Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

S tanding helplessly as her father continued to lambast Laird Sutherland, Iseabail could only look with utter hopelessness at Owen, who looked utterly devastated. Perhaps she had made the wrong decision. Perhaps she ought to have told him long before, when she had had a chance to explain the circumstances properly.

It is too late fer that now.

Indeed, it was, and while the sick feeling in her stomach expanded, and her heart physically pained her, she wished she could take back her words. She wished she could grab her family and Owen and run from the castle. But they were trapped there now, and she had no doubt at all that Laird Sutherland would never release her.

“Silence,” Laird Sutherland barked.

Stepping towards her father, the laird looked him directly in the eye and lifted his hand. Though he was many feet away, her father yelled out in pain, grasping at his throat as though he were being choked.

“Stop it!” Iseabail screamed. “Stop it. Ye’re going tae kill him.”

But the laird did not relent, and she watched as her father, going redder and redder in the face, fell to his knees as though he were actually dying. Keane grabbed hold of him, yelling in panic, while Iseabail continued to scream for the laird to stop.

“Ye’ve got what ye wanted,” she shrieked. “Let him go.”

“Where is the crystal?” the laird demanded.

“We dinnae have it here,” she cried. “We hid it so ye would keep yer part o’ the bargain.”

“Where is it?” he demanded again.

“I will tell ye. Just let him go,” Iseabail shrieked.

But Laird Sutherland did not release his power, and suddenly, Owen launched across the room and punched the laird in the side of the head, knocking him off balance. As Laird Sutherland stumbled backwards, his eye no longer on her father, the connection was broken, and Laird Mackay suddenly fell into a fit of coughing, as though released from being choked.

Laird Sutherland turned and glared at Owen, his face red with rage. Lifting his hand toward him, he tried to use his power against him, but to the laird’s utter shock, Owen continued forward, showing no sign of pain at all.

Iseabail felt relief wash over her. His necklace is protecting him, thanks be tae the gods.

As Owen raised his fist again, the laird bellowed to the guards, stepping back and out of his reach. The guards came running across the room, but Owen was ready for them. He fought valiantly and was clearly winning the battle, when Laird Sutherland grabbed hold of Iseabail, and looked her directly in the eye.

Suddenly, she screamed in agony as pain she had never before known racked through her stomach. It felt as though she were being stabbed over and over with a dagger.

“All right. All right,” Owen yelled, raising his hands in surrender. “Just let her go.”

Breaking eye contact with Iseabail, the laird spun to glare at Owen.

“There are other ways tae control ye, boy,” he snarled.

Though the pain was no longer there, Iseabail still panted, trying to catch her breath.

“Iseabail?” Owen exclaimed.

“I’m fine,” she said. “I’m fine.”

“Tell me where the crystal is,” the laird demanded.

Owen, clearly in fear of what he might do to Iseabail, told the laird where they had hidden it.”

“’Tis by the huge oak in the middle o’ the glen,” he blurted.

Not trusting that Laird Sutherland would keep his word, they had dug a small hole and buried the crystal after wrapping it in a little sackcloth. Of course, they hadn’t quite realized how bad things would go, but now, Owen evidently felt like he had little choice. He was doing it to save her, Iseabail knew that. A part of her wished he wouldn’t. After this day was over, her life would hardly be worth living.

“Take them tae the dungeons,” Laird Sutherland yelled. “And get me horse ready.”

Once the four were shoved into the dull cell, and the huge wooden door slammed closed behind them, Iseabail ran to her father and Keane. The three hugged each other, her father even shedding a tear.

“I failed ye, Faither,” Iseabail said. “I’m so sorry.”

“Ye did naething o’ the sort,” he croaked. “In fact, what ye have accomplished is nay less than a miracle.”

“Aye,” Keane nodded as he kissed her hair, “fer sure, we didnae think we would ever see ye again.”

Iseabail turned to Owen. “Well, I cannae take all the credit. I couldnae have done it without Owen,” she said, waving him over to join them.

“Owen, I would like ye tae meet me faither, Laird Hamilton Mackay, and me braither, Keane. He is the finest warrior in our clan.”

“I am honored, me laird,” he nodded to her father, and then her brother, “Keane.”

“And this is Owen Sinclair,” she continued. “Son o’ Laird Madigan Sinclair o’ Clan Sinclair.”

Hamilton looked at Owen keenly. “I cannae thank ye fer all ye have done tae help Iseabail. I dinnae ken how ye managed tae get involved in this, but I am eternally grateful fer ye being there fer me daughter.”

Owen lifted the corner of his mouth and smirked a little. “Well, let’s just say, yer daughter is very resourceful, me laird.”

