Chapter 16

16

E mily ran through endless corridors, surrounded by unfamiliar doors and passageways.

She somehow managed to find her way to the ground floor of the castle and was about to go outside to clear her head when someone cleared their throat behind her.

She turned to find a manservant standing in the corridor, carrying a bundle of letters. "M'Lady, this was delivered for ye today."

Emily's eyes flicked about the interior of the castle, her body thrumming with energy from the encounter with Lady MacNiall. She stared at the man, trying to gather her thoughts.

"Th-thank ye," she said distractedly as he handed her a letter with a low bow and retreated into the corridor behind him.

The worry that had been nagging at her increased tenfold as she recognized Bruce's handwriting on the envelope. She moved quickly into a secluded corner and tore open the letter, her eyes widening as she read the brief missive from her brother.

Emily,

Do not despair! I am coming for you. If I have to kill every one of Stewart's men, I will find you and bring you home. Father and I will not rest until you are safe.

Bruce.

Her fingers shook uncontrollably as she read the letter several times, taking in deep breaths as she contemplated the meaning of those words.

Bruce was going to try and fight his way out. The idea terrified her more than anything else about her future. Her brother's stubborn face flashed through her mind, and she could well imagine he was going mad from the lack of news—just as Adam had intended Stewart to.

Emily looked ahead of her at the dull cobbles of the courtyard. She had agreed to come with Adam in the hopes that her family would be protected, yet now they were in just as much peril as before.

She swallowed, shuddering from the cold breeze that drifted through the halls. The panic she had been trying to suppress overrode everything else.

I have to get to them . If I dinnae try, he will be killed for sure. If he sees I am alive, all will be well.

She tucked the letter in her bodice and walked stiffly to the entrance to the castle.

The courtyard outside was dark beneath the gathering clouds, and several guards wandered about their posts. The gates were open. There was a relatively clear path to them if she could get past the stables.

She had one chance. If she tarried now, she might never have another opportunity. Bruce and her father were the priority, and she had been foolish to think they would sit back and leave her here alone.

She backed away from the castle entrance, knowing if she left that way, the guards would see her.

She went back toward a side door, leaving through another route, and found herself stepping outside near the statue of the pegasus again. It was still leaping upward, forever attempting to reach the sky, but it never would.

Something about the sight of it made her incredibly sad.

Ignoring a foolish pang of unhappiness as she thought of leaving MacNiall Castle so soon, she proceeded slowly to the edges of the castle walls, moving on tiptoe so as not to be heard.

There was a rumble of voices from the stables as the servants saw to the horses. Emily ducked behind some barrels at the edges of the stalls to avoid being seen. She was in luck, as the guards in the courtyard walked up the stone steps to the battlements and the way before her was suddenly empty.

Her dress was completely impractical for the journey that lay ahead of her. Her shoes were thin, and she could already feel the uneven surface of the cobbles beneath her toes.

But I have to try.

The need was so powerful that it consumed her entirely. Bruce's letter burned against her skin as she stared with determination at the gates.

The last few days had been a mad swirl of decisions and choices, and now she was finally taking control of her fate.

If she married Adam, there would still be no guarantee that her family would be safe. If she returned to them, at least they would all be together, and that's what mattered.

She quickened her pace as she slipped past the stables and edged around the back of a wagon, listening to the rumbling voices of the guards above her. It sounded as though they were facing outward and would not see her.

She continued on, holding her breath, expecting to hear a shout from behind her with every step.

In another minute, she reached the gates.

Looking back, there were no guards chasing her, and everything was quiet. She was almost disappointed that Adam was not watching her every move. A tiny part of her wanted him to march out of the castle, throw her over his shoulder again, and carry her back inside.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she turned back toward the wide world before her.

She had no knowledge of which direction to head in, but she knew that she would be hidden in the woods, and it could not be long before she found her bearings again.

With renewed determination, she set off, only certain of one thing—that she was going back to her family and that was where she needed to be.

The wind picked up as she walked along the path away from the castle. Clouds gathered above her head, heralding the arrival of another storm.

As she reached the woods, she looked back at the silhouette of the castle against the dark sky. There was no movement, no sign of anyone coming after her, and bitter disappointment rushed through her.

Dinnae be so foolish, Emily Murray. Ye were there against yer will. Now ye can return to where ye are wanted for who ye are, nae what ye can be used for.

As the rain started to fall, she hiked up her skirts, holding them high enough that they did not tangle in the branches below her. The folds of her dress were getting soaked from the boggy lands around the castle already, weighing her down.

