Chapter 30

CHAPTER THIRTY

“ N ae a chance,” Kai said, his voice carrying down into the cellar as he came running down the stairs with great speed.

For a second, Domhnall imagined he was hallucinating, for Kai arriving from nowhere seemed so unreal. How he had arrived, Domhnall could not know. He was just relieved his brother was there.

“Kai,” Domhnall blurted, still hardly able to believe his eyes.

But Kai did not stop for a greeting, and once at the bottom of the steps, he lifted his arm and swiftly punched Reginald in the head with such force, the man stumbled.

Domhnall was certain that Katherine was going to fall with him, but Kai grabbed her arm and yanked her back to safety. Immediately, Katherine threw her arms around him, her whole body trembling.

“Get her out o’ here,” Domhnall yelled.

Kai frowned deeply when he saw the state Domhnall was in. “What about?—”

“I’m fine. Besides, after everything he’s done, the man is mine. Get Katherine tae safety.”

Reginald still struggled to get off the floor while Kai whisked a distraught Katherine up the stairs.

Looking around him, Domhnall spotted the sword they had taken from him when they had captured him, and ignoring the agonizing pain of his wounds, he grabbed it and lifted it high above his head.

“No!” the man cried, his eyes pleading for mercy.

But Domhnall had no mercy left.

“This is fer everything ye have put me men through. Fer everything ye have put me through, but most of all, fer everything ye have put your own flesh and blood through. This is fer Katherine, and fer her faither.”

With swift and deadly precision, Domhnall brought the sword down on Reginald’s head, separating it from his body completely.

Dropping the sword, he then stumbled back against the wall, and feeling the strength leave his legs, he slid down it, ending in a crumpled heap on the floor.

Help would come soon, but for now, he gazed upon the beheaded man who had caused him such turmoil. The man who would have, without any hesitation, taken his own sister’s life without remorse.

Katherine had been so very brave, so very courageous, even willing to sacrifice her own life for his. He couldn’t imagine he would ever love her more than he did at that moment. It was over, the nightmare had finally ended. And the most important thing was, all those he loved were now safe.

Whether he would survive was a different matter, however, for he could feel his very soul slipping out of him. He had remained strong for Katherine’s sake, but now his body was slowly closing down and he simply was not sure how long he would last.

Soon afterwards, Magnus and Kai hurried down the stairs.

“Domhnall,” Magnus barked.

Domhnall opened his eyes, but he had no energy to speak.

Magnus shot Kai a look, and the two went to work.

With one on either side of him, they each took an arm and a leg and, with great effort, carried him to the top of the stairs. Huffing and panting, they eventually laid him down on the floor of what once had been a salon.

There, Katherine was waiting for him, her eyes brimming with tears.

“Domhnall,” she gasped, clearly terrified.

“We need tae get him back tae the castle now,” Magnus declared. “He needs Enya, and he needs her soon.”

A cart would have been ideal, but there was no time, and thus, Magnus mounted his horse. Between him and Kai, they managed to get Domhnall on behind him. Taking rope, Kai wrapped it around Domhnall and Magnus’ waist to make certain he would not fall backwards. With that done, Magnus flicked the reins and sped away.

“Ye can ride with me,” Kai said, as Katherine watched Magnus ride away.

But she shook her head.

“No. It will take longer with both of us on one horse.”

Turning away from him, she hurried to grab another horse grazing near the house. Hauling herself up onto it and throwing a leg either side of the horse’s broad body, she stilled for the slightest second, remembering the first occasion she had ever done that.

Domhnall had taught her how to ride, he had taught her to feel pleasure, how to love herself and let go of the rules and boundaries that held her back. He had taught her how to feel free.

Now, though, as she and Kai hurried to catch up to Magnus, Katherine worried that she might never get another chance to gaze into his beautiful, strong, stoic face again. Reginald might now be dead, for she knew Domhnall had killed him, but her brother had done a great amount of damage.

Upon reaching Magnus, the three rode side by side, but Katherine could not help throw glances across to Domhnall as his head lolled against Magnus’s back, his body looking as lifeless as a rag doll.

It took another two hours to reach the castle. Two hours of agony, fear, and worry, but eventually, they arrived. Once inside the city gates, Katherine ran to find Enya, while Kai was left to help Magnus.

Enya was distraught at hearing Katherine’s account as the two hurried back out to the courtyard, but when they reached it, Katherine nearly gasped at the sight before her.

No less than ten men carried Domhnall toward the castle on their shoulders, with Magnus and Kai at the front, leading the way. For a second, it looked identical to a funeral procession, but then, Katherine shook her head. She could not think in such a way. Instead, her heart filled full of gratitude, for his men dearly loved their laird, and it show by the concern that rippled across their faces.

Once in Domhnall’s bedchamber, they gently placed him on his bed, and the men hurriedly left, leaving his brothers and sisters and Katherine in the room.

Enya went to work straight away, while Katherine comforted Thora, who struggled to contain her tears. Magnus and Kai were far more stoic, but still, their faces betrayed their worry. Katherine knew from Enya that she could not use her power on a person too far gone because it would take away her life. When Enya finally began healing Domhnall, Katherine released the breath she didn’t know she was holding. Healing him meant he was still there.

It took some time, but Enya finally finished, looking more tired than Katherine had ever seen her, and when she could do no more, she stood and looked at them all.

“Now, we must wait.”

Katherine was confused. “But he is not awake.”

With a sad smile, Enya said, “Ye ken, ye and Domhnall are as impatient as each other. When ye were injured, he said practically the exact same thing.”

“I will go and fetch some fresh water,” Thora said pragmatically. “He is still covered in blood.”