Iseabail smiled then. She could not imagine what had been going through Owen’s mind since her disclosure, but clearly, he did not hate her completely, as she thought he might.

“Please, call me Hamilton. Under the circumstances, I hardly think such niceties are necessary.”

“How did ye two meet?” Keane asked, clearly wanting to know more.

“As it happens,” Owen said, “yer sister blackmailed me tae help her.”

This remark shocked Keane and Hamilton, and with wide-eyed glances at Iseabail, they then turned back to Owen with curious faces.

He gave a tortured smile then. “But I’m nay longer here against me will. In fact, me choice tae help her was made some time ago.”

“I was actually in search o’ the crystal when I discovered the very same thing hanging around Owen’s neck,” Iseabail clarified.

Owen lifted the necklace that had been, until then, hidden beneath his tunic.

“I’m nae proud tae say that in me desperation,” Iseabail continued, “I tried tae steal it.”

“Iseabail!” Hamilton exclaimed.

She shrugged her shoulders and looked bashful.

“In her defense,” Owen interjected, “Iseabail feared fer yer lives. In fact, she did up until the moment ye were both brought tae Laird Sutherland’s study.”

Iseabail then went on to recount what occurred, from Owen imprisoning her in the dungeons of his father’s castle, to the journey they had taken and all the excitement along the way. She carefully omitted any feelings they shared. She wasn’t sure her father was ready to hear that yet.

But when she was finished, her father looked from Owen to Iseabail and back again.

“And now, ye are in love with me daughter,” he said plainly.

Owen’s jaw dropped, and Iseabail felt her face flush bright red. She was only glad that the cell they were being kept in was not brightly lit, and thus, none of them could see her embarrassment.

Hamilton smiled. “It is very evident, in fact, that the two o’ ye feel deeply fer each other.”

Owen was still struggling to find words to reply when Iseabail nodded. “Ye are right, Faither. We dae love each other. In fact, Owen even saved me life on this journey more than once.”

“Aye, but ye repaid the favor by saving mine,” Owen added.

“And then, ye saved mine again,” Iseabail replied. “So, now, I am back in yer debt.”

Owen was about to say something else when Hamilton let out a low chuckle. They all looked at him as he continued with his laughter. “I think the gods brought ye two together, fer it is very obvious ye are well-suited.”

Iseabail grinned then, and Owen smiled along with her. She was about to tell her father that he was not the first to tell them that, when they heard heavy footsteps approaching from the corridor outside. All smiles dropped from their faces as they turned expectantly toward the door.

The key turned in the lock, and then the door burst open. Iseabail took a step back, and all three men stood in front of her. It made her heart swell with pride that they were so protective.

“And now,” Laird Sutherland declared, taking several strides into the cell, and clearly more than pleased with himself, “I hold all the power.”

Thrusting his arm out, he opened his hand, revealing the crystal sitting in his palm. The healer’s words returned to Iseabail then, and she wondered if they might see just one more miracle. Ada had told her that she was never to touch it, for it would be fatal to her because of her gift. Would it be the same for the laird? If it was, she only wished, though it was a dreadful thought, that whatever would happen to him would occur sooner rather than later.

“Ye have what ye want,” Hamilton spat. “Now, it is time tae keep yer side o’ the bargain.”

Laird Sutherland sneered and looked at Hamilton derisively.

“Nae all. There is one last piece that is yet to be completed. When I have married yer daughter, and only then, will I let ye all go free.”

“Ye’ll never have her,” Hamilton bellowed. “Dae ye hear? Never.”

But Laird Sutherland ignored him as though he were a child. Instead, he glared through the men and looked Iseabail directly in the eye. She gasped, waiting for the pain to come, but to her surprise, she felt nothing.

“I am the most powerful man on earth,” he growled. “I will have what I want, and there’s nae anything anyone can dae tae stop me.”

With that, he turned on his heels and stormed out of the room. Once again, the door slammed shut, and as they all stood there, silent and shocked, the echoing footsteps faded to nothing.

“We have tae get out o’ here,” Owen said determinedly. “I dinnae ken about ye, but I dinnae plan tae stay around tae watch that madman dae as he wills.”

Keane shook his head. “There’s nay chance o’ escape. We’ve tried.”

“Aye,” Iseabail added, “but ye didnae have me.”

Keane beamed a broad grin at his sister, and then nodded. “That’s right. We didnae. So, what’s the plan?”

“We should wait until night fall,” she replied. “It’s our best chance.”

“I saw a few small doors on our way in,” Owen added. “That means tunnels. If we could escape through those…”

“Ye mean like I tried tae dae?” Iseabail smirked.

Owen grinned back. “Aye, exactly.”

