Chapter 27

27

Skye screamed as she was lifted into the air by her grandfather.

"Good day, little one," Laird MacDougal said. "It's good to see ye again."

"Leave her alone!" Lana cried out.

She struggled against Laird Cullen, who had wrapped an arm around her waist. She tried to push against him, knowing how drunk he was. She could smell the alcohol seeping out of his pores. But even in this drunken state, he was strong.

He laughed, clearly enjoying himself. "Turns out Laird MacDougal and I have similar interests," he slurred.

"And what are those?" Lana snapped. "Kidnapping women?"

"Hating Clan MacCrawford," Laird MacDougal responded. He held Skye against his hip, but the girl kept squirming, trying to free herself from his grip.

"That feud ended years ago," Lana reasoned. "With Daniel's marriage to yer daughter."

"For a time," Laird MacDougal said coldly. "But then yer husband went and got me daughter killed."

Lana glanced at Skye to see if she was comprehending this conversation. She was glad to see the girl was still kicking her legs, desperate to get free.

"Stay still," Laird MacDougal yelled, and the girl blinked up at him with shock, freezing. Then, the man added in a softer tone: "Do ye nae remember me? I'm yer grandfaither."

Skye took in the man's round face and his gray hair. Lana could see the child was thinking hard, probably recognizing the man from when he crashed the wedding.

"I came to yer faither's wedding."

"Aye," Skye answered in a small voice. "I remember ye."

She looked at Lana, clearly trying to understand if she was in danger. At the wedding, Laird MacDougal had spun her around the dance floor and made her laugh. Now he was holding her tight as a stranger held hard onto Lana. It would be a lot for any child to work through.

"This is a misunderstanding," Lana insisted. "Daniel wasnae trying to harm either of ye. We should go inside and speak with him."

But both of the Lairds made sounds of disgust or derision.

"I willnae speak with the man who has disrespected me daughter's memory. He willnae even let me see me granddaughter."

"I can speak with him," Lana offered. "I can make sure ye can visit Skye whenever ye like."

"Visit?" Laird MacDougal scoffed, his voice dark and tight. "I am done asking permission to see me family. Skye's coming with me. It's time she sees the home her maither grew up in."

"Lana?" Skye asked, her voice high-pitched and nervous. She was on the edge of tears, clearly overwhelmed by this situation.

"Then we will bring her to ye," Lana reasoned. "Ye have me word, Laird MacDougal."

"Yer word?" Laird Cullen scoffed, turning his head so he could glare at her. "Yer word means nothing. If ye kept yer promises, then we would be married right now. She is only lying, MacDougal."

"Aye." Laird MacDougal nodded. "I ken exactly what type of woman she is. It's nay wonder Daniel found ye. Nay, Skye is coming with me now."

Tears began falling down Skye's face as he carried her to a horse he had tethered in the woods.

"But I like me castle!" she cried. "I daenae wish to go!"

She let out long, desperate sobs that broke Lana's heart.

Lana pushed hard against Laird Cullen, and for a moment she was free. She had surprised him with her quick movement, and she took a step forward. But then he was on her again, both arms wrapping tight around her body. She shivered in disgust as he pressed his front to her back.

"Nay, lass," he whispered in her ear, and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. "Ye arenae going with them. Ye are comin' with me. It's time to make yer husband pay for disrespectin' me."

"Me Laird!"

A tall, thin boy threw himself into Daniel's study as a guard chased after him.

Daniel looked up in surprise as the boy was scooped up by the guard and held back.

"Apologies, Me Laird," the guard said. "He's a slippery one."

Daniel saw desperation in the child's eyes, and he was suddenly on edge. He stood up and walked toward him.

"What is it?" he asked. "Is something wrong?"

"It's Lady MacCrawford!" the boy cried.

Daniel gestured to the guard to let the boy go. He wore the garb of a stableboy, though Daniel didn't recognize him.

"What's happened?" Daniel asked.

"There are men," the boy said. "Lairds, I think. They are with Lady MacCrawford and Lady Skye. Ye must go quickly."

Daniel glanced at the guard and saw surprise on the man's face. He looked guilty, realizing he had tried to stop the boy from entering the study when he had such important news.

