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“Nay.” The reply was but a word, yet it had the ring of finality.
Her temper flared. “I’ll nae slow ye down. I’m faster than most of yer men on horseback, I’d venture to say.”
“I’m inclined to agree with ye,bean bhàsail—”
“Ye’re trying to sway me to do as ye wish,” she accused.
He gave her a wicked grin, which she could just make out in the moonlight. “Always.” The word danced with merriment.
“How can ye be so lighthearted when ye’re about to go into battle?” she asked, exasperated.
He cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers before pulling away. “Because I’ve nary a doubt that we will triumph. It should nae take overly long to take the castle. Ye sleep, and I vow I’ll return before light even breaks the night sky.”
“Nay,” she growled. “I will ride with ye.”
“We are nae riding in, Sorcha. We’ll climb the rock and take the castle by stealth.”
Around them, the men had moved away, and she could see most of them tethering their horses and preparing their weapons. Her heart quickened with real fear of being left behind. Her gut tightened with worry as she recalled Eolande foretelling that if they parted, they’d not be reunited. If only Sorcha knew the rest of Eolande’s sentence! She did not want to part with Cameron in a time of strife. She did not wish to part with him ever, but to do so now made her heart beat furiously and her palms sweat.
“Eolande said if we part, we will nae be reunited.” She didn’t bother to tell him that the seer’s foretelling had been interrupted. She wanted him to relent and allow her to accompany him.
“Eolande is wrong,” he said in a hard voice. “We will always be reunited, Sorcha.” He tugged her to him and folded her in his arms. “Even if I had to spend the rest of my life searching for ye, I would find ye. Ye are my air, my food, the shelter for my soul.”
“And ye are the same for me,” she murmured into his chest, giving him a squeeze. “Which is why I must accompany ye. I kinnae bear the thought of ye going into battle and me staying behind.”
He pulled back and stared at her. “Listen to me,” he said, his voice gentle. “If ye accompany me, I will nae be as focused as I need to be. Do ye ken what I’m saying?”
“Ye’re saying I’m a weakness for ye,” she mumbled, feeling miserable because she understood but did not want to.
“Aye.” He kissed her soundly. “In the best sort of way. Ye are a weakness because yer life means more to me that winning the battle, but ye are also my greatest strength. I will win the battle kenning it will allow us to spend our lives together.”
“I’ll stay,” she agreed quietly, her gut wrenching at the thought of the upcoming separation.
“And I’ll return,” he vowed.
“Before daybreak?” she asked hopefully.
“Aye,” he said. “Before daybreak.”
“Ye two need to sleep,” Broch said. He sat on a rock a few feet away from where he and the other four men left to guard Sorcha and Lena had made beds for the two women.
“I kinnae,” Sorcha replied as she paced, Lena by her side.
“Nor I,” Lena agreed.
“’Tis almost day,” Broch continued. “Ye’ll be very weary tomorrow, and I feel certain Cameron will ride us on toward the Earl of Ross’s home, which means fitful sleep on the horses at best.”
Almost day.Sorcha stared off toward the castle. Where was he? He’d promised to return before the sun broke the sky, and the sky was now lightening with the dawn. Eolande’s prophecy grew to a deafening roar in Sorcha’s ears. She swung around and marched toward the nearest horse. “I’m going to the castle,” she blurted as she started to untie the black destrier.
“Nay! Cameron will kill me if I let ye put yerself in harm’s way,” Broch said. “Look!”
Triumph filled his voice, and she swiveled around to see what he meant. Her heart leaped with joy and filled with relief, as on the horizon, a large group of men approached. As they came closer, Cameron’s tall, powerful build and light hair made it easy to identify him. She did not hesitate. Racing forward, she quickly closed the distance between them and flung herself into his arms.
“Are ye hurt?” she asked breathlessly, pulling back to run her hands over his chest and sweeping her gaze over his legs, arms, trunk, and face.
He pulled her against his side and slid his arm around her waist. “I’m nae harmed, and we’ve gained the castle.” Cameron released her and tugged out a piece of foolscap. “March has withdrawn his support of the petition and pledged his undying fealty to the king.” At those words, Cameron and Graham both paused to spit at the ground, as she had noticed they always did when speaking of disloyal men.
“He’s nae trustworthy,” Cameron explained, “but he’s fearful, and he wishes to keep his castle.”