“And I will go and make him a tonic fer when he wakens,” Enya declared, following her sister from the room. She then stopped and turned back to Katherine. “And perhaps when ye are ready, I could dae with looking ye over too, Katherine.”

“I’m fine,” Katherine replied.

Enya shrugged. “Perhaps, but ye have blood on yer hands and a cut on yer neck.”

As Enya left, Katherine’s eyes dropped to her hands, and she suddenly shuddered. That was not her blood. That was the blood of the man she had murdered.

Suddenly, she started rubbing at the stains frantically, panting when they would not come off.

“Hey. Hey,” Magnus said, striding towards her and placing his hands on her shoulders.

With wide eyes, she looked up at him. “It won’t come off. It’s not my blood, and it won’t come off,” she cried in panic.

Magnus looked down at her sadly for a long moment. “It will, Katherine. Come.”

He led her across the room to the water jug, and pouring some into the bowl sitting beside it, he gently took her hands and placed them in. As he slowly rubbed her skin, he said, “Sometimes we are forced tae dae things we could never imagine we are capable o’ doing. It’s a survival instinct within all o’ us, Katherine.”

She still trembled as she let him continue washing between her fingers.

“I cannae say it will be something ye will forget with ease. But nor can ye hold ontae regret. A bird doesnae regret killing a fish, a spider doesnae regret killing a fly.”

“It’s not the same,” she whispered.

“It is, and it isnae,” he said, taking the linen towel and drying her hands with the same gentleness. “The bird and the spider dae it tae survive. Just as ye did. The difference is, the bird and spider are nae under threat. They dinnae fear death. Ye did what ye had tae dae tae make it out o’ there alive.”

She understood what he was trying to say, but it made little difference. Maybe it would at a future time, but not now.

When they returned to Domhnall’s bedside and joined Kai, Katherine asked them something she had been wondering about since they had entered the cellar.

“How did ye find us?”

“Neither o’ us were happy when Domhnall decided tae come after ye alone,” Kai began.

But Magnus put his hands up to stop Kai. “She needs tae ken the reason why Domhnall was coming after her in the first place.”

“Och, right,” Kai nodded with a slight smile. “Well, tae cut a very long story short, after ye left, Domhnall began doubting himself, and between us, we came tae the conclusion that ye hadnae wanted tae help yer braither tae, ye ken, murder Domhnall and destroy the clan.” He smirked.

Katherine’s face flushed and heat rushed to her cheeks.

“Kai,” Magnus said in a warning tone.

“Och, come on. We killed the guy. We’re allowed a little light relief,” Kai quipped.

“Anyway,” he continued, “Domhnall was determined tae come and speak tae ye on his own, but Magnus and I were nae too keen, so we followed him. When we arrived at Drynoch, we discovered the guards who had been sent tae escort ye had been killed, yer braither had escaped, and Domhnall was on the way back tae the castle tae get reinforcements tae search fer ye.”

“But we hadnae met him on the road,” Magnus said, “so we concluded he had decided tae forgo returning tae the castle, and had gone tae find ye. Kai then came across a trail of several hoof prints and we decided tae follow it. And upon seeing the abandoned house surrounded, we kent he was there.”

“It was lucky that you got there when you did,” Katherine replied. “Any longer, and I’m certain both Domhnall and I would be dead.”

The three of them looked over at Domhnall as he lay there, his breathing still a little labored.

Later, after Thora had washed Domhnall clean of all the blood and dirt on his body, Kai and Magnus helped their sisters dress him in clean garments, and then, surrounding his bedside, the five sat watching and waiting.

There was simply nothing more any of them could do.

Hours passed, and eventually, the siblings convinced each other that some of them ought to sleep. After much discussion, Kai and Thora agreed to get some rest.

“Perhaps ye should go too, Katherine,” Magnus said, glancing across the bed at her, for her chair was positioned close to the head of the bed on Domhnall’s left.

But Katherine shook her head. “No. I’m not leaving his side.”

Whether it was the determination in her voice, or the fixed expression of her face, neither Magnus nor any of the others pressed it, and bidding them goodnight, Kai and Thora left. More hours passed, and Katherine felt her eyes drooping. But even as gritty as they felt, she forced herself to stay awake.

As time went by, however, she felt her head loll against the side of the chair she was tucked up on, and as hard as she tried, she could not stop her lids from closing. Not long after that, sleep slowly overtook her.

The sound of soft whispers brought her out of her slumber, and given she was not fully awake, the voices sounded so very far away.

“… she hasnae moved all night,” someone murmured. “Shall I wake her?”

“Nay. Leave her be.”

And then, there was no more sound as sleep overtook her again.

She dreamed about her father.

Wanting to see her, he had travelled from England to the Isle of Skye, and met her wonderful husband, Domhnall, and all the family. Her family, now. She heard his laughter and saw his smile once more. She listened to his soft voice, and watched as he and Domhnall enjoyed each other’s company.

There was dancing and much gaiety, and everyone was happy. In the great hall, people cheered and laughed and sang. A great circle gathered, and in the middle, her father and she danced together. But then, his face looked sad, and Katherine was worried. As her father looked down, blood poured from his stomach. When Katherine looked down, she held a bloody knife in her hand. And then, the laughter and gaiety stopped, and everyone pointed their fingers at her.

“No!” she cried.

Suddenly, Katherine woke with a jolt, her heart thumping in her chest. Panting with fear, she opened her eyes to find Domhnall sitting up in bed and gazing at her.

“Oh, thank god,” she cried, jumping from the chair and throwing herself onto the bed beside him.

“Hey,” he said softly. “Bad dream?”

And then, from nowhere, Katherine felt a sob catch in her throat, and with no way of stopping it, she burst into tears.