Chapter 28

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

A strange flickering light danced in front of her closed eyelids, and when Katherine finally managed to open her eyes, all she could see was the dancing flame of the candle. It cast long shadows across the room, and finally shaking herself to full wakefulness, she realized she had slept right through the day. From the lack of sunlight outside, she knew dusk had long arrived, and night was soon approaching.

Pushing herself up from the mattress, she stretched, and in doing so, she noted the plate sat on the dresser. On it was a chunk of bread and some cold meats. Beside it sat a cup, and on closer inspection, for she lifted it and sniffed it, she discovered wine inside.

She took a light sip, for her throat was dry. Thinking about the last time she had actually eaten or drunk, she recalled that it was sometime the day before, when they had traveled to the tavern. It was as she was taking another sip, that she heard faint cries. For a second, she thought she was imagining it, but turning her ear, and trying to listen even more attentively, she heard them again.

Deep, agonizing cries from someone clearly suffering a great amount of pain.

“Oh, God, no,” she cried, her pulse quickening as she realized who might be making such dreadful sounds.

Putting the cup back where she found it, she hurried across the room to her door. Gently, and as quietly as she could, she opened it and peeked outside. The hallway was dark, but as her eyes adjusted to it, she could see no one else about.

Katherine slipped out of the room. Keeping close to the wall, she made her way down the corridor, her heart thumping against her ribcage. Once she reached the top of the stairs, she gazed down, but could still see no one. Grabbing the handrail, she began tiptoeing down the stairs, praying she would not make a sound. But as her foot landed on a stair halfway down, a high-pitched creak sounded from the old board, and she stopped dead, awaiting a reaction from someone who might have heard it.

Another second passed with the sound of her pulse rushing in her ears, but no one came running, and thus, she continued, hurrying down the last steps, safe in the knowledge that there was no one nearby.

As she hurried through the corridor, the dreadful sounds grew louder, only this time, she heard the raging bellows of her brother. The sound was coming from beneath her, and Katherine realized the house must have a cellar.

Carefully listening, she moved toward the sound, until eventually, the heartbreaking wails were right beneath her. To her left, there stood a door with light spilling from beneath it.

This has to be it.

Katherine was just about to turn the handle, when she heard heavy footfalls beyond it. Someone was climbing up the stairs from the cellar. Someone was coming.

Hide!

Spinning her head, she looked about her and saw a door on the opposite side of the corridor. Flinging it open, she discovered a closet, and quickly stepping forward, she jumped inside just in time, for the door to the basement flew open.

The closet door remained open a crack, and peering through it, she watched her brother and three of his men walk out into the corridor.

“Do you not think one of us should stay with him, my lord?” one of the men said, as they continued down the corridor.

“Where is he going to go?” Reginald snapped back. “No. Leave him there to suffer alone. Go and check on the others. They’ve already been outside for hours.”

“Yes, my lord.”

The voices faded the farther away they went, and when Katherine was certain they were gone, she slowly pushed the closet door open.

I have to save him. I must.

Swiftly moving across the corridor, she opened the door to the basement, making certain to close it tightly behind her again. She was then faced with a set of steps, and without hesitation, she hurriedly ran down them.

There in the dimly lit room, she gasped at the sight of Domhnall. Barely standing, his body was bloodied and cut. His wrists were bound with rope attached to thick iron rings secured into the wall behind him.

“Oh, my God,” she cried.

Her throat tightened at the sight of him, for once so strong and untouchable, he was now reduced to a man beaten and weak. It didn’t make any sense, for she had witnessed him taking on three and four men at a time. How had her brother even captured him without being killed?

She had no time to think about that, and instead, ran to him, even as the horror of his condition threatened to overwhelm her, for he was slumped against the wall, his breathing shallow and labored, with blood trickling from wounds all over his body. Her fingers skimmed over his bruised skin, her hands shaking at what her brother had done.

The guilt crashing through her was nearly unbearable. She was supposed to have protected him. She was supposed to have told him the truth. And now, because of her silence, the man she adored with all of her heart was on the brink of death.

Tears blurred her vision, but there was no time to waste. She had to act quickly. Reginald had made his move, and now it was up to her to save Domhnall before it was too late.

