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Mackenzie warriors were racing towards the places in the wall where the enemy had managed to push through. Raghnall climbed up the stairs to the part of the wall where he saw James and Catrìona shooting arrows, and Angus and the rest throwing rocks.
Raghnall touched his arm, and Angus turned his head to him. It was clear from his face how tired he was, how worried. Sweat caked locks of hair to his forehead.
“We are about to lose, brother,” Raghnall said. “And both ye and I ken we canna afford that.”
Because that would mean not just their deaths but the deaths of everyone they knew and loved.
“We’re still holding,” said Angus. “But there’s just too many of them.”
“Aye, which means we must do the one thing that’ll stop them.”
Angus stared at him for a moment. They both knew what that thing was—killing Euphemia or, even better, taking her hostage.
“So here’s what I suggest,” Raghnall said. “She wants the Mackenzies. She wants us. Everyone that’s dear to ye—and ye, she wants ye most of all.”
“Ye want me to go there?”
“Nae just ye alone. Ye and me. Ye distract her. I’ll take her hostage. Make her stop the fight and have them retreat.”
“What if they wilna stop?”
Raghnall felt his throat work. “Then I’ll kill her.”
Angus gave out a long sigh. “If ye kill her, ye’re gaining a very important enemy, just as strong as Euphemia herself. Her brother. He may never stop fighting us.”
Raghnall swallowed. “Aye. But if he can take his justice upon me, he will be satisfied. The Earl of Ross is a rational man, unlike his sister. He may take me to the king and the king would have to give his judgment. I hope Bruce wilna forget how I fought for him all these years.”
Raghnall squeezed Angus’s shoulder. “Ye and me, brother, let’s stop this. What do ye say?”
Angus nodded. Of course he would, this big, powerful man as solid as a bear, and as deadly.
Raghnall told him briefly about his plan, and they agreed on details. Then he hurried down the stairs and back onto the part of the wall where the battle was still in full swing.
He fought his way through the little battles between men and to the only way he knew how to get down—the rope ladders that hung from the wall.
As more men were climbing up, he got to the hooks of one of them and yelled down as loud as he could: “’Xcuse me, lads! Give way! A Mackenzie’s coming through!”
The men froze in surprise, and as he climbed over the wall and started descending, one of them yelled, “Ye get back there, ye bastart, or I’ll stab ye in the arse!”
“Have a message to Euphemia from Angus. He may be ready to surrender. But I guess she wilna ken of that, since ye’ll stab me in the arse and I’ll bleed to death like a pig.”
The Ross warrior mumbled dirty curses but looked down to his clansmen. “Go down! Now! Down, I’m telling ye!”
Finally, one by one, they descended and gave Raghnall way.
As he kept descending under the heavy, malicious gazes of the enemy warriors, he thought this must have been the stupidest idea he’d ever had. Here he was, walking over ground moist with the blood of the dead and the wounded, and everyone he saw had something to kill him with.
And yet, they stood as if stunned, just watching.
And then he saw her. By the opposite wall, behind one of the household buildings, was a woman on a horse. Her long, golden hair and straight back were unmistakable. Although she looked quite pale and thin, Raghnall thought, remembering that Catrìona had wounded Euphemia several sennights ago.
She might still be unwell, Raghnall thought, which he could use to his advantage.
But where was Bryanna?
And then he saw her, being held by two guards in front of Euphemia, who was seemingly talking to her.
His heart sank at the sight of Bryanna. She was looking fierce, staring into the eyes of someone who wasn’t even her enemy. Her back was straight, her head held high.