Without another word, Daniel bolted toward the door, his hand resting on the pommel of his sword.

"Let's go!" he cried, and he and the guard raced toward the barn.

Lana watched as Laird MacDougal's man lifted Skye onto the horse's back. He tied the crying child's hands in front of her body.

"Be careful!" Laird MacDougal scolded him. He put his hands on top of Skye's, trying to calm her. "Daenae worry, child. Ye will like me castle. It is where yer maither lived when she was a girl."

"I daenae want to go," Skye whined.

"I will show ye her favorite toys," MacDougal continued, ignoring her. "We have yer rooms all prepared for ye."

He patted her gently on the back in a moment of tenderness, but it didn't calm Skye. She only cried harder, making Lana's heart scream in protest.

Lana fought harder against Laird Cullen, desperate to save the girl.

"Stop moving, woman," Laird Cullen growled, and she suddenly felt a hand collide with the side of her face.

Lana blinked, feeling pain radiating through her temples as she realized that he had just slapped her across the face. She stood still, stunned.

Laird MacDougal walked carefully toward her. "Be sure to tell yer husband who took her," he said, pushing his face close to hers as Laird Cullen chuckled behind her. "I want him to ken that he lost another one. Just like he lost me daughter."

"That wasnae his fault!" Lana cried, but Laird Cullen pulled hard on her arms, locking them painfully behind her back.

"Have fun, Cullen." Laird MacDougal laughed, glancing at his friend. "Be sure to give them exactly what they deserve."

He turned on his heel, walked back to his horse, and took the reins from the guard. Lana could think of nothing except Skye.

"It's alright, Skye," she called out to her, though Laird Cullen pulled even harder on her arms. "We will come for ye. Be brave, me love."

She caught Skye's eyes and saw the briefest flash of understanding in them. She knew the girl was terrified, but somehow the words had given her the smallest glimmer of hope.

"Let's go," Laird Cullen grunted.

He pulled Lana toward the woods, dragging her further away from Skye and Laird MacDougal.

"Cullen!" The voice boomed across the yard like thunder, shocking everyone into silence.

Lana squirmed in Laird Cullen's arms to look over her shoulder, and she saw Daniel rushing forward, the blade of his sword glinting in the sunlight. Cameron was there too, and the men rushed forward with battle cries.

"Ye dinnae learn yer lesson," Daniel growled as he charged at Laird Cullen.

The man squealed. If Lana were not so afraid, it would have been comical. He instantly dropped her arms and turned around, running toward the woods.

"Ye willnae get away so easily," Daniel cried.

He was much faster than the drunken man, who wobbled his way toward his horse. Daniel caught up with him and spun the man around to face him.

Laird Cullen snapped into action then. He scrambled for his own sword and swiped recklessly in Daniel's direction. Behind her, Lana heard the clashing of swords as Cameron faced off against Laird MacDougal's guard.

"There was a time I almost cut off yer hand for touching her, Cullen," Daniel hissed, easily parrying the man's attacks.

He swung his sword at Laird Cullen's arm, and the man cried out in pain.

"Lana was the one who saved ye," he continued. The fight was almost too easy, with Laird Cullen tripping over his own feet and losing balance with each parry. "She told me to have mercy on ye."

"Aye, Me Laird," Laird Cullen said, his voice filled with panic. "And I am grateful to her."

"Grateful?" Daniel scoffed. He swung at the man's leg and heard him scream in pain. "Ye have a poor way of showing it. This time, I willnae go so easy on ye."

Daniel pushed Laird Cullen backward, further and further into the woods. His blood pumped through his veins, making every inch of him feel alive.

Seeing Laird Cullen gripping Lana made every ounce of him infuriated. He knew MacDougal wouldn't hurt Skye, but Cullen surely planned to hurt Lana. For touching her alone, Daniel wanted to wrap his hands around the man's neck and watch him stare death in the face.

Daniel swung his sword wide and watched Laird Cullen swerve. The man lost his balance and fell to the ground.

"Beg for mercy," Daniel growled, pressing the tip of his sword to the man's throat.