“I’m so sorry, my love,” she sobbed, grabbing at the rope, her hands still trembling as she struggled to loosen the thick nots. “This is all my fault. I’m so, so sorry.” As the knots loosened, she continued to talk to him, somehow hoping the sound of her voice would bring him some comfort. “We’re going to get out of here. I will find a way out.”

But what then? Where was she supposed to go? Domhnall was in no condition to travel far. Could she find a way to get a missive to Enya? His wounds needed healing, and quickly.

“Dinnae blame yersel’, Katherine,” Domhnall croaked, still struggling to stand once he was released from his ropes. “All will be good. But ye need tae leave. Yer brother will return soon. Ye’re nae safe here.”

“I’m not leaving you,” Katherine retorted. “We just have to find a way out.”

Leaving him leaning heavily against the wall, she moved across the room, pushing aside sacks and old chests, desperate to find an outer door. There had to be one. She just needed to find it.

“Katherine, please.”

“No,” she said firmly, turning to look at him. “If we’re leaving, we’re leaving together.”

But just as Domhnall opened his mouth to argue, the door at the top of the stairs burst open.

The torture had gone on for hours before Katherine had arrived. While she had untied him, he could barely breathe, speak, or stand. In fact, he was certain he was close to the end.

“I’m not leaving you,” Katherine retorted. “We just have to find a way out.”

Leaving him leaning heavily against the wall, she moved across the room, pushing aside sacks and old chests, clearly trying to find a door.

But she didn’t understand the danger she was in. Reginald was certain to kill her if he discovered her there. In fact, he could no longer be certain her brother would spare her life, even after Domhnall’s was taken from him. She needed to escape while she still had the chance.

“Katherine, please–”

“No,” she said firmly, turning to look at him. “If we’re leaving, we’re leaving together.”

He was too weak to run. He would only hold her back, and just as he was about to tell her that, the door at the top of the stairs burst open.

“Come tae me,” Domhnall croaked. “Quickly.”

Katherine did as she was bid, and by the time Reginald and his men reached the bottom of the staircase, she was stood beside him, her arms wrapped around his body, doing her best to keep him standing.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Reginald spat as he glared at Katherine.

“I might ask you the same,” she cried. “Why, Reginald? Why have you punished him so? He has done nothing to you. Not now. Not ever.”

“Of course, he has. He’s a Scot to begin with, and thus, his very existence irks me. I am with the king on this one. They need to be annihilated. Every single one of them. Besides, he has killed my men.”

“Because they attacked him,” Katherine retorted incredulously. “What did you expect was going to happen?”

“Move away from him now, or you will take his place in his grave.”

“No!” Katherine spat.

Reginald then looked at Domhnall. “My sister does not seem to understand the situation. You are too weak to fight me and my men, and thus, this is my proposal. Either you die, or she does.”

At those words, one of the men launched forward, and, grabbing Katherine by the wrist, he tore her away. Holding her against his body, he lifted a knife to her throat.

“Nay!” Domhnall growled, feeling both devastated and angry.

Using what little strength he had left, he pushed himself off the wall. A part of him knew he and Katherine were both going to die in that cellar, but he had to try and save her.

“Leave her be. If ye’re so determined tae kill someone, then kill me.”

“No!” Katherine sobbed, tears escaping down her cheeks. “Please.”

Domhnall took one last long look at her. She truly was the best thing that had happened to him, and now he would go to his grave knowing what love truly meant, and how it felt. She had given him more than she could ever know. And it was that love that impelled him to save her. She might have a chance at life. He had to hold onto that.

Looking back at Reginald, he lifted his head, pushed his shoulders back, and stared directly into his eyes. He would not show fear. He would not tremble. He would die with honor and dignity.

“I’m ready,” he said evenly.

A smirk grew on Reginald’s lips, the evident and obvious delight that he was finally going to get what he wanted after all this time beaming from him. The smile grew even wider as he looked from Domhnall to Katherine.

“Before I smite you, there is one thing you both need to know. All this time, my sister has believed you were the man who killed our father.”

Katherine shook her head, but Reginald ignored her.

“But, as a matter of fact, it was I, who arranged his murder.”

Domhnall’s jaw fell at those words, but Katherine’s screams broke through his astonishment, paining his heart as he witnessed her utter despair.