While Hamilton and Keane looked confused at the inside joke, Owen and Iseabail continued to smile at each other. Maybe, after all her worry, there might be a chance for them in the future after all. It was all her heart desired – to be able to spend her life loving this man for as long as they lived.

“What are ye talking about?” Hamilton asked.

Iseabail finally pulled her eyes away from Owen and, looking at her father, she said, “When I was a prisoner in the Sinclair castle, I compelled the guard tae free me. He also told me the way out through the tunnels.”

“Ye would have made it too, if I hadnae have been trying tae avoid me faither.”

Hamilton now looked even more confused.

Owen looked Hamilton straight in the eye. “All ye need tae ken is that escape is possible. I have great faith in yer daughter’s abilities.”

Seeming to understand Owen, Hamilton nodded. “All right. Then we wait until dark, which, by me estimation, willnae be more than a few hours.”

During that time, Iseabail went into more detail of some of their adventures, sometimes causing her father great distress, particularly when he heard about the waterfall episode. At one point, the key turned in the lock and the door opened. Two guards arrived with bread, meat and water, which surprised Iseabail.

“Och, if naething else, the laird has been keeping us well fed,” her father said upon seeing her amazement.

“I’ll be honest, Faither. I was pleasantly relieved tae see ye and Keane alive at all. While I tried tae keep me hopes up, I ken the kind o’ man Laird Sutherland is, and I was certain he wouldnae honor the agreement.”

Her father frowned and shook his head. “I dinnae ken that he still will. He says that he will let us all go once he has yer hand in marriage, but after all he has put our clan through, I still find that hard tae believe.”

Iseabail nodded. “I agree. With that stone, he is now more powerful than ye can ever imagine. He could well take over any clan he desires. And yet, there is something I have nae told ye about the crystal.”

“What is it?” Keane asked, having listened to their conversation.

“The crystal is indeed powerful,” Iseabail continued. “But Owen and I have discovered that it is dangerous tae any who are blessed with a gift. We met a very wise healer who herself, possessed a power. She told me nae ever tae touch the crystal, fer it might be fatal tae me.”

Keane’s eyes grew wide. “And ye think it will have the same effect on Sutherland?” he pressed.

Iseabail shrugged. “I cannae imagine why nae. If it would be fatal fer me, then surely, the same applies tae him.”

“And yet, he held it in his hand and looked fine,” Keane said.

A frown danced across her brow. “Aye. I noticed that too.”

“Perhaps it has tae dae with the length o’ time he has it on his person,” Hamilton suggested.

“It’s something we cannae speculate upon,” Owen cut in. “We can only hope that it might debilitate him, but none o’ us can ken fer sure. Me suggestion would be tae put that hope aside and concentrate on the escape.” He looked at Keane. “That being said, I would advise ye nae tae touch it either. It’s nae worth the risk.”

The time passed quickly, and by the tiny window in the cell, it was easy for them to see nightfall eventually overtake the dusk.

“Right, Iseabail,” Owen said, once the stars dotted the sky. “It’s time.”

Iseabail nodded and moved over to the door. She began banging on it with all her might.

“Help us! He’s sick. I’m sure he’s dying.”

Silence hung in the air at first, but then hurried footsteps could be heard in the corridor outside. After the jangle of keys, she heard the key turning in the lock, and the door flew open.

Looking the guard directly in the eye, she said, “Ye will stop and nae move.”

The man blinked and then stood perfectly still. “What have ye done tae me?”

“Ye will be quiet,” Iseabail said.

She then turned to the others and waved hurriedly for them to join her. One by one, they stepped past the guard, who remained perfectly still and silent, each of them scanning up and down the corridor to check no other was coming.

“Now, ye will tell me how tae escape through the hidden tunnels,” Iseabail demanded.

With the others listening to his words, the guard spilled out what Iseabail compelled from him; the corridors, the directions they needed to take, and where they would end up.

“When ye get tae the kitchen, there is a rear door that leads out into the gardens. Cross the lawns and upon reaching the wall, follow it tae the right. Ye’ll come across a small gate that the servants use. There are only two guards there.”

“Is that all?” Iseabail pressed.

The guard nodded.

“Very well. Now, step further inside the cell.”

The man did as he was told.

“Give me the keys,” Iseabail continued.

The guard did so, but the ring was large with many keys attached to it.

“Tell me now, which key locks this cell?” she asked.

He pointed to a dull brass key that looked just like all the others.

“Good. Now step back.”

When the guard did, she grabbed hold of the door and looked at him for the final time. “Ye will forget everything ye have told us. Now, sleep.”

The man’s legs gave way and slumping onto the floor, he was asleep in seconds.