She made her way deeper and deeper into the woods, the sky only darkening further as she did so.

The rain began to fall in heavy sheets, the canopy of trees barely holding it at bay. She came to a halt, listening to the gentle patter of the rain as it fell from the sky. Closing her eyes, she allowed the sound to surround her. It was a peaceful moment in the midst of a world that seemed to be falling apart around her.

Emily opened her eyes, determined to keep going, but when she turned around, she could not recall from which direction she had entered the woods.

She trudged on regardless, soaked to the bone and tired, wishing she had never laid eyes on Adam Kane.

"What do ye mean she isnae in her chambers?"

Olivia bobbed another curtsy nervously and shook her head. "She hasnae returned, M'Laird."

Adam glared at his mother. They were all seated in the dining hall for supper. He had prevented anyone from eating until Emily had arrived, but she was extremely late.

He turned to his sister. "Do ye ken where she is?"

"Nay, the last time I saw her was with Maither."

Adam's gaze flicked to Lady MacNiall, who raised her hands defensively. "I didnae do anythin' to her, I merely showed her the Lady's chambers and offered her me weddin' dress. I am doin' as I am told—treatin' her with respect. As M'Laird commanded."

Adam's jaw clenched. "Theo!" he hollered.

The outer door opened, and Theodore strode in at once, a hand on his sword, his eyes watchful and guarded.

"M'Laird," he said immediately. He walked to Adam's chair and stood beside it, as though there were a threat to his life inside the room.

"Have ye seen me bride-to-be? We cannae locate her."

Theo frowned. "Nay, M'Laird. The last I saw her was this afternoon. I will check the rear passages."

Adam's eyes narrowed. "And why would a stranger, who has only just arrived at the castle, ken of the rear passages?"

Theo looked contrite. "I couldnae say, M'Laird," he said swiftly and hurried out.

Adam swore. If Theo had shown Emily the passages that ran beneath the castle, she could be anywhere. They were numerous, difficult to navigate, and some of them led to dead ends.

Fear coiled in his gut as he considered that something bad might have befallen her. Surely, if she were lost, she would scream for help, and someone would find her.

"We may as well begin," his mother said coolly.

They all began tucking into their food. Doughall piled his plate high with chicken, but Adam had lost his appetite. He could not think of eating until he knew Emily was safe.

He drummed his fingers on the table for another minute or so and then pushed his chair back abruptly and left the room. He could feel three pairs of eyes on him as he did so, but he couldn't just sit back and do nothing.

She must be somewhere in the castle. Why can I nae shake this need to ensure she is safe?

But as he rounded the corner to the main entrance, he stiffened as Theo loped toward him through the rain from the other side of the courtyard.

"One of the stable boys thought he saw her leavin' the castle," Theo said urgently. "Almost an hour ago. He thought it must have been a trick of the light and didnae report it."

Adam cursed loudly, and both men turned, watching the deluge of rain. Adam could see his breath forming in clouds before him—it had grown cold.

"Damn it to hell! Theo, I want ye to keep watch. If she returns, ensure she is looked after. Find Olivia and get her to prepare a bath."

"She willnae have gone far," Theo said with infuriating calm. "On foot? She cannae have traveled a great distance."

Adam nodded but was already moving. In minutes, he was in the stables, quizzing the young boy about what he had seen. The boy was a small lad, no more than twelve. He was so intimidated by being addressed directly by his Laird that he could not speak clearly and kept stammering.

Adam gave up, grabbed his cloak and Buck's reins, and headed to the gates. It was dark now, the torches hissing and sputtering all around him.

"I can accompany ye, M'Laird," Theo said, running up behind him through the downpour. "It will be a difficult search in this weather."

"Nay. Stay here and keep watch. I have a feelin' I ken which direction she has gone."

Theo's expression was one of deep concern, even with the raindrops trickling down his brow, and Adam looked down at him questioningly.

"Ye arenae thinkin' of hurtin' her now, are ye? Ye said ye would have done so before."

Adam scoffed. "I didnae ken ye cared."

"I care for ye and therefore yer bride-to-be, M'Laird."

Adam extended his hand, and Theo shook it. "Ye have me word—nay harm will come to the lass. I willnae be civil, though. She's a fool to have left that way, and in the middle of a blasted storm nay less."

He pulled hard on Buck's reins, nodded to Theo, and cantered out into the storm.

With God as me witness, I am findin' me bride and bringin' her back with me, where she belongs.