about how much Lance must love her to go out in the storm in the middle of the night to look for her dog. Aye, he loved her, she decided, or he would never do such a thing. And now, she realized that she loved him, too.

The sound of a barking dog caused her to open her eyes. She glanced down to the courtyard to see Sweetcakes leading the way and Lance and Jack riding in right behind her.

“Lance,” she said, feeling frightened for him that he was riding right into what could be a very deadly battle. “Lance,” she cried out, gripping the bars of the cage. She had to warn him.

Lance rode into the courtyard, swearing he heard Coira calling out to him.

“Did you hear that, Squire?”

“Hear what?” asked Jack. “Lord Lance, something isn’t right. I don’t see the sentries on the wall.”

“Nay, and I see something else that makes me furious!” Lance directed his horse into a run as he made his way in the dark to the far side of the courtyard where, to his horror, he found Coira and Zara hanging in cages. “Coira,” he called out, drawing his sword. “Coira, are you all right?”

“Behind ye, Lance,” she shouted as Sir Philip came at him with his sword drawn.

“Lance,” sneered Philip. “It seems you lied to me, and I don’t take kindly to being treated that way.”

“You bastard!” spat Lance. “How about the way you are treating my wife? I will not let you get away with this. Men, attack!” shouted Lance, going for Philip. Philip reached up and pulled Jack off his horse, mounting the steed to go after Lance.

“Nay, Lance. Dinna fight,” called Coira, but it was too late. Lance would not let anyone put his wife in a cage and live to tell about it. Uncle or not, Sir Philip had to die.

Shouting and the clashing of swords filled the courtyard as one of Lance’s guards rang the bell and alerted the rest of the men that they were under attack.

“How could you do this?” Lance growled, swiping at Philip from atop his horse. Their swords met with the clash of metal against metal ringing through the night.

“I’ve had a change of mind,” said Philip. “I want you gone now.”

“I’m not leaving without Coira, or at all for that matter.”

“Coira will be my wife now,” snarled Philip. “I will keep her like a bird in a cage. When she finally sings, I’ll get the Stone of Destiny, gain the king’s favor, and have a wife and castle, too.”

“Over my dead body,” yelled Lance.

“My feelings exactly.”

Coira watched in horror as the battle below her took place. She felt so helpless being trapped in the cage and didn’t want to see Lance go to his death while she watched from above.

“Zara, we’ve got to help Lance,” she said, holding on to the bars, the cage swinging in the wind as the rain continued to fall.

“He’s a knight, Coira. He can handle himself.”

“But I have a bad feelin’. Like I am goin’ to lose him.”

“Mayhap we can get out of these cages after all.” Zara reached into her boot and pulled out a dagger.

“Where did ye get that?” asked Coira.

“This is where being a gypsy my entire life comes in handy. We’ve been known to have a light touch on occasion. I stole it from the guard that locked me in here.” Zara fussed with the tip of the dagger in the lock but couldn’t open the cage. “Now I wish I would have paid more attention to the lesson on picking locks.”

“Here. Let me try.” Coira held her hand out through the bars. “Throw it.”

“It’s too far,” said Zara. “Swing your cage closer, and mayhap we can reach through the bars so you don’t drop it.”

They swung their cages, coming closer and closer together. Finally, they touched, and Coira reached through the bars and took the dagger from Zara.

“Hurry,” said Zara. “Philip has managed to unhorse Lance. He is on the ground.”