"Please," Laird Cullen croaked.

There it was, the terror as he realized his life was in someone else's hands.

"Tell me ye learned yer lesson. No one touches what's mine."

"Daniel, he isnae worth it."

Laird Cullen looked over Daniel's shoulder as Lana spoke. His face hardened into a vicious glare, full of hatred and disgust as he looked back at her. She was trying to save him, but he couldn't recognize it.

"I never wanted ye!" he screamed, and Daniel glanced over to see Lana standing a few feet away, watching them as tears welled up in her eyes. "Ye arenae worthy of Clan Cullen!"

"Watch it," Daniel warned. He pressed the tip of his sword harder to Laird Cullen's throat, causing blood to trickle down the man's neck.

"Ye are a tease!" Laird Cullen cried. "A harlot! A wench!"

With a decisive move, Daniel swiped his sword across the man's throat. Laird Cullen's eyes grew wide as he realized he had brought on his own death. Blood spewed from his throat, hitting Daniel across the chest as he watched Lana drop to her knees, sobbing.

Daniel watched the light leave the man's eyes as his body crumpled to the ground. He couldn't stop. He could still hear the clashing of swords behind him as Cameron fought to save Skye.

He spun around and noticed the guard lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood. Cameron was holding Skye with one arm while he fought Laird MacDougal with the other, pushing the man further back into the woods.

Daniel rushed over, Lana close beside him. She was instantly next to Cameron, pulling the child from his arms as Laird MacDougal swung his sword wildly.

"Papa!" Skye cried as Lana pulled her away from the fighting.

But Daniel didn't have time to comfort her. He took his spot beside Cameron and slammed his sword against Laird MacDougal's with such force that the old man lost his grip, and his sword flew through the air before tumbling to the ground.

Daniel pointed his sword toward Laird MacDougal, blocking his path so he couldn't retrieve his weapon. Laird MacDougal took in the gasping, angry men in front of him, and then he slowly lifted his hands before dropping to his knees. He knew he was bested.

"If ye werenae me daughter's grandfaither, I would have killed ye right now," Daniel hissed. He and Cameron pointed their swords to the old man's face.

"Apologies, Laird MacCrawford." Laird MacDougal dropped his head, and Daniel was shocked to hear him cry. "Ye must see… she is me only family."

"And this is how ye treat family?" Cameron scoffed. "If so, she is better off without ye."

"Take pity on an old man," Laird MacDougal cried. He looked up at Daniel, begging for mercy. "Ye ken how hard it was to lose me only child."

"Then ye should ken nae to take mine," Daniel spat. "Ye see what happened to Cullen. I willnae hesitate to do the same to ye if ye ever try to take either one of them away again."

"I only want the child in me life," Laird MacDougal pleaded.

Daniel hesitated as he saw the loving glance Laird MacDougal cast in Skye's direction. Lana was holding the child's head against her shoulder, clearly shielding her from the death and violence around her. Daniel thought of Evelyn and how her death had upended his life. It was not hard to guess what her death had done to her father.

He turned back to the man with a glare. He caught his eye as he held his sword to his throat. "We will discuss ye visiting the child," he said carefully. "I willnae bar ye from being in her life. But if ye ever try to take her again, I willnae show mercy."

Daniel stepped back, dropping the tip of his sword to the ground. He nodded at Cameron, signaling for him to do the same.

Cameron was unsure, and he took a moment to consider. But then he backed up.

Laird MacDougal sighed in relief. "Thank ye," he said, scrambling to his feet. He made for his sword.

"Leave it!" Daniel cried, and Laird MacDougal froze. "Get out of here."

The old man hesitated, clearly torn. Daniel glared at the man, daring him to reach for the sword. If the man did, Daniel had half a mind to take off his hand. But he wasn't given that satisfaction.

Instead, MacDougal turned and rushed to his horse, scrambling to pick up the reins from the ground. He ungracefully threw himself atop his mount, landing on his belly, and then he turned, rushing down the path he had come from.

"Make sure he gets home," Daniel ordered the guards who had finally arrived.

They rushed into the barn to saddle their horses, determined to follow Laird MacDougal all the way to his castle.