Chapter 22

Macauley stood at the top of the cliff, gazing at Castle MacLaren in the distance. There was little he could see from there, of course, since they were far enough from the castle to be safe from guards and scouts, but he couldn't tear his gaze away from it.

Somewhere in there, Cathleen was confronting Faolan. She was putting his plan in motion and there would be no going back after it. She was in Faolan's territory now and there was nothing Macauley and Kian could do to take her out if things didn't go according to plan—save for storming the castle and declaring war on the MacLaren Clan.

"What are ye thinkin'?" Kian asked, sliding up next to him where he stood. The light reflected from his mask blinded Macauley when he turned to look at him and he squinted his eyes, wishing he would take the damn thing off for once.

"Naething," Macauley said. "The plan."

Kian hummed thoughtfully but said nothing, staring instead ahead like Macauley had only moments prior.

"Dae ye think she'll come?" Kian asked.

"I hope so," said Macauley. "We need her help."

Macauley turned around and walked back to the camp the soldiers had set up nearby, in a small clearing of the forest that covered the hill. Cathleen knew the area well and had told them where the best places for them to hide were, pointing out that specific place as the best one to remain hidden from Faolan's forces. They had encountered no one on their way there. Faolan MacLaren seemed too confident that no one would attack him, especially not the Drummonds, for he believed that Kian had sent Cathleen away after finding out the truth.

He was restless as he sat down and stood once more, pacing near one of the tents the men had pitched up. He couldn't sit still, his entire body thrumming with an energy he couldn't expel. A part of him wanted a fight, a battle, anything that would help him relax afterwards, anything that would tire him out enough to allow him to sleep. In the last few days, he had barely managed to close his eyes at all, tossing and turning all night, thinking about Cathleen's betrayal and everything it meant for the Drummond Clan.

Kian believed they were in no danger. He insisted they were too powerful for the MacLarens, too well-prepared, but Macauley thought it was prudent to worry regardless. If they got too cocky, then they ran the risk of turning into Faolan, leaving themselves open and vulnerable to an attack. Macauley knew better than to remain complacent. When the time came, he would be prepared and he would make sure the entire clan was prepared, too.

"There she is," Kian called over his shoulder and Macauley stopped his pacing, heading back towards him. He followed Kian's finger to where he was pointing in the distance at the road that led north from the castle, towards where they had set up camp.

Bonnie was coming right towards them and Macauley let out a sigh of relief.

It didn't take her long to climb the hill on her horse. Macauley and Kian were waiting for her in the middle of the path and the moment she noticed them, she brought her horse to a halt, eyes wide as she took in their faces.

"Macauley? Kian?" she asked in disbelief. For a moment, she hesitated and Macauley feared she would take off on her horse, but then she jumped down and crossed the distance that separated them, still gaping at them in shock. "What are ye doin' here? Is this, was I supposed tae find ye? Is this why Cathleen told me tae come this way?"

"Aye," Macauley said. "We have a plan tae fix all this but we need yer help."

Bonnie looked between them, her gaze flitting back and forth as though she didn't know whether she should trust them. Macauley could hardly blame her. As far as she knew, they were the enemy now.

"What Cathleen told yer laird, it isnae true," Macauley said. "Deirdre found the letter but she convinced Kian tae forgive ye both."

That seemed to shock Bonnie even more. "Why? How? How could ye forgive us?"

Macauley didn't quite believe it himself. He hadn't yet reached the same kind of acceptance that Kian had and he doubted he ever would, despite all of Deirdre's efforts. Ever since the truth had come out, Deirdre had been trying her best to convince Kian he should forgive Cathleen and Bonnie, too, and that they had no other choice but to do as Laird MacLaren told them. They were helpless against him, she had said, with no other choice but to do his bidding, no matter how much it hurt them. She had even gone as far as to swear to him that Cathleen's feelings for him were real, though Macauley doubted she could know for certain.

Either way, he didn't need Deirdre to convince him of this. As much as he loved her, this was a matter between him and Cathleen. Deirdre's involvement only complicated things for them both.

Kian gave Bonnie a small shrug. "I simply can," he said. "Me wife can be very persuadin' when she wants tae be."

Bonnie seemed to consider that for a moment before she turned her attention to Macauley. "An' ye?" she asked. "Dae ye also forgive Cathleen?"

It didn't escape Macauley's notice that Bonnie had only asked if he forgave Cathleen. Perhaps his forgiveness towards her was inconsequential to Bonnie and all she cared about was whether or not he hated her sister now.

"It doesnae matter if I forgive her," he said, which was just as good as admitting that he couldn't. "I still… care about her. I dinnae wish fer her tae suffer an' I willnae allow her tae wed that man that ye both seem tae despise. I also dinnae wish fer a war, so I will dae anythin' in me power tae stop Laird MacLaren. Ye have me word."

Bonnie nodded slowly, taking in everything Macauley and Kian had told her. Once she had fully digested the information, she turned her gaze to the castle, much like Macauley and Kian had done not so long ago.

"What dae ye need from me?" she asked, her expression set in a determined frown. "I'll dae anythin' ye need tae see that man an' his people fall."

There was no pretense in Bonnie in that moment. Her hatred for Faolan was palpable, like a living thing that curled around her and cloaked her in a chilling air. For the first time ever since finding out the truth, Macauley was certain that the sisters truly hated the man and this couldn't possibly be another one of his ploys.

"Then ye shall help," Macauley said. "There is somethin' we need from ye."